Pitt songbirds croon about winter seasons
Heinz Chapel Choir
Today 5:15 p.m.
Heinz Chapel
Admission: free
Though their other concerts are sold out, the Heinz Chapel Choir will perform one free concert on Pitt’s campus today.
The choir formed in 1938 as part of the religious services in Heinz Chapel. It became a University concert choir in the 1950s, which meant that rather than just singing religious songs, the choir began to perform pieces from almost every genre, said John Goldsmith, the choir director.
Songs this year include “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” and “When You Believe,” a song from the movie “The Prince of Egypt.”
Junior Sarah Ivins joined the choir as a freshman when she auditioned for one of 12 seats available at the time. A singer since a young age, it was important to her to remain active in a musical group. The upcoming Christmas concerts are Ivins’ favorite choir events.
“Performing in the Heinz Chapel provides fantastic acoustics and a beautiful setting in which to sing,” she said. “The Holiday Concert tradition is to begin the concert in the balcony, with more traditional choral pieces. Then we move down to the floor and surround the audience with lanterns, singing as the lights outside the Chapel are turned on, illuminating the brilliant stained glass windows.”
The choir also performs four other concerts in addition to the free performance, but don’t look for tickets to those events — they sold out early.
“We always have a full house, even off campus,” Goldsmith said. “The reputation has been spreading for a long time now. When people come once, they come back because they enjoy it so much. Tickets are on sale in October and they’re gone [in three weeks] because this is a family tradition and people won’t miss the Christmas concerts.”
-by Larissa Gula, Staff Writer
