2020
Orpheus Receives $2,000 Grant from Northern NJ Community Foundation
In May 2020, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF) awarded a $2,000 grant to Orpheus Club Men's Chorus, from the foundation's COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund. The awards support vetted nonprofit organizations serving Bergen County. The grant funds will be used to cover costs that would have been paid from proceeds from Orpheus' cancelled Spring Concerts, specifically insurance and the stipends paid to the chorus' Music Director and Accompanist.
Saxophonist Kieran Corcoran Wins 2020 Roland L. Meyer Scholarship
See the complete details in the Scholarship section of the website.
Orpheus Honored by The American Prize
Orpheus Club Men's Chorus (Orpheus), the pre-eminent men's chorus in New Jersey, been honored in two categories for The American Prize for 2019-2020.
Orpheus, directed by John J. Palatucci, is based in Ridgewood, New Jersey, was founded in 1909.
Orpheus is a semi-finalist in two categories of The American Prize, announced in February 2020: The American Prize in Choral Performance, community division (one of 12 semi-finalists and the only one in New Jersey) and The American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music, community ensemble division (one of 11 semi-finalists).
The Ernst Bacon Award recognizes and rewards the best performances of American music by ensembles and individual artists worldwide, based on submitted recordings. Orpheus was recognized for its performance of songs by several American composers, including Orpheus' own Richard Lane. Orpheus has the honor of performing at least one song by the Lane at each of its concerts. Lane was the chorus's pianist/accompanist from 1963 until his death in 2004, and he wrote 20 numbers for Orpheus.
"We are delighted to be recognized as one of the top community choruses in the country, and one of the foremost champions of music by American composers," Palatucci said.
Fifty singers strong, Orpheus delights audiences with eclectic repertoires ranging from Bach and Beethoven to the Beach Boys and Bruno Mars. It holds two major concerts each year (in April and December), and regularly performs special concerts in the greater New York-New Jersey area. In 2019-2020 Orpheus is celebrating pianist Ron Levy's 15th anniversary with the chorus. In December 2019 Orpheus was one of three choruses to sing in St. Patrick's Cathedral's "A City Singing at Christmas."
Orpheus President Vernon Reed noted that the men of Orpheus hail from throughout Northern and Central New Jersey. "Some of our guys have sung professionally, some have sung for years in schools and churches, and some are musical novices. We welcome men of any voice type, who are serious about singing an enjoyable -- and sometimes challenging -- repertoire."
The American Prize is administered by Hat City Music Theater, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit performing arts organization based in Danbury, Connecticut. Hat City Music Theater has not released a date or dates for the announcement of the finalists and winners for the categories in which Orpheus is competing this year.
The American Prize is a series of non-profit, national competitions designed to recognize and reward the very best in the performing arts in the United States—in schools and churches, and at community and professional levels. The American Prize was founded in 2009 and is awarded annually. The American Prize is judged solely through recorded performances.
More information about The American Prize
Orpheus, directed by John J. Palatucci, is based in Ridgewood, New Jersey, was founded in 1909.
Orpheus is a semi-finalist in two categories of The American Prize, announced in February 2020: The American Prize in Choral Performance, community division (one of 12 semi-finalists and the only one in New Jersey) and The American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music, community ensemble division (one of 11 semi-finalists).
The Ernst Bacon Award recognizes and rewards the best performances of American music by ensembles and individual artists worldwide, based on submitted recordings. Orpheus was recognized for its performance of songs by several American composers, including Orpheus' own Richard Lane. Orpheus has the honor of performing at least one song by the Lane at each of its concerts. Lane was the chorus's pianist/accompanist from 1963 until his death in 2004, and he wrote 20 numbers for Orpheus.
"We are delighted to be recognized as one of the top community choruses in the country, and one of the foremost champions of music by American composers," Palatucci said.
Fifty singers strong, Orpheus delights audiences with eclectic repertoires ranging from Bach and Beethoven to the Beach Boys and Bruno Mars. It holds two major concerts each year (in April and December), and regularly performs special concerts in the greater New York-New Jersey area. In 2019-2020 Orpheus is celebrating pianist Ron Levy's 15th anniversary with the chorus. In December 2019 Orpheus was one of three choruses to sing in St. Patrick's Cathedral's "A City Singing at Christmas."
Orpheus President Vernon Reed noted that the men of Orpheus hail from throughout Northern and Central New Jersey. "Some of our guys have sung professionally, some have sung for years in schools and churches, and some are musical novices. We welcome men of any voice type, who are serious about singing an enjoyable -- and sometimes challenging -- repertoire."
The American Prize is administered by Hat City Music Theater, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit performing arts organization based in Danbury, Connecticut. Hat City Music Theater has not released a date or dates for the announcement of the finalists and winners for the categories in which Orpheus is competing this year.
The American Prize is a series of non-profit, national competitions designed to recognize and reward the very best in the performing arts in the United States—in schools and churches, and at community and professional levels. The American Prize was founded in 2009 and is awarded annually. The American Prize is judged solely through recorded performances.
More information about The American Prize