Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. César Leal continued the legacy of Gettysburg College music faculty members sharing their talents with audiences on one of the grandest stages in America—the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. César Leal represented Gettysburg College on a national stage as a guest conductor for the 58th annual Handel’s Messiah Sing-In on Dec. 15. The event took place in the David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. Collaborating with National Chorale Artistic Director Everett McCorvey, Leal led a chamber orchestra in a powerful performance that united thousands of choristers from across the region.
Featured musical artists included four acclaimed soloists—soprano Brittany Renee, alto Hilary Ginther, bass Gabriel Preisser, and tenor Matthew Pearce—and organist James Wetzel, director of music and organist of the Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Catherine of Siena on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Leal is the first Colombian conductor to participate in the Messiah Sing-In. He joins a distinguished group of faculty from the Sunderman Conservatory who have conducted or performed at Lincoln Center over the years.
“This opportunity represents not only a meaningful milestone in my own artistic journey, but also a moment of visibility for Gettysburg College on one of the world’s most prominent stages,” Leal said. “I am grateful for the support of the College, which continues to make it possible for faculty to engage in impactful artistic and scholarly work at the highest levels.”
Maestro César Leal serves as the director of orchestral activities at the Sunderman Conservatory, where he is also a professor of musicology. A Colombian-born artist and researcher, his scholarly and creative activities connect through a diverse array of interests.
As a conductor, Leal has led professional ensembles across the United States, Colombia, France, Bulgaria, Panama, and Ukraine. His debut with the Panama National Symphony Orchestra in 2014 featured works from the fin-de-siècle, uniting European and Latin American musical traditions.
In addition to serving as director of orchestral activities and coordinator of musicology for the Sunderman Conservatory, Leal is the chair of The Ann McIlhenny Harward Interdisciplinary Program for Culture and Music.
According to the National Chorale’s website, the Messiah Sing-In began in 1967, when Martin Josman and several New York City choral conductors collaborated to create an event that would bring singers together from across the city to celebrate the beauty of choral music.
The uniqueness of the Messiah Sing-In lies in the active participation of the audience. Rather than being assigned traditional SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) seats, singers are positioned in a mixed arrangement to encourage collective harmony.
Lincoln Center is one of many venues that have hosted the Messiah Sing-In. Over the years, participants have also graced the stages of performing arts venues in U.S. cities such as Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Rochester, Seattle, and Tulsa.
Explore your musical interests with the Sunderman Conservatory of Music’s performing ensembles.
- National Chorale Messiah Sing-In
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By Michael Vyskocil
Photos courtesy of Sunderman Conservatory of Music Prof. César Leal
Posted: 12/17/25