The Austin Singers, a fifty-voice chorus, was founded in the fall of 1995 under the direction of Lanier Bayliss. Ara Carapetyan assumed the role as music director in 2005. This volunteer ensemble rehearses weekly and typically presents two or three concerts per season. The Austin Singers have gained a unique position among Austin-area performing groups with their innovative programming uniquely focused on choral works from different cultures and countries, recognizing and reflecting the diversity of the Austin community and the power and beauty of world music.