More than one hundred years of music tradition at Defiance College
October 6, 2015
DEFIANCE, Ohio – “Great music, great people, and great fun” - Defiance College has more than a century of tradition in the music arts and continues to inspire, teach, and present programs to the DC campus and the surrounding community.
The DC Choral Union, led by Director of Music Programs Andrew Schultz, performs a mixture of classical and modern music. The 2016 season begins with the W. Oscar Jones Choral Festival on Nov. 1. Collaboration for the event will include the DC Choral Union, Defiance area high schools, the Northwesternaires Barbershop Chorus, and area instrumentalists for chamber accompaniment. Sunday, Dec. 13, will feature the 44th annual Defiance community performance of Handel’s Messiah. The spring session will include two performances of Theodore Dubois’s The Seven Last Words of Christ held during Holy Week.
The Defiance College Community Band (DCCB) is led by co-conductors Cathy Booth and Scott Rogers. A strong tradition of wonderful community concerts continues with their tribute to veterans on Nov. 10 at the Defiance Community Auditorium. While highlighting the music of America, the concert includes a tradition of performing each song of the branches of the military as they honor the men and women of our armed forces. The fall season also includes a family-focused holiday concert on Tuesday, Dec. 8, with a chance for children to get pictures with Santa. The spring session will include the annual cabaret performance on the DC campus on Saturday, March 19, including guest soloists for an evening of fun and great music. This is the only ticketed event for the DCCB. The season will end with a spring concert in April.
The Black Swamp Symphony Orchestra is flourishing under the guidance of community member Nancy Davis and DC’s Director of Bands Bridget Olenik. The new season begins with a Masterworks concert on Sunday, Nov. 15, and moves into the holiday season with two combined concerts with the DC Chamber Singers the first weekend in December. The spring season will open Thursday, March 3, with their ever-popular pops concert, featuring music from hit movies. Last year’s performance featured visitors from the “Dark Side” and more special guests will be heard at the upcoming show. A concert on Friday, April 22, will include skilled soloists and feature music from classical composers such as Berlioz, Bizet, Dvorak, Respighi, and contemporary composer Eric Whitacre. All of the orchestra concerts are free and open to the public.
Defiance College invites anyone interested to become part of the music tradition by joining one of these musical groups. Each ensemble is comprised of Defiance College students, community members, and music educators from throughout the Northwest Ohio region. All experience levels, from beginner to expert, are welcome to join. Rehearsals for each ensemble are held on the Defiance College campus in Schauffler Hall room 117. Each group rehearses one night a week: choir on Monday, band on Tuesday, and orchestra on Thursday. Full season commitments are not required.
For information on the music programs at Defiance College, how to join a community ensemble, or to view the performance schedule, visit www.defiance.edu/music, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DefianceCollegeMusicPrograms or contact Andrew Schultz at aschultz@defiance.edu. The Defiance Community Cultural Council also has an arts calendar of events at www.defiancearts.org.
Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.
