We hope to see you at our Christmas concerts. Details are below!
PURSUING EXCELLENCE IN
CHORAL PERFORMANCE
Peggy Haas Howell is the organist and choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lynchburg, VA, and music director of Cantate Children’s and Youth Choir. She is the Vice President and Councillor for Competitions and New Music with the American Guild of Organists.
Called a “play-anything virtuoso” by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, she is well-known as a recitalist and has played concerts in England, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Hungary and Poland as well as the United States. Recent engagements have included recitals for the Atlanta Summer Organ Festival and the International Organ Festival in Pelplin, Poland.
Ms. Howell won first prize in the National Young Artists Organ Playing Competition of the American Guild of Organists (1974) and a shared top prize at the St. Alban’s International Organ Interpretation Competition in England (1977). She has recorded for the BBC, Sender Freies Berlin, the Finnish Broadcasting Service and Raven Recordings. Before moving to Virginia in 1996, Ms. Howell taught organ for 10 years at Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Ms. Howell graduated from Susquehanna University with a Bachelor of Arts in Church Music degree and from Union Theological Seminary with a Master of Sacred Music degree. She also attended the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Hamburg, Germany. Her organ teachers have included Harald Vogel, Cherry Rhodes, Heinz Wunderlich, Charles Dodsley Walker and James Boeringer. She is married to organ builder, Richard Howell.
We are so fortunate that one of our founding members Colleen Snyder Schultz is also an accomplished harpist! You will have the pleasure of hearing her at our Christmas concerts this year! She will play a few pieces at the two United Lutheran Seminary (Gettysburg, PA) performances, but will take center stage as the featured musician at our National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton concert! (If you come to both concerts, you will be treated to different musical mini-recitals!)
Originally from Grand Rapids Michigan, Colleen moved to Pennsylvania in 2005 and in 2017 became one of the founding members of The Gettysburg Choral Society. Throughout her musical career, Colleen studied several instruments including piano, harp, and the carillon at the University of Michigan.
Colleen has performed for various events including church services, weddings, receptions, and corporate events in both Michigan and the Gettysburg, PA area.
Colleen currently resides in Gettysburg with her husband and two daughters.
The Gettysburg Choral Society, Inc. will present a series of three Christmas concerts entitled “Sing We Noel.” The first two concerts will be held in the Church of the Abiding Presence on the campus of the United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg--on Friday, December 6th, at 7:00 P.M. and on Saturday, December 7th, at 3:00 P.M. The seminary is located at 61 Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg, PA. The third and final concert in this year’s Christmas series will be held on Saturday, December 14th, at 3:00 P.M., in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 339 S. Seton Ave., Emmitsburg, MD.
The thirty-voice chorus, under the direction of co-founder and artistic director John McKay, will celebrate the season with some of the most beloved Christmas selections. Each concert will end with a popular sing-along of favorite carols, accompanied by organ.
The two Gettysburg concerts will feature guest organist Peggy Haas Howell. In addition to accompanying the chorus on several selections, she will give a mini-recital of Christmas organ favorites, demonstrating the power and majesty of the seminary’s magnificent Andover pipe organ.
Julie Reaver, the chorus’ newly appointed accompanist, will also be the organist at the Basilica concert, as she accompanies on piano and on the M.P. Moller pipe organ. Harpist Colleen Schultz will be the featured musician at the Basilica, and will offer a mini-recital, as well as accompany the choir on one piece.
As always, the concerts are free and open to the public. Tax-deductible contributions will be received to help defray expenses.
Church of the Abiding Presence (Seminary Chapel) 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325
We will present our annual Christmas concert at the United Lutheran Seminary Chapel and once again feature world renowned organist Peggy Haa...
Church of the Abiding Presence (Seminary Chapel) 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325
Church of the Abiding Presence (Seminary Chapel) 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325
We will present a second performance of our annual Christmas concert at the United Lutheran Seminary Chapel and will feature world renowned ...
Church of the Abiding Presence (Seminary Chapel) 61 Seminary Ridge Gettysburg, PA 17325
The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (Basilica) 339 S. Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727
For the second year in a row, we will present our annual Christmas concert at The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Our featured...
The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (Basilica) 339 S. Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Trinity United Church of Christ, 60 E. High St. in Gettysburg, PA 17325
Please see our "Audition" page for more information and audition criteria. If you are interested in auditioning, you may then contact us to...
Trinity United Church of Christ, 60 E. High St. in Gettysburg, PA 17325
Trinity United Church of Christ, 60 E. High St. in Gettysburg, PA 17325
Please see our "Audition" page for more information and audition criteria. If you are interested in auditioning, you may then contact us to...
Trinity United Church of Christ, 60 E. High St. in Gettysburg, PA 17325
The Gettysburg Choral Society, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization composed of auditioned singers who volunteer their talents to pursue excellence in choral music performance.
GCS typically performs several times each year including a patriotic program and a traditional Christmas repetoire near the holidays. We present these concerts in Gettysburg and Hanover, PA , Emmitsburg, MD and the surrounding area.
We also enjoy performing for retirement communities and private events. Please contact us if you wish to inquire about booking the chorus.
If you're interested in auditioning for the chorus, booking GCS for an event, or if you have any other questions, please contact us!
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