Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Barry Cloyd to Present The River’s Song for SRC Chorus Mini-Concert
Award-winning singer/songwriter/musician Barry Cloyd returns to Fulton County as part of the 2018-19 SRC Community Chorus season on Sunday, February 10 to present the engaging mini-concert The River’s Song: The Importance of Our Midwestern Rivers at First Christian Church in Canton. Show time is 3 p.m. Guest performers include John Davis, Colin Davis, Bob Juraco, and Alex Smith. Reservations ($10) may now be made by calling 649-6260.
Cloyd is a Midwestern-based, full-time, touring singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who performs more than 125 various shows per year. In addition to his energetic concert schedule, Barry has been the resident stringed instrumentalist/vocalist on The Spirit of Peoria Paddlewheel Riverboat for the last 18 years. Barry is also a recording artist with 10 CDs to his credit, and his all-original Southland won the award for best Americana album in 2016, resulting in his tracks “Spirit Dance” and “Know this River” being placed on radio stations in more than 45 countries worldwide. He has shared the stage and recorded with many stars of the blues and Americana music worlds, including band members of Buddy Guy’s Band, The Byrds, Stephen Stills, EmmyLou Harris, The Oak Ridge Boys, John Denver, and Dan Fogelberg. Barry has also created and toured dozens of edu-tainment programs, which focus on history through music.
The original concert presentation, The River’s Song, takes the audience backwards through time to the days when the rivers of the Midwest were major highways for the first peoples, the Illiniwek Nation, from which our state gets its name. From there, the concert moves on to the coming of the Europeans and the changes brought by them.
“The development of river travel while Illinois was still the Wild West helped to build this nation. Several characters, both brave and notorious, are highlighted in the concert, along with many of the songs that accompanied early Illinoisans into the future of our great state,” says Cloyd. “The River’s Song features French Voyageur songs, riverboat banjo tunes, Lincoln-era music, and original songs telling the tale of how vital our Midwestern rivers have been in our past and to our future.”
“The SRC Community Chorus originated in 2005 and has grown to include over 100 singers, musicians, and technicians,” says Carol Davis, Artistic Director. “We have raised funds to establish five, $10,000, named, endowed scholarships and are self-funded through ticket sales. A sixth named, endowed scholarship has been established through the SRC Foundation in memory of Vicki Murphy, mother of founding chorus member Chad Murphy. Funds from the 2018-19 Chorus season will be dedicated to this scholarship.”
The 2018-19 season continues in June with the Tony Award-winning musical Guys and Dolls. Visit www.src.edu/foundation/Pages/chorus.aspx, like us on Facebook, or contact Carol Davis by emailing cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Tickets on Sale for SRC Chorus Winter Concert
Tickets are now on sale for the Spoon River College Community Chorus concert Winter Tales and Tunes. The concert will be performed on December 1 and 2, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Canton. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased by calling 649-6260 or by email request to cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
“This concert will delight audiences of all ages,” said John Davis, director. “We will continue to offer a wide variety of songs but this year we have added new musical genres and special features to the performances. The concert will also highlight a new arrangement of Hold On from the musical The Secret Garden by Richard Etter, featuring Carla Bobell as soloist.”
Chorus members include Tori Albanito, Bruce Beal, Patrick Bell, Loren Blackfelner, Carla Bobell, Gloria Bradford, Janice Dare Bruster, Bill Burkhead, Debbie Burkhead, Bob Champlin, Carol Davis, Colin Davis, Jackie Davis, Richard Etter, Jim Gage, Karen Garman, Jeanine Gaumer, Angela Hale, Bob Heppenstahl, Sherry Hilton, Susan Juliusson, Carol Kohler, Leta Krock, Lindsey Larson, Aja Lawson, Wendy Martin, Sue Maurice, Susie McMillen, Jeanette McWhorter, Trygve Meade, Janet Munson, Chad Murphy, Dave Norton, Kris Olson, Natalie Orwig, Kathy Phillips, Jo Potter Keen, Ginny Reter, Peggy Roberts, Ron Rupe, Elliyah Sale, Karen Shaw, Becky Silva, Alex Smith, Ron Smith, Sue Smith, Jean Sprecher, Jeanine Standard, John Stanko, Pat Stanko, Doris Taylor, Kenny Taylor, Michael Varnes, Melissa Walker, Tammy Weaver, JoEllyn Welch, Lauren Wilcoxen, and Pam Willison. Featured musicians are Gretchen Fuller on piano, Tom Sandman on percussion, and Drew Ponder on bass.
