Heinz Chapel Choir returns with its first public concerts in two years

After a year of cancelled performances, Pitt’s Heinz Chapel Choir is back with their beloved holiday concert series, which for many of the singers will be their first with the choir.

This year’s series is organized around the theme “Ponder the treasure in your heart,” and each performance will consist of three sets related to the theme.

“Each set has its own mood. The whole thing is kind of an emotional journey for the audience and for the singers,” said Heinz Chapel Choir Director Susan Rice, who is also a senior lecturer of music in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.

COVID-19 has necessitated some changes in this year’s offerings, including extra space between performers and the audience and the removal of the traditional audience singalong. But those concessions are more than worth it to be able to deliver a safe in-person performance, Rice said.

“There’s something inherently hopeful, in normal times, about seeing young people singing together with the kind of emotional connection to the music and to their audience,” said Rice. “We’ve been missing that for a long time, and I think we really need that now.”

The choir’s free performance for the Pitt community will be Nov. 30 at 5:15 p.m., with additional concerts for the public on Dec. 3, Dec. 5, Dec. 11 and Dec. 12. Register for the campus concert on the University events calendar or find tickets on the Department of Music website.

— Patrick Monahan