Penn State University Choir members retake the stage for 50 year celebration of Eisenhower Auditorium

WPSU | By Sydney Roach

Published June 20, 2024 at 10:27 PM EDT

Mark McCarthy (left) and Mary Gitschier McCarthy (right) hold a reprint of John La Montaine's recounting of writing "Be Glad Then, America," an opera commissioned by Penn State. The University Choir premiered the piece 1976. — Mark McCarthy (left) and Mary Gitschier McCarthy (right) are two of the 88 alumni returning to Penn State for the 50th anniversary of the University Choir's performance at Eisenhower Auditorium, which was the first concert held there. Gitschier McCarthy holds a reprint of John La Montaine's recounting of writing "Be Glad Then, America," an opera commissioned by Penn State. The University Choir premiered the piece 1976.

This year marks 50 years since the first performance at Eisenhower Auditorium on Penn State’s University Park campus. Almost 90 University Choir alumni are reuniting for a concert during the upcoming “We Are Weekend.”

Jes Sellers is back on campus and getting ready for the reunion concert marking a half century since the first performance at “University Auditorium,” as it was known in 1974.

He said he’s been singing in his car to shake the rust off. Sellers is from the State College area, but now works as a psychologist in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jes Sellers, a University Choir alumnus, holds a photo of himself (left) talking to Penn State President John Oswald (right.) — Jes Sellers, a University Choir alumnus, holds a photo of himself (left) talking to Penn State President John Oswald (right) at a reception following the 1974 opening concert in Eisenhower Auditorium.

“We have someone coming from Seattle, from Utah. I got an email the other day from someone who couldn't make it from Hawaii, but wants to be kept on our list for any future gatherings we may have," Sellers said.

Sellers, who is one of the chairs of this event's planning committee, said being back on campus has transported him back to his own time as a student.

"There's something really hauntingly beautiful and strange about the experience at this time in my life, giving back and knowing that there'll be another generation of students here, the singers, the Renaissance-like kind of students who will go on to be physicians, psychologists, engineers, teachers," Sellers said.

Mary Gitschier McCarthy is in State College from Minnesota. She said it’s been an emotional experience so far.

“Because singing was such a big part of my university experience, and we're going to be seeing people we have not seen in 50 years, people we have sung with and shared these fantastic experiences with," she said.

Jes Sellers (left) hands a "Penn State Choirs" T-shirt to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Director William Steinberg (left,) who is holding a Nittany Lion statue.

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Jes Sellers (left) hands a "Penn State Choirs" T-shirt to William Steinberg (right) who is holding a Nittany Lion statue. Steinberg was the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's conductor from 1952 to 1957. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the University Choir at the opening concert for Eisenhower Auditorium.

Provided by Jes Sellers

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Penn State's University Choir presented William Steinberg a bronze sculpture as a gift in 1974. From left to right is Jes Sellers, William Steinberg, Linda Gable, William Lutz and Tony Hurst.

Provided by Jes Sellers

Gitschier McCarthy said 41 people from that first concert will be back for this reunion concert, but there are 88 performers total. They all sang at Penn State in the ‘70s under choral director Raymond Brown. Alumni are returning from all over the country, including Utah, California, Washington and Florida.

Mary Gitschier McCarthy holds a photo of Penn State's University Choir at its May 8, 1974 performance in Eisenhower Auditorium. That was the first concert held in the auditorium.

Mark McCarthy, another returning choir member who also chairs the event's planning committee, remembers the excitement of the first performance at Eisenhower Auditorium. The choir performed Beethoven’s Symphony Number 9 with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

“And as soon as we hit the last note, the entire audience stood up and cheered. It was just chilling. And I just get chills as I talk to you about it today because it was so exciting," McCarthy said.

The 50th choir reunion concert will be Saturday, June 22 at 2 p.m. at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on Penn State’s University Park campus. Organizers said they are not performing at Eisenhower Auditorium because of other “We Are Weekend” events. The concert is free and open to the public.

There will also be a “Flashback Forward” concert at Eisenhower Auditorium on Saturday starting at 6:30 p.m., which will feature three longtime local bands.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly captioned a photo of Penn State President John Oswald as Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Director William Steinberg.