Shara L. Cocchiola
Executive Artistic Director |
Heather Cooper
Principal Conductor |
Chris Burnham
Board of Directors, President |
Program Offerings
- Children's Choir Program
Summit Choral Society provides a continuum of musical training for young children through adulthood and also serves the community with high quality, inspirational performances through the Children’s Choir Program (CCP, Grades K-12), The CCP provides a comprehensive curriculum that includes multiple levels of musicianship classes and leveled choirs to meet the individual needs of each student.
- Metropolitan Chorus
Singers with differing music skills, ages, and life experiences are brought together by their common love and commitment to choral music. Adults 18+
- Akron City Gospel Singers
All adults and children ages 13 and up are welcome to participate in the Akron City Gospel Singers Open Community Event Sessions with no previous music or vocal training. Additionally, there are no auditions or fees. Those interested in singing simply attend an event session! Anticipated Return: Spring 2023
- Choral Scholar's Program
The Choral Scholars Program offers college students and recent graduates the opportunity to have professional experiences with a community choral organization that is beyond the educational experiences in a college setting.
- Sing with Me
Sing with me early childhood music program, for caregivers and children, birth to age 5.
- DrumSing
DrumSing a unique, hybrid musical experience combining traditional drumline with pitched melodies. Ages 14+
- Summer Music Camps
Summer Music Camps are day camps exploring music, theatre and dance for school-aged children.
Summit Choral Society provides a continuum of musical training for young children through adulthood and also serves the community with high quality, inspirational performances through the Children’s Choir Program (CCP, Grades K-12), The CCP provides a comprehensive curriculum that includes multiple levels of musicianship classes and leveled choirs to meet the individual needs of each student.
- Metropolitan Chorus
Singers with differing music skills, ages, and life experiences are brought together by their common love and commitment to choral music. Adults 18+
- Akron City Gospel Singers
All adults and children ages 13 and up are welcome to participate in the Akron City Gospel Singers Open Community Event Sessions with no previous music or vocal training. Additionally, there are no auditions or fees. Those interested in singing simply attend an event session! Anticipated Return: Spring 2023
- Choral Scholar's Program
The Choral Scholars Program offers college students and recent graduates the opportunity to have professional experiences with a community choral organization that is beyond the educational experiences in a college setting.
- Sing with Me
Sing with me early childhood music program, for caregivers and children, birth to age 5.
- DrumSing
DrumSing a unique, hybrid musical experience combining traditional drumline with pitched melodies. Ages 14+
- Summer Music Camps
Summer Music Camps are day camps exploring music, theatre and dance for school-aged children.
Summit Choral Society's Story
Summit Choral Society began in 1990 with the Masterworks Chorale, a premier adult chorus in NE Ohio. The Children’s Choir Program soon followed in 1991, providing the start of a unique pathway for choral music education and performance. The vision was to develop a musical community for singers of all ages who enjoy learning, growing, creating and sharing the sounds of the expansive world of choral repertoire.
The Children’s Choir Program (CCP) is a unique vocal music education program for children in grades Kindergarten through twelve. Its teachings are based on the Zoltan Kodály method of attaining music literacy taught by degreed, professional music instructors. This past season, 180 children from over 75 schools in eight counties participate. Singers are placed in one of four Musicianship Classes and the appropriate choir (Bel Canto, Advanced or Performance Choirs) matched with their own musical experience and skill. Each student progresses at his/her own speed and ability.
The Children's Choir Program's flagship ensemble is Performance Choir. This nationally recognized choir represents the culmination of musical learning and performance in the CCP. They were selected to represent Ohio at the National Memorial Day Choral Festival on Memorial Day weekend in Washington D.C. 2017, performed by invitation as the featured choir at the National Choral Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York City 2018, will perform at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival and as a Grand Ole Opry pre-show performance in 2019. They are active all over Ohio, were selected to sing at the Ohio state Ohio Choral Director's Association Conference, 2017, and were most recently invited by audition to sing at the National Organization of American Kodaly Educators National Conference in 2019! SCS choirs perform at various community events throughout the greater Akron community each season as well as Summit Choral Society presented concerts.
