Singer Spotlight: Josh Dearing

What is/was your occupation?

I was a high school choir director for five years in the Lehigh Valley. I needed to find something that wasn’t as demanding, so I went back to school to become a medical doctor…go figure. I will be starting residency at UPMC Susquehanna (formerly Williamsport Hospital among other names) this summer. It is actually the hospital where I was born.

How many years have you been singing with the SVC?

This will be my third season with the SVC, flagrantly ignoring the sock rules. I’ve actually known Dr. Payn for twenty years; he was the guest conductor for a festival I attended in high school, and I made a point to catch up with him every time I saw him at conferences following that experience. When my family moved to Lewisburg during medical school, I ran into him at Panera and asked if he needed any tenors.

What was your favorite concert or chorale season to date, and why?

For my money, it doesn’t get any better than the English choral tradition. My college director was obsessed, and I think it rubbed off on me. Vaughan Williams, all the way. The Dona Nobis Pacem is simply perfect, and Toward the Unknown Region is even perfecter.

Do you have any other musical involvements?

I have sung with a bunch of groups over the years. While preparing for medical school, I conducted and sang with the Chestnut Street Singers, and we released a CD of a collaboration concert we did. It includes Tallis’ Spem in alium and a ton of other great pieces. I also sang with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia and the Arcadia Chorale in Scranton. Currently, SVC is my musical home.

Do you have any other family members involved with SVC or SVYC?

Not yet, but my father now lives in Lewisburg, and I’m working on getting him to join.

Gosh…between medical school and all your SVC commitments, that must not leave much time for other activities, or wrangling children.  Didn’t you say you have a family at home too? 

Yes, along with my wife Allison, we have three kids: Kirsa (5), Eleni (4), and Fiore (2). My mother-in-law lives with us as well, and my parents and great aunt live just next door. We do a good bit of DIY projects around the house. We have a sizable vegetable garden and a small greenhouse. We make our own compost. So far this season, we’ve built a concrete fire pit and a few other hardscape projects here and there. I’m about to start on a big playhouse for the kids.

Wow…thank goodness for relatives that live nearby; I’m sure that’s a huge help.  Clearly, no grass grows under your feet.  I hope you find can find some time to relax every now and then.  

Indeed. I listen to books on tape. Right now I’m working on both the Expanse and the Wheel of Time series, but I haven’t been driving nearly as much for some reason…so strange. I’ve been known to play a few video games from time to time, as well.

A talented, Jack of all trades…AND healer of all boo-boos.  Thanks for sharing a little more about “Josh” with us, or rather, Dr. Dearing.  This has been both entertaining and somehow overwhelming, haha!  We are so fortunate to have you in the chorale…especially in the tenor section…but then again, I’m biased.