Beethoven Fest

Beethoven Fest
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown Musica Sacra will present a Beethoven Fest at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 13 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave.
The program, a service of morning prayer, is part of the Dana Concert Series of Youngstown State University and includes choirs of St. John's Episcopal Church, St. Columba Cathedral, the YSU Dana Chorale, and singers from the greater Youngstown area and faculty and students from YSU, all under the direction of Ronald L. Gould, organist and choirmaster at St. John's, and Hae-Jong Lee, conductor of the YSU Chorale. The Y.M.S. Chamber Orchestra, which includes musicians from the Youngstown Symphony, Warren Chamber Orchestra and faculty and students from the Dana School of Music, will be directed by John Wilcox, concertmaster. The organist is Daniel W. Laginya, director of music at St. Columba.
Music will include Beethoven's Mass in C Major, the "Hallelujah Chorus," and "The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God."
Soloists will include sopranos Patricia Boehm, Elizabeth Malys, Suzanne Rudnytsky and Misook Yun; alto Olena Jatsyshyn; tenor Leonard Suzelis; and bass Thomas Scurich.
The event is free and open to the public. The church is handicap-accessible, and free parking is available in the church lot and at the public library and YSU lot immediately north of the church on Wick Avenue. For more information, call (330) 743-3175.
Award-winning choir
YOUNGSTOWN -- Greater Friendship Baptist Church won its second consecutive McDonald's Gospel Choir Competition at the Allen Theatre in Cleveland in a sing-off with Second Zion Spiritual Youth Mass Choir of Cleveland. Greater Friendship, one of about 20 choirs in the contest, sponsored by the McDonald's Owner/Operators of Northeastern Ohio, received a $1,000 cash prize, a professional demo recording and a crystal vase trophy. The Second Zion choir received $500, and HIS Ministry Choir and Orchestra of Aurora received $300 for third place.
Gospel groups perform
CANTON -- Two award-winning Southern gospel singing groups with roots in the nationally known group Cathedral Quartet, Legacy Five and Greater Vision, will appear Nov. 2 at 1:30 and 7 p.m. at Canton Palace Theatre.
Legacy Five was organized by Roger Bennett, the Cathedral Quartet's longtime pianist, and its baritone, Scott Fowler. In its first eight months, Singing News Magazine nominated Legacy Five for eight awards, and Bennett was voted pianist of the year at the 2002 Singing News Fans Awards.
Greater Vision, featuring former Cathedral lead singer Gerald Wolfe, was awarded favorite video and album of the year for 2002.
The groups will perform individually and combined, and the concert will be recorded as a live video. Jay (Jaybird) Drennan of Stow, former radio and TV personality, is the master of ceremonies.
Tickets, which range from $13.50 to $16, may be bought by calling the Palace box office at (330) 454-8172, or in person at Berean Christian Stores in Canton or Montrose. For more information, call J.L.G. Ministries at (330) 753-9751.
Pacific Garden Mission
VIENNA -- A gospel team from Pacific Garden Mission will sing and give testimony at Liberty Bible Church, 2111 Sodom-Hutchings Road, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Pacific Garden Mission, known for its long-running radio drama "Unshackled," provides housing, food and clothing and medical care to people in need, and has Polish, jail and Bible education ministries. Call (330) 638-1578 for more information.
Catholic youth retreat
NORTH CANTON -- Diocese of Youngstown Bishop Thomas Tobin will celebrate Mass at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 17 as part of the Youth 2000 Retreat at Walsh University, 2020 Easton St. N.W. The retreat is from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Nov. 15; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 16; and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 17. The fee is $30 per person, and financial assistance is available for those in need. The retreat is open to all youths in the dioceses of Youngstown, Steubenville, Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. To register, call (330) 484-5791.