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Simple Gifts Interfaith Choir will present Christmas cantata Sunday
By LINDA M. LINONIS
HUBBARD
Members of Simple Gifts Interfaith Choir follow various 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 cantata 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. “Lead Me Back to Bethlehem,” Lape said, is all music with no dramatic segments.
Lape said she hopes those attending the presentation will appreciate the special message of Christmas. “It contains some sentimental pieces,” she said.
Though Lape directs the choir, she credited assistance of various participants with making the choir what it is. They help at rehearsals and include Karen Considine, regular church choir accompanist; Donna Fox, organist at New Bedford Evangelical Presbyterian Church; Susanne Mayerchak, organist at Disciples Christian Church in Boardman and New Life Lutheran in Liberty; Emilie Eberth, a music minister at Christ the Good Shepherd Parish in Campbell; and Tammy Howard and Carol Medford of Hubbard Presbyterian. Gary Bateman of New Life Lutheran Church will narrate the cantata. The interfaith choir rehearses when it has a performance planned and meets at the Hubbard church. The church choir continues its role at First Presbyterian and members also sing in the interfaith choir.
“I believe the choir members are directed by their faith to be involved,” Lape said. “They sing as a testimony to the Lord. By doing so, they bring hope and the light of Christ through music.”
Linda Savach sing in the interfaith choir. “I learned about it through a friend,” she said. “I fell in love with how they sing together and the harmonies.”
The member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hermitage, Pa., added, “There is so much talent in this choir ... it is a blessing.”
Savach said she has a love of music that motivates her to be involved; she served as the first executive director of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in Sharon, Pa.
She sings with the choir at First Presbyterian and plays bells at Holy Trinity. Savach credited Lape with the choir’s sound. “It’s how she interprets the music and the way to sound. She’s very dynamic.” She added Lape’s enthusiasm is contagious and choir members really get into the music. “I like the fact that everyone helps everyone. You want to boost your fellow singers,” Savach said, adding that choir members harmonize musically and personally.
Gary Greene, a New Bedford Evangelical Presbyterian Church member, said he has been singing with the interfaith choir since 2010. “I like the sound of the choir,” he said. “Paige is a good director.”
Greene said he continues to participate because he “really likes the music.” He said since the choir brings together people of many faiths, it’s a way “to get to know other people and enjoy camaraderie.”
“We sing for the same reason ... praising the Lord,” he said.