The Masterworks Chorale, renamed the Metropolitan Chorus in 2018, has been a staple of NE Ohio's choral community for 31 years! The Metropolitan Chorus enjoys a unique session based model for singers and consists of impeccably programmed diversity in the choral arts, enjoying multiple renowned conductors and events each season.
The Akron City Gospel Singers (ACGS) was added to the SCS family of choirs in 2019 by Executive & Artistic Director Shara L. Cocchiola. Under the direction of Professor Jaron M. LeGrair, the ACGS is a grass-roots community gospel choir in downtown Akron. Singers in this choir are not auditioned and all event sessions are self-contained full musical experiences containing high-quality rehearsal material, a performance and fellowship. ACGS hopes to resume in person sessions spring, 2023.
sing with me- an early childhood music program for caregivers and children ages birth through 5 years old, and DrumSing - a unique, hybrid musical experience combining traditional drumline with pitched melodies complete the SCS falimy of offerings.
Summer Music Camps may be offered from time to time and are for school age children and explore a variety of musical themes for the positive experiences of greater Akron community children.
Summit Choral Society is proud to serve the greater Akron community for over 30 years!
The Children’s Choir Program (CCP) is a unique vocal music education program for children in grades Kindergarten through twelve. Its teachings are based on the Zoltan Kodály method of attaining music literacy taught by degreed, professional music instructors. This past season, 180 children from over 75 schools in eight counties participate. Singers are placed in one of four Musicianship Classes and the appropriate choir (Bel Canto, Advanced or Performance Choirs) matched with their own musical experience and skill. Each student progresses at his/her own speed and ability.
The Children's Choir Program's flagship ensemble is Performance Choir. This nationally recognized choir represents the culmination of musical learning and performance in the CCP. They were selected to represent Ohio at the National Memorial Day Choral Festival on Memorial Day weekend in Washington D.C. 2017, performed by invitation as the featured choir at the National Choral Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York City 2018, will perform at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival and as a Grand Ole Opry pre-show performance in 2019. They are active all over Ohio, were selected to sing at the Ohio state Ohio Choral Director's Association Conference, 2017, and were most recently invited by audition to sing at the National Organization of American Kodaly Educators National Conference in 2019! SCS choirs perform at various community events throughout the greater Akron community each season as well as Summit Choral Society presented concerts.
The Masterworks Chorale, renamed the Metropolitan Chorus in 2018, has been a staple of NE Ohio's choral community for 31 years! The Metropolitan Chorus enjoys a unique session based model for singers and consists of impeccably programmed diversity in the choral arts, enjoying multiple renowned conductors and events each season.
The Akron City Gospel Singers (ACGS) was added to the SCS family of choirs in 2019 by Executive & Artistic Director Shara L. Cocchiola. Under the direction of Professor Jaron M. LeGrair, the ACGS is a grass-roots community gospel choir in downtown Akron. Singers in this choir are not auditioned and all event sessions are self-contained full musical experiences containing high-quality rehearsal material, a performance and fellowship. ACGS hopes to resume in person sessions spring, 2023.
sing with me- an early childhood music program for caregivers and children ages birth through 5 years old, and DrumSing - a unique, hybrid musical experience combining traditional drumline with pitched melodies complete the SCS falimy of offerings.
Summer Music Camps may be offered from time to time and are for school age children and explore a variety of musical themes for the positive experiences of greater Akron community children.
Summit Choral Society is proud to serve the greater Akron community for over 30 years!
Financials and Reports
"Summit Choral Society has given me great opportunities that I never would have had otherwise. Not only have I been able to practice a skill I love, but I have been able to grow closer to peers from many different places and backgrounds. I've been able to travel and see sights I could have only dreamed of. I've been able to grow, laugh and cry. I've found a family that I'll cherish forever."
-Elaina L.