What is the Known World Choir?
The Known World Choir (KWC) is a group of people from across the Kingdoms of the SCA who love to sing a cappella choral music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Singers gather, rehearse, and perform at major SCA wars like Lilies, Gulf wars, and Pennsic.
The Known World Choirs at Pennsic are also known as the Pennsic Choirs.
The Pennsic Choirs
Known World Choir Website
The Pennsic Choir has a decades-long tradition of performing medieval and renaissance choral music at the Pennsic War. In recent years it has expanded into four Pennsic Choirs, each with its own director. Directorship changes each year.
The choirs perform a joint concert on Thursday of War Week in the Performing Arts Tent. Warmup is at 6:00 pm at the European Dance Tent; the performances begin at 6:30 pm in the following order: Children’s Choir, Youth Choir, Chorulus Pennsicus, Pennsic Choir.
Most rehearsals take place in the Performing Arts Rehearsal & Class Tent (PARC)
For detailed information on all four Pennsic Choirs, including directors’ contact information as well as downloadable sheet music and audio files for practicing, visit the Known World Choir Website
· The Pennsic Choir is an open choir for anyone able to attend a 2-hour daily rehearsal and sing moderately complex choral music.
There is no audition, and participants do not need to know how to sight-sing.
If you would like to sing with the Pennsic Choir, please Pre-Register on the Known World Choir Website. Pre-registration is not required, but is appreciated since it helps the director to plan.
All music is posted on the Known World Choir Website, in the form of both sheet music and audio files, for singers to practice on their own.
Rehearsals: 10AM-Noon from Thursday of Peace Week through Wednesday of War Week at the Performing Arts Rehearsal Tent, or PARC. Dress Rehearsal is on Thursday of War Week and the Concert is that evening at the Performing Arts Tent.
Chorulus Pennsicus is an audition-based choir of 8-20 voices, which performs more complex and challenging music than the full Pennsic Choir.
To participate, you must audition for the director, which can be done via audio/video or in person at Pennsic. See the Known World Choir Website for more information.
Unlike the other three choirs, Chorulus Pennsicus rehearses in a private camp on the Serengeti.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals: 4:00 – 5:00 pm (some days will be from 4:15 to 5:30) from Middle Saturday through Wednesday of War Week. Dress Rehearsal is on Thursday of War Week and the Concert is that evening.
Information regarding Auditions for next year’s Chorulus Pennsicus will be on the Known World Choir Website
· The Pennsic Youth Choir is an open choir for children ages 12-19 who can attend a one-hour daily rehearsal. The Youth Choir performs rounds and part-songs in 2 or 3 parts.
Rehearsals will begin on Middle Saturday and go through Wednesday of War Week at the Performing Arts Rehearsal Tent, or PARC. Dress Rehearsal is on Thursday of War Week and the Concert is that evening.
· The Pennsic Children’s Choir is an open choir for children under age 12 who can focus for a one-hour daily rehearsal. The Children’s Choir performs rounds and other songs in 1 (and possibly 2) parts.
A parent or other responsible adult (not including the choir director) must attend rehearsals with their children.
Rehearsals begin on Sunday of War Week and go through Wednesday of War Week at the Performing Arts Rehearsal Tent, or PARC. Dress Rehearsal is on Thursday of War Week and the Concert is that evening.
Registration (for the Pennsic Choir only)
Please use the Online Registration Form on the Known World Choir Website to register by July 26.
After July 26 please see the director at a rehearsal during Pennsic, or inquire at University Point.
If you have any problems using the on-line form, please email the following info to the Director PennsicDirector@
SCA Name
Modern Name
Mailing Address (Street, City, State/Province, Country, Postal/Zip code)
Email address
Kingdom affiliation
Voice Part 1: first preference
Voice Part 2: alternate parts you’re willing to sing, if any
Expected date of arrival at Pennsic
Approximate experience level
For More Information
Visit the Known World Choir Website
BONUS INFO: INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OPTIONS at PENNSIC