Major sacred choral works have been a part of the ministry of Wayne Presbyterian Church for many years. Records kept since 1948 attest to this unique musical tradition. (Although there is some evidence that this tradition predates 1948, it is apparent that the idea for such a choral group was originally the vision of Dr. John Galloway, Sr.) Over the years, the character of the program reflected the tenor of the church and the personality of its music director, the choir assuming the names: The Gothic Choir, The Wayne Festival Chorus, The Wayne Choral Society, The Oratorio Choir, and The Wayne Oratorio Society.
The tradition of involving singers from the church and community who love to sing major sacred choral works has remained a constant, transcending changes of name and director. The majority of concerts have been presented with full orchestra accompanying outstanding soloists and choirs ranging in size from 150 to 220 singers. The choir has sung 112 major works in 162 concerts since its reorganization in 1992. The concerts have been presented free to the public since 1954.
Major choral works presented by the choir in the last seventy-three years include:
JS Bach: Cantata 51 (Jauchzet Gott) - 1968
JS Bach: Cantata 140 (Wachet auf) - 1951
JS Bach: Cantata 147 (Herz und Mund) - 1980
JS Bach: Christmas Oratorio - 2010, 2013, 2019
JS Bach: Jesu Meine Freude - 1979, 1981
JS Bach: Magnificat - 1967, 1972, 1985, 1995
JS Bach: Mass in B Minor - 1953, 1978, 1981, 1997, 2005, 2015, [2023]
JS Bach: St. John Passion - 1973, 1978, 1981, 1994, 2003, 2017
JS Bach: St. Mark Passion - 1968
JS Bach: St. Matthew Passion - 1952, 1971, 1984, 1999, 2009, 2019
Ludwig van Beethoven: Choral Fantasy - 2006
Ludwig van Beethoven: Choral Finale from Symphony 9 - 2022
Ludwig van Beethoven: Mass in C - 2006
Ludwig van Beethoven: Missa Solemnis - 2002, 2018
Hector Berlioz: Requiem - 1971, 1973, 2001 , 2013
Hector Berlioz: Te Deum - 1975
Leonard Bernstein: Chichester Psalms - 1975, 1983, 2002
Ernest Bloch: Sacred Service - 2002
Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsody - 1988
Johannes Brahms: Requiem - 1951, 1961, 1962, 1967-1970, 1972, 1975, 1982, 1993, 1998, 2007, 2015
Benjamin Britten: Ceremony of Carols - 1973, 1981, 1988
Benjamin Britten: Noyes Fludde - 1972
Benjamin Britten: St. Nicholas – 1972
Anton Bruckner: Psalm 150 - 2004
Anton Bruckner: Te Deum - 2001, 2014
Andrew Carter: Benedicite - 2006
Claude Debussy: The Prodigal Son - 1969, 1981
Maurice Durufle: Requiem - 1979, 1984, 2014
Antonin Dvorak: Mass in d minor - 1990
Antonin Dvorak: Requiem - 1999, 2011
Antonin Dvorak: Stabat Mater - 1996, 2006
Antonin Dvorak: Te Deum - 2000, 2012
Edward Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius - 1974, 1979, 2010
Edward Elgar: The Kingdom - 2005, 2018
Edward Elgar: The Light of Life - 2000, 2014
Robert Elmore: The Incarnate Word - 1957, 1958, 1964
Robert Elmore: Psalm of Redemption - 1964
Gabriel Faure: Requiem - 1956, 1963, 1980, 2004, [2022]
Dan Forrest: Jubilate Deo - [2022]
G.F. Handel: Messiah - 1948-1952, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1967-1971, 1973-1976, 1984, 1985, 1993, 1996, 1998-2009, 2011-2012, 2014-2018, 2021, [2022]
Hans Leo Hassler: Missa Secunda - 1979
Joseph Haydn: Creation - 1953, 1968, 1987, 1992, 2000, 2011, 2021
Joseph Haydn: Mass in G - 1986
Joseph Haydn: Lord Nelson Mass - 1983, 2009
Gustav Holst: Christmas Day - 1997
Gustav Holst: Hymn of Jesus - 1975
Arthur Honegger: Christmas Cantata - 1974
Arthur Honegger: King David - 1968, 1972, 1989, 1995
Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man - 2011
Karl Jenkins: Gloria - 2013
Karl Jenkins: The Peacemakers - 2022
Sigfrid Karg-Elert: Symphonic Chorale #3 - 1977
Zoltan Kodaly: Laudes Organi - 1979
Zoltan Kodaly: Te Deum - 1975
Morten Lauridsen: Lux Aeterna - 2009
Franz Liszt: Hungarian Coronation - 1982
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 8 - 1976
David McK. Williams: Pageant - 1966
Felix Mendelssohn: Elijah - 1951, 1965, 1969, 1983, 1994, 2000, 2008, 2019
Felix Mendelssohn: St. Paul - 1993, 1999, 2016
Felix Mendelssohn: Hymn of Praise - 1997, 2009
Felix Mendelssohn: Psalm 115 - 1997
Gian Carlo Menotti: Amahl & the Night Visitors - 1967-1970, 1972-1974, 1977-1981
W.A. Mozart: Coronation Mass - 2012
W.A. Mozart: Requiem - 1969, 1988, 1996, 2003, 2012
W.A. Mozart: Missa Brevis in F - 1974, 1980
W.A. Mozart: Great Mass in C minor - 1995, 2004, 2014
Horatio Parker: Hora Novissima - 2004
C. Hubert Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens - 2014
Daniel Pinkham: Christmas Cantata - 1976, 1983, 1988
Francis Poulenc: Gloria - 1997, 2004
Ottorino Respighi: Laud to the Nativity - 1981
John Rutter: Gloria - 1983, 1988
John Rutter: Requiem - 1987, 2006, 2014
Camille Saint-Saens: Christmas Oratorio - 1955, 1960, 1965
Franz Schubert: Mass in G - 1973, 1988
Franz Schubert: Mass in A-Flat - [2024]
Franz Schubert: Mass in E-Flat - 2016
Heinrich Schutz: The Christmas Story - 1971
John Stainer: Crucifixion - 1955
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem - 1976, 2001, 2013
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasy on Christmas Carols - 1974, 1997
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs - 2016
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Hodie - 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1994, 2007
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Magnificat - 1976, 2000
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Mass in G Minor - 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981
Giuseppe Verdi: Requiem - 1952, 1969, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2008, 2017
Louis Vierne: Solemn Mass - 1990
Antonio Vivaldi: Gloria - 1967, 1986, 1995
William Walton: Belshazzar's Feast - 1970, 1977, 2003
William Walton: Coronation Te Deum - 2003
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Requiem - 1985