Choir plans 51st season with auditions, temporary rehearsal space

Auditions for the Coshocton Community Choir’s new season will be held the last week of August at the Choir’s office: 1035 Walnut Street. A prepared song is not required.

 "There are openings in all sections (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass), but we especially need first and second sopranos, as well as first and second tenors," shared Charles R. Snyder, the choir's founder and conductor.

To make an audition appointment, call 740-623-0554.  If there is no answer, please leave a message with your name and phone number.  Rehearsals for the December 4 concert, 'O Come, Let Us Adore',  will begin on Sunday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m.

The Coshocton Community Choir has had members from across the state of Ohio. Singers in last season's  50th anniversary edition of the Community Choir came from Coshocton and nine other counties.  

Auditions for the school-aged ensembles, the Coshocton Singers and the Coshocton Youth Chorale, will be held after the Coshocton County Fair.

The Community Choir has also announced it will rehearse this season at Coshocton’s Emmanuel Lutheran Church, located at 1500 Pleasant Valley Drive, Coshocton; while Grace United Methodist Church rebuilds after its May fire. 

"We began rehearsing at Grace Church last season once we resumed rehearsals after Covid cases let up," shared Gordon Kendall, Community Choir Board President,  "and we do plan to return there once the church has been rebuilt.  "I am so thankful that Emmanuel Lutheran Church offered their facilities as a temporary home until Grace Church is available again.    On behalf of the entire Community Choir, thank you Coshocton and surrounding areas for your patience and continued support."

"We had been discussing at the church ways we could use our facility more for the community," shared Pastor Bryan Kittner of Emmanuel Lutheran Church.  "We felt this opportunity to open our church up to the Community Choir at this time for their rehearsal space was a great fit and ties in well with our church's mission."

"The Coshocton Community Choir brings the spirit of worship into the public which is awesome!" continued Kittner.  "At their concerts, the heavens seem to open up for a few moments which is so inspiring.  We are so happy to be able to serve the Choir in this way and help them with their rehearsal space needs."

The Coshocton Community Choir actually has ties to Coshocton's Emmanuel Lutheran Church.   The choir’s founder, Charles R. Snyder, was the director of Emmanuel’s Junior Choir soon after he returned to Coshocton to teach in 1970.  Beginning two years later, Snyder also led Emmanuel’s Senior Choir from 1972-1976, prior to being hired by The Presbyterian Church in late 1976.  By 1973, Emmanuel Lutheran Church had left its historic building at 7th and Walnut Streets and moved to its new building at 1500 Pleasant Valley Drive.  In December, 1973, the Coshocton  Community Choir sang Handel’s 'Messiah' for a capacity audience at the brand new Emmanuel Lutheran Church location.

To contact the Coshocton Community Choir call 740-623-0554, or email: coshoctoncommunitychoir@gmail.com.  Call today for an audition time.

 The choir office is located at 1035 Walnut Street (rear entrance), Coshocton.   Learn more about the Coshocton Community Choir on Facebook or at www.coshoctoncommunitychoir.org.  

Choir announces the presentation of the 2022 Barbara Bachert Scholarship

The Coshocton Community Choir announces the presentation of the 2022 Barbara Bachert Scholarship to Liam Stevens-Woolery.  Stevens-Woolery is the son of Cheryl Stevens and Michael Woolery.  He is a 2022 graduate and valedictorian of River View High School.  He has been a member of the Coshocton Community Choir's Coshocton Singers and  Coshocton Youth Chorale; and also sang in the Cardinal Chorale. 

Stevens-Woolery's high school musical activities included marching band, symphonic band, Caribbean steel drum ensemble, jazz band, pep band, chamber choir, concert choir, and Certified Gold.  He was a member of choir council and band council serving as the Band President.   He was also a member of National Honor Society; Speech and Debate; Chess Club; Science Fair Club; German Honor Society; DMUN and served as Class Secretary.  

Stevens-Woolery participated in Coshocton County Youth Leadership and is an Eagle Scout.  In the fall, he will be attending Miami University in the Exploratory program in the Honors College.

This year’s Barbara Bachert's  Scholarship is presented in honor of longtime Coshocton Community Choir members Steve and Karen Hildreth for the many lives they have touched through their support and encouragement of music in the community. Steve joined the Coshocton  Community Choir in 1986, the same year he began teaching band for Newcomerstown Exempted Village Schools.  The next year, Karen joined the choir.

Steve is a graduate of Norton High School with degrees from The Ohio State University and Ashland University.  He was a member of the OSU Marching Band, tuba ensembles, University Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Military Band.  During his tenure at Newcomerstown, he encouraged a number of his students to join him in the Coshocton Community Choir.  In his 30+ year teaching career in rural, suburban, and urban settings, Steve taught vocal and instrumental music grades 5-12 and music technology.  He retired in 2017 and began a new career helping with technology for the Licking County Library system.

Karen Hildreth is a graduate of Hopewell-Loudon High School and Terra Technical College.  She worked as an office assistant in several medical practices before their move to Pataskala.  She is a cafeteria supervisor for Licking Heights School District.  Karen participated in the All-Ohio Youth Choir and both she and Steve served on the staff.

From 2002-2017, the Hildreths not only made the 58 mile trek (each way) from their home in Pataskala on Sunday evenings for  Coshocton Community Choir rehearsals; but also on Tuesdays (and sometimes Thursdays)  to bring their children – Katie, AJ, and Emma – to Coshocton Singers and Coshocton Youth Chorale rehearsals.

For more information about the Coshocton Community Choir, visit www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org, find them on Facebook, or call 740-623-0554.

50th Anniversary Series: The Fifth Decade – 2012 - 2022

The Coshocton Community Choir, founded by and conducted by Charles R. Snyder is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season. A celebration concert will be held on Sunday, April 24. Here’s a look back at the fifth decade of the choir.

The 2012 Christmas concert theme was “Light Has Come!” “It would be the final collaboration between Dr. Allan Zagray and me, as Allan died the following April,” Snyder said. “His gifts in leadership and crafting the concert narration were deeply appreciated.”

February 2013, The All-Ohio Youth Choir made its final visit to Coshocton for the combined Winter Pops Concert, “Keep the Dream Alive.” One hundred and fifty-four singers from around the state were joined by the community choir in McKinley Auditorium. “Bravi to the community choir members for organizing the housing and meals for the All-Ohio Youth Choir and staff for 20 years,” Snyder said.

“On June 12, 2013, the community choir went on a ‘field trip’ by coach to Columbus, where we heard the Tabernacle Choir,” Snyder said. “The glorious music will be remembered – as will the severe storms and tornado warnings on the return trip.”

Chad J. Putka, a youth choir staff member, arrived in the fall of 2013 for an internship with Snyder, and the blessings of that partnership touched the three community choirs, as well as the music ministry at The Coshocton Presbyterian Church.

The 2013 Christmas concert, “The Christmas Rose,” was the last year the choir sang both an afternoon and an evening concert, but the choir continued to sing a reprise the following weekend in Newcomerstown. The Rev. Richard K. Hoover, who penned the concert narration in 2009, agreed to take over that responsibility.

For the first time, Snyder missed concerts. “A fall on ice on Nov. 22, 2014, resulted in a severely fractured ankle, and I was told to ‘stay down’ for 10 weeks before starting physical therapy,” said Snyder. “Assistant director Jennifer A. Sper and intern Chad Putka filled in for both Coshocton and Newcomerstown Christmas concerts.”

Day by Day, the 2015 spring concerts were held at New Philadelphia United Methodist Church and reprised at Coshocton. In his last Coshocton Community Choir concert, Chad Putka sang the solo on a rousing arrangement of “Bless This House.”

The choir’s 45th anniversary celebration was held in the Coshocton Presbyterian Church’s fellowship hall. Choir Board President Beth Nelson headed the 2016 celebration, which included a photo booth and a choral flash mob.

The 2016 Christmas Concert featured a live tableau, and Choir alumna Heather Stewart recruited, costumed, and directed the players. The Coshocton High School auditorium was packed, and the youth chorale singers were moved to chairs in front of the stage to make more room for audience members.

