43
Mahoning Valley Chorale presents boo-tiful Halloween concert
YOUNGSTOWN
Pumpkins, an escaped prisoner, the “Grim Reaper,” a couple of angels, and “Mother Nature,” joined by their costumed friends of the Mahoning Valley Chorale, invaded St. Patrick Church on Saturday to sing an audience of about 200 into the mood for trick-or-treat.
Under the direction of Kris Harper, dressed in a red dress and blond wig from an unidentified Halloween collection, the chorale’s first half was filled with familiar show tunes with eerie themes.
To the delight of the audience, the 40-member chorale performed “This Is Halloween” from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Night Noises,” “All I Ask of You” and “Music of the Night,” both from “Phantom of the Opera,” and “This Is the Moment” from “Jekyll & Hyde.”
After intermission, the chorale brought back memories by singing “In the Sorcerer’s Hall,” “A
Thousand Years,” “Spooky,” and some tunes that became well-known pop tunes – “Purple People Eater,” “Monster Mash,” and “Ghostbusters,” from the movie of the same name.
A highlight of the event was a parade of 15 to 20 kids in costume who went trick-or-treating at the church after showing off their Halloween finery.
Rick Billak and Karyn Rovder, both of Austintown and members of St. Pat’s, said they particularly enjoyed that the chorale members came out in costume.
They planned to continue their Halloween celebration by dressing up as a 1920s couple and attending a party at Rachel’s Restaurant in Austintown, they said.
Kate Pavlich of Canfield, a soprano in the chorale, said it’s a lot of fun dressing in costume, and her friends – Susan Silvashy and Sherry Ogrodnik, both of Canfield, who came to support Kate – said they enjoyed the concert.
“I thought it was great,” Ogrodnik said.
The idea of the concert was to attract more children and young adults to the chorale’s concerts with fun songs, said Harper, who has directed the group, formerly called Seraphim, for 10 years.
“They are a fantastic group of people,” Harper said.
The next chance to hear the chorale will be at its Christmas concert, “A Gospel Christmas,” at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 6 at the church, 1420 Oak Hill Ave., presented as part of St. Patrick’s Sunday, Sauce and Song Concert Series. Howard Howell, a local jazz artist, will be guest performer.