The Gettysburg Choral Society, Inc.

The chorus is fortunate to once again be joined by organist Peggy Haas Howell for our upcoming Christmas concerts on December 5th and 6th!  In addition to her responsibilities as AGO’s Vice President/Councillor for Compositions and New Music, Ms. Howell is the organist and choirmaster at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lynchburg, VA. She also directs Cantate, a community choir for children and youth.  Her lengthy career as a recording artist, recitalist, teacher and church musician was best summed up by Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer when it aptly described her as a “play-anything virtuoso.”  No stranger to Gettysburg, Ms. Howell never fails to mesmerize audiences with her technical wizardry at the console.

Her contributions to “sweet rejoicing” will include “Variations on in dulci jubilo” by Denis Bédard, as well as a pair of Bach chorale preludes (BWV 729 and BWV 608) based on the historic tune. In addition to her mini-recital, Ms. Howell will accompany the chorus on several selections, including Philip Ledger’s spirited arrangement of “Good Christian men, rejoice.”  Resplendent with playful organ accompaniment, the work celebrates the genesis of the ancient carol’s tune while presenting the hymnic English derivative of the text.

Each of our Christmas concerts concludes with a sing-along of several well-known carols.  As always, the final carol will be “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”  Accompanied by Ms. Howell on the mighty Andover, it is truly inspiring, especially in these days of waning congregations, to be immersed in the sonic experience of nearly 500 people actually singing in a church.  With the organ’s festive trumpets awakened and the chorus’ sopranos soaring on the famous descant found in David Willcocks’ arrangement of the carol, it is an aural, and for some a spiritual delight.  As the final strains of “O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!” resound throughout the church, the people will leave having celebrated Christmas “In sweet rejoicing.” We hope you will join us for these performances!