Chorus prepares busy winter and Spring.
A busy winter rehearsal schedule is underway for upcoming concerts at Stambaugh Auditorium. On March 7th, Stambaugh Chorus will perform "Music & Love" under the direction of Hae-Jong Lee at 4 pm. A reception will follow the concert. On April 28th the Chorus will join ensembles from Youngstown State University to perform Orff's Carmina Burana under the direction of Stephen Gage. The Chorus has also been invited to present an outreach performance at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Youngstown, Ohio on May 3rd.

Briarfield at the Ridge
The Chorus was invited again to entertain the residents of Briarfield at the Ridge Convalescent home in Mineral Ridge, Ohio. On December 15, 2009, a concert was presented to a warm and welcoming crowd. Several Chorus members commented that this intimate outreach performance was the highlight of our season thus far.

Austintown Tree Lighting
On December 3, 2009, members of the Stambaugh Chorus sang traditional carols for families once again at the Austintown Community Tree Lighting. Santa arrived on a firetruck at 7pm. Cookies were distributed in individual bags this year due to the H1N1 virus - but that didn't hamper the wonderful Holiday Spirit! Good times were had by all.

Carols & Cocoa
The Stambaugh Chorus joined Youngstown State University's Dana School of music for a festive evening at Stambaugh Auditorium at 7 pm on December 2, 2009. Various ensembles gave their renditions of many seasonal favorites in the Stambaugh Ballroom. The ensembles included: Dana Trombone Ensemble, Michael Crist, Director; Dana Flute Ensemble,Kathryn Thomas Umble, Director; University Chorus, Women's Chorus, Dana Chorale, Stambaugh Chorus, Hae- Jong Lee, Director. As always, many cookies and tasty hot beverages were enjoyed by both the audience and the artists. At 8 pm,  directly following the festivities,  a formal concert was presented in the Main Auditorum at Stambaugh. The concert featured: "Messiah" by G.F. Handel; "Three Holiday Songs" from Home Alone by John WIlliams; These pieces were performed by by a Festival Chorus & the Dana Symphony Orchestra, Hae-Jong Lee, Conductor; Misook Yun & Allen Mosher, Soloists. The festival chorus consisted of Dana Symphonic Chorus, Dana Chorale and Stambaugh Chorus. The audience also enjoyed selections performed by the Canfield High School Choral Ensemble, Kelly Scurich, Director; YSU Jazz Ensemble 1, Kent Engelhardt, Director; Dana Symphony Orchestra, John Wilcox, Director; Dana Guitar Quartet, Francois Fowler, Director. Carols and Cocoa has become a annual Holiday tradition at Stambaugh Auditorium. Stambaugh Chorus is very proud to collaborate with these dedicated young artists and their mentors.

Liberty High School Craft Show
Chorus members promoted membership, upcoming events, and current fund rasiers  at the Band Boosters annual craft show on November 14, 2009.

Carmen - presented by Opera Western Reserve
Several Stambaugh Chorus members joined in the performance of Bizet's Carmen presented by the Opera Western Reserve on November 7th, 2009.

Wine Tasting - Rosetta Stone Cafe
Our Wine Tasting fund raiser on October 25, 2009 was a success. Thank you to all of our tasters! Special thanks goes to the Chorus Board for organizing the event and to the Rosetta Stone Cafe for their gracious hospitality and support and to the members and friends who donated baskets.

Community Outreach 2009 - Power Ministries
The Stambaugh Chorus performed on September 12, 2009 at the Old Wellman Theater in Girard, Ohio as part of the Community Outreach 2009 Event. Power Ministries gave away food, clothing and served food and refreshements to those in need. Chorus members were proud to donate items for the event.

Chorus Kick Off Rehearsal and Potluck
The Chorus began the 2009-10 Season with a potluck social on September 1, 2009.

Pig Iron Street Fest
Several Chorus members volunteered to represent the Chorus with a dispaly table at the Pig Iron Street Festival on July 18, 2009. The annual festival features local artists, performers, food vendors and a talent show. The Chorus recruited new members.

