State College Choral Society

Artists throughout history often look to the past to find inspiration to create something new: some element of form, subject matter, or style that is taken into a new context. For the 2025-2026 season, the State College Choral Society will be performing works that exemplify these Antique Inspirations: The Medieval secular poetry of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana; a vivid interpretation of the Old Testament Psalms of David in Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms; and a radical reinterpretation of the Christian rite for the dead in Johannes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem. Each of these works is a masterpiece that, while inspired by ancient sources, still resonates today in our modern world. We end our concert season celebrating that greatest of inspirations from antiquity, the United States of America! The founding fathers studied and greatly admired the writings of Greek and Roman antiquity and used that inspiration to craft the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. We celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country with music from throughout our history, including works by Aaron Copland, Irving Berlin, and others. Please join us this season for our celebration of Antique Inspirations!