The Indiana Community Choir provides individuals in the Indiana region the opportunity to sing and perform great choral literature not typically accessible to choirs in a rural region.
Interim Director and Conductor
Erin Knepper, interim conductor and current director of choral activities, Punxsutawney Area High School
Accompanist
Acey Gongaware, retired music educator
Cost
$25 tuition per semester plus $25 registration fee: $50 total (only $1.79 per hour of rehearsal).
A limited number of scholarships are available to high school students through their high school choral director. See our scholarships page for details.
Eligibility
Singers who match pitch; music reading ability desirable; age 15 (ninth grade for the upcoming academic year) and older.
Voice Check / Part Placement
Individuals do not need to audition for the Indiana Community Choir. Participating individuals simply sing as part of a section at the first rehearsal (see schedule below). This helps the director get to know each person's voice and assign a specific voice part. There is nothing to bring or prepare; simply come ready to sing and have fun!
Fall Semester, 2024
Rehearsals
- Mondays, 7:15–9:00 p.m., Sep. 9–Dec. 9, Room 120, Cogswell Hall
- The first rehearsal on Sep. 9 will consist of some "meet the choir" time, reading through a little of the semester's music, and voice checks by section. The tentative schedule will be:
- 7:15 p.m. - Treble voices meet
- 7:45 p.m. - Full choir meets
- 8:15 p.m. - Bass voices meet
- Unless otherwise announced, all remaining rehearsals will be full choir at 7:15 p.m.
- Note: Erin Knepper will announce whether there will be rehearsal during the mini fall break on Monday, Oct. 21. There will be rehearsal on Monday, Nov. 25.
Concerts
- Sunday, Dec. 15, 4:00 p.m., Zion Lutheran Church, 100 S. 6th Street, Indiana, PA
- Admission: Free; donations gratefully accepted.
Repertoire
- Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming by Vulpius/Praetorius
- What Sweeter Music by John Rutter
- Shepherd's Pipe Carol by John Rutter
- A Christmas Lullaby by John Rutter
- I Wish You Christmas by John Rutter
- A Yuletide Festival by Philip Gordon
- Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening by Victor Johnson
- The Longest Nights by Timothy Takach - Mvt. I, A Winter's Spell; Mvt. IV, Blizzard; Mvt. V, Winter Walk
- Sinfonia Sacra (Christmas Cantata) by Daniel Pinkham
Spring Semester, 2025
Rehearsals
- Mondays, 7:15–9:15 p.m., Jan. 27–May 12, Room 120, Cogswell Hall
- The director for the spring will announce whether there will be a rehearsal on Monday, March 10, during the IUP Spring Break.
Concert
- NEW TIME! Sunday, May 18, 6:00 p.m. Gorell Recital Hall, 2nd Floor, Sutton Hall
- Admission: $5 Regular; $3 Seniors, I-Card, military; Children 12 and under free
- Tickets are available at the door one hour prior to the performance; cash and check only.
Repertoire
- At the River by Aaron Copland, arr. R. Wilding White
- Long, Long Ago by Aaron Copland, arr. Irving Fine
- Zion's Walls by Aaron Copland, arr. Glenn Koponen
- My Lord, What A Mornin' (Traditional African American Spiritual), arr. Harry T. Burleigh
- Soon-Ah Will Be Done (Traditional African American Spiritual), arr. William L. Dawson
- Comedy Tonight by Stephen Sondheim, arr. Greg Gilpin
- Do I Hear a Waltz? (Medley) by Richard Rogers, arr. John Purifoy
- Not A DAy Goes By... (Medley) by Stephen Sondheim, arr. Robert Page