MAC Balladeers

The Multnomah Athletic Club Balladeers, founded in 1941, claim to be the oldest continuously-active athletic-club-based men’s chorus in the world. Over the years we have made over eight hundred appearances at the MAC, in the greater Portland area, and at distant locations in Oregon and Washington and, in June of 2018, at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Since 1941 the number of singers, directors and accompanists has totaled over 400 men.

The award-winning Balladeers (click here to see our recent MAC McAlpin Award) have always been eager to assist and lend their talent to civic events and charity endeavors. Our finest example is Brothers, Sing On!, a celebration of male choral singing held annually in early spring since 2009.  In spearheading this event the Balladeers hope to exemplify, especially for the younger boys and men, that singing can be continued enthusiastically after high school, after college and, for some of us, after retirement.  As of 2020, we have been joined in this event by 25 other choirs, many returning several times.  Since 2017, we have sung once or twice per year at the Mark Hatfield Courthouse to offer a musical welcome to new citizens at their Naturalization Ceremonies.