Collaboration
The Reading Choral Society has artistic collaborations with many young singers.
Berks Classical Children’s Chorus (now named Berks Youth Chorus) first collaborated with RCS on April 24, 1993 to sing Carmina Burana by Orff with RCS Music Director Gail Poch (performed at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, West Reading). BCCC’s choirs have been a guest of RCS at Holiday concerts for many seasons. In January 2003, BCCC joined RCS for a performance of Venetian Baroque Music In April 1999, the West Chester University Concert Choir joined RCS to perform G. Verdi’s Requiem and April 2003 RCS performed Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony with their Concert Choir and Mastersingers
In November of 2000, the Hamburg Area High School and the Reading High School Chamber Singers performed John Rutter’s Gloria with RCS.
The Albright College Concert Choir in Nov. 2002, joined RCS for our “Songs of Democracy” program performing their own selections and with the choir for Howard Hanson’s Song of Democracy .
When the RCS performed Handel’s Messiah in April of 2004, an audition was held for the solos from area college vocal performance students. The RCS gave a stipend to the young talented voices that were chosen. This performance gave the young singers a professional debut with a chorus and orchestra. The soloists were Jacqueline Dunleavy Boyle, soprano; Mary Beth Gray, Mezzo Soprano; Kevin S. Brisbin, Tenor; and David Bowman, Bass.
In 2007 The BCCC Master Singers performed Rachmaninoff Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op.31 , as the introduction choir to the RCS performance of Rachmaninoff Vespers.
In 2009 the Daniel Boone High School Choir performed at the RCS Fall Concert, having won this opportunity through submission of a demo recording of their work.
In 2011 The BCCC’s Master Singers joined RCS in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem.