Dr. Harrison Sheckler Launches Nationwide Virtual Choir Project For America’s 250th Anniversary

Dr. Harrison Sheckler, a pianist, educator, and music director based in the Kansas City metro area, has launched a nationwide musical collaboration inviting singers across the United States to participate in The Sheckler Virtual Choir – The Star-Spangled Banner, a large-scale virtual performance celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.

The project aims to bring together thousands of voices from across the country to create one of the largest virtual choir performances of the national anthem ever assembled. Singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to submit a short video of themselves performing the anthem, with individual recordings later combined into a unified virtual choir performance honoring the historic milestone.

The initiative builds on Sheckler’s previous large-scale virtual choir collaborations that have drawn international attention. In 2020, he organized a global virtual choir performance of “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” featuring more than 300 musicians from 15 countries and generating millions of online views, with coverage from CNN and other national outlets. Later that year, he collaborated with former Major League Baseball pitcher Bronson Arroyo on a virtual performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” featuring current and former MLB players and personalities.

More recently, Sheckler partnered with Grammy-winning artist Gloria Gaynor to produce a virtual choir music video for her gospel song “Talkin’ ’Bout Jesus.”

Choirs, schools, churches, and community ensembles are encouraged to participate, and directors are invited to share the opportunity with singers and students. Individual singers are also welcome to submit recordings, making the project accessible to performers of all backgrounds and experience levels.

Participation Information

Participation details and submission instructions are available at:
https://www.harrisonsheckler.com/starspangledbannervirtualchoir

Dr. Sheckler serves as Director of Music at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Olathe, Kansas, and is an adjunct professor of piano at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. He also hosts The Sheckler Spotlight, a podcast featuring conversations with artists, athletes, and cultural figures.

SEO Blurb: Kansas City-based pianist and educator Dr. Harrison Sheckler has launched a nationwide virtual choir project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. The initiative invites singers across the country to record “The Star-Spangled Banner” for a large-scale online performance. Submissions will be combined into a single virtual choir video honoring the historic milestone.