Founded in 1991 by Diana V. Sáez, Coral Cantigas is the only chorus in the Washington, D.C. area that specializes in the performance of music from Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean. Through performances and workshops, Coral Cantigas shares the artistic and cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world and serves as a bridge between the Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking communities. The choir performs in Spanish, Portuguese, and a variety of American languages and dialects such as Nahuatl, Quechua and Creole, with bilingual concert program notes and texts.

Coral Cantigas has appeared at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Mexican Cultural Institute, Strathmore Hall, Washington National Cathedral, Capital Children's Museum, and performed under the auspices of the Washington Performing Arts Society, the In Series, the National Council of La Raza, the American Choral Directors Association and the American Guild of Organists. Coral Cantigas has also performed in collaboration with the Pan American Orchestra, The Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, the Cathedral Choral Society, New Century Singers, VOCE Chamber Choir, Tepuy folk ensemble, and The Chamber Singers of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges. In addition, the choir has hosted area performances by "Coral del Banco Industrial de Venezuela," the Argentinean group "Opus Cuatro," and "Cantaré", a local Latin American ensemble for children. Guest artists for the 2003-2004 season include Tina Chancey and Scot Reiss of the early music group Hesperus, and the Children's Chorus of Silver Spring, among others. Coral Cantigas also hosts a workshop led by outstanding Latin American scholars and performers, who teach and demonstrate performance styles from Latin America, Spain, and the Caribbean.

The choir has presented the area and U.S. premieres of Paco Peña's Misa Flamenca, Antonio Mir's Misa Coral, Luis Morales Bance's oratorio Berruecos, Ernani Aguiar's Cantilena and the anonymous colonial Bolivian-work Misa Encarnación. In 1996, Coral Cantigas represented North America at the "IV Encuentro Coral José Antonio Calcaño," one of the premier international choral festivals, held in Caracas, Venezuela. In 2001, the choir opened its 11th season with a tour of Puerto Rico.

The choir is named after cantigas, Spanish homophonic songs of the 13th Century that develop from both folkloric music and sacred chant. Coral Cantigas' repertoire ranges from folk music and popular song performed with folk instruments to classical works with orchestra. The choir performs sacred and secular music of many traditions.

The members of Coral Cantigas, its board of directors, and its audiences demonstrate the organization's commitment to serving as a bridge between the Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking world, with half being native Spanish speakers and half being from other cultures.

Coral Cantigas has been awarded grants from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Bank of America Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, the Marpat Foundation, the Maryland State Arts Council, The Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, the Executive Ball for the Arts and Humanities, the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain, and the WGMS 103.5 Performing Arts Fund.

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