** Listen to the PHC Chorale perform A Lullaby by Tom Bold.

About The Patrick Henry College Music program serves and enriches the campus by strengthening community, not only among those involved in its various musical undertakings, but also among those who have shared in their colleagues’ investments. Chorale is a central piece of the Music program and is comprised of approximately thirty to forty voices, though in future years we hope to see it grow to a sixty-voice ensemble. Concert performances, campus events, and community presentations have created beloved traditions for the student body and established relations with the greater Northern Virginia community. It has grown from a student organization with volunteer directors to an official course offering under the leadership of Dr. Steven McCollum. The program continues to develop and already has a substantial and growing repertoire.

To order your cd of the PHC Chorale's live recording at The Church of San Rocco in Venice, Italy, click here.

Auditions and Rehearsal Time

Auditions are conducted at the beginning of each fall semester during Orientation Week or as part of a J.S. Bach Musical Leadership Scholarship audition. The purpose of the audition is to become familiar with a singer’s abilities, musical background, and potential placement within the ensemble. Participation in the ensemble includes four hours of rehearsal per week, appearance and participation at performances, and sharing in the practical need of the organization. Students are asked to commit to a full academic year in Chorale, as teamwork is an integral part of accomplishing the goals of the ensemble. Every semester builds upon the accomplishments of the one previous.

Purpose

Our first purpose is to strive to realize God’s will for our lives as stated in I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  There can be no higher calling for us as we seek to honor the Lord in the musical enterprise.

In addition, we purpose to merge the concepts of music ministry with the highest degree of musical artistry and professionalism possible.  We will seek to represent Christ to a skeptical world by holding ourselves to equal levels of spiritual and musical accountability within our organization.  We hope to speak of Christ by the standard of excellence we hold ourselves to (…striving to do all to the glory of God...), and by the evidence of Christ’s work in our lives individually and corporately (…that all may know that we are Christians by our love for one another).

Performances

The Patrick Henry College Chorale has received invitations to sing at many events, including an appearance at the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and a partnership with Lancaster Bible College in the world premiere of Mendelssohn’s Elijah in Spanish. The Chorale also participates in established events and annual concerts on campus and in the surrounding community. On regular occasions the Chorale performs at college-sponsored dinners and formal events, graduation and commencement ceremonies, and homecoming activities. They also participate in chapel services and host campus events that are well-attended and well-loved traditions.

Spring Concert

In April or May the Chorale presents its spring concert to the PHC and local communities. Past performances include Christlag in Todesbanden, BWV 4, a cantata by J.S. Bach with an accompanying strings ensemble, Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah with the Lancaster Bible College choir and orchestra, The Passion According to St. John by Heinrich Schutz, and Missa Kenya by Paul Basler. These concerts are celebrations of the significant investment of the Chorale and are times of excitement enjoyed by Chorale members as well as by PHC staff, faculty, and students.

Holiday Celebrations

At the end of the fall semester, the Chorale plays a central role in transitioning to the holidays by leading a series of Advent Chapels, hosting a campus tree-lighting event, performing the traditional Lessons in Carols service, which is the culmination of the campus community’s celebration of Advent and which combines a variety of Christmas songs and hymns with readings of Scripture and prayers, and participating in chapels for Holy Week. Many families and residents of Loudoun County have come to regard it as an indispensible holiday tradition, and it is a pinnacle event for Chorale members. These events facilitate Christ-centered fellowship as the community remembers the coming of the Savior into the world.