MICHAEL McCARTHY
As a singer, Mike travelled the globe with groups such as The Sixteen, the Monteverdi Choir, and the Gabrieli Consort. He has recorded extensively with these ensembles and most notably the Cardinall’s Musick and Oxford Camerata. As director of the London Oratory School Schola, London’s premiere concert boy choir, Mike worked regularly with the Royal Opera House, London Symphony Orchestra, and Philharmonia, both in concert performance and in the recording studio. The Schola was also featured on numerous soundtracks including Sleepy Hollow, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Harry Potter.
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Mike is well known as a choral conductor. During his tenure at Washington National Cathedral, he led the music for the Funerals of Presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George Herbert Walker Bush, as well as many national services of mourning and celebration. The Cathedral’s robust concert series offered a broad range of classical masterworks. Repertoire of the Baroque and Classical eras were performed on historical instruments of the day, giving a unique authenticity in sound and style.
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In the Fall of 2024, Mike joined the Susquehanna Chorale as its first Executive Director. With the impending retirement of Linda Tedford, Mike's role is to help the organization for this significant transition. As an experienced arts administrator, Mike is committed to honouring Linda's extraordinary legacy while building a robust structure for new musical leadership. In doing so he fulfils his own passion of helping singers, both young and not so young, explore the depths of musical expression to find moments of transformation within themselves and others.
KAREN LYNCH
Administrator
Karen Lynch (soprano) is a long-time member of the Susquehanna Chorale. She provides support for the artistic and administrative staff and assists in the organization’s daily operations.
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Ms. Lynch holds a BS Degree in Music Education with a concentration in voice (Lebanon Valley College), a BA in Psychology (Lebanon Valley College), and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education (Millersville University). She recently retired from a thirty-one-year career teaching first and second grades and middle school/high school vocal music in central Pennsylvania. During that time, she also directed several elementary and high school musicals.
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Ms. Lynch has performed with several community and college-affiliated choirs over the years. She studied voice with Linda Tedford, Philip Morgan, Ruth Drucker, and Thom Houser. She serves on the Susquehanna Chorale’s Board of Directors, its Educational Outreach Committee, and its Hospitality Committee. Ms. Lynch has also been involved in her community as a church choir director and private music teacher.