Mercersburg Area Community Chorus

Richard Rotz

Artistic Director

Richard Rotz has directed the Chorus since 1976. Until his retirement in 2020, he was the Director of Music at the Mercersburg Academy where he conducted the Concert Band, Octet, and Percussion Ensemble. He holds a B.S. in music from Lebanon Valley College, and an M.M. from the University of Michigan. Richard is a member of the Music Educators National Conference and the American Choral Directors Association.

Locally, Richard is a member of the McConnellsburg United Presbyterian Church where he serves as choir director. Past civic responsibilities include positions on the Mercersburg Town Council and the Fulton County Medical Center board of directors.

Elisabeth Turchi

Conductor

Elisabeth Turchi, soprano, is equally at home on stage and in concert, Elisabeth Turchi’s versatility as an artist is evident in the diverse roles she has performed, comic to dramatic. Stage credits include Violetta (La Traviata), Musetta (La Bohème), Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Alice (Falstaff), and Lucy (The Telephone). She has sung with the Pittsburgh Opera, Caramoor International Music Festival, Opera Camerata of Washington DC, Annapolis Opera, Opera Delaware, Harrisburg Opera, New Opera Festival of Rome, and Gotham Chamber Opera. Career highlights include a European tour of Haydn’s Creation with two-time Grammy winner Robert Page and performing Dave Brubeck’s Canticles of Mary with the Grammy-winning composer and his famous quartet. Ms. Turchi is an alumna of Bel Canto at Caramoor, The International Institute of Vocal Arts, The Westchester Summer Vocal Institute, The International Lyric Academy of Rome, and The Ezio Pinza Council of American Singers of Opera. She holds degrees in vocal performance from Carnegie Mellon University and Shenandoah University.