About the Penn High School Choir Program

Three charter coaches carrying eighty Penn Symphonic Choir members and twenty-five adults departed Penn High School early Thursday, March 12. Bound for a performance in Avery Fisher Hall in New York City on March 15, the choir eagerly anticipated rehearsing and performing the choral work Requiem by Wolfgang Mozart under the direction of four time Grammy award winner Maestro Vance George.  The four day trip included rehearsals each day, sight seeing, famous New York cuisine, a Broadway musical and, of course, some serious shopping.  This is the first appearance of the Penn Symphonic Choir in Avery Fisher Hall, having appeared on four occasions previously in Carnegie Hall.  The last appearance in New York was in Carnegie Hall in 2010 to a sold out performance of the choral work Carmina Burana capped with a standing ovation.  

Located in northern Indiana near South Bend, Penn High School is a part of the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation of over 10,000 students. The corporation maintains a commitment to high quality academic programs while providing additional opportunities in fine arts and athletics. The seven choirs, grades nine through twelve totaling 400 students provide opportunity for students to participate all four years appropriate to their skill and achievement level. Opportunity is provided to travel and perform in a major concert venue as a member of the advanced choir the junior or senior year.

The Penn High School Concert Choir and Women’s Chorale from Mishawaka, Indiana have made national and international appearances in Atlanta, Dallas, New York City, San Francisco, Toronto, Nashville and Washington, D.C. The Concert Choir was awarded a Silver Medal at the “Choir Olympics, 2000” in Linz, Austria sponsored by the Interculture Foundation of America.  

 

The Concert Choir and Women’s Chorale have frequently been featured as guest performers with the South Bend Symphony in their annual Pops Christmas concert. The Women's Chorale and Symphonic Choir have performed major works in Carnegie Hall by Benjamin Britten, “Ceremony of Carols”, Ludwig Mozart, “Requiem” Michael Haydn, “Heiligmesse” and Carl Orff, “Carmina Burana”.