Festival Chorus concert to celebrate 50th year of making music
On Sunday, Dec. 6, The Festival Chorus will wrap up celebrating 50 years of making music. Under the auspices of Harper College Community Music Center, the chorus will perform its 50th Anniversary Christmas Concert at 3 p.m. in the Harper College Performing Arts Center. 1200 W. Algonquin Road, in Palatine.
The first conductor of the chorus was Anthony "Tony" Mostardo who assembled a group of Elk Grove community voices to join with local church members to perform a concert in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1965. The group stayed together and was known at the time as Elk Grove Festival Chorus. By 1968, the group was invited to join the Harper Community College family and became known as the Festival/Harper College Community Chorus. By the early 1980s the chorus had moved from Elk Grove High School to the Harper Campus for its weekly rehearsals and began presenting its concerts at the college.
Through the years The Festival Chorus has traveled abroad eight times. In addition to its two formal concerts each year, it also shares its talents at local venues such as the Lutheran Home for the Aged and Southminster Presbyterian Church. The chorus has even sung the national anthem at Schaumburg Boomers baseball games several times.
Being a community group, the chorus invites all interested adult singers who enjoy the challenge of performing fine music to join. There is no audition, only a voice placement to ensure musical balance.
The group rehearses with an accompanist. Since 1982, this has been Beverly Tipps. In addition to having been a student of Tony Mostardo, she is also the daughter of a founding chorus member, Betty Jarosch. For concerts, the group, with the assistance of concertmaster James Sanders, hires a professional orchestra, and often, professional soloists as well. The funds for this come from registration fees and fundraising that takes place throughout the year. In addition, the chorus receives support from the Illinois Arts Council.
Following the retirement of Tony Mostardo as choral director, Edwin Kemp became its second director in 1997. In 2010 Ann Espel became its third and current director. She inspires the current 76 members with her knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication to excellence.
Tickets for the Dec. 6, Christmas Concert at the Harper College PAC are available at harpercollege.edu/boxoffice or call 847) 925-6100. In addition to this concert, everyone is invited to a Singalong Messiah at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 14. Tickets for this are also available at the Harper box office.
The Harper Festival Chorus will begin its 51st year of making music on Monday, Jan. 11, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. in Building P, Room P202 of the music center at Harper College. The spring concert will be May 1, 2016.
Visit festivalchorus.org to learn more. New members are heartily welcome!