Founded in 1875, the Reading Choral Society has from its earliest days has pursued performances characterized by vocal excellence and musical distinction. Under its current music director, Graham Bier (the twelfth person to hold this position), the Reading Choral Society continues to evolve and change. Its educational programs now encompass performances with invited local high school and college choirs. The RCS awards both high school and college scholarships to promising music students. In addition, the RCS now has a Messiah Community Sing as a part of the Scottish Rite Holiday Happenings. RCS hosts Gloria Singers which involves Berks County parochial students and RCS members working together in a workshop and then singing together in a concert. Performances include collaborations with the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Ringgold Band and the Reading Pops. While continuing the tradition of programming choral masterworks, the Society has expanded its repertory to include the more frequent performance and commissioning of new music and the exploration of more “popular” literature, like folksong, spirituals, and current composers.
The Reading Choral Society is comprised now, as it has always been, of dedicated amateur singers from all walks of life, and all ages. Determined to present the highest caliber musical performances possible, the 80-voice Society rehearses weekly in a professional atmosphere, fulfilling the lives of its members by immersing them in great music, and through RCS performances enriching and enlivening the musical life of the greater Reading community.
