The Wheatland Chorale appoints Eric R. Riley as artistic director

ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (05/05/2012)(readMedia)-- The Wheatland Chorale welcomes Eric R. Riley to the position of artistic director, a title left vacant after the May 1 retirement of Robert J. Upton, Chorale founder and director for 25 years. Riley presently serves as organist and director of music at Market Square Presbyterian Church, in Harrisburg, Pa., and is conductor of the church's Central Pennsylvania Oratorio Singers, positions he has held since 2007 and 2011, respectively.

The newly appointed artistic director brings with him a rich background of organ and conducting experience including the degrees bachelor of music in organ performance from Syracuse University and master of church music in choral conducting and organ from Scarritt Graduate School. In 1993 Riley became director of music and organist with First United Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio; in 1996 he also became associate artistic director for Voices of Canton (Ohio) Inc. and, in 2000, added to his resume accompanist for the Canton Symphony Orchestra Chorus. He also has been conductor of the Walsh University Chorale in North Canton, Ohio, and conductor of the Metropolitan Chorale for the Metropolitan School for the Arts in Syracuse, N.Y.

His skills as an organist are further recognized by his high ranking in numerous competitions. Last year, Riley was featured artist at the International Organ Festival at S. Vitale, Ravenna, Italy; in 2010 he gave, noted the Harrisburg, Pa., Patriot-News, a "stirring performance" as organ soloist with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra; and he was featured artist in "Voci e organi dell'Appennino," in Bologna, Italy, in 2008.

Riley's performance prizes include second in the Flint (Mich.) International Organ Competition, finalist in the Naples (Fla.) International and the Fort Wayne (Ind.) National organ competitions, first in the Arthur Poister Memorial Scholarship Competition, and he earned the Poister Prize, twice, from Syracuse University.

The Wheatland Chorale, founded in 1987, has earned a prestigious reputation as one of Pennsylvania's premier choral ensembles, performing throughout central Pennsylvania. The Chorale also has made appearances at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, N.Y., and the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. It currently features 39 singers, all volunteers, who live throughout Lancaster and Berks counties and beyond.

In spring 2011, The Wheatland Chorale and Elizabethtown College entered into a creative partnership, to further enhance the artistic quality of both organizations, increase the Chorale's performances and geographic reach and build on its reputation toward becoming the premier choral ensemble of this region.

Elizabethtown College, in south-central Pennsylvania, is a private coed institution offering more than four dozen liberal arts, fine and performing arts, science and engineering, business, communications and education degrees. Through personal attention, creative inspiration and academic challenge, Elizabethtown College students are encouraged to expand their intellectual curiosity and are given the opportunity to become a bigger part of the world through experiential learning-research, internships and study abroad. Elizabethtown College's overall commitment to Educate for Service is fulfilled as students are taught intellectually, socially, aesthetically and ethically for lives of service and leadership.

Visit www.etown.edu for more information about Elizabethtown College.

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Posted Saturday May 05, 2012 at 06:01 am by Elizabethtown College
Last Updated Thursday June 28, 2012 at 02:55 pm