Choirs
Choral singing is a celebrated activity at Gettysburg College. Three choirs provide opportunities for singers at all levels of experience and expertise. Choirs include singers from all across campus - not just music students. There are many ways to sing at Gettysburg College.
Everyone sings in at least one of the two main ensembles: College Choir or Concert Choir. Those with further interest may also audition for a mixed-voices vocal chamber group called the Camerata. Many students sing in more than one ensemble, tailoring their participation to their interests and availability.
Our goals are to sing great music at a high level and to create a vibrant community around choral singing. It’s a great way to make music, make friends and be a part of something really special.
Choirs at a glance
Here is a summary of the choral program at Gettysburg College.
Choirs are open to all Gettysburg College students. All choirs have students who are not music majors or minors, and you don’t have to be a “music student” to sing in choir. Many of our finest singers are students in other majors.
The College Choir is a mixed chamber choir with 24-36 experienced singers. It rehearses twice a week, 4:00-6:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The choir sings a broad repertoire in many styles and languages, including music by celebrated contemporary composers. The group performs 3-5 times per semester, at concerts and events on campus and in the community. The College Choir tours every year during spring break.
The Concert Choir is a large mixed choir with 40-60 singers with varying levels of experience and expertise. It rehearses once per week, Wednesday 7:30-9:30, and usually performs twice each semester. This choir focuses on larger works for choir and instruments or orchestra. This is a good group for singers who want to perform sophisticated music, but with a small time commitment.
The Camerata is an advanced ensemble with eight singers. They sing vocal chamber music, everything from madrigals to vocal jazz. Camerata rehearses once per week, Wednesdays 4:00-6:00, and each member also sings in the College Choir. With a small number of singers, the Camerata provides exciting possibilities for few-on-a-part singing, and many combinations of voices. They sing at the major concerts each semester, sing with the College Choir on tours, and at special performances on campus and in the region. They perform often with the Gettysburg College Jazz Ensemble.
All choirs are quarter-credit classes, and four semesters participation can satisfy the liberal arts core requirement for the arts. Enrollment happens during the first week of classes - there is no need to pre-enroll.
Here are some frequently asked questions about singing in choir at Gettysburg.
When we ask singers why they sing in choir, they often say that they enjoy singing great music with their friends, and that singing provides a welcome change from other kinds of classes. Come be a part of a great community of musicians and friends.
Choirs
Audeamus is a choir for upper-voice singers, including all people who sing music for sopranos and altos. The Latin word audeamus has connotations of boldness, daring, courage, and audacity: “Let us be bold.” English speakers may associate it with the word audio, which suggests engagement with sound, but which in Latin also has an implication of acceptance. Audeamus is an advanced choir that performs music for upper voices in many styles and from many periods. They perform in the major concerts each semester, and in special performances in the region.
Rehearsal: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 am - 12:45 pm
This advanced ensemble performs vocal chamber music, everything from madrigals to vocal jazz. With a small number of singers, the Camerata provides exciting possibilities for few-on-a-part singing, and many combinations of voices. They sing at the major concerts each semester, sing with the College Choir on tours, and at special performances on campus and in the region. They perform often with the Gettysburg College Jazz Ensemble.
Rehearsal: Wednesdays from 4:00 - 6:00 pm, with sectionals each week.
The Gettysburg College Choir is acclaimed for superlative performances of choral literature from the Renaissance to modern eras. The choir includes both music majors and students in other majors, from Anthropology to Political Science. Singers are selected through a competitive audition process, and the ensemble is committed to the highest levels of musicianship and professionalism. The ensemble sings in major concerts at Gettysburg College each semester and tours annually. Tours usually include major cities such as New York or Boston, with performances at local churches and schools. The choir also tours internationally, with recent excursions to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Canada.
The Concert Choir is for college and community singers, and specializes in major works for choir. They often join forces with the College Choir for performances of masterworks with orchestra. Concert Choir rehearses once a week, which makes it the perfect choir for singers who want to perform at a high level but with a small time commitment.
Rehearsal: Wednesdays from 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Ready to Do Great Work?
