Choir History

1812

Williamsport Academy founded (private elementary and secondary school)

1848

Williamsport Academy becomes Dickinson Seminary (offers college preparatory courses). The Rev. B.H. Crever is instrumental in the creation of the school.

1869

Acquired by the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist Church; Lycoming retains its Methodist affiliation to this day

1929

Dickinson Seminary becomes Dickinson Junior College (2 years of college curriculum added; first junior college in PA)

1939

Clarke Chapel constructed

1940

Dickinson Jr. College Choir tours New York City

1941

By this time, Florence Dewey is director of the choir

1945

Professor Frederick Stevens, head of the Music Department, conducts the choir.

1946

• Several Ex-GI's join the ranks of the choir, and choir performs at the Greater Dickinson Banquet in spring 1946.
• In September 1946, Dr. Walter McIver becomes director of the College Choir and in charge of vocal music at Dickinson Junior College. Mr. McIver was a graduate of the Westminster Choir School, Minister of Music at the Covenant-Central Presbyterian Church, and director of the Williamsport Civic Choir.
• Dr. McIver convenes choir practices every Tuesday evening for the purpose of working on music to be presented at college and civic occasions. The choir also performs at weekly chapel services.
• In early December, the College Choir and the Civic Choir perform Handel's Messiah and perform a Christmas program for the student body.
• In December 1946, Dr. McIver holds auditions and 40 choir members are named to the a capella Chapel Choir. This choir, which rehearsed several times a week, provided music for the two chapel periods held during spring 1947 and performed as a group during choir tours.
• Choir sang several Christmas songs as part of the Christmas Pageant on December 19, 1946

1947

• The College Choir and Civic Choir perform Mendelssohn's Elijah in May.
• Choir numbers 36 members
• Choir makes first recording with Walter McIver in June 1947.
• Choir performs at Allenwood Presbyterian Church on June 1, 1947
• Dickinson Junior College becomes Lycoming College (a 4-year degree program) in June 1947
• The inception of the Lycoming College Choir by Walter McIver
• Dr. McIver organized the Men's and Women's Glee Clubs, which add to the College Choir and A Cappella Choir (formerly the Chapel Choir) to create four distinct music groups. The glee clubs assisted in broadcasts and in various meetings held for the college's financial campaign; in addition, the Men's Glee Club entertained the northern PA Rotary Club at a gala banquet at the Lycoming Hotel.
• In early December, the A Cappella Choir performs a series of programs, appearing before 12 different audiences.
• The College Choir and the Civic Choir perform Handel's Messiah in December.

1948

• In spring, the A Cappella Choir presented a full-length concert in many locations, including for the Central PA area of the Methodist Church's annual conference in Clearfield. A formal presentation was given in Clarke Chapel for alumni and invited guests.
• The 1948 yearbook records that "handsome vestments" were provided for the A Cappella Choir this year.
• Choir and The Williamsport Civic Choir perform Verdi's Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi at the May 27, 1948 Commencement Recital in Clarke Chapel. (50 years later, at the 50th Anniversary Concert in May 1996, Walter McIver and Fred Thayer co-conduct another Requiem (Gabriel Faure's) with the 1996 choir and choir alumni)

1949

Lycoming College awards first group of Bachelor Degrees

1955

• Oldest known choir scrapbook
• Choir tours in New England; goes skiing!

1957

Tour Choir tours Scotland and England (first tour abroad). The tour was five weeks long, mostly in July 1957.

1959

Tour in Virginia and North Carolina; also visit to U.S. Naval Academy

1960

Tour choir tours New England

1961

Choir releases first LP, "Let Us Break Bread"

1964

• In January, the choir performs on WNEP, Channel 16.
• Choir tours in New York, New England, and Canada
• 1st Founders Day at Lycoming College
• Choir records second LP, "Great Day," a compilation of spirituals

1965

• Lyco Choir performs at the 1965 World's Fair in New York.
• Tour Choir performs in Midwest

1966

Choir tours through MidAtlantic; gets snowed in near Philadelphia

1974

Tour Choir tours England and Wales (2nd tour abroad)

1976

Dr. McIver retires; Dr. Fred Thayer begins conducting

1978

Choir releases third LP, "Lycoming College Choir 1978"

1979

First Volleyball Marathon, to fundraise for Puerto Rico trip

1980

Tour Choir visits Puerto Rico as part of domestic tour

1982

Tour Choir performs in Midwest

1984

Tour in New England

1985

• Choir performs with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra
• Tour Choir visits Washington D.C. and performs at the National Cathedral

1987

• Domestic tour in New England and Long Island
• Tour Choir tours in Spain in May

1988

• Richard Lakey begins accompanying the Choir

1989

• Tour Choir sings in National Cathedral
• Chamber Choir performs with the Gregg Smith Singers

1990

• Tour Choir goes to Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic for the first time.
• Choir releases first audiotape.

