Members of the Arcadia Chorale’s Summer Sing 2022 committee include, first row: Evelyn Munley, president, Hannah Eastman, Susan Minsavage, chair. Second row: Matthew Rupcich, music mirector, Samantha Schumacher, Mariane Ferrantino, Benjamin Collins, treasurer
Submitted photo
Concert will be June 25 in Scranton
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In some musical circles, summer has traditionally been a quiet time.
“We know a lot of church choirs and regional choirs go on break for the summer,” said Sue Minsavage from the Arcadia Chorale, noting high school and college choirs also are likely on hiatus.
So, what better time to plan “Summer Sing 2022?”
“We have a little over 50 participants registered,” said Minsavage, Summer Sing chair, noting that singers from Honesdale to Delaware Valley to Wyoming Valley have accepted an invitation from the Scranton-based Arcadia Choraleto sing Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and other pieces.
The public is invited to the concert, set for 7 p.m. Saturday, June 25 at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Scranton.
“I know I’m really excited,” said Arcadia Chorale member Catherine Carter. “I’m looking forward to meeting other like-minded musical people who want to gather and sing, who may miss being able to do what they love to do after two full years (of the Covid pandemic.)
“It’ a really great introduction to our group, a good outreach opportunity for us, not only for new audience members but for someone who might be interested in auditioning and performing with us,” Carter said.
The concert is held in partnership with the Chorale’s Dr. Steven Thomas Memorial Fund, which supports the ensemble’s student scholarships and special projects.
“We haven’t heard everyone together yet,” Minsavage said earlier this week. “We sent them their scores (so they could practice by themselves). We’ll hear the group for the first time on Friday, rehearse all day on Saturday, bring the orchestra in and then have the concert.”
“Our goal was to provide a low-cost, high-quality rehearsal and performance opportunity for our area singers during the summer lull,” Minsavage said. “We also wanted to give our regional choristers, including high school and college students, the chance to perform a major choral work with full orchestra and guest soloists. Not all choirs have the resources to do that. We saw this as a way to give back to our music community in Steven’s name through the Memorial Fund.”
Arcadia Chorale Music Director Matthew Rupcich will lead the Summer Sing Chorus and Arcadia Festival Orchestra in the performance of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” during the second half of the concert. The first half will feature instrumental and vocal performances by guests artists, including soprano Elise Mark and mezzo-soprano Annie Chester, pianist Rachel Meola, and Tom Heinze, Harold Levin and Gayle Klaber on oboe, viola and cello.
“Five Minutes for Steven,” an original work by Harold Levin written in honor of the Chorale’s late director Dr. Steven Thomas, is on the program, along with the Chorale’s “rousing arrangement of ‘Route 66,’ ” a song fans of Nat “King” Cole may remember well.
Summer Sing 2022 is supported in part by a grant from the Community Needs Fund of the Scranton Area Community Foundation as well as a grant from the Lackawanna County Community Re-Invest Program.
Tickets are $10 at the door for adults. Student tickets are free. Masks are encouraged for all audience members. For more information, call 570-871-0350 or visit arcadiachorale.org/.