The community is invited to experience the unique and original music of Ephrata Cloister in a special concert by the Ephrata Cloister Chorus on Monday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. The free performance is open to the public and will be held at Leffler Chapel and Performance Center at Elizabethtown College, 1 Alpha Drive, Elizabethtown.

The Ephrata Cloister Chorus will perform four pieces from the 1739 hymnal "Zionitischer Weyrauchs-Huegel," one of the earliest collections of hymns composed by the religious community at Ephrata Cloister. In addition to these rare works, the program will feature selections from other early American musical traditions, including pieces from the Lititz Moravian community and the Shaker community of Mt. Lebanon, offering a diverse exploration of sacred music.

Preceding the performance, archivist Rachel Grove Rohrbaugh will discuss the recent conservation work completed in 2023 on two rare Ephrata music manuscript books. These handcrafted books, created at Ephrata Cloister in the mid-18th century, are housed in the Hess Archives and Special Collections at Elizabethtown College and feature examples of Pennsylvania German fraktur artwork.

The Ephrata Cloister Chorus is an educational program of the Ephrata Cloister Associates. The group is directed by Mark Herr and accompanied by Juliet Mitton.

Historic Ephrata Cloister is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission with support from the Ephrata Cloister Associates. More information can be found at http://www.EphrataCloister.org.

Persons with disabilities who need special assistance or accommodation should call in advance to discuss their needs. Pennsylvania TDD relay service is available at 800-654-5984.