Blue Mountain Heritage Chorus

Blue Mountain Heritage Chorus is a volunteer community singing group based at 606 Shoey Road in Mohrsville, Pennsylvania, in northern Berks County. The chorus performs a repertoire that spans roughly two centuries of American song, drawing on material from the 1800s through the present day, and presents that music at churches, schools, civic gatherings and public events across eastern Pennsylvania. The group describes its purpose as preserving historic songs, helping to preserve local heritage, and fostering community by performing the old art of community singing.

That stated mission shapes nearly everything about how the chorus operates. Rather than functioning as a touring ensemble or a competitive performance group, Blue Mountain Heritage Chorus works as a neighborhood institution: singers come from the surrounding towns, concerts are usually held in familiar local venues, and programs are built around music that audiences in the region recognize or have a cultural connection to. The chorus can be reached by phone at (610) 926-8404.

History and Founding

The chorus was founded by Carol Kissinger, who continues to serve as the primary contact for membership inquiries and performance bookings. Donald Schilke served as the group's first director. The ensemble presented its first concert in 2009, and in the years since it has grown into a regular fixture on the local concert calendar, with recurring annual appearances that have now run for more than a decade.

The name reflects the geography of the area, referencing the Blue Mountain ridge that runs across northern Berks and neighboring counties, and the heritage focus of the group's musical programming. Over time, the chorus has assembled a catalog of material that includes patriotic songs, hymns, folk and parlor songs from the nineteenth century, traditional Christmas and holiday music, and more contemporary selections, allowing the group to tailor programs to the occasion and the venue.

Concerts and Programs

Blue Mountain Heritage Chorus organizes its year around several categories of performance:

• Community chorus concerts. These are the group's core public programs, featuring historic songs from the 1800s through the present. They are typically held in area churches and schools, including Zion Lutheran Church in Shoemakersville and Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Schuylkill Haven.
• Patriotic concerts. The chorus has built programming around a Patriotic 250th Anniversary of the USA theme, marking the semiquincentennial of American independence. This includes a combined patriotic concert scheduled for Hamburg High School in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, in June 2026.
• Holiday and Christmas concerts. Seasonal performances are a long standing tradition for the group. The chorus sings at the annual Shoemakersville Christmas Tree Lighting, with the fifteenth annual event taking place in December 2025, and has presented Christmas concerts at Belleman's Church in Dauberville, Pennsylvania.
• Event and sporting event appearances. The group performs as a guest ensemble at community functions and sports events, including appearances at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading for Reading Fightin' Phils games.
• Joint concerts. The chorus has collaborated with other regional ensembles, among them the group Men in Harmony, for combined programs.
• Performance bookings. Organizations, congregations and event organizers can request the chorus for their own events, with arrangements handled directly through Carol Kissinger by phone or email.

Venues and Service Area

While the chorus is headquartered in Mohrsville, its performance footprint extends through eastern Pennsylvania and particularly through Berks and Schuylkill counties. Venues that have hosted the group include Hamburg High School in Hamburg, Zion Lutheran Church in Shoemakersville, Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Schuylkill Haven, Belleman's Church in Dauberville, and FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. The mix of church sanctuaries, school auditoriums, outdoor civic events and a minor league ballpark gives a sense of the group's flexibility: the chorus is accustomed to adapting its program and presentation to the acoustics and audience of each setting.

For audiences in Shoemakersville, Hamburg, Leesport, Dauberville, Schuylkill Haven, Reading and the surrounding boroughs and townships, concerts are generally within a short drive. Many performances are held in community spaces with free or low cost admission, consistent with the group's community singing emphasis, though specific details vary by event and are announced in advance.

Membership and Rehearsals

Blue Mountain Heritage Chorus is an all volunteer organization, and new singers are welcome. The chorus publishes a seasonal rehearsal and performance schedule so that prospective and current members can see commitments in advance; the 2026 schedule was revised on June 5, 2026, reflecting the group's practice of keeping its calendar current as concert dates are confirmed. Because the ensemble is community based rather than auditioned at a conservatory level, it tends to attract singers with a range of experience, from people who have sung in church choirs or school music programs for years to those returning to group singing after time away.

Individuals interested in joining are encouraged to contact Carol Kissinger directly for information about rehearsal location, meeting times, the current season's repertoire and any expectations regarding attendance. Prospective members often find it useful to attend a concert first to hear the group's sound and get a sense of the program style before committing to a rehearsal season.

What Distinguishes the Chorus

Several elements set Blue Mountain Heritage Chorus apart from a standard community choir. The first is its explicit preservation mission. The group treats older American songs as cultural material worth keeping in active circulation, not simply as nostalgic filler, and it frames community singing itself as a tradition to be maintained. The second is its civic integration. Rather than performing only in formal concert settings, the chorus shows up at tree lightings, ballgames and joint community events, which keeps it visible as a local organization rather than a specialized arts group. The third is longevity: with a first concert in 2009 and anniversary traditions such as the Shoemakersville tree lighting now in their fifteenth year, the chorus has become part of the seasonal rhythm of northern Berks County.

Practical Information

• Address: 606 Shoey Road, Mohrsville, PA 19541
• Phone: (610) 926-8404
• Established: 2009
• Type: Volunteer community chorus and performing arts group
• Bookings and membership: Contact Carol Kissinger by phone or email

Current concert dates, venue details and the published rehearsal schedule are maintained for season specific information such as the June 2026 combined patriotic concert at Hamburg High School and upcoming holiday performances.