Summer Sing 2025

Prepare Aaron Copland's Old American Songs and The Promise of Living

with Matthew Rupcich and the Arcadia Chorale

during our Summer Sing mini-festival!

Are you a community singer, church/synagogue choir member, or college/high school student with choral experience? Do you want a chance to sing masterworks with a large choir? This is for YOU!
You’ll get the music in advance, learn your part at home (rehearsal aids available), and put it all together with us in person on June 20 & 21, 2025.
Rehearse with us on Friday evening and all day Saturday, then perform Saturday night at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Scranton with fellow choristers and guest performers. Plan to join us!
Please contact summersing@arcadiachorale.org for assistance.
Registration for Summer Sing 2025 is now open!

Click here to REGISTER for Summer Sing!

Registration Information

REGISTER NOW

Fees (additional Eventbrite fees may apply):

Adult Singer Registration*: $45
Student Singer Registration*: $25

*includes cost of vocal score for you to keep!

Optional Lunch Voucher (6/21): $10
Optional Dinner Voucher (6/21): $15

High School/College Students:

A number of waivers are available for registration and meal vouchers. Before you register, email summersing@arcadiachorale.org if you would like to be considered for student financial assistance.

All Interested Singers:

Please review Summer Sing details on this webpage for full schedule, participation expectations, etc. prior to registering.
Due to personnel and repertoire costs, we are unable to offer refunds for Summer Sing.
Registrations are limited to 100 singers.

Location/Parking and Schedule

Location & Parking

All Summer Sing activities will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 550 Madison Ave, Scranton, PA 18510. The church has two parking lots:

One on Olive St. (beside the church) and one on Madison and Vine (end of block).
There is also free street parking around the church.

Schedule

Friday, June 20:

(3:30–5:30pm Soloists and piano rehearsal: No Chorus)

6:00–7:00pm Singer Registration/Orientation

sign in & settle in at Covenant
greet old friends, meet new ones!

7:00–9:30pm Chorus rehearsal (full choir and sectionals)

Saturday, June 21:

9:00am–6:30pm Rehearse with Summer Sing Chorus and Pianists

sectionals and full choir, including dress rehearsal
breaks will be given for snacks, lunch and dinner
Check back here soon for more details on Saturday's schedule

6:30pm Group warm up

7:00pm Performance

open to the public – invite family and friends!

Repertoire/Scores

Scores

We will be using the Boosey & Hawkes editions of the Old American Songs (Complete) and The Promise of Living.

NOTE: "I Bought Me a Cat" (Set I) and "The Golden Willow Tree" (Set 2) will be presented as solos by members of Arcadia Chorale. The Summer Sing Chorus will NOT sing these two pieces.

Your registration fee covers the cost of the vocal scores for you to keep!

Get Your Score

You'll be asked to indicate how you would like to receive your music when you register. Please help us keep mailing costs low if you can!

Options:

Pick up score from Catherine Carter, Arcadia Chorale Board Secretary:
- M-F between 11:30am–3:30pm. Call ahead: (570) 346-6400
- Covenant Presbyterian Church Office, 816 Olive St., Scranton, PA 18510
- Note: Church closed May 26.

Arrange pick up/delivery with any Arcadia Chorale member
- If you are planning to attend Summer Sing with friends, please help us distribute scores to your group.

U.S. Mail
- Please provide your mailing address on the registration form if you would prefer we mail your score to you.

Learning Your Part/Rehearsal Aids

Need help learning your music?

There are a number of online resources to help! Here are some options – follow the links below for your voice part:

The Promise of Living

Old American Songs

The Boatmen's Dance

The Dodger

Long Time Ago

SATB
Soprano
Alto
Tenor (video title mislabeled as "alto" but it's the tenor part!)
Bass

(I Bought Me a Cat)

NOTE: The Summer Sing Chorus will NOT sing this piece! It will be presented by soloists from Arcadia Chorale.

The Little Horses

Zion's Walls

(The Golden Willow Tree)

NOTE: The Summer Sing Chorus will NOT sing this piece! It will be presented by soloists from Arcadia Chorale.

At the River

SATB
Soprano
Alto
Tenor (NB: intonation is a bit "squishy" but video may still help with general part learning)
Bass

Ching-a-ring Chaw

Please note:

These are rehearsal aids only: Our Music Director, Matthew Rupcich, will give the choir his markings for tempi, articulation, etc., at rehearsal.
Bring a pencil to Summer Sing!

Old American Songs/Promise of Living Recordings

There are many recordings of Copland's Old American Songs and "The Promise of Living" (with either orchestra or piano) readily available online. Take a few moments to listen to get more familiar with the pieces. Here are a few options, but we encourage you to explore different interpretations as well!

