In 2019, Damien Geter completed a work called “An African-American Requiem” on a commission from the Resonance Ensemble in Oregon. Thanks to the pandemic, its premiere was delayed, and in the interim, Scott Tucker was approached about the possibility of performing the work at the Kennedy Center. Scott brought the idea to Nolan and the friends decided to collaborate on the endeavor. They wanted to organize a largely African-American orchestra and a very diverse choir that included many singers from the Washington region. Nolan took on the responsibility of identifying and bringing on board the orchestra and the balance of what would become an extremely diverse and extremely talented choir. For that concert, which eventually took place at the Kennedy Center on May 23, 2022, Nolan conducted a collection of his works, while Scott conducted the Geter “An African-American Requiem.” The Washington Post headline said, “‘An African-American Requiem’ turns national grief into powerful music.”

The experience of this genre mixing choral music and an extremely diverse choir, gave Scott and Nolan the idea to try to form a permanent organization that would continue to promote this mission. Thus was born the idea of the Washington Douglass Chorale.