The Loudoun Chorale

About The Loudoun Chorale

The Loudoun Chorale is a community-based arts organization which was created to respond to the need of local performers to offer quality music presentations on a continuing basis. The Chorale seeks to serve the community by continuing the long tradition of local vocal-arts groups to keep alive the musical treasures of the past, as well as providing a venue for today's musical experience. The Chorale welcomes all who share the love of vocal music, either as performers or audience, and does not discriminate in membership selection regardless of race, gender, national origin, or disability.

The Loudoun Chorale was established in 1991 as an off-shoot of a small ensemble called "Music in the Valley". Today, the Chorale is Loudoun County's largest vocal ensemble, consisting of about 60 mixed-voice singers. The Chorale sings both traditional and contemporary works. In recent years, the Chorale has performed works by Handel, Gesualdo, Shultz, Brahms, Elgar, Holst, Vaughan Williams, John Leavitt, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rene Clausen, and Alan Hovhaness.

The Loudoun Chorale has presented joint concerts with the Loudoun Symphony in performances of Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise" and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. The Chorale has also performed at the Washington National Cathedral, and in several Loudoun County communities, including Ashburn, Leesburg, Purcellvill, and the Waterford Fair.

The mission of the Loudoun Chorale is to present quality choral music programs to the community that will provide interest, participation, and the love of chorale music.

The Loudoun Chorale rehearses each Sunday evening from 6 to 8 PM , at the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Leesburg, Virginia. There are no rehearsals after the winter concert through the beginning of the new year. The Loudoun Chorale does not hold rehearsals in June and July.

The chorale also has several committees to carry out essential functions. You are encouraged to join a committee to help out.

Your committees and their chairs:

Development (seek corporate sponsorship): Karen Schweitzer

Facilities (arrange for concert venues; open up the rehearsal site): Clay McQuiston

Finance: Neil Schweitzer

Hospitality (concert reception arrangements; picnic): Michaela Acker

Publicity: Sue Ligas
Recruitment: Ruth Bowen

Web site: Theresa Corcoran

About the Board of Directors

How does the chorale operate? The board attends to day-to-day affairs: budget, concert dates, etc. Meetings are held periodically and announced in advance at rehearsal; all chorale members are welcome to attend and contribute. If you have a question or issue regarding the chorale, contact a board member. The board is elected at a rehearsal in April.

Your board for 2007-2008:

President: Joan Rankin (president @loudounchorale.org)

Vice President: Theresa Corcoran (info@loudounchorale.org)

Secretary: Michaela Acker (secretary@loudounchorale.org)

Treasurer: Neil Schweitzer (treasurer@loudounchorale.org)

Librarian: Karen Schweitzer (librarian@loudounchorale.org)

Directors-at-Large (2):

Bob Wright

Ed Wyatt

Ex officio: Anna Chamberlain

Music Director (non voting): Bill Propst (director@loudounchorale.org)

About the Director, William Propst

William Propst's music education includes a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music and a Master of Arts degree in Music from Radford University. His Masters program included a written analysis and study of selected choral works of the well-known English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams. Additional studies have also been completed at the United States School of Music and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

His solo singing career included Oratorio works such as Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Mozart's Vesper Psalms, and Mendelssohn's Elijah.

His conducting experience includes a number of years directing church choirs and community groups in performance, which included various oratorio works. In addition, while serving in the U.S. Army Eighth Infantry Division Band, he was assistant conductor and organized and conducted the Eighth Infantry Male Chorus. He also enjoyed a full career in public education in Virginia, teaching both choral and instrumental music. The last seven years were spent in Loudoun County as Director of Bands at Park View High School, where his performance groups consistently received the highest ratings of excellence. He is active as an adjudicator at instrumental festivals in Virginia, and has served as guest conductor of Honor Bands in Virginia and West Virginia.

He is serving his third year as Music Director of the Loudoun Chorale.

About the Accompanist, Beverly Clark

Ms. Beverly Clark is a native of Parkersburg, West Virginia, where she studied both piano and organ. Dr. Marie Beotte, who taught at West Virginia Wesleyan College, was her organ instructor. Graduating from Parkersburg High School, she was granted a music scholarship to West Virginia University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Organ Performance. In May, 1998, she graduated from Shenandoah University with a Masters degree in Organ Performance. While at school and at present, she accompanies numerous college musical groups and has performed solo works during the school's Bach/Handel weekend. In the year 2000, she passed the American Guild of Organists Colleague Examination. She recently performed in two concerts in Washington, D.C., at the Mexican Cultural Institute.

In Parkersburg, she held several Music Director positions in the local churches, and for eight years, served as accompanist for the Parkersburg Choral Society.

In 1975, the family came to Front Royal, Virginia. During the time she has resided in Virginia, she was Director of Music at the Grace United Methodist Church in Middletown, Virginia, and since 1982, has served in that capacity at the Front Royal Presbyterian Church. For a number of years, she served as accompanist for the Front Royal Oratorio Society, also has accompanied the Piedmont Chorus in Middleburg, and is currently engaged as the accompanist for the Loudoun Chorale in Leesburg, Virginia.

She and her husband are the proud parents of three children and five grandchildren. They reside in White Post, VA.