THE COMMISSION

 

Help PSCA celebrate our tenth year of growth and success with a brand new choral work!  As part of our ten year anniversary celebration, Concentio is commissioning a piece of work from local Pittsburgh composer, Devin Arrington.  

 

Four years ago, in 2011, Mr. Arrington created a piece of work called Kenosis for Concentio (then called the Oakland Girls Tour Choir).  The piece was based on a verse from Phillipians 2;7, and written for three-part treble voices. Concentio was thrilled to premiere that work.

 

As part of our tenth year anniversary celebration, PSCA would like to add two pieces to Kenosis to make it a trilogy, and part of the legacy of PSCA.  The cost of commissioning each piece is $2,500, making the two-piece commission $5,000. If PSCA raises $2,500 we will commission just one.   Raising $5,000 will allow us to complete the Kenosis trilogy!

 

ABOUT PSCA

 

Pittsburgh School for the Choral Arts is a community leader in music education.  PSCA has five choirs for girls, one for boys, and one for women.  PSCA focuses on building a community of mutual respect and encouragement, creating a safe haven for all members and a welcoming environment for new members. Each singer understands that his or her contribution is valued and that his or her voice is a unique gift. Choristers also develop the values of discipline, poise, and dedication in creating art while encountering the beauty and power of choral music. Audiences are amazed and delighted by the Choir’s warm, round timbre, clear diction, and precise intonation.

 

Concentio (Latin for unity and harmony) is PSCA's premiere touring ensemble for girls and has been in existence for ten years.  

 

ABOUT DEVIN

 

Devin is a Pittsburgh-based composer, violinist, and music teacher.  He also runs an organization called Musicians with a Mission.  You can find out more about Devin Arrington on his website: www.devinarrington.com

 

HISTORY AND MISSION of PSCA

 

In 2005, Kathryn Barnard established the Oakland Girls Tour Choir to provide an opportunity for girls of all ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds to experience the joy of singing in community through a comprehensive choral training program.

 

Since then, the choir has expanded, and additional choirs were added to meet the demand of girls who wanted to learn to sing in a choral setting.  In 2009, with funding from The McCreery Fund of the Buhl Foundation and The Heinz Endowments, Barnard started an outreach program to Hosanna House in Wilkinsburg and Angel’s Place on the North Side to teach co-ed after-school and pre-school programs.   Barnard saw a need in the Pittsburgh community for more choral music education, particularly for young people.

 

Because of these outreach programs, and the accompanying vision, Oakland Girls Choir became The Pittsburgh School for the Choral Arts (PSCA) in August of 2011.  Since then, PSCA has added early childhood music education classes, and looks forward to increasing programs and musical opportunities.

 

The Pittsburgh School for the Choral Arts believes in the power of every voice.

 

MISSION & VISION STATEMENT

We celebrate the unique gift of each person.  Our choirs and programs welcome people of all ages, cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds and those with special needs to create a diverse community of mutual respect and encouragement.  We strive to use our voices as a source of healing, beauty, and inspiration.

• We teach the art of choral singing and musicianship skills.  Our choirs and our childhood and adult enrichment programs help people to develop their musical voices.
• We commit to serving other through music as we sing in concerts and community outreach performances.
• We are ambassadors for the community of Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania.  Wherever our music takes us we aim to demonstrate that PSCA is an integral part of our community: we have a voice.