Festival will be livestreamed

Eighty-four students representing Archdiocesan Secondary Schools and private Catholic High Schools throughout the five-county region have been selected to participate in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s 2021 All Catholic Chorus Concert.

This year’s concert, is under the direction of guest conductor, Dr. Rachel Cornacchio, Professor of Music at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg (Cumberland County) and will be hosted by Mr. Thomas Lynch `72, President of Conwell-Egan Catholic High School and Mr. Thomas Kuchler, Director of Performing Arts at Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills (Bucks County).

Saturday, March 20, 2021
6:30 p.m.
Conwell-Egan Catholic High School Auditorium

To view the livestream of the 2021 All Catholic Chorus Concert, please click here. 

Social distancing and COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed. 

The students will perform pieces that have been selected from: Walk in Jerusalem, arr. by Rollo A. Dilworth; Bogoroditse Devo, Sergei Rachmoninoff arr. by Veronica Sichivtsa; Ave Verum, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart arr. by Collins; and How Can I Keep from Singing arr. by Gwyneth Walker.

Students from Archdiocesan Secondary Schools including Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County); Archbishop Ryan High School in Northeast Philadelphia; Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster (Bucks County); Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown (Chester County); Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill (Delaware County); Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County); Conwell-Egan Catholic High School in Fairless Hills (Bucks County);  Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls’ in the Juniata Park section of Philadelphia; Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford (Montgomery County); and Roman Catholic High School for Boys in Center City, Philadelphia will participate.

Students from private Catholic High Schools including the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova (Delaware County); Holy Ghost Preparatory School in Bensalem (Bucks County); Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School in North Philadelphia; Martin Saints Classical High School in Oreland (Montgomery County); Nazareth Academy High School in Northeast Philadelphia; and Villa Marie Academy High School in Malvern (Chester County) will also participate.

Background Information on Dr. Rachel Cornacchio, Guest Conductor:

Dr. Rachel Cornacchio is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Music Education. As a public school educator, she has taught in New York, New Jersey, and Florida in grades K-12. Dr. Cornacchio served as an elementary general music specialist in Peekskill, New York and Director of Choral Activities at Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, New York. While in Newburgh, choirs and soloists under Dr. Cornacchio’s direction received top honors at solo and ensemble festivals. Community organizations with which she has worked include the Newburgh Symphonic Chorale and the Oregon Young Women’s Choir. Before coming to Messiah College, Dr. Cornacchio acted as Visiting Instructor at the University of Oregon where she directed the University Concert Choir and taught courses in Choral Music Education.

Dr. Cornacchio has presented papers at the regional, national, and international levels. Research interests include Conductor Expressivity, Adolescent Voices, and Making Music with Children ages 0-5.

Her professional affiliations include the Music Educators National Conference, Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, American Choral Directors Association, and Pi Kappa Lambda. She currently serves as Repertoire & Standards Chair for Women’s Choirs for the American Choral Directors Association – PA. Dr. Cornacchio is active as a certified Music Together instructor, an early childhood music program.

Dr. Cornacchio is active as a guest conductor and clinician.

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Editor’s Note:

The All Catholic Concert Band will hold its performance on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at Cardinal O’Hara High School in Springfield (Delaware County). The performance will be livestreamed.

Contact:

Meredith Wilson
Media and Events Specialist
215-587-3747