Celebration of Life for Alan Harler

Sunday, April 12th

Location and time to be announced.

Join us as we honor and celebrate the extraordinary life of Alan Harler, whose transformative artistic leadership touched countless lives throughout his remarkable career. For nearly three decades, Alan served as the beloved Artistic Director of the Mendelssohn Chours of Philadelphia, guiding our organization through a period of extraordinary growth and artistic achievement. His vision transformed us from a frequently overlooked part of Philadelphia's history into a thriving, relevant, and innovative force in our city's cultural fabric.

Alan was far more than a gifted conductor and teacher—he was a visionary who understood that music's greatest power lies in its ability to connect us to our deepest humanity. His commitment to commissioning and premiering new works, including 58 compositions during his tenure, demonstrated his belief that the choral art must continually evolve while honoring its rich traditions. Whether conducting a Bach cantata or premiering a contemporary masterpiece, Alan possessed the remarkable gift of revealing the intrinsic beauties within each work and evoking them from every musician under his direction.

Those who knew Alan will remember not only his intelligence and skill, but his kindness, generosity, integrity, and gentle good humor. In a world where many artists are known for forceful egos, Alan embodied remarkable humility. As one reviewer beautifully noted, "Alan Harler is a musician serving music by serving other musicians and the music-loving public." His legacy lives on in the thousands of people who were transformed by both his music and his humanity.

Please join us for a short service filled with the music and words celebrating our beloved former artistic director, followed by a reception where we invite you to continue sharing memories and stories of this extraordinary man who gave so much to all of us.

No tickets are required to attend this celebration, however we invite you to consider making a gift to the Alan Harler New Ventures Fund, which was established in his honor to continue his transformative legacy of commissioning and premiering groundbreaking new works for the choral arts.