Choral Workshop - Music of Celebration and Lament

Directed by Anna Lenti

July 19-26, 2026

Muhlenberg College
2400 W Chew St
Allentown, PA 18104
United States

Tuition:

$750

The Choral Workshop takes place week two of the Amherst Early Music Festival
July 19-26, 2026

Music of Celebration and Lament

Repertoire for this year's workshop will include 16th-century anthem Rejoice in the Lord Alway, the Handel Coronation Anthem Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened (No. 1, No. 2, No. 3), Mille Regretz by Josquin des Prez, and Requiem Messe de morts by Marc Antoine Charpentier. Follow the links in this repertoire list to hear recordings of these works, chosen by director Anna Lenti.

Experience the joy of choral singing at the Amherst Early Music Festival. The Choral Workshop gives the serious amateur choral singer an opportunity to learn and perform masterworks of the Renaissance and Baroque, within the context of the largest early music festival in the United States. The Choral Workshop will perform on Friday, July 24, 7:30 pm as part of the Festival Concert Series. Section leaders will be Phillip Cheah alto, Madeline Healey soprano, Nat Hodgson tenor, Peter Stewart bass.

Come sing with us!

For 2026: TO APPLY: Please send a recording of a vocalization of your choice demonstrating the bottom to top of your vocal range along with a 16-bar excerpt from recent repertoire that you have performed. This can be with or without accompaniment, a solo piece, or your part in a choral work. Send by email to Click here to show mail address along with a short resume of your choral experience, and current choral affiliations. Include last 2-3 years of repertoire, major works, and early music that you have performed. *If you auditioned for Choral Workshop in 2024 or 2025 you do not need to audition again for 2026.

Register for the Amherst Early Music Festival here!

There are many YouTube videos and online information on how to make a voice recording using a mobile phone. Need help? Give us a call! +1-781-488-3337

New to the Festival? Fear not! Our open and inviting atmosphere will make you feel at home right away.

Faculty

Anna

Lenti **

Voice

Phillip

Cheah **

Voice

Marisa

Curcio **

Voice

Mark

Hanke **

Voice

Nathan

Hodgson **

Peter

Stewart **

Voice

Where

Muhlenberg College
2400 W Chew St
Allentown, PA 18104
United States

Festival FAQs

TRAVEL
Muhlenberg College: 2400 Chew Street, Allentown, PA
Closest Airport: Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), is approximately 7 miles from the Muhlenberg campus.
Trans-Bridge Lines offers service from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Newark Airport to the Allentown Transportation Center, 603 Linden Street, Allentown, PA (2.3 miles from campus) Flixbus from NYC, Philadelphia, and elsewhere. Greyhound offers service from Philadelphia to the Allentown Transportation Center.

MEALS
The meal card is $280 and covers one week of meals starting with dinner on Sunday, July 12, (July 19 for second week) thru breakfast on Sunday, July 19, (July 26 for second week).
A la carte meal prices are:
Breakfast - $11.12
Lunch - $15.22
Dinner - $22.83

ROOMS
All standard rooms are air-conditioned. Budget rate housing is not air-conditioned, with hall baths. Basic linens (sheets, pillow, and towels) are included with all housing. Beds are twin, extra long.
Standard rooms with private baths are in Taylor Hall. Standard single rooms with shared baths are in suites of four rooms (bedrooms, living room, shared bathroom, no kitchen) in Benfer Hall. Standard double rooms and a few single rooms on the fourth floor of Walz Hall, accessible by elevator. Kitchenette Suite rooms are in South Hall. Budget (non-ac) rooms are in Brown Hall. All dorms have elevators except for Benfer and Brown Halls.

COVID-19 Policy

The COVID virus is still with us, though as of mid-June the prevalence of COVID in the US east coast wastewater is very low. We are not requiring testing in advance unless you have been with others who test positive in the week before the Festival, or if you are experiencing mild symptoms in the week before the Festival. We reserve the right to change this policy if conditions change. Please bring your own COVID tests. Some will be available for sale. We recommend that you bring N-95 masks in case of an outbreak of illness.

We ask that all Festival participants, faculty, and staff observe the following list of precautions:
In the week prior to your attendance at the Festival, to reduce the likelihood of spreading infection, please do all you can to avoid becoming ill. Wearing a mask on public transport and at large indoor gatherings can keep you from having to leave the Festival.

Before arrival and during the Festival: If you have symptoms of an infectious illness please do not come to the Festival. You will receive a refund. If you develop symptoms of an infectious illness while at the Festival, please immediately isolate, test for COVID-19, and let AEMF staff know. If you test positive for Covid you must leave the Festival or quarantine for the remainder of the Festival. You will receive a pro-rated refund. If you elect to stay on campus in quarantine, you will not receive a housing refund.

The Festival is a congregate living environment, and we want to protect the health of all our community members, who range in age from 1 to 90+ and some of whom have compromised immune systems. Thank you for helping us keep everyone healthy.

Updated June 17, 2026