Many Northeast Pennsylvania ensembles found new ways to share their talents this holiday season.

When the coronavirus pandemic left them unable to hold in-person concerts and fundraisers as usual, they moved their efforts online. Here’s how you can stream these local performances from the safety of quarantine.

 

‘Hark’

The Scranton Shakespeare Festival put together a virtual variety show featuring a series of holiday music videos by festival alumni and Northeast Pennsylvania natives alongside host and season regular Conor McGuigan. Proceeds benefit the festival’s upcoming 10th season. The show will be available to download until the new year.

Details: Tickets cost $20 for an individual download, $40 for a family download and $15 for the album only.

 

Noel Night

The University of Scranton’s 53rd annual Noel Night concert includes performances by a mixed choir plus members of the String Orchestra, Percussion Ensemble, beginner string and percussion players, steel drummers and band members. University officials spoke and presented readings from the Gospels of John and Luke, while Wycliffe A. Gordon, Mark Gould and alumni guests also joined the show.

Where: University of Scranton Performance Music YouTube channel

Details: Free to stream; view the program at https://bit.ly/3p7FXj8. For more information, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music.

 

‘A Streaming of Lessons and Carols’

Watch the Choral Society of Northeast Pennsylvania and the Lyric Consort’s seasonal show through Saturday, Jan. 2. The program includes many well-known Christmas carols and music by Felix Mendelssohn, Charles Villiers Stanford, Benjamin Britten, Peter Cornelius, John Rutter, Joel Martinson, Peter Anglea and Daniel Gawthrop. Covenant Presbyterian Church’s Dr. Timothy Smith performs on organ.

Where: choralsociety.net or facebook.com/CSNEPA

Details: Free to stream.

Arcadia Chorale

Arcadia Chorale has released unique recordings of its performances for the holidays. Each singer was individually recorded at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton, and then were filmed singing along to the audio in front of a green screen. Carl Shinko of Longfooter Productions crafted a 3-D image of the church to replace the green background so the group appears to perform together at the church.

Where: Arcadia Chorale’s YouTube channel

Details: Free to stream. For more information, visit arcadiachorale.org, call 570-871-0350 or email contact@arcadiachorale.org.

 

Marywood University student ensembles

Marywood University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance live-streamed several performances by student groups in the fall 2020 semester that remain available for viewing. Featured groups include the orchestra; chamber singers; and wind, jazz and string ensembles.

Where: Marywood’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance YouTube channel

Details: Free to stream. For more information, visit marywood.edu/mtd or call 570-348-6211.

 

Penn State Scranton annual Holiday Concert

The Penn State Scranton Chorale, the Roc[k]tet and Campus Jazz Band of Penn State Scranton recorded their holiday concert on campus over two days in November to create a series of videos for the public to stream. Listeners will hear such songs as “Frosty the Snowman,” “Sing Noel!,” “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” and “Three English Carols.”

The groups are under the leadership of Music Director and Associate Teaching Professor of Music Sharon Ann Toman, and they followed numerous coronavirus-related safety protocols as they prepared for the show.

Where: https://sites.psu.edu/pssnmusic

Details: Free to stream. For more information, visit https://scranton.psu.edu or call 570-963-2500.