The Orpheus Club Men's Chorus
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Paul Nelson

PicturePaul Nelson and Ellen Nelson
In 2016 my teaching colleague and good friend, Dave Strife, and now brother in song sent me an email and called me about a fine singing group in Ridgewood, the Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus, that he thought I would enjoy joining.

I only had experience singing in church and singing for a time in my youth in a Glee Club in college and high school. No matter, he assured me that there actually were not any tryouts for the group and that joining only required a love of singing and a heart for service. 

I threw caution to the wind, or rather I gathered all the “wind” I could muster and arrived.

Sitting in the baritone section I was immediately put at ease and introduced to the group. They suggested I sit next to a young singer named Jay as he was a strong voice.

Weeks later, learning that his last name was Palatucci, I realized that he was the son of the group's capable director, John Palatucci.

PicturePaul Nelson and grandchildren.
For the concert I tailored a black tux languishing in my closet and purchased a bright red bow tie and I was apparently set. John, despite my height, placed me in the front row right next to the piano. Was this a cause for concern?

Now, I sing with the small doo-wop group and even recently sang my first public solo. It was a brief solo: I was a king from the east visiting a newly born child, a child who Himself was destined to be King.

My kind and beautiful Ellen, wife of 40 terrific years, brings a crowd to the concerts. Together we have four adult children and four grandkids with the possibility of more. We live in Cresskill and it is only a short drive to the Wednesday night rehearsals.

Having retired from teaching high school biology for almost 40 years, the music keeps me young in mind. I ski, swim, hike, and especially do lots of yard work to hopefully keep the body young. A fellow Orpheus singer, Mitch Shapiro, when I mentioned having played the clarinet in my youth, suggested I also join the Waldwick Band. I did, and this has also been great fun for me.

My future goal is to sing about how “All God’s critters got a place in the choir …” in concert, while hearing the lively music of pianist Ron Levy. God is great and life is good.

Published in January 2022
Copyright © 2022 Orpheus Club Men's Chorus of Ridgewood, NJ, USA
  • Home
  • Events/News
    • Calendar
    • Newsletters >
      • 2020 News
      • American Prize 2019-2020
    • Previous Concerts
    • COVID-19 Policy
  • Join/Contact Us
  • Artistic Staff
    • Director
    • Pianist
    • Associate Artist
    • Conductors and Accompanists
  • Member Profiles
    • Bill Amazzini
    • Matthew Fairchild
    • Frank Farrell
    • Lou Fucito
    • Bob Husband
    • Jim Matthews
    • Paul Nelson
    • Jim O'Rourke
    • Vernon Reed
    • Richard Rehbein
    • Mitchell G. Shapiro
    • Sam Shaw
    • Robert F. Silvera
    • David Strife
  • Photos/History
    • Our History
    • 2022
    • 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2000-2009
    • 1990-1999
    • 1980-1989
    • 1970-1979
    • 1960-1969
    • 1950-1959
    • 1940-1949
    • 1930-1939
    • 1920-1929
    • 1910-1919
    • 1909
  • Donate
    • Patrons & Sponsors
  • Partners
  • Video/Audio
    • Videos
    • Audio Files
  • Scholarship
    • Yoona Park (2022)
    • Margot Jerkovich (2022)
    • Alisa Berenshtein (2021)
    • Emanuel Singletary (2021)
    • Kieran Corcoran (2020)
    • Ula Goldstein (2019)
    • Scholarship Winners