The Lancaster Chorale will present a program titled "Psalms, Hymns, and Spirituals" featuring the renowned African American tenor Christyan Seay of Harrisburg. The concerts will take place on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m.

Under the direction of Bruce Gerlach, the Lancaster Chorale has grown to more than 100 members. To accommodate more singers, the chorale will perform for the first time in Gardner Theatre on the campus of Lancaster Country Day School, 725 Hamilton Road, Lancaster. A freewill offering will be received.

Local composer and pianist Dan Wolgemuth will accompany Seay for his solo rendition of the spiritual "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian."  The chorale will also perform Wolgemuth's setting of the hymn "Fairest Lord Jesus." The group's longtime pianist and organist, Jan Stauffer, will accompany the chorale for much of the program. 

Traditional African American spirituals on the program include "Soon Ah Will Be Done"; "Ain't Got Time to Die"; "Elijah Rock," arranged by Moses Hogan; and the Jester Hairston versions of "Hold On!" and "Amen."

In addition, the hymns and psalms that Gerlach has chosen for the concerts include Schubert's "The Omnipotence," "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need," "Brother James's Air," "At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners," "I Will Not Leave You Comfortless," "Pilgrim's Hymn," "The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee" and "The Awakening."

Seay has performed extensively throughout central Pennsylvania and abroad, including with the Harrisburg and Lancaster symphonies and opera companies as well as with the Pennsylvania Consort and Concert Operetta of Philadelphia. He has performed in New York City at Weill Recital Hall and in Prague at the Smetana Hall. Last year he was the tenor soloist in the Mozart "Requiem" for Shippensburg University and was the guest artist for the African American Music Festival at Penn State University. Seay is a graduate of that university, where he studied with Anthony Leach, who had first recognized Seay's talent when the tenor was a teenager in a church choir in Steelton. 

Gerlach discovered his love for choral singing and conducting at Penn Manor High School. After earning a doctorate in choral conducting from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky., Gerlach was a music professor for many years at the College of the Ozarks, near Branson, Mo. He and his wife, Margie, returned to his native Lancaster after he retired. 

The Lancaster Chorale performs distinguished choral music and is open to all singers committed to the highest standards of excellence.