On Christmas Eve 2018, the choir’s Christmas CD was broadcast over WTNS Radio. and resonated with choir members and listeners alike. That winter, the choir experienced the unexpected losses of alumnus Jim Humphrey and member Travis Alberts.

“In the spring of 2019, the choir celebrated Dickie Barrick’s 35th anniversary as our accompanist,” Snyder said, “A reception was held in her honor after rehearsal.”

“In November of its 49th season, Lee Bown announced her retirement after 35 years of dedicated service as our business manager,” Snyder said. “She left an indelible mark on the choir and its many patrons.”

In early March 2020, the choir was in the middle of rehearsing when the pandemic hit. “There was no spring concert for the first time since we began in 1977,” Snyder said, “We wondered how long this might last.”

The choir had a new mission: to stay connected with each other while being separated. Snyder sent song clips and ‘thoughts for the day’ to encourage and inspire choir members during the hiatus.

Though schools were closed, the Bachert scholarship applications were emailed, and two scholarships were awarded in honor of Lee Bown and supporter Nancy Porteus.

Since then, the Choir has moved to a new office space and moved the choir’s extensive music library and rehearsals to Grace United Methodist Church.

The choir prepared two virtual concerts – one on April 25, 2021, and another on Dec. 5, 2021. And finally, on Feb. 20, 2022, the choir sang four pieces with the Cardinal Chorale at Grace United Methodist Church, while physically distanced and masked.  “A large audience came to enjoy hearing live music,” Snyder said.

When the choir’s 50th anniversary concert is presented on Sunday, April 24, 2022, it will be the first they have sung a full concert in McKinley Auditorium since Dec. 8, 2019.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration Concert Glory and Honor, will be held on Sunday, April 24, at 3 p.m. at Coshocton High School’s McKinley Auditorium. Tickets for the concert are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available to purchase online at www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org or at the door on concert day. For information, call the choir office at 740-623-0554.

50th Anniversary Series: The Fourth Decade – 2001 - 2011

The Coshocton Community Choir, founded by and conducted by Charles R. Snyder is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season.  A celebration concert will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium.  Here's a look back at the fourth decade of the choir.

All Creation Sings was the title of the Community Choir’s 40th Christmas concert in 2001, and the 15th Christmas festival concert.  "River View High School’s Certified Gold Chorale was our guest for that concert," shared Snyder, "and the two choirs sang an antiphonal setting of the carol, 'While by My Sheep'."

Also that year, The Coshocton Singers, grades 4-8, celebrated its 15th anniversary at the spring concerts.

On July 2, 2001, the Community Choir traveled to Lakeside on Lake Erie, and sang a concert to an enthusiastic crowd in Hoover Auditorium.  "We were billed as 'Another of the many favorites from last season!' exclaimed Snyder.

The Christmas concerts in 2002 were the last for narrator Kay Finnegan, who had filled that role with class for more than fifteen years. 

After years of 8th graders asking if there could be a high school choir in the Community Choir family, it finally happened in the spring of 2003 with the formation of the Coshocton Youth Chorale.  After the concerts, Youth Chorale members asked to have another concert of their own, and Roscoe United Methodist opened their doors for those concerts.  

In June 2003, the Community Choir was invited back to Lakeside for a third year. 

"At the 2003 Christmas concerts we launched 'carols in the round' and the choir was divided into six smaller groups, spread around the auditorium," shared Snyder.  "Although this setup is challenging for the singers, it is a joy for the audience."

Also that year, Lyn Mizer organized a campaign to 'unsqueak' the 915 Coshocton High School auditorium seats, and recruited 42 volunteers to help.  

In 2005, after 34 years at the helm of the Community Choir, Snyder took a leave to recharge his batteries.  For those five months, he was at Muskingum College, filling in for Professor Robert Owen Jones, who was on his own sabbatical.

Snyder had been writing the narration for the Christmas concerts for twenty years, and in 2005 he asked Dr. Allan Zagray, retired pastor of Grace United Methodist Church to take over that role  

In May, 2006, the Coshocton Youth Chorale was invited to sing for the unveiling of the new sculpture at the Public Library.  That June, the Community Choir was invited to sing at Lakeside again, and were welcomed by a large and enthusiastic crowd.

