Mission and History

Mission

The mission of Piedmont Chamber Singers is to:

  • perform vocal chamber music,
  • train musicians in vocal music performance practice,
  • encourage the composition of new music for the small vocal ensemble, and
  • broaden interest in choral music as a whole through education and performance

In short, we fulfill our mission by enriching the community through innovative, engaging, and compelling choral performances that feed both the intellect and the soul.

History

In 1977, a new organization called Piedmont Chamber Singers (PCS) announced auditions for a small choral ensemble that would place emphasis on balanced, sophisticated ensemble singing.

PCS set for itself the highest musical standards, performing repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to the Twentieth Century.

Since that time, beginning under the leadership of Musical Director Donald Armitage and Associate Director Sally Gant, PCS has been providing exceptional choral performances in the Triad for forty years.

Subsequent musical directors have been James Allbritten, William Osborne, David Schildkret, and Wendy Looker. Our current Managing Artistic Director, Jayson Snipes, joined us in the fall of 2015.

Repertoire

Concert repertoire ranges from the rich sung heritage of the African American spiritual and traditional folk music to works of the masters of choral composition, such as Bach, Handel, Mozart, Brahms, Copland, Britten, and many others.

The repertoire also includes local composers Dan Locklair, Margaret Sandresky, Kenneth Frazelle, Sally Ann Morris, William Stevens, and Doug Borwick.

Governance

PCS is a 501(c)(3) is a volunteer choral organization governed by a Board of Directors. PCS performs three to five formal concerts each season, and also appears at other events throughout the year.

The ensemble consists of at most thirty-two members. Consequently, PCS enlists numerous other friends and supporters to help produce our concerts over the course of each season.