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Sing in the Spring with us
Open rehearsals start Jan 9th
How do i join?? (click on the picture)
To help us prepare and be ready for you, please consider pre-registering above. We only need the basics for now; name, email, and then we will send you a form which will let us know a bit more like voice part and experience (although none is required).
Come to one of our first few open rehearsals each semester and check us out! Over 16?, Liked singing back in school? Do you know any junior or senior students high school students who want to sing or stayed in the area after high school but still want to sing in a chorus?? How about all you people who like to sing in musicals but aren't doing one this spring? Expand your repertoire!! Improve your skills and musical knowledge.
Since 1957, the Rockingham Choral Society has expanded and enhanced cultural experiences by performing choral masterpieces and adhering to the highest musical standards. The Choral Society is comprised of 95 members and presents two concerts annually to the audiences in the New Hampshire Seacoast region.
Winter Concert
John Rutter's"Gloria" December 6th and 7th
PROGRAM
The Rockingham Choral Society, under the direction of Music Director Jason Throne, will present two winter concerts titled “Gloria” on Saturday, December 6 at the Exeter High School at 3:00 PM, and Sunday, December 7 at Christ Church Episcopal in Exeter at 3:00 PM featuring John Rutter’s Gloria, and selections from Eric Whitacre, Dan Forest, and more including a few traditional seasonal carols. In addition to RCS’s collaborative pianist Jeannie F. Goodwin, RCS welcomes guest pianist Deb Bolling of Exeter. Adam Peithmann will also accompany the choir and Portsmouth Brass Quintet on the organ.
For the Sunday concert, general Admission Tickets are $18 per person in advance and $20 at the door. For Saturday, December 6th, at the Exeter High School venue only, general admission is still $18.00 per person but RCS will offer any high school students admission at no cost with a school id. Children under 6 are free at all concerts but must have a reserved ticket space, which must be done online. Also for the Saturday concert and to promote community outreach the group will also be distributing over 100 free tickets to Senior Centers in Rockingham County. Purchasing tickets online as soon as possible for the Sunday performance is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED as the performance frequently sells out in advance leaving none available at the door.
This program celebrates the beauty and vitality of choral music through works that are both powerful and deeply expressive. Featured selections include John Rutter’s Gloria, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Bogoroditse Devo, and Dan Forrest’s radiant arrangement of Angels We Have Heard on High, alongside the world premiere of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, commissioned by the Rockingham Choral Society and arranged by Dr. Joseph Eckman. With brass and organ joining the chorus, and additional works that capture the quiet majesty of the winter season, this concert invites listeners to share in a moment of warmth, reflection, and joy through music.
The Portsmouth Brass Quintet is comprised of key brass players from the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra. The ensemble was founded by Adam Gallant in the fall of 2016 and is dedicated to performing serious brass chamber music at the highest level. The PBQ frequently performs in Portsmouth, Kittery, Newington, Dover, Rye, Exeter, York, Laconia, Farmington, Henniker and Durham.
Since 1957, the Rockingham Choral Society has expanded and enhanced cultural experiences by performing choral masterpieces and adhering to the highest musical standards. The Choral Society is comprised of over 100 members and presents two concerts annually to the audiences in the New Hampshire Seacoast region.
The Dr. Henry Wing Memorial Scholarship
The 2026 Dr. Henry Wing Memorial Scholarship
The Rockingham Choral Society has selected Coe-Brown Northwood Academy Senior Tessa Tenasco as the 2025 recipient of the Dr. Henry Wing Memorial Music Scholarship.
The scholarship is named in honor of former music director Dr. Henry Wing, who served as the Artistic Director and conductor of the choral society for 30 years. Among his many achievements, he instituted a policy of choosing the vocal soloists from the membership and hiring the best orchestral players from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, including faculty and students from the UNH Music Department.
Scholarship winner and Raymond resident Tessa Tenasco has participated in music in a variety of ways throughout her youth. Learning clarinet in middle school inspired her to transfer to a school with more musical opportunities. In addition to being a member of the Coe-Brown Northwood Academy Concert Band and Pop Band as a clarinetist, and the Jazz Ensemble as an alto saxophonist, Tenasco is a Soprano in the school’s chorus. She was selected for the All State Chorus the past two years and is part of Coe-Brown Northwood Academy’s invitation-only Honors Treble Chorus.
Tenasco is an award-winning vocalist, having been named a top three finisher at the New England Music Festival over the last three consecutive years. This year, she was awarded 1st place in the New England Voice Championship and 2ndplace in the Billboard/Contemporary/Jazz 16 & over category. She also plays guitar, piano and ukulele.
“When I was little, I had always dreamed of working within the music industry to become a professional singer,” said Tenasco. “For me music began as a hobby. From there it became a passion in my life, something that I engage in on a daily basis. That passion then grew to become a major career goal in my life.”
In addition to her musical accomplishments, Tenasco is a member of the National English Honor Society and the French National Honor Society.
Tenasco plans to attend the University of Hartford in the fall to pursue a Bachelor of Music with a focus on vocal performance.
“The selection committee was impressed by Tessa’s depth of experience both as a vocalist and a musician,” said Charlie Smith, RCS President. “The society is proud to be able to support Tessa’s ambitions to pursue music in her post-secondary education.”
Membership Scholarships
We recognize that some folks who would like to sing with us may find dues and even the cost of music a challenge so RCS has a history of providing member scholarships making it possible for them to participate in the choir. We also have a policy of no dues to all High School and full time college students.
Free Concert Tickets
This year we were able to set aside and provide free Christmas concert tickets to the community to distribute to those who might not otherwise be able to attend. If you are someone who is with an organization that might benefit from this program , please write to us at the email below.
Individual Donations
It’s generous supporters like you who are the key to our success and make it possible for RCS to continue its long tradition of performing great choral works and enhancing the cultural life of not only its members , but so many of our audience members throughout the southern NH seacoast .
Business Donations
There is still time for our Spring Progrm!
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