A pre-show of chimes and handbells will delight audience members as they arrive. Chime players are members of Trinity Lutheran Church and directed by Jean Sprecher. Handbells, directed by Pat Stanko, are played by Jo Potter Keen, Dee Doubet, Trygve Meade, Natalie Orwig, Bea Meeker, Janet Munson, Debbie Burkhead, Elliyah Sale, Sue Smith, Karen Garman, Kris Olson, and Jean Sprecher.
December 2018 also marks milestone anniversaries of two enduring holiday pieces. The classic novel A Christmas Carol marks its 175th anniversary and to celebrate the Chorus has added a theatrical element in which Mr. Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge appear. The month will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of Franz Gruber’s Silent Night. First Christian Church will resound with all voices, choral and audience, singing the beloved carol together.
Visit www.src.edu/foundation and click on the SRC Community Chorus link, Like us on Facebook, or contact Carol Davis by emailing cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Rehearsals Begin September 20
The Spoon River College Community Chorus will present Winter Tales and Tunes on December 1 and 2, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Canton. Participation in the SRC Community Chorus is open to anyone with a love of music and performance. No auditions are required, and all ages and vocal ranges are welcome.
Rehearsals will be held on Thursday evenings beginning on September 20th at 6:30 p.m. at the Canton Church of the Brethren, located at 3rd and Chestnut. Rehearsals generally take place on Thursday evenings.
As has become the tradition, this season’s concert will feature sacred and secular songs in a variety of musical styles and instrumental accompaniments. In addition, the concert will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the publication of A Christmas Carol and the 200th anniversary of Silent Night. The concert is directed by John L. Davis and accompanied by Gretchen Fuller. Additional musicians include Tom Sandman on percussion and Drew Ponder on bass.
New elements of performance have been added for this year’s concert. A pre-show of chimes and handbells will delight audience members as they arrive. The concert will also highlight a new arrangement by Richard Etter of “Hold On” from the musical The Secret Garden. A theatrical element has been added in which Mr. Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge appear and the audience will join the chorus in singing Silent Night.
“The organization originated in 2005 and has grown to include over 100 singers, musicians, and technicians,” said Carol Davis, Artistic Director. “We have raised funds to establish five $10,000 named endowed scholarships and are self-funded through ticket sales.”
A sixth named endowed scholarship has been established through the SRC Foundation in memory of Vicki Murphy, mother of founding chorus member Chad Murphy. Funds from the 2018-19 Chorus season will be dedicated to this scholarship.
The 2018-19 season continues in February with a mini-concert featuring nationally recognized and award-winning songwriter Barry Cloyd and concludes with the Tony Award-winning musical Guys and Dolls in June.
Visit www.src.edu/foundation and click on the SRC Community Chorus link, Like us on Facebook, or contact Carol Davis by emailing cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Tickets Now on Sale for Piano Potpourri with Gretchen Fuller and Tony Roberts
The SRC Community Chorus presents Piano Potpourri, featuring the extraordinary talents of pianists Gretchen Fuller and Tony Roberts on Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. The concert will be presented in the sanctuary of First Christian Church in Canton. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased by calling 649-6260 Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or at the door the day of the concert. Proceeds support the Vicki Murphy Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Roberts and Fuller have performed with the SRC Community Chorus in many capacities since the group’s inception. In addition to numerous arts performances throughout central Illinois, they are also known for their musical offerings at Fulton County churches.
“At the SRC Community Chorus winter concert this past December, Tony and Gretchen presented two piano duets which, judging by the audience response, were a highlight of the program,” said Carol Davis, artistic director of the SRC Community Chorus. “People have been requesting this concert for the past few years and we are pleased to finally offer this delightful performance.”
Roberts and Fuller have chosen a wide selection of four-hand, one piano and two piano duets that will exhilarate audiences of all ages. The program features challenging and entertaining numbers including “When the Saints Go Marching in,” “Who Let the Cows Out? (A Bully Rag),” “Inspector Gadget,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” “Clair de Lune,” “Maple Leaf Rag,” “Songs of Patriotism,” “How Great Thou Art,” and many more.
“This program is just what we need to chase away the winter blues,” Davis said. “We continue to be very fortunate and pleased to showcase the many talented individuals who live within the Spoon River College district. We believe audience members will be talking about Piano Potpourri for years.”
