From its humble beginnings in 1948 to today’s 100-plus-member ensemble, the State College Choral Society remains a cornerstone of Central Pennsylvania’s cultural life
The long-running choral group puts on several performances of classical music in the winter and spring each year, two of which are fast approaching in the coming weeks. The group had humble beginnings in 1948, originating as a small women’s club with just a few dozen members. Eventually, the group expanded and invited men to join in order to perform Bach’s “B minor Mass.” The men stuck around, and today the choir has grown to include more than 100 performers, currently the largest classical choral group in Central Pennsylvania.
In fact, the State College Choral Society has been around so long that they were first featured in the March 1967 issue of this very magazine. That feature spotlighted Raymond Brown, the choir’s second director, and somewhat surprisingly, there have not been many more since. Erik Clayton, the director of choirs at State College Area High School, recently became the Choral Society’s latest artistic director after participating in several collaborations between his students and the group over the past decade.
Despite the Choral Society’s long and storied history, Clayton is only the fourth director they’ve had since the beginning.
“I think that’s kind of remarkable given the number of years the organization has been around,” says Clayton. “It’s an incredibly stable organization that’s been a really important part of the State College community throughout that time. We have a wonderful board and lots of very committed members. The number of people who have been members for over 20 years, and in some cases even as long as 40 or 50 years, is just remarkable. And I love seeing all of them every Monday evening when we rehearse.”
Members come from State College and also the surrounding areas and even farther away, gathering every week to prepare for a variety of unique events throughout the year.
For anyone eager to attend a performance by the Choral Society, you’re in luck — not one but two concerts are taking place this spring. First up is Comfort for the Living on Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m. in the State College High School Performance Hall. This concert will feature “Tragic Overture, Op. 81” and “Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45,” both by Johannes Brahms.
“We’ll be performing Brahms’ Requiem, which is just an absolute masterpiece for choir and orchestra,” says Clayton. “It’s up there with the most performed pieces for ensembles like ours, and not only because of the beautiful music and wonderful writing for the orchestra and choir, but also its message.”
If you’re unfamiliar with what a requiem means in terms of a musical performance, generally it’s a piece that is meant to honor a person who has passed away. But unlike some requiems that are very somber and mournful, Clayton emphasizes this one may be unlike others you’ve heard.
“It’s really about comfort and thinking about how the person who’s passed away has done all these good works that will follow them,” says Clayton. “Brahms wrote it not long after his mother died, so it’s also a reflection on the deep love that you share with family members and how to process the grief when they’re gone. There are so many moments that have this juxtaposition between mourning and yet providing a joyful, overwhelming message of being comforted and seeing those loved ones again someday.”
This piece is one of Brahms’ most well-known and beloved works, and it has endured for a century and a half with its resonant themes of loss and comfort. In fact, Brahm’s “Ein deutsches Requiem” already holds a special history and resonance for Clayton; the last time he performed it was with his high school students in the spring of 2020, just as the pandemic was set to disrupt and change everyone’s lives.
“We did this right in the midst of COVID, and it was just so impactful during that time of sadness and dealing with a lot of the stress of the shutdown. So even though it is a song that’s dealing with the ideas of death, it can be very beautiful all the same.”
Comfort for the Living is only the first of two of the upcoming performances by the State College Choral Society. On April 26 at 4 p.m., they will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding with a concert titled ‘American Salute!’ But given some current events, Clayton was candid about how he hopes this concert will represent the country’s history through music.
“There’s a lot of elements to do with America being talked about that are very stressful. The headlines are one thing after another and they’re sometimes a little contentious. So this is really meant to be a celebration of the past through different eras and genres of music. It’s important poetry that’s not meant to whitewash or just be something that’s blatantly patriotic, but really more about celebrating all of the different elements that make America special.”
Some of the pieces that will be performed during the concert include “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Promise of Living,” “Irving Berlin’s America,” and “Fix Me, Jesus.”
Clayton explains, “We have music from the 19th century, some spirituals, and music from the Golden Age of musical theater. We also have some music by Copeland which I think is what a lot of people will kind of associate with rural or Appalachian Americana a little bit more. There are even some more modern pieces by Bernstein and others from even just the last 20 years or so. We want it to be a celebration of a variety of music that allows us to remember some of the things that bring us together.”
You can purchase tickets for both performances on the Choral Society’s website at scchoralsociety.org/this-season. Student tickets are available for $15, while general admission tickets are $30.
Beyond attending an upcoming performance by the Choral Society, for anyone who is interested in joining the group, open auditions are held throughout the year at the Oakwood Presbyterian Church. The only other requirements are wearing a tuxedo or black dress for performances, being able to attend a majority of rehearsals, and an annual due. Further details, including the audition schedule and application form, are available at scchoralsociety.org/join-us.
While Clayton suggests that being able to read music and having previously been a member of a choir are preferred, the overall process to join is not meant to be overly intensive or intimidating.
“We are always welcoming new members,” says Clayton. “The audition process really is an opportunity for me to just listen to the singer, hear what someone’s vocal range is, and the color or timbre of their voice, and then I can place them in an appropriate section. For anyone who loves to sing and loves being in a choir, I think Choral Society is a wonderful place for you. We want you to come join and be a part of our music-making.”
While having some prior experience is ideal, Clayton emphasizes that they provide rehearsal aids and have plenty of experienced section leaders who are there to guide and assist newcomers. The choir is home to a wide range of singers from all walks of life, including people in their early 20s who are recent high school graduates to those who have been singing in the group for several decades.
“I have some of my former students who graduated last spring, and then there’s members that are in their 80s, and lots of folks in between. We have folks that are young parents, we have grandparents, we have doctoral students. It’s a nice, wide range, and we really strive to provide a community and welcoming environment to everybody.”
To further this goal of making sure the group is a warm and welcoming community for its members, there are other plans in the works beyond gathering for their weekly Monday night rehearsals. In the coming months, they plan to organize some social events for their members and even sing-alongs at some local establishments like Pine Grove Hall.
“We really try to make it a special experience for the singers. It’s about the community as well as the music-making. I love it, and it is definitely a highlight of my week when we all get together and create music. And we love the audiences who come in and become a part of our concerts. We’re here for the State College community, and we just want to bring great music to it.” T&G
Matt Farley is a freelance writer in State College.