Briarfield at the Ridge
As part of our outreach and our goal to bring choral music to the community, the Stambaugh Chorus performed on May 19th for residents and staff at Briarfield at the Ridge in Mineral Ridge, Ohio. It was a lovely evening and the program was well received.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
Stambaugh Chorus particpated in the performance of Beethoven: Symphony No. 9: Finale during the:
Greenville Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert
80th Anniversary Season:
A Triumphant Finale!
Michael Gelfand, Director
April 25, 2009 8 PM
Passavant Center - Thiel College
Greenville, Pennsylvania

Program:
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4, Op. 90, The Italian, mvt. 1
Debussy: Claire de Lune
Gershwin: An American in Paris
INTERMISSION
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9: Finale

Vocal Soloists:
Jennifer Mosher, soprano
Susan Shafer, mezzo soprano
William Ambert, tenor
Tom Scurich, bass

Participating Choruses:
Shenango Valley Chorale
Thiel College Choir and Community Singers
Youngstown State University Chorale
Dana School of Music Chorus
Stambaugh Chorus
Clarion University Singers

For more information about the Greenville Symphony please visit
http://thegreenvillesymphony.org

Pasta Dinner
The Chorus held a Pasta Dinner, Sunday, March 22, 2009 at Faith Community Church in Youngstown, Ohio. We'd like to thank everyone that attended, bought raffle tickets, or helped with the dinner. Dinner Chairpersons were Pat Rogers and Ethel Cantwell. Raffle Chair was Laurie Taylor. Many Chorus members and family members volunteered their help with preparing and serving food and with cleanup. Special Thanks goes to Faith Community Church for their hospitality and the members of the church for supporting our event.

Mid-Winter Concert
March 15, 2009
The Stambaugh Chorus under the direction of Dr. Hae-Jong Lee, presented a Mid-winter Concert entitled ?Peace March: Bridge Over Troubled Water? on Sunday, March 15, 2009, at 4:00pm at the St. John Episcopal Church in Youngstown, Ohio.
The program featured ?Te Deum? by Mozart, ?Hear my prayer? by Mendelssohn, ?The Word Was God? by Powell, ?Praise His Holy Name? by Hampton, ?I Will Sing with the Spirit? by Rutter, ? May the Lord Bless You and Keep You? by Reinhardt, ?Silence my Soul? by Feliciano, ?It Takes a Village? by Szymko, and ?Bridge over Troubled Water? by Simon.

Soloists were Rosemary Minghetti, Stephanie Olesko, Linda Rein, Dan Rein and Dong-Hyun Son. Intrumentalists were Joo-Hwa Lee accompanist. Justin Jones & Mariana Szalaj, violins and Michael Gelfand on cello. A reception followed the concert.


Austintown Tree Lighting
December 4, 2008
The Austintown tree lighting at the Wickcliffe Fire Station has become a annual tradition. The Austintown HS band plays music. The outdoor lights go on. Hundreds of little ones await the arrival of Santa on a firetruck while the band plays "Here Comes Santa Claus" Cookies and drinks await everyone inside. Stambaugh Chorus carolers fill the large garage with music. We are often joined by children from the crowd.

Carols and Cocoa
December 3, 2008
It was a glorious evening of music. The stately Stambaugh Auditorium Ballroom was filled to the brim with performers, listeners, cocoa, coffee and cookies. Selections were performed by The Dana Chorale, University Chorus, Women's Chorus, Flute and Trombone Ensembles.

The main concert followed the social gathering featuring Vivaldi's "Gloria." Artists included the University Chorus, Stambaugh Chorus, Dana Chorale, Dana Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble 1 and Brass Quintet. The Austintown Fitch High School Concert Choir, directed by Kay Williams, wowed the audience from above in the balcony.
Visit this site for a review

Liberty High School Craft Show
November 15, 2008
Carols and Cocoa was promoted and raffle tickets were sold. Baked goods were provided by our generous membership and our bake sale did very well.

