Alto — The Grounding
Sixty-six years of community, music, and voices raised together in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Since 1961
Established in 1961, Manchester Choral Society is a non-profit, auditioned community choir and is proud to be part of the rich choral tradition that contributes to the cultural community of New Hampshire.
Manchester Choral Society is committed to sharing and promoting the best choral music of a variety of styles and periods through vibrant performances, collaboration, and educational and community outreach. The organization is committed to diversity and inclusion through collaboration with BIPOC artists, as well as the performance and commissioning of works by composers from BIPOC communities (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color).
Each year the MCS awards a $1,000 scholarship to assist a qualified student with funding their post-secondary school music studies.
Visit the Scholarship Page →Music Director
Dr. Perkins, music director since 2005, is Professor Emeritus at Plymouth State University, where he was professor of music and director of choral activities for 29 years, earning the Stevens-Bristow Distinguished Professorship in 2007. He is also music director of the New Hampshire Master Chorale, which he founded in 2003, and has served as principal guest conductor of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet in Hanoi, guest conductor of the Dartmouth Concertato Singers and Dartmouth Handel Society, and music director of the Hanover Chamber Orchestra and New Hampshire Friendship Chorus. Perkins' choirs have performed and studied throughout the world.
Perkins is a co-founder, with Dr. Trish Lindberg, of the award-winning Educational Theatre Collaborative, and pianist for Trio Veritas. He holds DMA and MM degrees from the University of Southern California and a BMu from Brigham Young University, and continued his studies as a Fulbright Scholar in Finland.
Collaborative Pianist
Charles Blood has worked as Manchester Choral Society's collaborative pianist since 1986. He is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in music education and a Master of Arts degree in music.
As a member of the music faculty of Notre Dame College, he founded and served as director of the college's Community Music School and was co-founder and coordinator of the Summer Concert Series. In addition to teaching at St. Paul's School and the Manchester public schools, he also taught for many years in the Derry Co-operative School District, where he was awarded the Nancy Apostle Friends of Education Award for his work.
An active accompanist and freelance musician, Mr. Blood served for many years as a collaborative pianist at Plymouth State University and throughout the region for choral workshops, festivals, recitals, and musical theater productions. He has also served as accompanist for numerous international tours, most recently traveling to Bulgaria with the New Hampshire Friendship Chorus, and has been a collaborative pianist for the New Hampshire All-State Music Festival, the All New England Choral Festival, the New Hampshire Music Festival, the Lakes Region Music Festival, and for National Association of Teachers of Singing competitions.
Throughout his career, Mr. Blood has been an active church musician, serving as Minister of Music at South Main Street Congregational Church in Manchester and, for 25 years, at Bethany Covenant Church in Bedford. He has worked as an adjunct piano instructor and collaborative pianist at Southern New Hampshire University and is currently music director of the New Castle Congregational Church.
Manchester, New Hampshire