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Tickets Now On Sale for Songs and Snowflakes Concert
Tickets are now on sale for the SRC Community Chorus concert Songs and Snowflakes. The concert features 60 singers, musicians and technicians and will be presented on Saturday, December 2 and Sunday, December 3 at the First Christian Church in Canton. Both performances are at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets may be obtained by calling (309) 649-6260; by walk-in Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at The Pink Whale, 27 South Main Street in Canton; or through chorus members.
Songs and Snowflakes will feature a combination of classical, traditional and contemporary holiday songs. Featured selections include the Festival Cantata “Rejoice in the Lamb,” Haydn’s Gloria, and Tschesnokoff’s “Salvation is Created;” “The Shepherd’s Chorus” from Amahl and the Night Visitors and “Counting Down to Christmas” from A Christmas Story, the Musical; a Hanukkah song “Hanerot Halalu;” popular songs “White Christmas,” “Silver Bells,” “Jingle Bells” and “Over the River;” sacred songs and spirituals “Silent Night,” “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “Let All Mortal Flesh,” “Way Down in Bethlehem” and more.
Chorus members participating in the concert are Andrea Barbknecht, Loren Blackfelner, Carla Bobell, Gloria Bradford, Janice Dare Bruster, Debbie Burkhead, Carol Davis, Colin Davis, Jackie Davis, Katey Davis, Kevin Dearing, Richard Etter, James Gage, Andrea Garnett, Micah Garnett, Jeanine Gaumer, Sherry Hilton, Jo Potter Keen, Kevin Kessler, Tammy Kessler, Carol Kohler, Leta Krock, Chad Leitschuh, Wendy Martin, Greg Mathis, Sara Mathis, Sue Maurice, Susie McMillen, Trygve Meade, David Meeker, Janet Munson, Chad Murphy, Glenn Nestlerode, Dave Norton, Natalie Orwig, Virginia Reter, Sue Reuschel, Ron Rupe, Carol Shaw, Karen Shaw, Tiffany Siefert, Becky Silva, Alex Smith, Ron Smith, Sue Smith, Jean Sprecher, Jeanine Standard, John Stanko, Pat Stanko, Marilyn Stewart, Doris Taylor, Kenny Taylor, Roberta Tomlinson, Tammy Weaver, Donna Weinstein, JoEllyn Welch, Pam Willison, and Christine Wright.
John L. Davis directs Songs and Snowflakes with Gretchen Fuller accompanying. The SRC Community Chorus artistic director is Carol Davis.
Proceeds from ticket sales fund named endowed scholarships for SRC students. The chorus is currently funding the Vicki Murphy Memorial Scholarship. Vicki was an avid supporter of the SRC Chorus and her son, Chad Murphy, is a founding member of the Chorus.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Concert Rehearsals Begin September 28
The Spoon River College Community Chorus will present Songs and Snowflakes on Dec. 2 and 3, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Canton. As has become the tradition, this season’s concert will feature classical, traditional, sacred and secular songs in a variety of musical styles and instrumental accompaniments.
Participation in the SRC Community Chorus is open to anyone with a love of music and performance. No auditions are required, and all ages and vocal ranges are welcome. Rehearsals will be held on Thursday evenings beginning on Sept. 28th at 6:30 p.m. at the Canton Church of the Brethren, located at 3rd and Chestnut. The concert is conducted by John L. Davis and accompanied by Gretchen Fuller. Tickets go on sale Oct. 16.
“The organization originated in 2005 and has grown to include over 100 singers, musicians and technicians,” said Carol Davis, artistic director. “We have raised funds to establish five $10,000 named endowed scholarships. The generous support of participants and audience members enables students to pursue their educational dreams.”
A sixth named endowed scholarship has been established through the SRC Foundation in memory of Vicki Murphy, mother of founding chorus member Chad Murphy, who recently passed away. Proceeds from the entire 2017-18 Chorus season will be dedicated to this scholarship.
The Chorus recently presented sold out performances of the comedy Vanities. Also in December, the SRC Chorus and Tenacious, Inc. are producing the hilarious holiday comedy A Tuna Christmas featuring John L. Davis, Chad Murphy, and Clay Klinedinst playing over 20 roles. A Tuna Christmas will be presented at Big Horse Vineyards Dec. 16-17, 2017. The 2017-18 season concludes with the Tony-awarding winning musical Fiddler on the Roof, June 28-July 1, 2018.
