Broadway Veteran Ted Keegan to Perform

The Susquehanna Valley Chorale, the region’s premier choral singing group with more than 100 auditioned members, will perform contemporary Broadway songs at their upcoming Pops Concert, Friday and Saturday, May 4-5 at 7:30 pm at Susquehanna University’s Weber Chapel Auditorium in Selinsgrove. The performance will be led by Music Director and Conductor William Payn.

The SVC will perform songs from Rent, Young Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde, Billy Elliot, Ragtime revival, Aida, Spamalot, Chess, Wicked and more.

Broadway veteran, Ted Keegan, will once again join the Chorale as a soloist. He was the first guest soloist to perform at an SVC Pops Concert in 2008 and also performed in the very popular SVC fundraiser and educational event, Alzheimer’s Stories, commissioned by the Chorale in 2009.

Keegan most recently starred in the National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera following a very successful run in the Broadway Company. Keegan has performed the role in over 24 states across the country. He has appeared as The Phantom on television, performing live from Rockefeller Center for the “Today Show” on NBC.

He made his Broadway debut in the highly acclaimed revival of Sweeney Todd, where he was seen as Anthony. Other Broadway and National Tour credits include Cyrano: The Musical, Mordred in Camelot with Robert Goulet, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Herman in The Most Happy Fella, and Constantine in Hollywood/Ukraine.

Other SVC Soloists for the Pops Concert include: Destini Beard, Kathi Beiter, Amy Caron, Michael Dennis, Marilyn Gresh, Marina Gresh, Kathryn Hockenberry, Steve Jordan, Sara Kelley, Tom Maurer, Kirstyn Myers, Katie Rancik, Coleen Renshaw, George Schneider, LaVina Truslow, Brad Wakeman, Jennifer Wakeman, and John Warfel.

Payn says of the performance, “We are excited to bring these fabulous show tunes of the last 20 years to life for our audience. Our Pops Concerts are typically the most highly anticipated of the year, and we’re confident this one will be a crowd-pleaser. ”

Tickets are $20 for adults and $8 for students, and can be purchased in advance by calling 570-547-0455 or securely on our website, or at the door.

Contact: Kelly Beard, Executive Manager, Susquehanna Valley Chorale
Phone: 570- 547-0455; Email: svc@svcmusic.org

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The Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale, the educational outreach of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale, recently donated $2,500 to Our Military Kids (OMK), a program that provides hope and direction to military youth. “Our OMK contribution will benefit the children of deployed Army Reserve and National Guard military of Pennsylvania,” says Susquehanna Valley Chorale President Jean Hormell. The Youth Chorale performed a Veterans Day Youth Benefit concert in November under the direction of Valerie Flamini Caldwell. The concert included high school choirs from Milton, Lewisburg, Mifflinburg and Selinsgrove. Hormell continues, “The SVC Board of Directors approved Our Military Kids because of its successful history. It has distributed over $10 million in grants to applying families and relies solely on donations. Being an arts organization, we were particularly drawn to their interest in funding music, art, and drama opportunities for kids as well as sports and tutoring.”

FRONT (L TO R): Olivia Packer, Hannah Doll, Valerie Caldwell, Raechel Councill, Emma Lewis, Melita Stutsman, BACK (L TO R): Isabel Bailey, Hannah Domaracki, THUMB: Emily Russell

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale’s next performance, a World Music concert, on March 18 at 3 pm at the Midd-West High School Auditorium. The concert will feature world percussionist Miguel Flamini as guest performer. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased in advance from www.SVCMusic.org, by calling 570-547-0455 or at the door.

Contact:
Kelly Beard, Executive Manager, Susquehanna Valley Chorale
Phone: 570-547-0455; Email: SVC@SVCMusic.org

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Letter to the Editor:

For all of you who unfortunately did not have the opportunity to experience the Susquehanna Valley Chorale’s Veterans Day Youth Benefit Concert performance at Milton Area High School this past Sunday afternoon, you missed an outstanding performance that reflected all the good of our local communities. This performance was a product of choirs from the Lewisburg, Selinsgrove, Mifflinburg and Milton high schools for an approximate 250 children singing in coordination with the outstanding Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale, under the direction of Valerie Flamini Caldwell. During the program, all veterans and their families were recognized. Proceeds from this performance went to the reputable “Our Military Kids,” which provides funds for fine arts, sports, and tutoring programs for children of parents deployed or injured as a result of military operations, and the Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale.

So many thank yous, to go to so many people, and I can’t even begin to mention everyone who was part of the orchestration. Everything about the concert was very special and to see all of these children, ages 8 to 18, respecting one another and singing their hearts out with such confidence and joy, was a very touching experience. When the media so frequently seems to tell us “all the problems of our youth,” this event certainly told the story in a very different and positive way. Every one of those children singing must have felt such an inspiration for being a part of this event and hopefully they will enjoy singing for the rest of their lives.

I love being a part of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale…for reasons like experiencing this concert!

The Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale is the educational outreach of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale. For further information, contact us.

Dede Gronlund, Lewisburg
Dede Gronlund is the board secretary for the Susquehanna Valley Chorale.

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The Susquehanna Valley Chorale (SVC), the region’s premiere choral singing group with more than 100 auditioned members, will perform Carmina Burana on October 15 at 7:30, with a pre-concert talk at 6:45 pm, and on October 16 at 3 pm, with a pre-concert talk about 2:15 pm at the Zion Lutheran Church in Sunbury. SVC last performed Carmina Burana with the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra in 2003.

World-class soloists include soprano Mary Buchmann, who hails from the Syracuse Opera, internationally acclaimed baritone, Daniel Teadt, whose appearances include a Grammy Award winning performance with the London Symphony Orchestra, and tenor Alex Richardson, whose 2011 engagements include the Washington National Opera. The Camerata Singers of the Youth Chorale are also part of the performance.

Ties to Popular Culture

After composing music for the Olympic Games of 1936, composer Carl Orff introduced Carmina Burana. Portions of the composition appear in numerous films and television commercials and have become a staple in popular culture, setting the mood for dramatic situations.

For example, the first movement, O Fortuna, was used to portray the torment of Jim Morrison’s drug addiction in the film The Doors. It has also been featured in commercials for Gatorade and Old Spice. In addition, it has been used in more than half a dozen movie trailers, including: Paul Blart: Mall Cop, The Nutty Professor, Waterworld and even South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.

The performance will be ideal for new audience members. Jean Hormell, President of the SVC explains, “This arrangement was created in 1956 by one of Orff’s colleagues to make it more accessible for a smaller ensemble. And for audience members who have heard and seen the Chorale before, there’s something new for them, too. We will not use a full orchestra but rather two pianists and six percussionists.”

Composer’s Influence Continues to Permeate Musical Education

Composer Carl Orff, who passed away in 1982, has influenced alternative music education in many ways. Orff felt that the primal behaviors of children, for instance, clapping, chanting, banging out a beat, and dancing, were better educational building blocks than technical studies. He believed that once children learned to appreciate fundamental music-making through rhythmic activities and games, they could be taught to read and write notation.

Tickets for the fall performance are $18 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased in advance from svcmusic.org, by calling 570-547-0455 or at the door.

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The SVC Board of Directors announces with great appreciation a bequest from the estate of Mr. James Moersh—the first gift to the Chorale from membership in the SVC Society. A Virgina native, Mr. Moersh  later resided in Bloomsburg for more than 30 years. He owned the Dutch Hill Clock Shop and was a key supporter of the Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble. He was also a trained violinist and long-
time lover of classical music.

The SVC Society honors members and friends of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale who make estate commitments, life income gifts, or other forms of deferred gifts. Society members are recognized as Friends of the Chorale, with invitations to all Friends events. If you have established a bequest or other deferred giving instrument that qualifies you for SVC Society membership or would like more information, please contact the SVC office at 570-547-0455.

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Costume changes require dressing rooms! Just ask Bill Payn, conductor of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale. At the May “Mamma Mia” 80’s Pops Concert, nearly 1000 audience members smiled, laughed, and delighted in the appearances on stage of  “Michael Jackson”, a member of the Village People, and an ABBA wannabe strutting his stuff in white polyester pants and a blue silk shirt, 80’s style.

Bill Payn had just the spirit and talent to pull off the unexpected impersonations. Whether as Jackson in a red “leather” suit, military outfit, or executing that moon walk with the infamous hat routine, Payn nimbly resurrected the era, sparking the SVC singers to relive the past in song with exciting performances of “Thriller” and “The Way You Make Me Feel.”

