Pianos, trombones, violins—all musical instruments, of course. But so is the voice, the sounds uttered through the mouth of living creatures while speaking, shouting, singing. It can be considered a musical instrument, too.
There will be no denying that fact later this month when the Harrisburg Singers, along with choir members from 10 area churches, combine their vocal “instruments” at the third American Composer’s Choral Festival. In all, about 225 singers will raise high their voices inside Trinity Lutheran Church in Camp Hill.
“There are two things that make the American Composer’s Festival special,” says Charles Beckley, chair of the Choral Festival, which has taken place every two years since 2010. “How often do you get to see a mass choir and, two, you rarely get to see the person who composed the music also conduct it.”
That composer—and the one directing the choir this year—is Dr. Robert Lau, organist/choirmaster at Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church in Camp Hill, where he has served for more than 25 years. He is the creator of more than 250 choral and keyboard works, published by leading musical publishing companies in this country.
“Also featured in the concert will be a brass quintet and organ,” Beckley adds. “Many of the choir directors from the participating churches play the organ, and they will take turns accompanying the mass choir under Dr. Lau’s leadership.”
Choosing a guest composer is no easy task when you get people together with different musical tastes. Beckley explains that six or seven possibilities were brought to the table, narrowed down to the top two choices—and then a decision was made from there.
“The appeal with Dr. Lau is that everyone likes his music, and it’s extra special that he’s a Pennsylvania native,” Beckley says. “Here’s a guy who’s nationally recognized, and he’s right in our own backyard.”
It’s one thing to be directing 225 choral members; it’s another to be one of those voices in a crowd of sopranos, altos, basses and tenors.
Kat Prickett knows that feeling well. As a member of the participating Harrisburg Singers, secretary of the Singers’ board and a committee member for the festival, Prickett has been singing in choral groups since kindergarten. She’s excited about all the pieces that make up this year’s event.
“There is something magical about singing with over 200 other voices and coming together as one,” she says. “It’s a wall of powerful sound, and, when you add the magic of brass, organ and a notable American composer, it’s truly amazing.”
Two of Prickett’s favorite selections include the “Ave Verum Corpus,” an a cappella piece with beautiful, lush harmonies, and “The Lord is My Shepherd,” which was created in memory of a member of the Jubilate Choral Ensemble who passed away rather young.
“It is hauntingly beautiful and, with all of the recent losses that the central Pennsylvania theater community has experienced, I think this piece has the potential to provide comfort for anyone who hears it,” Prickett says. “Music is a powerful gift that the Singers and mass choir have the opportunity to share on March 29, and we hope that people will take part of that gift away with them.”
Musical selections at the event also include Lau’s own music, along with pieces by past Choral Festival guests K. Lee Scott and Dr. Mack Wilberg. In addition, the Singers will perform a selection commissioned especially for this concert, entitled “Come, Let Us Sing to the Lord.”
“For me, this is always the most exciting part of singing in the Choral Festivals,” Prickett says. “We get to sing a brand new piece that was written especially for us on this occasion, and to sing it under the direction of the composer himself is the icing on the cake.”
The American Composer’s Choral Festival will take place on Saturday, March 29 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2000 Chestnut St., Camp Hill. Tickets can be purchased by calling 717-737-8635 or by visiting www.harrisburgsingers.org/concerts. General admission is $10.