More information will be forthcoming about ticket sales, casting, and scholarships. Visit www.src.edu/foundation and click on the SRC Community Chorus link, like us on Facebook, or contact Carol Davis by emailing cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Presents the Comedy Vanities
Vanities is a laugh-out-loud poignant comedy about the growth of a friendship among three small town women coming of age in the 1960s and ’70s. Staged in the Canton Spoon River College Theater in Taylor Hall, Vanities runs Friday, August 18 @ 7:00 p.m., Saturday, August 19 @ 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 20 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale.
The production features veteran actresses Sara Mathis, Corrinna Markland, and Lindsey Ridenour Larson as best friends growing up in Texas during a time when women’s roles were changing. Their adaptations provide hilarious moments as well as realistic approaches to life before, during and after the Age of Aquarius. Vanities is directed by Carol Davis.
Featured in the production will be live performances of Top 40 music from 1963 to 1974.
General admission tickets may be reserved by calling (309) 649-6260 or by emailing cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
Vanities had one of the longest Off-Broadway runs on record. The comedy opened at Playwrights Horizons, New York City on January 15, 1976, for 13 performances, and then transferred to the Chelsea Theatre Center (now the Westside Theatre) where it ran for 1,785 performances. Newsweek, the New York Post, and New York Magazine declared it “unnervingly funny,” a “brilliant clever play,” and “uncommonly attractive.”
The 2017-18 Chorus season continues in December with Snowflakes and Songs on December 2 and 3; A Tuna Christmas at Big Horse Vineyards on December 16 and 17; and Fiddler on the Roof in June 2018.
The SRC Community Chorus presents concerts, revues, plays, and musicals for the love of performance and to raise funds for the SRC Foundation’s scholarship program. Participation in the SRC Chorus is open to anyone with a love of performance. For more information about the Chorus, please visit the Chorus web page at www.src.edu/foundation.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Announces 2017-2018 Season of Events
The Spoon River College Community Chorus announces its slate of comedies, musicals, and concerts for the 2017-2018 season. The SRC Community Chorus is in its 12th year of providing quality entertainment utilizing the talents of local singers, actors, musicians and technicians. Proceeds from all presentations support the SRC Foundation’s scholarship program.
VANITIES
The new season begins with VANITIES, a comedy/drama surrounding the lives of three female friends in high school, through college, and then in the real world. This fast-paced show, set from 1962-1974, presents a nostalgic look at the lives of women in a time of American turbulence. Sara Mathis, Corrinna Markland, and Lindsey Ridenour Larson play the roles of Kathy, Joanne and Mary.
Also, featured in the show will be Carla Bobell, Julie Seeley, and Carmen McCarthy performing live music from the 1960s and 70s.
The production runs August 18, 19 and 20 in the SRC Theater on the Canton campus. Tickets go on sale July 10.
“We are very happy to be bringing this hilarious and poignant show to Fulton County,” said Carol Davis, artistic director of the SRC Chorus and director of Vanities. “The script has so much to say about the complicated roles women played in the 1960s and 70s. We have some of the best female talent in central Illinois performing in this production.”
SONGS AND SNOWFLAKES
On December 2 and 3, the SRC Community Chorus will present its annual holiday concert, directed by John L. Davis. SONGS AND SNOWFLAKES will feature a variety of traditional, secular and sacred music.
“It is a great pleasure to direct such a talented group of singers and musicians in the holiday concert each year,” said John Davis. “The chorus members are never afraid to tackle difficult arrangements and we have fun and laughter while rehearsing.”
The SRC winter concert is open to all with a love of singing. No auditions are required. Rehearsals will begin on Thursday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Canton Church of the Brethren.
A TUNA CHRISTMAS
The SRC Chorus partners with Tenacious, Inc. to present one of the funniest productions ever written. A TUNA CHRISTMAS, slated for December 16 and 17 at Big Horse Vineyards in Lewistown, features Chad Murphy, Chad Leitschuh, and Clay Klinedinst playing over 25 male and female roles. Carol Davis directs.
Tuna is a fictitious small town in Texas filled with quirky characters attempting to celebrate Christmas. Each of the actors plays multiple roles, changing costumes and characterizations in front of the audience. The actions are playfully broadcast through the airwaves of Tuna’s own radio station – OKKK.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
The season closes with the impactful Tony-Award winning musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, June 28-30 and July 1, 2018. Fiddler on the Roof features music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters and other tales by Sholem Aleichem.
The SRC Community Chorus begins funding its sixth named endowed scholarship this season.
