Scranton Area Community Foundation Awards Grant for Summer Sing 2022
Arcadia Chorale announces the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s support for Summer Sing 2022, an initiative developed by the Chorale to provide a low-cost, high-quality music experience for community singers in the wider NEPA region. Designed as a “choral mini-festival,” the event provided an opportunity for regional community singers to learn and perform a masterwork alongside professional musicians.
Summer Sing 2022 brought together participants from various community, church, college and high school choirs to perform Vivaldi’s masterpiece, Gloria in D, with full orchestra and guest soloists. “Arcadia Chorale members provided the core of the Summer Sing choir,” explains Arcadia Chorale Board President, Evelyn Munley. “Our community participants were sent a score and rehearsal aids once they registered. They spent time learning the piece at home before joining us in June to put it all together.” Participants met at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Scranton for one and a half days of joint rehearsals before the event culminated in a public concert for the Scranton area.
“There is typically a lull for choral singers in the summer months, since many choirs are on break,” says Susan Minsavage, Summer Sing Chair. “We wanted to take advantage of the slower pace to bring singers together in a fun, supportive learning atmosphere to make music for each other and for our community.”
The Chorale was determined to make Summer Sing accessible at a reasonable cost and was especially committed to providing free registration and meals to any student who required financial assistance. In addition, concert ticket prices were set lower than typical season tickets, to encourage audiences to take advantage of this new summer music event. Major funding was provided by the Chorale’s Dr. Steven Thomas Memorial Fund, the Lackawanna County Re-Invest Program, and the Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Community Events Grant Program.
“As a non-profit organization, we simply couldn’t have delivered Summer Sing without our community partners,” says Minsavage. “Their support meant our participants had an outstanding experience right here in the Scranton area. Many of our 2022 choristers have already registered for our next event. We’re grateful for this opportunity to build community through the arts and look forward to welcoming our friends, old and new, to Summer Sing 2023!”
About the Chorale: As the premier chamber choir in the NEPA region, Arcadia Chorale presents a yearly concert season featuring high-caliber performances of repertoire from Bach to Gershwin. The Chorale’s full concert season typically includes Fall, Christmas and Pops concerts, as well as an annual Messiah Sing-Along and the two-day NEPA Bach Festival. Since its founding in 1978, Arcadia Chorale has been committed to promoting the highest standard of excellence in the performance of choral music for the education and enjoyment of the membership and the community at large.
About the Scranton Area Community Foundation:
The Scranton Area Community Foundation is on a mission to enhance the quality of life for all people in Northeastern Pennsylvania through the development of organized philanthropy. With over $90 million in assets under management and more than 315 charitable funds, the Scranton Area Community Foundation has served as a steward, grant maker, charitable resource, and catalyst for change since 1954. The Foundation leads various initiatives including Women in Philanthropy, the Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence, NEPA Moves, NEPA Thrives, and the NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative. Additionally, the Foundation hosts and facilitates NEPA Gives and the NEPA Learning Conference. The Scranton Area Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization confirmed in compliance with National Standards of U.S. Community Foundations. More information about the Scranton Area Community Foundation can be found at www.safdn.org.