The Center for Adult and Continuing Education, in collaboration with the Arts, Film, and Music Department, is delighted to introduce you to the Misericordia University Community Choir. This vocal ensemble is open to all students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members in the local area. Under the direction of Matthew Rupcich, the ensemble will be a mixed chorus (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) of singers performing repertoire from all periods, both a cappella and with chamber musicians. Rehearsals will take place on Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 PM in the Maslow Ensemble Room (INS 004) at Misericordia University. In addition to giving a final concert at the end of the semester, other opportunities for the choir to perform may be available throughout the semester.

Although no prior choral experience is required, participants will work with the choir director to determine appropriate placement (SATB) in the ensemble. Singers must be able to match pitch in order to participate.
For this semester, Spring 2024, the repertoire will focus on music of Richard Rogers, George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. The choir will be singing songs from West Side Story, Porgy and Bess and many musicals by Richard Rodgers (Oklahoma, The King and The Sound of Music and others). 

MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY CHOIR REHEARSAL SCHEDULE:

Thursday, January 25 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, February 1 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, February 8 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, February 15 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, February 22 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, February 29 (No Rehearsal)
Thursday, March 7 (No Rehearsal – Spring Break)
Thursday, March 14 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, March 21 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, March 28 (No Rehearsal – Easter Break)
Thursday, April 4 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thursday, April 11 (INS 004/Ensemble Room)
Thurs. April 18 (Rehearsal in Campus Chapel)
Thurs. April 25 (Rehearsal in Campus Chapel)

Dress Rehearsal:
Sunday, Sunday April 28, Chapel (MU Chapel)
2:30 – 5:00 PM

SPRING CONCERT:
Tuesday, April 30, Chapel (MU Chapel)
Call Time: 5:30 PM
Performance time: 7:00 PM

Instructor:  Matthew Rupcich
Matthew served as an adjunct professor of choral music at Hunter College (CUNY) from 2006 – 2016 where he has conducted a significant number of major choral works, including Requiem (Duruflé), Dona Nobis Pacem (Vaughan Williams), Mass in C (Beethoven), Carmina Burana (Orff), Utrecht Jubilate (Handel), Dixit Dominus (Vivaldi) and Te Deum (Haydn). Under his leadership of the Rockland Camerata, the group has presented Liebeslieder Waltzer (Johannes Brahms), Magnificat (Bach), Mass for the Children (Rutter), Ceremony of Carols (Britten), Mass in Time of War (Haydn) and Christmas Cantata (Pinkham). Matthew has conducted at West Point, The Richard Rodgers Theater, The Metropolitan Museum, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Buxton Opera House in England among other internationally-recognized houses.  

Matthew is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied voice with Phyllis Bryn-Julson and earned a degree in Music Education.  He has played a significant role in Peabody’s Alumni Association over the past 25 years and is currently past President of the Society of Peabody Alumni.  Matthew has a Master’s in choral conducting from the University of Maryland. As a youngster, Matthew was the youngest person, at the age of 17 years old, to ever be accepted to the Chicago Symphony Chorus singing under the tutelage of Margaret Hillis and Sir George Solti.

To Participate:

For degree seeking students wishing to participate in the MU Community Choir for one (1) academic credit, please see your advisor and register for FA 283 03. Credit is only available to degree seeking students at Misericordia University.

For other students, faculty, staff and community members wishing to participate, please complete the online participation form: https://www.misericordia.edu/misericordia-community-choir

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