Madama Butterfly
November 7, 2008
Several Stambaugh Chorus members participated in the Opera Western Reserve Production of Madama Butterfly at Stambaugh Auditorium. Soloists included Misook Yun in the lead role of Cio-Cio San. Yun is a part time professor at Youngstown State. Brian Keith Johnson, of Warren, Ohio, sang the role of Sharpless. Hailing form the Cleveland area, Irene Roberts was Suzuki and William Clarence Marshall was Bonze. David Vosburgh was production director. Susan Davenny Wyner, music director, Hae-Jong Lee, chorus master. Barb Luce was costume designer.

Helping Hands
October 18, 2008
On October 18, 2008, The Stambaugh Chorus was honored to perform for the "Helping People Help Themselves" Outreach Event. Presented by Gina Watson of Power Ministries Helping Hand Inc. The event was held in Downtown Youngstown on the street at 20 Federal Place. This event was held in order to benefit our community's homeless and there were free giveaways for the Homeless and Needy. Also on hand to provide entertainment were MC Brother Marlon of WAMO Pittsburgh, PA, Music by Linda McCrary, Leon McCrary, Anne Barbour, Kristle Murden of Los Angeles, CA

Joo-Hwa Lee & Dong-Hyun Son
We are learning very interesting things about the Korean culture during our rehearsals. For instance Joo-Hwa and Dong- Hyun are married but in Korea the woman doesn't take the man's name. We welcome their artistic expertise.

Stambaugh Chorus Hires Dr. Lee
September 4, 2008

Stambaugh Chorus is very pleased to announce that Dr. Lee, Director of Choral Activities of Youngstown State University will direct Stambaugh Chorus in the future. Over the simmer the Chorus held a Director search, which included an interview and audition process. We welcome his choral expertise.

Phelps Street Art Fair
July 17, 2008

The chorus set up a table at the Pig Iron Literary Art Works Street Festival in downtown Youngstown on Phelps Street. There we spoke with Gina Watson of Helping Hands Ministries and she invited us to participate in her upcoming event.

Fare Thee Well
July 1, 2008

Stambaugh Chorus held a potluck picnic in honor of our outgoing director Don Megahan. Mr. Megahan came in from Pittsburgh each Tuesday for rehearsals in our first year as Stambaugh Chorus and for 8 years prior as the Director of the Youngstown Symphony Chorus. He will be greatly missed.

Life Song
June 8, 2008

Our Spring concert featured solos by Staughton Lynd, Stephanie Olesko and Jerome Stephens.

From our Director, Don Megahan's Program notes:

Life - a most precious gift... and we are given but one.

This evening's concert, Lifesong, celebrates our journey in life from the beginning to our end, and in song. Song has been described as organized sound. At our birth, with our first breath, we cry. Our first sound in crying, which has pitch, is the start of our own life song. We begin tonight with Willy Richter's dramatic composition, The Creation, the text from the first verses of scripture from Genesis.

In this short life, we want for really only one thing - to love and to be loved. Quoting words of poet Robert Burns, American composer James Mulholland wrote the exquisite piece A Red, Red Rose.

And finally in our end, we offer Requiem by French organist and composer Gabriel Fauré. Unlike many other settings of the Requiem, taken from the Roman Catholic liturgy of the Mass of the Dead, Fauré's is one of intimacy and serenity. It focuses more on peace and redemption rather than that of wrath and judgment. Fauré said of his work, "They say that my Requiem does not express the terror of death; someone has called it a lullaby of death. But that is how I see death: as a happy deliverance, as a yearning for the joy that lies beyond, rather than as a sorrowful passing."
Lifesong - our musical expression of the walk in life from our birth, our yearning to love, through our end in death. We hope that our program inspires you to more fully celebrate your life song.

