Windham Chamber Singers reunion concert honors outgoing director
Windham Chamber Singers Honor Four Decades of Musical Legacy in Emotional Finale
WINDHAM — The auditorium at Windham High School overflowed with anticipation on June 27 as the curtain rose on a concert that marked both an ending and a beginning for one of Maine's most celebrated musical ensembles.
Dr. Richard Nickerson stepped to the podium one final time, conducting a choir that numbered nearly as many voices as the packed house held in its seats. Spanning generations from teenagers to near-retirees, the Windham Chamber Singers delivered a performance that honored four decades of dedication, achievement, and community.
"This is exactly what I wanted," Nickerson said of his farewell. When his wife asked last year whether he'd prefer a retirement party, his answer was immediate: a retirement concert.
The man affectionately known as "Dr. Nick" arrived at Windham High School in 1987. His inaugural year drew more than 100 students into choir, and recognizing their appetite for challenge, he founded the Windham Chamber Singers the following year.
Under his leadership, the ensemble rose to international prominence. They performed at Carnegie Hall, the White House, and concert halls throughout Europe. Their crowning achievement came in 1996, when they captured the Prize of Vienna at the International Youth and Music Festival.
Alumni from that historic Vienna competition returned to perform in Nickerson's final concert. Elisabeth Marshall, a member of the 1997 ensemble, recalled the experience of singing Beethoven in Vienna as transformative—a moment that launched her career as a professional opera singer. At last month's concert, she delivered a solo from Mozart, the same composer's work she first performed with the Chamber Singers decades ago.
"It feels like coming full circle," Marshall said.
The generational reach of Nickerson's impact extended into the audience. Chanda Turner, superintendent of Maine School Administrative District 15, watched her daughter perform—marking a second generation of Chamber Singers in one family. Turner, also a Vienna alumna, found herself reconnecting with an unofficial anthem the choir adopted after her time: "Caledonia" by Dougie MacLean.
"I had to practice extra hard so I could sing it with my daughter," Turner told the audience.
Taking over the podium is Ryan Murray, whose parents both taught high school chorus. His mother was among Nickerson's early colleagues. Murray acknowledged the immense shoes he's stepping into but promised to honor what Nickerson built while establishing his own direction.
"My goal is to just go in there, be supportive for the students, and do what I can for the community," Murray said.
He plans to ask current members what they want the ensemble to become, building traditions that reflect the next generation's vision.
Nickerson, while celebrating the marquee achievements—the Vienna triumph, the White House performance—insisted that the choir's foundation mattered just as much.
"Those early singers in the late 1980s built something from nothing," he said. "That's just as important as Vienna or the White House."
Looking ahead, Nickerson will continue conducting for the Maine Music Society in Lewiston, with additional plans for guest conducting and adjudicating across the region. But for one evening, the applause belonged entirely to four decades of voices he helped shape.
