March  2010

Karl Lauby and Alexandra Deis-Lauby 
     All society members are invited to attend a memorial service for Lila Deis on Thursday, March 25, 2010, 3:00 pm. Lila, who passed away on January 7, was the wife of tenor Karl Lauby and mother of soprano Alexandra Deis-Lauby. 
     Memorial Service for Lila Deis
     Merkin Hall, 129 West 67th Street 
     Thursday, March 25, 2010
     3:00 pm
     Reception to follow immediately after the service (to end around 6:15 pm)
     RSVP by March 11 to 212-533-2429

February  2010

Ronnie Oliver 
     On Monday, February 22, at 8pm, the Westminster Chapel Choir will be performing at Carnegie Hall. OS bass Ronnie Oliver will be conducting the Men of the Chapel Choir as part of this concert. Also on the concert will be the Alderson-Broaddus College Choir and a performance of Mozart's Coronation Mass by the University of Southern Mississippi Choirs. Tickets are available through the Carnegie Hall Box Office.

Ronnie Oliver 
     Please join Simon Dratfield (Bass OSNY, Principal Flutist GVO) on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 for an all-Russian concert of the Greenwich Village Orchestra. 
     Sunday, February 21, 2010
     3:00pm - 5:00pm
     Washington Irving Auditorium, 40 Irving Pl , New York , NY
          Gliere - Russian Sailor's Dance
          Prokofiev - Violin Concerto No. 1
               Joe Puglia, violin
          Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5
Appropriate for snowy weather!
Tickets are $15 suggested donation.
Please visit the Greenwich Village Orchestra website.

Kay Patch 
     The society mourns the death of Kay Patch, former OS singer and board member.  Kay passed away on Feb. 2, 2010.  The society offers condolences to her son Ben Patch, who is currently a member of the OS bass section. Ben fondly recalls being a member of the chorus along with his mother from 1995-1997, and also notes that Kay was with child (Ben) while performing with the OS in 1966-1967. Ben has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Oratorio Society of New York in her memory. Please click here to read the full obituary provided by Ben. 

David Rosenmeyer and Malena Dayen 
     David Rosenmeyer and his wife Malena Dayen present New Aires - Canciones Argentinas - Argentine Art Song, Folk Song and Tango. Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 7:00 pm. Consulate General of Argentina in New York, 12 West 56th Street (at 5th Avenue.) 
     The concert is FREE, but you must RSVP to rsvp@cnyor.com.   
Click the image for a larger view.

Kent Tritle 
DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS, THIS CONCERT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO TUESDAY, FEB. 16, 2010, 8:00 PM, WITH THE PRE-CONCERT RECITAL AT 7:00 PM.
     Sacred Music in a Sacred Space.  Kent Tritle will conduct the Choir and Orchestra of St. Ignatius Loyola on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 8:00 pm.  
     AGOSTINO STEFFANI: Stabat Mater
     JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Cantata No. 12: Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen
     JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Cantata No. 4: Christ lag in Todesbanden
          Jamet Pittman, soprano
          Michèle Eaton, soprano
          Katie Geissinger, mezzo-soprano
          Ory Brown, mezzo-soprano
          Steven Fox, tenor
          Michael Steinberger, tenor
          Peter Stewart, baritone
          Steven Hrycelak, bass
Tickets and More Info at the SMSS website. 

Chad Cygan 
     Pocket Opera of New York (co-founded by OS tenor Chad Cygan) presents 2010 Liebsnacht. Tuesday, February 16, 2010, 7:00 pm. Bechstein Piano Centre, 207 W. 58th Street, NYC. $10, tickets at the door only.
     The program includes performances by Chad, as well as Malena Dayen (see above), and OS tenor Daniel Molkentin. 
     Johannes Brahms: Liebeslieder-Walzer, op. 52
          Jenn Greene, soprano
          Malena Dayen, mezzo-soprano
          Chad Cygan, tenor
          Robert Maril, baritone
          Jean-Paul Björlin and Wei-En Hsu, piano
     Wolfgang Rihm: Das Rot
          Daniel Molkentin, tenor
          Wei-En Hsu, piano
     Johannes Brahms: Zwei Gesänge, Op. 91
          Malena Dayen, mezzo-soprano
          Audrey Ching-Yuan Chen, viola
          Dror Baitel, piano 
More info at the Pocket Opera website.

Andrew Cummings 
     Former OS member Andrew Cummings and Jennifer Greene will be performing a duo-recital this coming February 10th at (Wednesday night, 8pm) at the Park Avenue Christian Church on 85th and Park Avenue here in New York City, in collaboration with pianist Audrey Saint-Gil.  
     For more info, please visit: www.AndrewCummings.com or  www.JenniferSGreene.com. 

January  2010

Bob Schartoff 
     Former OS member Bob Schartoff has written an article entitled "How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?  Practice...and Joining the Oratorio Society of New York".  The article is about Bob's many years as a member of the chorus.
     The article has been published in the current (January 2010) issue of the Westview News, a free monthly West Village newspaper.
     Click on the image to see a larger version of this scanned copy of the article.  You may have to zoom out to read it clearly.

