Singer Spotlight: Margaret Weirick

What was your career?

After graduate school, my work, mainly in public relations, took me to New York City, Los Angeles and eventually to the Admissions Office at Susquehanna University. After six years there, I moved to Philadelphia to be the Associate Director of Admission at Temple University. After a few years, I returned to this area where I then spent ten years on the Northumberland Borough Council, mainly doing downtown revitalization work.

When did you join the SVC?

Almost 50 years ago, when I moved back here from Los Angeles. The Chorale was just being started, and I joined as soon as I heard about it. My favorite concert in all those years was singing Handel’s Messiah at the beautiful Basilica of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Danville. What a magnificent venue and a sell-out crowd!

Did you have a musical involvement before singing with the SVC?

My love of music began with piano lessons when I was five and continued through high school when I studied with Dorothy Wilson at Bucknell.  I also took voice lessons and enjoyed accompanying all the high school choruses and singing in an a capella group. In Philadelphia, I sang with Mendelssohn Club which often performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra where I had the opportunity to work with Eugene Ormandy, Michael Tilson Thomas, Zubin Mehta, and George Szell.

Up until 1990, Chorale members had to do more than just sing, right?

Yes! We did everything—no staff except our director and accompanist. I concentrated on helping to develop the Chorale, serving on the Board as President, Vice President, Publicity Chairman, Social Chairman, and Search Committee Chairman (for hiring Bill Payn).

The most satisfying things about my involvement with SVC have been making new friends, singing under Bill’s direction, and watching the Chorale develop into a professional singing group that is loved and appreciated in the Valley.