Join us as we celebrate Mendelssohn Chorus’s 149th Season and look ahead to the future. Meet and Chat with composer Melissa Dunphy, who will be writing a major new work for Mendelssohn Chorus' 150th Anniversary next year, and hear a selection of works performed by members of our Mendelssohn Chorus family.

Rekindle musical friendships in the Oaks Cloister, a beautifully restored architectural treasure, and bid on beautiful and unique items in a Silent Auction benefiting the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia.

Donate $150 by April 27th to one of these funds and you will be entered to win a custom composed Piano Prelude written by Artistic Director & Conductor Dominick DiOrio! (Learn more below.)

Learn more about some of the exciting projects we are undertaking next season:

Support a New Commission from Melissa Dunphy

Support a major new commission by Philadelphia composer Melissa Dunphy centered on the topic of climate change, and timed to celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2024. Undertaken in partnership with Commonwealth Youthchoirs, the composition process and premiere will engage young people and feature evocative and timely text devised from their own words.

Dunphy elaborates, “The creation of concert-length narratives about pressing and universal social issues gives me deep artistic satisfaction. However, opportunities for these kinds of works are extremely rare … this will be my most ambitious choral work to date, which is fitting given the urgency of the theme."

Support the Commerical Recording of the Dunphy Commission

As a major part of our 150th anniversary activities, we plan to commercially record and release Melissa Dunphy's new work. We will engage GRAMMY-nominated audio engineer D. James Tagg, who specializes in technical and musical aspects of audio engineering and has frequently worked on albums with our Artistic Director, Dominick DiOrio. Our goals in recording this work are to reach listeners beyond the premiere, to extend the impact of this important choral work to a global audience, to amplify Dr. Dunphy's work as a composer, and to share these young peoples' words as widely as possible.

Support the New Joyful Abundance Program

In honor of its 150th anniversary in 2024 and continuing its long legacy of creating new musical works, the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia will soon be announcing its new Emerging Composer Commissioning Program: Joyful Abundance. Designed to support the work of emerging composers in the Greater Philadelphia area, MCP’s Joyful Abundance program will provide commission awards to up to five (5) selected composers in the emerging stage of their careers (broadly defined, regardless of age). More details will be shared soon!

Piano Preludes ($2,000)

Give the gift of music with a piano prelude composed just for you (or a special someone) by Mendelssohn Chorus’s Artistic Director & Conductor Dominick DiOrio.

This year, like last, Dominick will compose up to 5 preludes (first come first serve!) – each approximately 1 to 2 minutes in length. In return, you will receive a recording along with a signed piece of sheet music.

Listen to Afternoon Sunshine composed for singer Robin Eaton last year here. All preludes will be performed at the following year's Mendelssohn Medley.

If you are unable to come to the Medley but still interested in a Piano Prelude, please contact Executive Director Flo Gardner at flo@mcchorus.org.

Mendelssohn Medley

By MENDELSSOHN CHORUS OF PHILADELPHIA

Mendelssohn Medley

Benefiting Mendelssohn Chorus' 149th Season

Team Members