MILTON — All the sounds of “Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do” can be heard blaring from the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU) headquarters in Milton.
CSIU is a local educational service and prides itself on serving the needs of schools, students, families and communities.
Additionally, a choir made up of CSIU employees was recently formed.
Under the direction of Chief Outreach Officer Dr. Bernadette Berkel and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Alan Hack, the choir has given several performances.
Huck said the choir has sung the anthem on various occasions, including CSIU Professional Leadership Day, the Central PA Chamber of Commerce event in October, the CSIU Winter Gala, and the most recent CSIU board meeting.
The choir was reborn from the choir the CSIU had many years ago.
“The idea of restarting the CSIU choir was a joint venture with Dr. Boerckel to prepare the national anthem for the annual Professional Learning Day (PLD) and subsequent winter celebrations,” said Hack. I’m here.
“It was an opportunity to come out of the pandemic and reconnect with each other through music,” Bokel said. “The original idea was to play the national anthem during the annual Professional Development Day, when more than 600 of his CSIU employees would come together to learn, inspire and celebrate staff.
“This year it was a virtual event, so we pre-recorded the songs at the nearby First Baptist Church in Lewisburg. Brett Hosterman is our music director, mutual colleague and friend,” she continued. rice field. “He generously provided space and piano for our recordings and accompanied the choir for our PLD videos.”
In addition to the national anthem, Boerckel said the choir played “I Believe”, composed by Mark Millar with anonymous text carved into the walls of the basement during World War II.
“It resonated with the post-pandemic theme of our PLD Day and the perseverance that so many of our employees have shown through COVID,” said Boerckel.
The choir’s first outdoor performance was an indoor event at the invitation of President and CEO Tea Jay Aikey after seeing a social media post featuring the choir.
“[Singing at the indoor event]is an honor and very much in line with our partnership, mission and values,” Boerckel said. “We don’t seek opportunities to perform, but we enjoy singing.”
According to Huck, the rehearsal took place at CSIU headquarters for about 45 minutes after work.
“We are very flexible, offering rehearsal recordings and YouTube videos for people who are busy or traveling to rehearse on their own,” Hack says. “The idea is to have fun and be as inclusive as possible.”
The potential exists for choirs, which began as a vehicle for educators to come together and sing, to continue to offer external performances.
“Really, this is meant to be informal, fun, a form of camaraderie, and another way to connect and belong in a work environment.” We regularly see the power of the Work Foundations every year in collaboration with Geoff Craven and KJ Reimensnyder-Wagner to write a song about gratitude with our students.This experience is shared every year by students, teachers and , is making a difference for parents.”
CSIU has also hosted PMEA Regional Professional Development Days for local music educators for the past two years.
“We recently purchased a used piano to rehearse and perform in our building and find new ways to bring concerts and local student talent to CSIU.
The choir wants to expand its members and opportunities.
“Music appreciation, advocacy and education are part of who we are,” said Boerckel. “Choirs are another way to bring music into our lives and buildings. Our only goal is to keep growing. We have more people singing in our organization.” We want them to feel comfortable and speak up.”
Choir member and CSIU Information Security Officer Brian Paulhamus enjoys being part of the choir.
“I have sung in several choirs throughout my life,” he said. “I haven’t had much time lately, but this choir fits my schedule perfectly. It’s always nice to sing with people of different musical skill sets and see the music come off the page. It’s fun.”
“Music has a unique way of connecting all walks of life,” Huck said. “As a diverse organization with employees in a variety of occupations, the choir brings together people who are passionate about music in a way that fosters unity, connection and purpose.
“The creative element of our music is a great way to connect employees who never cross paths because of the unique nature of their work.”