1992

• Tour Choir performs in North Carolina and Florida
• Choir releases second audiotape

1993

• First Choir CD is released.
• Jan Szyrocki, founder and conductor of the Szczecin Polytechnic Choir, serves as Conductor-in-Residence at Lycoming

1994

• Choir performs at the National Cathedral and the Washington Shrine; domestic tour includes Midatlantic region
• Tour Choir tours Germany, Poland, and Czech Republic in May
• Chamber Choir performs The Passion According to St. Matthew by J.S. Bach

1995

• Tour Choir tours North Carolina and Georgia; concerts with Walter McIver in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
• Chamber Choir performs selections from Barber's Reincarnations and Bach's Cantate No. 4, "Christ lag in Todesbanden"
• In fall 1995, Chamber Choir performs jointly in concert with the Gregg Smith Singers, which includes a performance of Richard Lakey's Mass

1996

• Full Choir performs at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City
• Tour Choir travels throughout Florida, including stops in Winter Park, Tampa, Fort Myers, Naples, Coconut Grove, and Orlando
• Chamber Choir performs Elijah by Mendelssohn
• 50th Anniversary of Lycoming Choir, with alums reuniting for concert of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, on Graduation Weekend '96
• Chamber Choir performs with Barry Manilow at the Community Arts Center, then performs for Elizabeth Dole's rally in Williamsport, then sings at the White House at Christmastime

1997

• Second Choir CD, Blow Thou Winter Wind, is released
• Tour Choir tours New England; concerts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, and New York
• Chamber Choir performs The Creation by Haydn
• Tour Choir tours Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic
• Fred Thayer takes a half-year sabbatical in Costa Rica and Dr. William Decker assumes directorship of the choir for the fall 1997 semester

1998

• Tour Choir visits California, visiting Orange Country, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and the San Diego area; first Lycoming College Choir performance at the Crystal Cathedral
• Chamber Choir performs The Passion According to St. John by J.S. Bach

1999

• Choir performs at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.
• Tour Choir tours the Midwest, including a visit to Chicago
• Choir releases its third CD, Blue Skies.
• Chamber Choir performs Petite Messe Solennelle by Rossini
• Chamber Choir performs again at the White House at Christmastime

2000

• Tour Choir travels to Florida for domestic tour
• Tour Choir travels to Munich, Prague, Poland, Berlin, and Wagenfeld (Germany) on its now tri-annual overseas tour; various alumni visit with the choir overseas.
• Gropies Berlin choir (from Berlin, Germany) performs at Lycoming

2001

• Tour Choir visits the Carolinas and Georgia
• Chamber Choir performs In the Beginning by Aaron Copland, Totus tuus by Henryk Gorecki, and Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten.
• Clarke Chapel is renovated (stage extension and permanent backdrop)
• Choir releases fourth CD, Wondrous Love
• Fred and Pat Thayer receive the Dale Bower Service Award, Sept. 2001
• Fred Thayer is honored for 25 years as Lycoming's choir director with a brunch and ceremony at Homecoming 2001

2002

• Tour Choir performs at the Crystal Cathedral and appears on television's "Hour of Power"
• Chamber Choir performs major works by Pergolesi, Jasinski, and Verdi in its annual noon concert
• Chamber Choir performs a fall concert, "Thomas Morley and All That Jazz"

2003

• Choir releases fifth CD, Sing Joyfully
• Tour Choir tours New England, including an appearance at St. John the Divine in New York City
• Chamber Choir performs "The Sacred Music of Gregg Smith" for its annual spring "master works" concert
• Professor Emeritus of Music Walter McIver passes away on April 17
• The triannual European tour scheduled for May 2003 to Spain is postponed for a year because of the war in Iraq
• Redesigned choir website launches at www.lycoming.edu/choir. (Many alumni contribute to the new website's launch, providing the choir with its own domain name and additional server space.)
• Jan Szyrocki passes away in October 2003. Jan was the founder and conductor of the Szczecin Polytechnic Choir (which hosted the choir in Poland), served as Conductor-in-Residence at Lycoming in 1993–1994, and had many other musical endeavors.
• Chamber Choir performs Williams' "Toward the Unknown Region" and a selection of "Music of the Seasons" for its November concert.

2004

• Tour Choir tours throughout Florida, including a performance at Coral Ridge Ministries in Fort Lauderdale.
• Chamber Choir's "master works" concert features "French Masterpieces", including "Rex Tremendae" and "Lacrymosa" from Berlioz's Requiem, Zelenka's "Gloria Patri," Monteverdi's "Gloria Patri," and Poulenc's Gloria. Their special guest is soprano Eileen Clark.
• In May 2004, Tour Choir tours abroad in Spain, including stops in Madrid, Córdoba, Priego de la Córdoba, Granada, and Segovia.
• Fred Thayer takes a sabbatical from summer to December, composing and conducting in Bolivia and Spain. Dick Lakey and Charles Masters substitute for the fall 2004 semester.

2005

• The Tour Choir and Lycoming Band perform a joint concert at Harrisburg's Whitaker Center on February 10.
• The Tour Choir's spring schedule includes a weekend in western Pennsylvania, a weekend in New Jersey (including an appearance at St. John the Divine in New York City), and a spring break tour to the Carolinas and Georgia.
• 60th Choir Alumni Reunion on Homecoming 2005, October 7–9, 2005. Two rehearsals, a Saturday evening choir banquet (featuring a choir retrospective) and Sunday morning alumni choir performance at Pine Street UMC highlight the weekend.
• Welch Honors Hall is dedicated during Homecoming 2005. The new building includes a performance space that will be used by the Chamber Choir and for recitals.

2006

• Tour Choir flies to California for the third time, and again performs at the Crystal Cathedral and on television's "Hour of Power" (aired March 5, 2006).
• Chamber Choir's spring concert includes works by Benjamin Britten, Joseph Haydn, and Luigi Cherubini