To keep updated on SRC Chorus presentations, please contact Carol Davis at (309) 338-7698, cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com. Information may also be found on the SRC Foundation’s website: www.src.edu/foundation or Like us on Facebook.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Presents Ken Bradbury In Concert
One of the most popular performers in Illinois is coming to Canton for one performance only on Sunday, February 12 at 3:00 p.m. at the Canton Church of the Brethren, 269 East Chestnut. Ken Bradbury presents his one-man show “Ken Bradbury in Concert: A Whirlwind Tour of the Music of America in Story and Melody.” The concert is sponsored by the Spoon River College Community Chorus as part of its mini-concert series.
Tickets may be reserved by calling (309) 649-6260 or by contacting Carol Davis at cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com. General admission tickets are $10 with proceeds going to the SRC Foundation’s scholarship program. Seating is limited to 100.
“Ken is one of the funniest and most gifted performers I’ve had the opportunity to meet,” said Carol Davis, Artistic Director for the Chorus. “He first appeared for us at one of SRC’s Spoon River Reads events and had the audience enthralled. We’ve been asked to bring him back many times.”
Ken Bradbury, until recently a teacher at Triopia Jr-Sr High School for 35 years, and now an instructor at Lincoln Land Community College, is a resident of Jacksonville, Illinois. Since 1995, he has been named the most-produced author of dramatic material for competition in the United States.
Ken is the author of The Coonridge Digest, a newspaper column appearing in 14 Midwest newspapers, and has won the Associated Press Award for “Best Humor Column.” He’s also the author of five books, The Coonridge Digest, Around the World with Freida Marie Crump, The Coonridge Devotions, Homerville, Souptown, Bilgewater, and his most recent book of children’s poetry, The Place Where We Live. He’s also a regular columnist for The Source newspaper. He’s the author of over 500 published plays.
Bradbury is a staff writer for Cass Communications and has authored and appeared in over 100 television commercials for the company. He’s written music for five recordings by Shiloh, a Christian singing group, and is a founder and director of the Green Pastures Performing Arts Camp. His play, Shadow of Giants (also co-authored with Robert Crowe) appeared on PBS television. Bradbury was the winner of the Downstate Playwrights Award at the University of Illinois. His recent musical, Genesis, the Musical, played to several Midwest venues.
Ken spends much of his summer as the resident Honky-Tonk piano player on the Spirit of Peoria Riverboat, cruising the Illinois River from Starved Rock to St. Louis.
In addition to numerous other awards, Ken was awarded the honorary Doctor of Fine Arts by MacMurray College in Jacksonville, the honorary Doctor of Letters by Illinois College, was inducted into the Jacksonville Hall of Fame, and received the Studs Terkel Humanities Award.
He also plays the bagpipes, much to the chagrin of his Illinois neighbors.
For more information about the Bradbury Concert or to learn more about the SRC Community Chorus, please visit the Chorus webpage at www.src/foundation, on Facebook or contact Carol Davis at cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Adds Fifth Scholarship After Holiday Concert
The Spoon River College Community Chorus presentation of A Joyous Jubilee in December resulted in the establishment of a fifth named endowed scholarship for the SRC Foundation. The Gail A. Mathis Memorial Scholarship will be available for students attending SRC during the 2017-2018 academic year. Applications for this and all other Foundation Scholarships will be available later this month at src.edu/foundation.
A Joyous Jubilee featured 60 singers, musicians, and technicians who presented the 1 ½ hour presentation to approximately 400 audience members at the First Christian Church in Canton. Joining the Chorus this year was a string quartet from Bradley University.
“John Davis selected a variety of holiday music for this concert,” said Carol Davis, Artistic Director of the SRC Community Chorus. “The audience enjoyed traditional and classical pieces, jazz selections, movie and musical numbers, and even an arrangement of Jingle Bells written specifically for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.”
Starting in 2017, the SRC Chorus will begin funding its sixth named endowed scholarship. Named endowed scholarships are established when funding reaches the $10,000 level. The scholarships become permanently endowed and interest earned off the scholarships is awarded annually in perpetuity.
“It is our way of awarding scholarships to SRC students and recognizing the contributions of those individuals who have supported the SRC Chorus over the years,” Davis said. “Best of all, the Chorus is completely self-funded through ticket sales and grants so there is no cost to the college or the Foundation.”
The SRC Chorus is open to anyone with a love of singing and performance. No auditions are required.
The next performance will next feature the popular Ken Bradbury in a mini-concert to be held on Sunday, February 12th. For more information on that and other Chorus events, visit the Chorus webpage src.edu/foundation, Like the Chorus Facebook page, or contact Carol Davis at (309) 338-7698 or cdavis.tenacious@gmail.com.
