Music

The ArtsFest Committee at Wilson College has opened the call for submissions for ArtsFest 2027, scheduled for April 5 through 9, 2027.

Wilson College Director of Choral Activities and Chair of Music Dillon Beede enjoyed a summer of professional accomplishments. In May, Beede earned a Doctor of Education degree in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Then, in July, he was selected by his peers to serve as panel chair for presentations at the 37th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference. 

Wilson College will host an afternoon of inspiring music as the Cumberland Valley Chorale at Wilson College presents its Spring 2026 concert, On the Edge of Light, on Sunday, April 26, at 3 p.m. in Laird Hall.

Wilson College will host ArtsFest 2026 from April 6–10, a weeklong celebration showcasing talents of Wilson artists, nationally recognized visiting professionals, and creative programming for the campus and surrounding community. Now in its fourth year, ArtsFest has become a signature Franklin County event that highlights the role of the arts in fostering connection, collaboration, and community dialogue. 

Wilson College invites the community to begin the holiday season at its 105th Christmas Vespers on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 4:30 p.m. in the historic Alumnae Chapel in Thomson Hall on the college campus. Leading the service will be the Rev. Andrew Hart, D.Min., the Nancy Adams Besch ’48 and Elisabeth Hudnut Clarkson ’47 college chaplain, and Dillon Beede, M.M., Ed.M., director of choral activities and chair of music.  

The Wilson College Ten Tones a cappella ensemble will provide a special performance during the inaugural “Sing On: Keystone Collegiate Choral Festival.” This collaborative event marks the first collegiate choral music festival in Central Pennsylvania. It will be held in the Mukund S. Kulkarni Theatre at Penn State Harrisburg April 26 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. 

The Ten Tones have returned! This much-loved a cappella ensemble originated in the late 1950s and provided entertainment through musical performances on campus and regionally for several decades. According to its former and current members, the group embodies the core of what Wilson is: a welcoming mixture of ages, abilities, and interests that inspire, encourage, and support each other through music.

Wilson College will host a musical exploration of human experience represented by the four elements of life—earth, water, wind, and fire—during the Spring ’24 Concert presented by the Cumberland Valley Chorale at Wilson College (CVC). This free concert will be held Sunday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Alumnae Chapel of Thomson Hall. 

Wilson College has a rich history of music and today the music offerings are growing and developing. Early childhood education major, Chelsea Zimmann '26, shares how music at Wilson is enhancing her experience on campus. "Ten Tones A Cappella especially has been a place where we can figure out who we want to be as a music group and are constantly growing and changing." 

The Wilson College Christmas Vespers service, a time-honored tradition reaching its 103rd year, was a profound celebration of community, spirituality, and the arts on December 10, 2023.