Rich in tradition, beautiful art, and community engagement, the State College Choral Society is music to the ears of many as the organization celebrates its 75th anniversary.
The choral society was established in December 1948, when the 35-member Music Section of the Women’s Club in State College recruited men for a performance of Bach’s B minor Mass. Over its 75-year history, the choral society has grown from its humble beginnings into the largest choral group that performs a classical repertoire in central Pennsylvania. With nearly 120 members this season, the society welcomes singers with a love of choral music from as far as Lock Haven and Huntingdon, and many members who have performed with the society for 30 years or more.
“[The] State College Choral Society is a vibrant, growth-oriented community organization serving the Centre Region through the study and presentation of significant choral music,” says Russell Shelley, current artistic director of the society. “Each season gives members and audiences opportunities to experience live choral music, from small pieces to major masterworks.”
As the society’s artistic director for the last 25 years, Shelley has overseen the organization’s repertoire, concert programming, auditions and rehearsals, and conducted the ensemble at performances. Under his tenure, the society’s repertoire has expanded to include a more diverse background of composers. The ability to support new musical pieces and to continue to foster the society’s success, according to Shelley, is due to commitment—of the society’s staff and members and the community.
“The commitment of the community to continue to support such an important treasure, the commitment of the staff to keep the State College Choral Society on a firm foundation, and the commitment of the singers to constantly expand boundaries [has made the society successful for 75 years],” Shelley says.
The choral society’s seasons begin in September and end in late April or early May, with new member auditions typically held twice a year—once in the fall and once in early winter. Auditions include a simple two-to-three-minute rendition of a preselected song by the society’s artistic director. Tom Penkala, State College Choral Society general manager, says no previous choral performance experience is required to audition—all one needs is a love of music.
“Anyone from any background can join. They just have to have a love of music,” Penkala says. “We have singers of all backgrounds and abilities. Many of our members have musical training in their past, but we aren’t a professional musical group. The ability to read music and sight-read helps, but it isn’t required or mandatory to become a member.”
Members rehearse each Monday night throughout the season to prepare for the society’s three performances—fall, Christmas and spring concerts—and participate in dress rehearsals before a performance. At each concert, members perform pieces that were selected by the artistic director and approved by the society’s board of directors. Pieces vary each season and provide choral members and community members with the opportunity to bond over a shared love of music.
“Singing in a choir is a joyful experience that brings happiness and fulfillment to members, builds a bond of community and enlightens the spirit by performing great works of art,” says Erik Clayton, incoming State College Choral Society artistic director.
Clayton has served as the State College Area High School director of choirs since 2015, and he has partnered with the State College Choral Society for performances.
In addition to its partnership with Clayton and the State College Area High School choirs, the State College Choral Society also collaborates with other local musical organizations including Essence 2, led by Tony Leach; Centre Brass; Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra; Altoona Symphony Orchestra; Johnstown Symphony Orchestra; Nittany Valley Children’s Choir; Park Forest Middle School; Mount Nittany Middle School; and choral groups from Bellefonte Area School District and Hollidaysburg Area School District.
“The very act of participating in a choir builds community in a way unlike any other,” Clayton says. “Using your voice in concert with others is a profoundly fulfilling experience, and singing is a lifelong activity that people of every age can participate in. I truly believe that making music with others in a choir helps share love and goodwill throughout the members and into the community.”
By partnering with other organizations to provide artistic enrichment and engagement opportunities, the choral society expands the breadth of its outreach.
“It [the choral society] provides a fantastic creative outlet for the members involved, but also serves in gathering food at our holiday concert [for local food banks] and providing great cultural treasures to our community,” Clayton says. “I appreciate the great work the Choral Society has done for the past 75 years, and as a State College native, am proud of the place it holds in our community. It is a remarkable organization.”
The opportunities offered by the society have expanded in the last decade due to an increase in endowments supported by Centre Foundation and the State College Choral Society itself.
“If you polled other choral societies of our budget and size, I would say there aren’t many other choruses with the endowment potential that we have,” Penkala says.”Our standing now is much, much more robust, and we can do things that we couldn’t even dream of [before the endowments were established].”
In celebration of its 75th season, the State College Choral Society performed Sheridan Seyfried’s Voices of the Holocaust, the organization’s only commissioned work, in November, and its ninth annual Christmas with the Choral Society in December. To conclude the anniversary season and to celebrate the final concert conducted by Shelley, the group will perform The Creation by Franz Joseph Haydn on Sunday, April 7, at 3 p.m. in the State College Area High School Performance Hall.
“It’s a great piece bringing together phenomenal soloists, Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra members and State High Master Singers,” Penkala says. “It’s going to be a great finale to 75 years.”
In addition to the spring performance, Penkala says the choral society will hold a gala the week after the concert at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center.
“There’s 75 years of history to go through and reminisce on,” he says. “We’re holding the gala to laugh, to cry, to roast our outgoing artistic director, and to share for the evening. There’s just something about singing choral music—if it’s ingrained in your life and you’ve been doing it forever, it just keeps on going.”
As the incoming artistic director for the 2024-25 season, Clayton says he is honored and proud to be just the sixth music/artistic director of the unique choral society.
“[My goals are] to continue the proud tradition of presenting excellent choral music, to broaden the range of repertoire in our concerts, to expand membership and to expand our involvement in the community,” Clayton says. “I am looking forward to taking on this responsibility for the next several decades. We have a fantastic 2024-25 season in the works, including collaborations with other community ensembles.”
For many, including Shelley, being a member of the State College Choral Society captures this proud tradition of excellence and the essence of the local community.
“State College Choral Society embodies the best of what it means to be a contributing part of Happy Valley,” Shelley says. “We cherish the privilege at every turn.”
To view photos from the November performance of Voices of the Holocaust and the December Ninth Annual Christmas with the Choral Society concert, or to purchase tickets for the choral society’s spring performance, The Creation, visit scchoralsociety.org. T&G
Samantha Chavanic is a freelance writer in State College.