Old American Songs

Set One:

The Boatmen's Dance
The Dodger
Long Time Ago
Simple Gifts
I Bought Me a Cat (Arcadia Chorale only)

Set Two:

The Little Horses
Zion's Walls
The Golden Willow Tree (Arcadia Chorale only)
At the River
Ching-a-ring Chaw

The Promise of Living

performed by the Concordia Choir

Rehearsal and Performance Attire/Folders

REHEARSALS (including dress rehearsal)

Singers may wear casual clothing for all rehearsals.
- Please bring a light sweater if you are sensitive to air conditioning.
Masks are not required at this time; however, participants should feel free to wear a mask at any time during Summer Sing if they have concerns about their individual health.

PERFORMANCE

Please bring a black folder to use during the Saturday night performance.
Singers should wear all black for the Saturday night concert.

Formal wear is not expected! Appropriate attire includes a black blouse/button down shirt (short or long sleeves are acceptable) with black pants/skirt, or a black dress. And black shoes that are comfortable enough to sing in!
Please keep in mind that you'll be appearing as part of an ensemble when making your clothing choices: We ask that you not draw attention with jewelry or other accessories that may be distracting.
Please avoid wearing perfume or highly fragrant personal products (hairspray, deodorant, etc.) which may cause allergic reactions in your fellow singers. Please choose unscented products when possible.
Note: While we do not currently anticipate the need to require masks, if conditions change, masks may be required for singers at this year's Summer Sing. Singers who wear a mask for the performance on Saturday night must wear a black mask. If needed, Arcadia Chorale will provide black masks for those who do not have one.

Meals

Food & Beverages

Lunch and dinner breaks will be provided on Saturday, June 21.
Snacks and meals may be eaten in Covenant's auditorium. Please do not bring food or drinks (other than water) into the sanctuary or other rehearsal spaces.
Arcadia Chorale will provide snacks (granola bars, fruit, etc.) and beverages throughout the Summer Sing, and will also offer Saturday:
- Boxed lunch: $10
- Hot dinner: $15
- Singers will have an opportunity to purchase Saturday meal vouchers when registering. See below for information.
Participants may also opt to bring their own food (limited refrigerator space available at Covenant upon request), or may plan to patronize one of Scranton's many restaurants. Delivery may be your best option in that case: Please keep the rehearsal timeframes and parking considerations in mind if you plan to leave Covenant during meal breaks.

After registering, participants who purchase meal vouchers will be sent an email to designate food choices from options below:

Lunch ($10)

Boxed lunch from HoneyBaked Ham Company*:

Sandwich served with cheese, lettuce and tomato:
- - ham or turkey on Kaiser roll
  - Garden veggies on multigrain roll
Potato chips
Cookie
Drink: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or water
All boxed lunches come with mustard & mayo, straw and napkin
Gluten-free roll available

Dinner ($15)*

A buffet dinner will be served with multiple options, including chicken and beef entrees, vegetables, rolls and a green salad. Dessert will be provided by members and friends of the Chorale.

*Some items may contain wheat and/or dairy products

Audience Tickets

General admission tickets will available to the public for the Summer Sing Concert on Saturday, June 21. Tickets will be available at the door.

Tickets: $10
Admission for students is free

Questions?

For updates:

Check this page frequently!
Follow Arcadia Chorale on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Still have questions? Contact the Arcadia Chorale:

Phone: (570) 871-0350
Email: summersing@arcadiachorale.org

Become a Summer Sing Sponsor

Help more singers participate! Please consider donating to Summer Sing today.

Your donations allow Arcadia Chorale to:

sponsor students in need: $50 provides one student registration waiver plus lunch and dinner
keep registration and meal costs low for all participants
contract outstanding instrumentalists, soloists and rehearsal assistants
plan for next year's Summer Sing!

Summer Sing is sponsored in part by Arcadia Chorale's Dr. Steven Thomas Memorial Fund, which provides scholarships for student singers and supports the Chorale's special projects. To honor Dr. Thomas' legacies in music and education, the Chorale is directing the Memorial Fund's resources back into the NEPA music community.

Summer Sing donations are administered through the Dr. Steven Thomas Memorial Fund.

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Registration Information

REGISTER NOW

Fees (additional Eventbrite fees may apply):

High School/College Students:

A number of waivers are available for registration and meal vouchers. Before you register, email summersing@arcadiachorale.org if you would like to be considered for student financial assistance.

All Interested Singers:

Location/Parking and Schedule

Location & Parking

Schedule

Friday, June 20:

Saturday, June 21:

Repertoire/Scores

Scores

Get Your Score

Options:

Learning Your Part/Rehearsal Aids

Need help learning your music?

The Promise of Living

Old American Songs

Old American Songs/Promise of Living Recordings

Old American Songs

The Promise of Living

Rehearsal and Performance Attire/Folders

REHEARSALS (including dress rehearsal)

PERFORMANCE

Meals

Food & Beverages

After registering, participants who purchase meal vouchers will be sent an email to designate food choices from options below:

Lunch ($10)

Dinner ($15)*

Audience Tickets

Questions?

Become a Summer Sing Sponsor

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