Spring of 2008
Elections

Election results are in.
Julia Catchpole, President
Pamela Chismar, Secretary

Dana New Music
April 29, 2008

Stambaugh Chorus joined in a performance at Powers Auditorium in the DeYor Performing Arts Center. The Dana School of Music's Symphonic Choir (Dana Chorale and University Chorus), Dr. Hae-Jong Lee, director. the Dana Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Stephen Gage, Director. The joint choruses performed three pieces with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble: "Song of Democracy" by Howard Hanson and the "The Last Words of David" by Randall Thompson were conducted by Dr. Hae-Jong Lee
"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" Arranged by Peter Wihousky was be conducted by Dean Joseph Edwards.

Verdi's Requiem
April 25, 2008

The Warren Philharmonic Orchestra, a Festival Chorus of 200 local singers and four acclaimed soloists came together at Stambaugh Auditorium on Friday, April 25, to perform an historic concert-the Verdi Requiem. They joined conductor Susan Davenny Wyner for a special performance honoring tenor Luciano Pavarotti whose death this past September was mourned the world over.

The concert presented a rare opportunity to hear the Requiem, which had not been performed in the area since Franz Bibo conducted its performance by the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra in the late 1970's. Davenny Wyner said, "Verdi's music is powerful, dramatic and intense. It goes from barest whispers to extraordinary outbursts of emotion, and in Stambaugh's marvelous acoustics, the huge chorus, soloists and orchestra, which has 8 trumpets, should sound glorious."

The performers for the Verdi included the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra, a Festival Chorus of 200 singers from the greater area including the Stambaugh Chorus, Don Megahan, director, Westminster College Choral Department, Dr. Robin A. Lind, director, and Seraphim Chorus, Kris Harper, director and four acclaimed soloists. Soprano Charlene Canty and baritone Brian Keith Johnson, two of the area's most famous singers, will be joined by two nationally acclaimed artists mezzo-soprano Stephanie Chigas and tenor Darren Anderson who made their area debuts.

Because the Requiem is a piece that Pavarotti loved deeply and sang often, Davenny Wyner felt it appropriate to tribute the Requiem to him. "Pavarotti was amazing in the emotion, sheer voice and passion that he brought to his singing. Because this piece is so powerful and grand in scale, it feels right for us to embrace our community in his honor."

In accordance with the wishes of Henry H. Stambaugh, the mission of Stambaugh Auditorium. is to present events for the enjoyment, entertainment and education of the people of Youngstown and the surrounding communities.

Choral Director Biographies
Don Megahan, Director, Stambaugh Chorus
Dr. Robin A. Lind, Director of Choral Music Activites, Westminster College
Kris Harper, Director, Seraphim Community Chorus

Choral Organization Profiles
Stambaugh Chorus
Seraphim Chorus
Westminster College and Choral Department

Gifts of Love
Holiday Concert
December 9, 2007

The Stambaugh Chorus performed its Premier Concert in First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, Ohio. Refreshments followed the concert. Pieces included

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, arr. Hawley Ades, There Is No Rose,

Stephen Caracciola, Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming, Praetorius/Overby, Gloria, Antonio Vivaldi, Deck the Nutcracker Hall, arr. Greg Gilpin, Mid-winter, Bob Chilcott, Breath of Heaven arr. Craig Courtney, Gifts of Love, Marcus/Jennings, Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah, G.F. Handel. Soloists included Leigh Altier, Alice Birch, Karen Barr-Cisine, Stephanie Champion, Rosemary Minghetti, Peg Roberts, Maureen Young.

Austintown Tree Lighting
December 2007
We were invited again to join in the Holiday Celebration at the Wickcliffe Fire Station. It was a joy to see all the children enjoy our carols and gobble cookies while waiting to tell Santa what to bring.

Liberty High School Craft Show
November 2007

Several Choristers presented a display and offered Concert raffle tickets at the Liberty Band Craft Show. Membership and Upcoming Events were promoted. We also held a small bake sale with baked goods provided by our membership.

Rigoletto
November 9, 2007

Several Chorus Members participated in the Opera Western Reserve production of Rigoletto at Stambaugh. Susan Davenny Wyner was music director and Hae-Jong Lee, chorus master. David Vosburgh was production director.


North Side Farmers Market
September 2007

A display was available for market browsers. We promoted membership for our brand new organization.