About the Lancaster Chamber Singers

The Lancaster Chamber Singers, directed by Jay W. Risser, has played a major role in quality performances of choral masterpieces in central Pennsylvania since the ensemble’s founding in 1978. From its inception, the mission of the Lancaster Chamber Singers has been to provide a rich choral opportunity for experienced voices in the greater Lancaster area and to bring to life for both audience and performer the great choral heritage of our culture. The select group consists of 35 to 40 auditioned vocalists from varied walks of life from central Pennsylvania.

Performing primarily in Lancaster County and its immediate surroundings, the Lancaster Chamber Singers has also appeared in numerous invitation-only settings such as the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and Longwood Gardens. In addition to performing a capella, the singers perform with Lancaster area instrumentalists and chamber ensembles.

Performances of note include Mozart’s Requiem with former Metropolitan Opera bass/baritone John Darrenkamp and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs with Met baritone Mark Oswald. LCS premiered Voices of Psalms, a unique work based on an Amish hymn, by Lancaster County composer Pomice Stoltzfus. The ensemble also presented the Pennsylvania premiere of James Bassi’s Harpsonnets, based on the works of Shakespeare and featuring New York City harpist Ray Pool. Several benefit concerts for victims of natural disasters have been sponsored and performed by the Lancaster Chamber Singers. LCS was invited to help celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown with a concert at Bruton Parish Church, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. In the spring of 2018, the Lancaster Chamber Singers marked its 40th anniversary with a gala performance of Mozart’s Mass in C Major (Coronation Mass) with full orchestra for an audience of over 500.