Philomusica Chorale Presents

About Us

Since Philomusica Chorale (of Delaware Valley) was formed in 1979 by the late Dr. Mardia Melroy, our purpose has been to present all types of choral music from all periods of music history.

Our singers have a wide range of musical and performance experience and represent diverse races, ages, faith traditions, community segments, orientations, and economic/cultural backgrounds.
Our ensemble is a balance of soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices—our number is currently at about 50 singers, and we welcome newcomers at any time!

Learn about our easy and fun auditions.

Philomusica Chorale rehearsal for T-Shirt concert in May 2023

Artistic Director Gayle Wieand brings to the Chorale an effervescent enthusiasm and a belief that music has the power to connect people of all ages and backgrounds in a meaningful way.

Gayle also leads the Philadelphia Women’s Music Project and gives private studio lessons in voice, piano, clarinet, theory and composition in person and on Zoom.

Philomusica Chorale has a diverse and accomplished board leadership team. The majority of board members are also singers in the Chorale, showing their love of and commitment to the group by volunteering their time on the board, in addition to time in rehearsals. Our highly educated board consists of three members with terminal degrees of Ph.D., six with Master’s degrees and a CPA.The work experience the members bring to the board help them to make informed decisions and think strategically in order to build the chorale and reach Philomusica's mission to entertain, engage, educate and inspire. The experience includes two members who worked in leadership for the National Park Service, an educational administrator, a nursing home administrator, a marketing, engineering and sales leader, a certified technology and business analyst, a digital library strategist, an IT strategist, an accountant, a project manager, a senior measurement scientist and two music educators.Many Philomusica Board members have also sung with and have been members of other chorale boards. board member longevity in Philomusica ranges from 23 years to 2 years. Their talents and skills vary with their training and experience which makes them extremely able to accomplish the many tasks required for being on a board. Many have leadership roles in their current or previous work life. Our treasurer is extremely talented and experienced in the financial world, and has functioned in that role since 2015. Her continuity, joined with our talented Executive Artistic Director, have led the Board and the Chorale through good times, and challenging times, such as the global pandemic.Other board members have extensive musical knowledge which supports the Chorale’s ownership and management of an extensive music library. A few board members bring a background in fundraising which will help us to meet our goal of growing our coffers to provide opportunities to continue to present innovative concerts supported by talented musicians and to champion new compositions and composers. A few of our board members are especially skilled in computer and digital organization and communication. This supports our goal to update and revise our website to better reach our community with information about the Chorale and Ways to Give. Finally, we are organized, focused and interested in continuing to grow Philomusica Chorale as we fulfill our mission to entertain, engage, educate and inspire.

Philomusica Chorale is a diverse and inclusive community promoting equity and access for all. We work to celebrate our similarities, respect and learn from each other’s differences, and make space for all voices to be heard. Philomusica strives to foster a culture of inclusion and belonging in which everyone feels welcome, respected and valued.

Contact Us

Our Season

• Click to see previous concert posters

Sing With Us

We rehearse in person (safely)—and occasionally on Zoom
Mondays at 7:30 from September through May at:
Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill
8855 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA

--

How we're staying safe

If you're interested in a truly wonderful singing experience,
we want to hear from you!
Send us a note to learn more about how to join us!

--

If you prefer to mail a check, please make it out to Philomusica Chorale and mail to:
Philomusica Chorale
P.O. Box 4016
Philadelphia, PA 19118

COVID Policy

As we have returned to more normal routines, we continue to be mindful about COVID and keeping our singers and audience safe. As such, we adhere to the following health policies:

1. In 2021 and 2022, singers were required to be fully vaccinated. Now, vaccinations are recommended by not required. We do ask those that feel sick to stay home. Thanks to technology, singers can Zoom into rehearsal and miss anything!2. All rehearsals and performances are MASK OPTIONAL.3. We love to perform in person with an live audience but we also stream our concerts live (and record) to expand our reach to those who live far away or who can't make the trip.4. We want everyone—singers and audience alike—to feel safe and to stay healthy. Our Medic Committee remains active in monitoring community COVID trends and making evidence-based decisions about rehearsing, performing, and masking.

Let's be safe and have fun at the same time!

A 'T-shirt concert' set to explore social justice issues

Philomusica Chorale will perform in a “T-Shirt Concert” on May 6 at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill.

Chestnut Hill Local, April 28, 2023Philomusica Chorale, a Chestnut Hill-based community chorus, will perform in a May 6 concert that highlights issues of social justice, at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill.During what organizers are calling a “T-shirt concert,” the chorale will sing music that addresses concerns such as diversity, equity, immigration, women’s issues, inclusion and the LGBTQ+ community. Instead of wearing traditional choir attire, chorale members will wear T-shirts with the issues printed on them. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.“The idea for a T-shirt concert came from two places,” Gayle Wieand, artistic director of the chorus, explained in a press release. “First, the yard signs in our community that announce ‘This house believes: science is real, Black lives matter, women’s rights are human rights, etc.’” The concert aims to explore what music has to say about these issues and the world’s capacity to change, Wieand said.“Second, we wanted to change up the image of a traditional chorale by switching out tuxedos and long dresses for everyday clothing – including T-shirts – to enhance the sense of everyone’s belonging,” Wieand said,The concert will include the Philadelphia premiere of “As We Are Changed,” a 2019 oratorio for soprano, tenor, chorus and chamber orchestra by Carson Cooman, with a libretto by Euan Tait. The one-hour piece explores the constant transformations under way in our world and in ourselves. Because of the pandemic, this is only the second time the oratorio has been sung for a live audience, anywhere in the world.The program will also include “Stand Up” from “Harriet," the musical based on the life of Harriet Tubman; “America Will Be!” a composition by Joel Thompson that speaks to the friction between professed ideals and painful reality; “Finally On My Way To Yes,” by Elizabeth Alexander, a song imbued with messages of acceptance and freedom from the constraints of others’ expectations; and “I Had No Time To Hate,” by Tarik O’Regan, based on the poem by Emily Dickinson.“The purpose of this concert is to make people think; put them in touch with vulnerable feelings,” Wieand said. “We hope to get people talking.”

Your privacy matters to us. We will never share your personal information and we only use third parties who protect your information as well, including Zeffy, the service that manages our donation platform and Carrd, our website platform.

Please reference their privacy policies below:
Zeffy privacy policy
Caard privacy policy

Past Events

Take a look at some of our past concert posters