2019
Orpheus Club Men's Chorus celebrated Ron Levy's 15th anniversary as OCMC pianist/assistant conductor during the 2019-2020 season.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, we performed in the 40th Annual "A City Singing at Christmas" concert, under the direction of Dr. Jennifer Pascual at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The entire video (2 hours, 15 minutes) from the event is here and also below. Click the play button then the arrow symbols to open in a full screen.
Click on any title below to see video at the start of that specific performance. (The times and durations include introductions and applause.)
Song (linked to video) * With St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir † With Young People's Chorus |
Start time / end time (h:mm:ss) / duration (m:ss) |
start 0:16:06 / end 0:20:37 / duration 4:31 |
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start 0:22:03 / end 0:25:00 / duration 2:57 |
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start 0:25:02 / end 0:29:29 / duration 4:27 |
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start 0:29:39 / end 0:35:00 / duration 5:21 |
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start 0:35:02 / end 0:40:50 / duration 5:48 |
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start 0:41:01 / end 0:46:00 / duration 4:59 |
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start 0:46:16 / end 0:49:29 / duration 3:13 |
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start 1:42:14 / end 1:51:10 / duration 8:57 |
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start 1:51:36 / end 1:56:24 / duration 4:48 |
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start 2:00:54 / end 2:09:20 / duration 8:26 |
Photos from the concert and rehearsals:
Our Holiday Concerts (with the theme "Stars of Wonder, Songs of Light") were held the weekend of Dec. 14-15, 2019, at Ridgewood United Methodist Church:
◦ Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. (included "afterglow" reception)
◦ Sunday, Dec. 15 at 4 p.m.
The Holiday Concerts featured the music of Praetorius, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Lauridsen, Hoagy Carmichael, Louis Armstrong, Jerry Herman, and as always, a song composed by the late Richard Lane, Orpheus' longtime pianist. Guest soloist: trombonist Bob Ferrel. Concert flier below. PDF version.
◦ Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. (included "afterglow" reception)
◦ Sunday, Dec. 15 at 4 p.m.
The Holiday Concerts featured the music of Praetorius, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Lauridsen, Hoagy Carmichael, Louis Armstrong, Jerry Herman, and as always, a song composed by the late Richard Lane, Orpheus' longtime pianist. Guest soloist: trombonist Bob Ferrel. Concert flier below. PDF version.
Repertoire for 2019 Holiday Concerts
Salutation: Hail, Friends of Music! - William Bentz
Processional: Deck the Hall - Traditional, lyrics by Thomas Oliphant
1. Winter Song – Frederic Bullard
O Magnum Mysterium – Morten Lauridsen
“There Shall a Star from Jacob Come Forth” from Christus – Felix Mendelssohn
2. Psallite – Michael Praetorius, arr. by Russell Robinson
Silent Night - Joseph Turrin
Soul Bop – Bob Ferrel
Tenor Madness – Sonny Rollins
3. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael
“Swinging on a Star” from Going My Way – James Van Heusen & Johnny Burke
*intermission*
4. “That Man Over There” from Here’s Love – Meredith Willson, arr. Clay Warnick
My Girl (Doo Wop) – William “Smokey” Robinson, Jr., Ronald White, arr. by Allen Billingsley
“Lost in the Stars” from Lost in the Stars – Maxwell Anderson & Kurt Weill, arr. by William Stickles
What a Wonderful World – George David Weiss & Bob Thiele, arr. by Russ Foris
5. It’s You or No One – Sammy Cahn & Jules Styne
A Child Is Born (with Bob Ferrel)
6. “Shalom” from Milk and Honey – Jerry Herman
We Three Kings of Orient Are – John H. Hopkins, Jr., arr. by John Leavitt
Wiegenlied (Lullaby) – Johannes Brahms, arr. by A. Zander
Sing Unto the Lord – Richard Lane
On Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, we performed Christmas carols in Ridgewood's Winterfest at Van Neste Square, from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Below: The Orpheus Club Men's Chorus was honored to sing for our friends at Holland Christian Home on Tuesday, July 16, 2019. Our music director, John Palatucci, played "Carnival of Venice" on the euphonium, and our pianist, Ron Levy, played Scott Joplin's "Pineapple Rag." Photos courtesy of Holland Christian Home.
The chorus sang again at Ridgewood's 2019 Fourth of July Parade. "The Orpheus Club IS Ridgewood" and also represents the best of our greater northern New Jersey community.
Below: Orpheus members sing at the Valley Hospital Auxiliary's Flag Day celebration, Wednesday, June 12, 2019.
Our Spring 2019 Concerts were held Saturday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 7 at 4 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 100 Dayton Street, Ridgewood.
The theme was Music of the Immigrant Experience. (Program below photos.)
The Village of Ridgewood honored Orpheus, celebrating 110 years of music-making, with a proclamation naming April 2019 as Orpheus Club Men's Chorus Month. Village Mayor Ramon M. Hache, Sr. and Deputy Mayor Susan Knudsen read and presented the proclamation on Sunday, April 7, during the chorus' spring concert. Orpheus President Vernon Reed and Music Director John J. Palatucci accepted the award on behalf of the club.
The theme was Music of the Immigrant Experience. (Program below photos.)
The Village of Ridgewood honored Orpheus, celebrating 110 years of music-making, with a proclamation naming April 2019 as Orpheus Club Men's Chorus Month. Village Mayor Ramon M. Hache, Sr. and Deputy Mayor Susan Knudsen read and presented the proclamation on Sunday, April 7, during the chorus' spring concert. Orpheus President Vernon Reed and Music Director John J. Palatucci accepted the award on behalf of the club.
The program for Orpheus' Spring 2019 Concerts included:
We Sing As One - Richard Lane
Arirang - Korean folk song
You'll Be Back from "Hamilton" - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Prelude in G Minor - Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by Ron Levy
Soldiers' Chorus from "Faust" - Charles Gounod
Hear, O Israel - traditional Jewish service music (English and Hebrew)
Roving - sea shanty
Siboney - Ernesto Lecuona (Spanish)
Selections from the Marx Brothers' "A Night At The Opera"
Brush Up Your Shakespeare and So in Love from "Kiss Me Kate" - Cole Porter
In the Still of the Night (doo wop) - Fred Paris
Danny Boy - THE traditional Irish folk melody
O, Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi - Giacomo Pucci (sung by soprano Ula Goldstein, Roland L. Meyer Memorial Scholarship winner)
Ride the Chariot - American spiritual
At the River - Aaron Copland
No Man Is An Island, words by John Donne
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor from "Miss Liberty" - Irving Berlin
God Bless America - Irving Berlin
We Sing As One - Richard Lane
Arirang - Korean folk song
You'll Be Back from "Hamilton" - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Prelude in G Minor - Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by Ron Levy
Soldiers' Chorus from "Faust" - Charles Gounod
Hear, O Israel - traditional Jewish service music (English and Hebrew)
Roving - sea shanty
Siboney - Ernesto Lecuona (Spanish)
Selections from the Marx Brothers' "A Night At The Opera"
Brush Up Your Shakespeare and So in Love from "Kiss Me Kate" - Cole Porter
In the Still of the Night (doo wop) - Fred Paris
Danny Boy - THE traditional Irish folk melody
O, Mio Babbino Caro from Gianni Schicchi - Giacomo Pucci (sung by soprano Ula Goldstein, Roland L. Meyer Memorial Scholarship winner)
Ride the Chariot - American spiritual
At the River - Aaron Copland
No Man Is An Island, words by John Donne
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor from "Miss Liberty" - Irving Berlin
God Bless America - Irving Berlin