Special Performances
Special Performances
Auditions and Membership in the PCC
Auditions and Membership in the PCC
Auditions and Membership in the PCC
Auditions and Membership in the PCC
PCC Festival of Choirs Returns in 2022-2023
Join us at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, PA on Sunday, Nov. 6 for our 4:00 p.m. concert!
The PCC Festival of Choirs was established in 2012 by Dr. Susan Medley. The purpose of the annual Festival is to offer high school choirs the opportunity to perform for and with each other and the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale (PCC) in an outstanding performance venue and to experience the joy of choral singing as a lifelong pursuit. The Festival serves as PCC's primary educational outreach to the community. Dr. Medley visits each high school choir to work with them on the grand finale.
Since its founding more than 1,000 high school singers have performed in this annual concert. It is held in late fall at Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland, PA. Each choir performs 15 minutes of music, and then all choirs join together for a grand finale that is 250 voices strong.
The Festival of Choirs has enjoyed strong support from the foundation community. This year's event is supported in large part by the Child Health Association of Sewickley. The PCC is deeply grateful for CHS's support.
The 2022 Festival will be particularly noteworthy. The premiere of "Red is the Rose", composed by Richard Burchard specifically for this event, will be sung by all the choirs as the grand finale of the concert. This is the inaugural commission made possible by the Carol and Robert Woody Choral Commissioning Fund. This fund will enable PCC to commission a new work each year that will serve as the finale for that year's Festival of Choirs.
On October 28, 2018, the PCC Board waived ticket sales for the Festival and encouraged donations to the Tree of Life Congregation in response to the attack on the synagogue during worship on October 27, 2018. Following that concert, the PCC Board decided to make the Festival a free event. PCC also established a $500 scholarship that is awarded each year to a high school senior participating in the Festival who plans to continue singing in a choir during their university education. All donations received at the Festival support this scholarship fund.
The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale congratulates the recipients of its 2020 Scholarships, Daryl Jean Smith of Penn Hills High School and Emma Galiardi of Riverview High School. These students participated in the 2019 Pittsburgh Sings! Festival of Choirs. They were recommended by their choir directors. Both plan to continue singing in college. Congratulations, Daryl and Emma! May music always be a part of your lives!
Daryl Jean Smith
Penn Hills High School
Class of 2020
“I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. When I first entered Penn Hills Choir I remember feeling intimidated and I felt like I wasn’t enough, but being surrounded by such open minded and welcoming people is VERY contagious! I felt like I mattered and that I was an important contribution to the choir, MY choir! I honestly don’t know who I would be without such a recreational class. It never felt like work! Kala Williams is a truly eccentric woman and one of a kind! As I part ways with Penn Hills, I leave them with this: Why just sing the melody when you can harmonize?”
Daryl Jean Smith will attend Kent State University to major in Biology with a concentration in Pre-Med.
Emma Galiardi
Riverview High School Class of 2020
“I am honored to have been selected as the recipient of the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale Scholarship for 2020. Thanks to your generous contribution, it will enable me to have the opportunity to further my education and a four-year degree program at Thiel College.
“When I attend Thiel College in the fall, I will study criminal justice and the pursuit of a career in the field of law. The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale Scholarship and opportunity to attend Riverview High School has helped me to create a solid foundation for which to build my future. Thank you for your generous support.”
Daryl Jean Smith
Penn Hills High School
Class of 2020
