Valley interfaith choir to present Christmas cantata Sunday in Hubbard

HUBBARD

Members of Simple Gifts Interfaith Choir follow different religious traditions but are one voice in “singing praises” to the Lord.

The choir is rehearsing a Christmas cantata, “Lead Me Back to Bethlehem,” to be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Hubbard, 22 Westview Ave. Light refreshments will follow the performance. Those attending are asked to donate a nonperishable item for Hubbard Food Bank.

Paige Lape is employed by the church as its music director; by day, she is a bookkeeper with Century-Fournier in Youngstown.

“The interfaith choir has been developing since 2009,” said Lape, a member of St. Patrick Church in Youngstown. She had asked a few friends to help out with the church choir for special events. “Then they started asking other singers they knew.” Lape said the interfaith choir evolved “from word of mouth” among friends who sing.

Last year, Lape said, the church hosted a concert and later Randall Craig Fleischer, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra director, asked the interfaith choir to sing with the YSO. At times, there have been as many 70 singers involved; the Christmas cantata will have 52.

The music director said the canata by Pepper Choplin is “new music for some, and others are familiar with it.” Choplin is a composer, conductor and humorist who is contributing to contemporary church music.

Read more about the program in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.