A full Indian headdress and costume, moccasins and all, walked to the stage to introduce the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”, as the audience soon joined Payn and the chorale in the rousing chorus. (If chorale members did not know the lyrics of the verses before, they do now! ) The fun-loving music of “Mamma Mia” brought out the blue sparkling shirt, flowing white pants, macrame sash included, reminding all of that ABBA era.

Not to be outdone, singers took advantage of the old adage “beg, borrow, or steal” and created a potpourri of 80’s fashion. Shoulder pads, chunky gold jewelry, fishnet stockings, shimmery tops, big glasses — wondering, “Did we really used to wear this?”

Confirming tradition, the 2010-2011 80’s Pops Concert set the stage for even more fun in 2012, when Contemporary and Revival Broadway Hits will highlight the marquee, topped with a popular returning guest soloist. See you on May 4th or 5th, 2012. Bring your friends – they will thank you!

(A HOT TIP:  Buying a subscription now will save you $15 if you use all 4 freestyle tickets for POPS!)

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The Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale will host auditions for singers in grades 3 – 9 Saturday, Aug. 13, 9 am – noon, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 42 S. 4th St., Lewisburg. Directed by Valerie Flamini Caldwell, the SVYC, an educational outreach of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale, rehearses this fall in Lewisburg at the First Presbyterian Church.

Singers are assigned to one of two groups based on age and experience. Their fall session culminates with a very special Nov. 6 Veterans Day Youth Benefit Concert at Milton High School benefiting children of deployed military and the SVYC.

New singers are invited. Auditions for a winter Selinsgrove session (grades 2 – 12 in three levels) will be held in December. For more information, contact Coleen Renshaw, rrenshaw@ptd.net, 570-837-0634.

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LOCAL SVC TALENT TAKES THE STAGE:

Sweet Dreams, made famous by English pop duo Eurythmics, will showcase SVC singer Gloria Walker, with her back-up singers: Deborah Fox, Sara Phinney Kelley, Marina Gresh, Jennifer Wakeman.

SVC men’s quartet, Tom Maurer, George Schneider, Brad Wakeman, and Michael Zetlemoyer, will croon to The Longest TIme by Billy Joel. Ah, sweet!

Sara Phinney Kelley and Marina Gresh put their voices together for disco song, No More Tears, Enough is Enough, made famous by duo Donna Summer and Barbara Streisand.

Whitney Houston gained fame with Saving All My Love in her 1985 release. Coleen Renshaw gives us her 2011 Pops release, while Kathryn Hockenberry joins Houston in wondering Where Do Broken Hearts Go.

Marina Gresh’s offering this year is the moving ballad I Miss You Like Crazy made famous by Natalie Cole in 1989.

Jennifer Wakeman and Marina Gresh will make the point to “express yourself”, with a nod to Madonna’s 1989 hit.

Even though Steve Jordan and Brad Wakeman tell you to, do NOT call this number 867-5309 – Jenny after hearing their song! Since 1982 this number sung by Tommy Tutone has caused much litigation generated by its popularity.

OTHER MUSICAL TIDBITS:

1. Thriller by Michael Jackson cemented his status as the most prominent pop star of the century and enabled him to break down racial barriers via his appearances on MTV and meeting with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. The album was one of the first to use music videos as successful promotional tools and remains the best selling album of all time.
2. Footloose was a 1984 movie with Kevin Bacon in which a city boy comes to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned. Not by the end! The music shouts, “Everybody cut, everybody cut, footloose!”
3. I’ve Had the Time of My Life was the featured song in the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing starring Patrick Swayze. It won the Golden Globe and Academy Awards for Best Original Song. SVC members Jessie Neitz and Brooke Persing help the Chorale reprise that movie’s final song.
4. Eye of the Tiger made famous by rock band Survivor and regularly cited as one of the greatest sports songs of all times, was written at the request of Sylvester Stallone as the theme song of his movie Rocky III.
5. Premiered in 1981, Open Arms by Journey has been called “one of rock’s most beautiful ballads.” SVC singers Leta Jo Maue and Carl Smith solo.
6. What a Wonderful Life, originally recorded by Louis Armstrong, found fame in the 1987 movie Good Morning, Vietnam featuring Robin Williams.
7. And So It Goes was written and recorded by Billy Joel in 1983. He calls it “the song that is his best work that is least appreciated.” The SVC will perform a haunting a cappella arrangement.
8. ABBA Forever features the music of the internationally popular Swedish pop/dance group ABBA, active in 1972-1982. They were the first pop group from a non-English speaking country to enjoy consistent success in English-speaking countries. The musical and film Mamma Mia showcase their music.