Karl Lauby and Alexandra Deis-Lauby 
     The society mourns the death of Lila Deis, wife of tenor Karl Lauby and mother of soprano Alexandra Deis-Lauby, who died Thursday morning, Jan 7.  
     A celebration of her life is planned for the last week of March.  Details will be shared when available.  
     (Rather than post them here, addresses for Karl and Alexandra were sent to the chorus via e-mail.  If you missed it and would like their addresses, please contact Liz at ChorusNews@oratoriosocietyofny.org.)

Joyce Linton 
     The society is saddened to learn of the death of former member Joyce Linton.
     There will be a prayer service and wake at Dimicelli Funeral Home, 152 East 28th Street (between Third and Lexington) from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday evening, January 8, 2010.  The telephone number for Dimicelli Funeral Home is 212-683-1798.
     A Requiem Memorial Mass in the extraordinary rite will take place at St. Agnes Church, 143 East 43rd Street (between Third and Lexington) at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, January 9, 2010.  The telephone number for St. Agnes is 212-682-5722.
     Arrangements are being made for 30 days of Gregorian Masses for Joyce (total cost, $300.00).  En lieu of flowers or an independent Mass card, you might want to make a contribution to this effort by bringing a donation to the wake or Funeral Mass.      Please see Ann Morgan, who has kindly consented to collect the donations.  The website for this is www.clearcreekmonks.org.  If you make a donation using a check, please write “Clear Creek Monastery” in the addressee section and place “Joyce Mary Linton” on the memo line.  Otherwise cash donations will be accepted.  
     Please be sure to include your contact information with any donations toward the Gregorian Masses in case an excess amount is collected.

December  2009

Kent Tritle 
     Kent Tritle will be a guest on The Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC FM on Tuesday, December 22, at approximately 12:40 PM. Listen live (93.9 FM or www.wnyc.org) or check back to the Lopate show page on the web site to see if they archive the show: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2009/12/18.   

Joe DeMerit & Karen Sweeney 
     Former members Joe & Karen welcome their second daughter, Bernadette Lucille, born Friday, December 11, 2009.
Click image for a larger view. 
 
 

Charles & Terry Tolk 
     OS members, and proud grandparents, Charles & Terry Tolk, welcome Tobias Tolk Leitch, born December 1, 2009, 8:08 am, 8lbs, 21".
Click image for a larger view.
 
 
Simon Dratfield 
     Come hear OSNY member Simon Dratfield (Greenwich Village Orchestra principal flutist and very brave little bird in Peter& the Wolf) in:
     Greenwich Village Orchestra’s Annual Family Concert
     December 13, 2009 3pm
     Washington Irving Auditorium ( Irving Pl / 16th and 17th St )
     Barbara Yahr, Conductor
     Helen-Jean Arthur, Narrator
     Kevin Lin, violin, GVO Young Artist Competition winner
     Sarasate - Zigeunerweisen
     Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf
     and other holiday favorites!
Family Special - bring the whole family for just $10!
Visit http://www.gvo.org/ for more info.

Kathleen Flaherty 
     OS soprano Kathleen Flaherty invites you to The Christmas Concert with the Christ Church Choir on Friday, December 11, 2009, 8:00 pm.
     Under the direction of Dr. Steven Pilkington, the program includes music for Choir, Orchestra and Organ with organist Ryan Jackson, the Bell Choir, and guest soloist Jim Bobick.  Familiar and new music including an excerpt from John Adams' oratorio, El Nino.  A reception follows the concert.
     Christ Church, United Methodist
     520 Park Avenue at 60th Street
     New York City
     Tickets available in advance or at the door: $15.00 and $12.00.
     For advance tickets, call 212-838-3036
     Friday, December 11, 2009, 8:00 pm
     Click the image to see the full flyer.     

Julia Turner 
     OS alto Julia Turner and the West End Collegiate Church invite you to join our 2nd annual Community Carol Sing on Tuesday, December 8, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. You will choose which of your favorite carols and Christmas songs you want to sing, accompanied by our terrific organist Cynthia Powell. Refreshments will be served at the end of the evening. West End Collegiate Church is located at the northeast corner of West End Avenue and 77th Street. We hope to see many of you there!

Chad Cygan 
     OS member Chad Cygan will be singing as the tenor soloist and/or conducting in the Pocket Opera of New York's performances of Messiah on December 3,4 and 5, 2009.  All performances begin at 7pm. Tickets can be found here:
http://www.pocketoperany.org/2009season/page14/page14.html 
     Chad Cygan is also singing a recital of Schumann Cycles on Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 2pm. This concert features three major Schumann song cycles mixed together in a way that carries the story through all 34 songs! Tickets and location can be found here:
http://www.pocketoperany.org/2009season/page15/page15.html 
     Everyone is invited to sing along for more practice for December 14, 2009 at Carnegie Hall!

Friedrike Merck 
     OS alto Friedrike Merck has recently launched a website showcasing her sculpture studio.  Please visit www.merckstudio.com to see her work and learn more about one of our newest members. 

For previous Chorus Member announcements, please visit the Member News and Notes Archive.