About Us
Ensemble Continuo is a classical chamber choir that seeks to cultivate a vibrant choral community in the Bay Area by fostering artistic excellence, lifelong learning, and inclusivity.
Founded in 2023, the choir has performed at venues including the Summer Sacred Music Series at Stanford Memorial Church, the International Performing Arts of America Festival at California Theater in San Jose, and the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland. In June 2025, the choir embarked on its first tour to perform works by Poulenc and Bernstein at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral.
Ensemble Continuo performs a wide-ranging repertoire with music both ancient and contemporary, secular and sacred, hailing from all corners of the globe. It is the choir-in-residence at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, CA.
We seek to:
- Provide a welcoming environment for experienced singers of all backgrounds to grow and connect, offering artistic development through high-caliber instruction, voice coaching, and challenging repertoire.
- Champion diverse and rarely-performed works, and collaborating with outstanding local musicians to enrich the cultural landscape of the Bay Area.
- Ensure accessibility by maintaining low membership fees and scholarships for performers, and offering affordable ticket prices for audiences.
About Our Musical Director
Founder and musical director of Ensemble Continuo, Christopher Pluntke, graduated from the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg in 2007 and has 25 years of experience leading vocal ensembles, period instrument groups, and performing as organist, pianist and continuo player. After obtaining his PhD at UCL, he moved to the Bay Area, where he has been active as conductor, pianist, and organist. He has served as music director and organist at All Saints' Episcopal Church in Palo Alto since January 2025.