The Philadelphia Singers has enjoyed a long history of television and
radio broadcasts beginning with a 1985 performance titled, "A Celebration
of Handel and Bach", hosted by Tony Randall and co-produced by WHYY-TV and
The Bach Festival of Philadelphia.
On September 15, 2001 The Singers performed in the national PBS television
broadcast of "A Tribute Concert: Music and Reflection of the Tragedies of September
11" with The Philadelphia Orchestra. This program was produced locally by WHYY.
On December 15, 2001, The Philadelphia Singers appeared with The Philadelphia
Orchestra in The Kimmel Center Inaugural Gala. This concert was broadcast live via
WHYY television and radio, and made available worldwide via the internet through
andante.com and whyy.org. The telecast was seen nationally on the PBS television
network including stations in New York and Miami.
Public Radio International broadcasts "Christmas with The Philadelphia Singers"
each December over more than 200 radio stations nationwide (produced by WHYY and
broadcast locally on WHYY FM-91). This popular broadcast is recorded live at The
Singers annual "Christmas on Logan Square" performances. The Philadelphia Singers
has recorded three CD’s for RCA Red Seal: Handel’s Roman Vespers, rated "Best of
the Month" by Stereo Review; and two Christmas albums, Gloria! Gloria! and Ceremonies
of Carols featuring celebrated soprano, Benita Valente. The Singers performance of
Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with Wolfgang Sawallisch and The Philadelphia Orchestra
is the only choral performance featured on The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Centennial
CD Collection.
In 1998, The Philadelphia Singers released "The Best of Christmas on Logan Square",
a special, limited edition CD recording made from archival tapes of our holiday
performances of 1995 through 1997. The Singers administration is currently drafting
a plan that will make it possible to release selected archival recordings on CD for
commercial sale.
The Professional Difference
Since its founding in 1972 The Philadelphia Singers has been presenting performances
of exceptional quality to enthusiastic audiences in concert from New York City to Washington
D.C., and nationally through radio, television and internet broadcasts. The ability to
maintain this level of excellence is due to the rigorous audition process and the practice
of hiring only the best professional singers. As with any musical instrument, mastering
classical vocal techniques requires years of intense training. Each musician who appears
with The Singers is able to bring a wealth of music education, vocal training and experience
to every performance. The practice of using only professional musicians has given the
ensemble the tools and resources to effectively present choral works from every era.
A typical season includes a range of selections from Gregorian Chant to compositions by
contemporary music’s finest composers. The Philadelphia Singers has also been able to
cultivate and maintain its distinctive sound through the leadership of fine musicians who
understand the dynamics of crafting a group of individual singers into a cohesive and expressive
ensemble. All professional members of The Philadelphia Singers are members of The American Guild of
Musical Artists.
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