Join us at the Concert to wax a little nostalgia with us! Need tickets? Click here.

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SVC Music Director and Conductor Dr. William Payn reports that the POPS concert will include “a great cross-section of music, ranging from the laid-back ballads to lively, upbeat songs. ‘Footloose,’ title song from the popular movie, is a very unique arrangement. Michael Jackson is the true icon of the ’80s, and we’ve included two of his most popular hits, including a great interpretation of  ‘Thriller.’ There’s a medley of Abba songs, two Billy Joel songs, and several more of the decade’s greatest hits. Regardless of age, everyone in the audience will hear music they recognize, and for many it will transport them back in time…a chance to reminisce and connect with an earlier place.”

For Dr. Payn, performing music from the 80’s is especially meaningful. “That was a period of transition, away from a folk art, “cookie-cutter” style and into more diverse, innovative songs. That’s the time when I came to the Valley and started teaching at Bucknell. The student groups were singing and playing all the latest hits and I was very aware of them all. The SVC singers are also very excited about the performance…I’m getting lots of input to help fine-tune the performance.”

The Chorale will be backed by a stage band with seven or eight musicians. Dr. Payn promises “lots of audience involvement, stage effects, and other special surprises.” Hope to see you there!

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Our “Voices of Hope” performance features two major works, a contemporary piece by John Rutter and an older classic by Zoltan Kodaly. Hungarian composer Kodaly (1882-1967) was a “ethnomusicologist,” a branch of musicology defined as “the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance.” Some fascinating background on this outstanding composer follows.

How did Kodaly become an ethnomusicologist?
Kodaly (ko – dye – ee), collected authentic folk music from remote villages in Hungary. This interest was part of a larger movement in Hungary to discover the country’s true culture, since their country had been under German domination for over 100 years. By 1913, more than 3,000 songs were recorded on a crude phonograph, revealing much from the gypsy culture.

What is distinctive about his music?
He created an individual romantic style derived from Hungarian folk music, contemporary French music, and the religious music of the Italian Renaissance. Among his best-known works are the opera Háry János (1926, orchestral suite 1927), the Psalmus Hungaricus (1923) and Missa Brevis (1944) for chorus and orchestra, and orchestral dances.

What should I know about Kodaly’s Missa Brevis when I come to the March concert?
This piece showcases many of the styles that influenced Kodaly’s compositions, especially plainchant and the modal keys of Hungarian folk music. The chorale will perform this work with organ. It is an eight-movement work, with the final four movements reminding us of previous melodies, like traditional nineteenth century masses do. It includes Introitus, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, and the last movement, Ite, Missa est.

How does this work fit into a concert entitled “Voices of Hope”?
When you take into account the fact that Kodaly completed this work during World War II while he and his wife hid in the basement of a Budapest convent, the Agnus Dei’s final “Dona nobis pacem” plea becomes all the more compelling. His music must have been colored by an inner “voice of hope!”

Why else would I have heard of Kodaly?
He developed a set of principles (the “Kodaly Method”) to improve music education and after World War II. From his principles, other educators have created a method of teaching children to sing and to develop musicality. He also incorporated Curwen hand signs for teaching the steps of the diatonic scale and singing them accurately.

How is Zoltan Kodaly remembered?
Kodály’s last years were a series of personal triumphs. He was treated as a national hero in his own country, and he received the highest honors when he traveled abroad, not only for his compositions but for his philosophy that music should play an important role in every child’s life.

What is the most unexpected use of Zoltan Kodaly’s influence?
In the motion picture, Close Encounters of the Third Kind a visual learning aid distributed to members of a conference of UFOlogist was named “Zoltan Kodaly” and referenced musical notes as hand signals.

How can I prepare to hear this mass in concert?
Listen several times to a recording, turn up the volume, close your eyes, and let it soak in. One reviewer called this work “thoroughly beautiful, an almost otherworldly work, profound and mysterious, soaring and almost shimmering in its wonderful, always imaginative textures.” Enjoy!