Musical Foundation of Washington Memorial Chapel






	*The National Shrine* Washington Memorial Chapel, the National Shrine at Valley Forge, is the result of the dream of one man. In 1903 Dr. Herbert Burk (of All Saints Church, Norristown), in a widely circulated sermon, decried the fact that there was no spiritual tribute to George Washington and the soldiery of Valley Forge. Two parishioners donated what was then farmland, and construction of the Chapel began soon after: first a temporary wooden chapel, later the present shrine, which was completed in 1917. The Chapel, which occupies approximately 27 acres of private property, has been called "The American Westminster", and is regarded by many as the finest example of Gothic architecture on the East Coast. Adjacent to the Chapel is the Carillon Tower, completed in 1953, a gift of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Washington Memorial Carillon is the most frequently played carillon in the world. While surrounded by the Valley Forge National Historical Park, the Chapel is private property, in no way connected with the park or the federal government. There are 150 pledging families. No one can doubt that many thousands of visitors are spiritually enriched by their visit to the Chapel. Here, in stained glass, is the story of the rise of the Republic. Overhead, in the Roof of the Republic, are the seals of each of the 50 states: visitors from any part of the nation can see that their homes are represented at Valley Forge. The Chapel maintains a musical outreach and enrichment program for visitors and the community. Some of the events are its regularly scheduled worship services, the special Sunday afternoon State Services honoring various states, special services for patriotic and civic societies, and the many recitals and other musical events which it sponsors.
	*The Musicians* The musical staff of Washington Memorial Chapel consists of the Choristers, the Choral Scholars, the Gentlemen of the Choir, the Assistant Organist, the Carilloneur and the Organist and Choirmaster. Over the years, the Choristers have been recruited from some 56 area public and private schools. The Choristers are trained in the tradition of the great English Cathedral Choirs, taught to read music at first sight, to sing correctly and to appreciate fine music of many styles and periods. There is also provision for up to 6 Choral Scholars, to encourage the boys to continue in the choir after their voices change to learn correct and healthy vocal technique. These Choral Scholars sing with the Gentlemen of the Choir. The History of singing of choirs of Men and Boys extends back to part-singing in the Church of the 12th century. The great choral tradition of the European Cathedrals dates somewhat later, rising to prominence in the 15th century. Washington Memorial Chapel is dedicated to the continuance and preservation of this venerable tradition. The present Chapel Choir has sixteen Choristers, three Choral Scholars and nine Gentlemen. There is also provision for six Lay Clerks (Section Leaders) among the men, but at present we are reduced to four, owing to financial stringency.
	*The Maintenance of Music at Washington Memorial Chapel* The first function of the choir is to maintain the regular sung services at the Chapel. Apart from a short lapse during the Seventies, when the Men and Boys Choir was temporarily disbanded, it has carried out that duty since the Chapel's construction, and today the professional outlook and musical standards are probably greater than at any time in its history. In one year the Choristers will spend some 250 hours rehearsing, and 155 hours in singing the services at the Chapel, and the musical repertoire is constantly being enlarged. Although the chief task of the choir is to enhance with music the worship of the Chapel, recent years have seen a marked expansion and diversification of its activities in such areas as the making of professional recordings, travel abroad to prominent Cathedrals in Great Britain for residencies and the carrying out of recitals and recital tours. Those responsible for the Chapel's musical policy attach great importance to this "missionary" activity of the choir, which brings so much magnificent church music to an ever widening sector of the public.
	*The Need* In order to attract candidates of suitable ability and as some recompense for the great commitment to services and rehearsals as well as participation in major services at Christmas and Easter, when most boys would ordinarily expect to be free, salaries are offered to all Choristers. The fees for the Choristers for 2000/2001, and the estimate for the next four years are as follows (the figures are approximate): 2000/01: $8,640. 2001/02: $8,960. 2002/03: $10,450. 2003/04: $11,488. 2004/05: $12,640 Therefore to sponsor a Chorister from the age of 9-14, which is the normal span of his career, it would cost, over five years: $3,300. - Chorister It is the policy of the Chapel to be as generous as possible with chorister salaries, so that a wider field of candidates can be attracted, to the choir's great advantage. After leaving the Treble Choir, normally at age 14+, many Choristers remain at the Chapel as Choral Scholars to complete their musical training. These boys receive bursaries, at present $500 per year from the Chapel in recognition of their services to the Chapel as well as for their continued efforts. These disbursements amount at the moment to a total cost of: $3,050. - Choral Scholar The Gentlemen of the Choir volunteer their time and travel. Washington Memorial Chapel is extremely grateful to these hard-workers and would like to see a time when budgetary constraints would allow for a yearly stipend to be extended to these talented and willing men. The Lay Clerks of the choir are paid for their regularity and musical leadership. These Gentlemen do a double duty, providing music for the Parish Mixed Choir and the Washington Memorial Chapel Choir of Men and Boys. The choir sits divided onto two sides: we are looking to restore one Alto, Tenor and Bass to each side of the choir, totalling six professionals. These adults would each cost per year: $5,500. - Lay Clerk (Vicar Choral) This amounts to a total per year of: $33,000. The Choir travels regularly abroad and throughout the region. The Choir makes regular trips to England to concertize and to take up residencies at prominent Cathedrals. This vital undertaking has, in the past, been sponsored partially by the parents of the choristers, partially through the generosity of parishioners and partially through fund-raising efforts. Please click here for further details about this upcoming tour and how you can help the choir in this important outreach. The salaries for the Organist, Assistant Organist and Carilloneur, all highly qualified specialists, are $26,000., $12,000., and $12,000. respectively. Last years tuning and maintenance of the Chapel organ totalled $2,400, so this years expenditure on this department is likely to be: Music Department Salaries: $50,000. Organ Tuning and Maintenance: $2,640. Total: $ The necessity for the upkeep and enlargement of the choir's music library cannot be too highly emphasized if the musical standards and traditions are to be properly maintained. It is impossible for the music of the Chapel to be a vital force in the community if the repertoire remains static, and the cost of replacing worn copies of music and purchasing new works is always increasing. The provision, maintenance and renewal of choir robes is also a necessary and significant expense. N.B. Although the chorister salaries take into account the effects of inflation, the other figures quoted above represent the estimated expenditure for the coming year only, as the Vestry is unable to specify what increases, if any, could be offered over the coming years. Any increases are likely to be small and, much to the regret of the Vestry, infrequent and insufficient.
	*What can be done* Washington Memorial Chapel is faced with rapidly increasing costs for which its regular income is inadequate. Furthermore it has been obliged to launch a national Appeal for the preservation of the Carillon and the Tower of the Patriots. In approaching those companies, trusts and individuals with particular musical interests, the Vestry is mindful of the extreme difficulty of raising an endowment fund of sufficient size to afford an adequate income for the preservation of the fine musical tradition of Washington Memorial Chapel. It has therefore been decided that the first objective of this Appeal will be to raise money to be spent over five years to sponsor the Choristers and Choral Scholars. As has been previously stated, the cost of sponsoring one Chorister over five years would be: $3,300. To a company or private individual this would represent an annual covenant of: $660. The cost of the stipend of one Choral Scholar over the next five years is estimated at: $3,050. Sponsorship by deed of covenant over that period would cost an individual or company: $610. The cost of sponsoring one Adult Lay Clerk (Section Leader)Chorister over five years would be: $27,500. The expense of this item is considerable, with six Lay Clerks in total. Allowing for an annual inflation rate of 10%, the cost of tuning and maintaining the organ over the next five years will be: $14,650. This item could be covered by annual covenants totalling: $2,930. or this item could be covered by four pledges of annual covenants, totalling each: $732.50. There is also an opportunity to meet the salaries of the two Organists and the Carilloneur in the same manner. The above represents the first objective of this Appeal. A scheme which might commend itself to certain benefactors would be the endowment in perpetuity of a specific Chorister, Choral Scholar or Lay Clerk salary, either as a personal act or possibly as a memorial to a member of members of a family. This would be a particularly generous gift which would provide a unique and enduring link between the giver and the continuing offering of music in the worship and witness of Washington Memorial Chapel. The terms and conditions of such an exciting endowment would be a matter for individual settlement between the donor and the Vestry. Any monies received in excess of the primary objective of this Appeal would provide an investment fund, the interest from which would be used to augment the various stipends mentioned above, as well as to permit the various activities of the choir to be further expanded. It is appreciated that most individuals are not in a position to enter into large covenants; a sum of any size will be most gratefully applied to these objectives.
	*Conclusion* Music plays a crucially important part of the fabric of Washington Memorial Chapel: beautiful though the building is, it must be a living entity, proclaiming the word of God and the faith of mortals. Those responsible for this Appeal are determined, with its success, not only to continue the fine musical traditions of which they are the present guardians, but to expand still further the work of the choir as an energetic and positive force in the general cultural activites of Valley Forge and the surrounding communities. The virtual extinction of Men and Boys choirs in this country demonstrates only too clearly the very real dangers which are presented to this venerable and ancient tradition. Economic difficulties are becoming increasingly apparent, and what we have at present we may not be able to hold without substantial aid from those who believe this unique sector of our heritage to be worthy of preservation. We at Washington Memorial Chapel are pledged, with your help, to such an act of preservation. We commend our proposals to you and invite you to join with us in this difficult but exciting and immensely rewarding task.
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