In 2007, the Columbus Symphony selected Snyder as Community Music Educator of the Year, and 45 friends, family members, colleagues, present and former students gathered for the occasion.

The choir had performed their Christmas concert for five years at Dresden Presbyterian Church. "Then in 2009, we began a new tradition of singing ourChristmas concert at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Newcomerstown," shared Snyder. 

While the choir normally holds music when they sing, there are times when it’s better without it – especially if you’re walking in a procession.  So Snyder keeps after the Choir to memorize a few pieces. 

"Some altos in 2011, were not so eager to memorize the processional music," recalled Snyder.  "A couple of them realized they would be on the stage before they had to sing, and thought they would set the words on the instrumentalists' music stands where they could see it and not have to learn the music.  A 'totally innocent' alto with neat printing, was conscripted into writing the text for them and placing it on the stands.   That 'totally innocent' alto may have 'accidentally' let the plan slip to me, and I will neither confirm nor deny that before the concert, I took great delight in rearranging their pages of text, so they were in the wrong order!"

"In 2012, my sister Cherie and I were at Lakeside for some rare sibling time," shared Snyder.  "One evening we went to a symphony concert. We arrived early, and a few minutes later three folks came in and sat in front of us.  Soon we heard Coshocton…, and our ears perked up.  They were talking about our recent Community Choir concert at Lakeside and how wonderful it had been!  They were surprised that it was a community group.  'Coshocton can’t be that big,' one said.  'How do you think something so wonderful could come from such a small place?'  Cherie and I exchanged looks and smiled but didn’t give in to the temptation to speak. In a time when it’s hard to remember what we had for lunch, it’s quite a tribute to hear folks exuding about something they heard ten or twelve days earlier!"

 Find more information about the Coshocton Community Choir and their upcoming concert on Sunday, April 24, at www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org.    If you are a choir alumni and haven't yet received information about the 50th Anniversary Celebration, call the choir's office at 740-623-0554

50th Anniversary Series: The Third Decade – 1992-2002

The Coshocton Community Choir, founded by and conducted by Charles R. Snyder is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season.  A celebration concert will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium.  Here's a look back at the early years of the choir - the third decade.

"Members of the Community Choir were excited to sing anthems we commissioned for the 1991 Christmas concert: Hal Hopson’s 'Christmas Fanfare and Processional', and Michael Burkhardt’s setting of 'Arise, Behold the Light'," recalled Snyder. 

While some of its members had played for previous concerts, The Roscoe Brass made its official debut at the 1991 Christmas concerts.  The quintet has become integral in the Choir’s concerts and outreach, and several also sing in the Choir.

By 1991, the Children’s Choir had grown from 33 to 70 singers.  Teachers Jeff Gill and Diana Marlatt were lifelines as they took care of many behind the scenes items including the Children's Choir shirts and getting the Children's Choir members to and from the stage during performances.

In the letter Norman and Helen Wright wrote for the Community Choir's 1992 Annual Fund, they shared: “Since it began as a choral dream in 1971, the 100-voice choir (grown from the original 35) has become one of the cultural focuses of our community and state.  To our knowledge, the choir is unique: we do not know of another community choir of this size, ability, and versatility, and who rehearse with such regularity and dedication – 2 hours each Sunday evening for eight months of the year.”

On Holy Saturday, 1992, Snyder was confirmed as the new music director of the All-Ohio Youth Choir.  After the death of that choir’s founder, Glenville Thomas, Snyder was chosen from more than sixty applicants.  Thus began a new chapter for the Coshocton Community Choir as 105 members from the 1992 All-Ohio Youth Choir converged in Coshocton in February 1993, for a weekend reunion and a joint concert with the Community Choir.  That tradition would continue for twenty years.   

Artist Tom Kulewicz designed his first spring choir logo for the 1993 concert, and he continues to design concert logos to this day for the Community Choir.  Those who come to the Choir’s 50th anniversary concert on April 24 at will see a display of all the covers he’s designed for the Choir.

For the second half of the 1994 Christmas concert, 'Star of Wonder', the Choir presented the Christmas one-act opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors.  The ambitious undertaking involved 31 singing shepherds, 3 high school dancers, 6 cast members, and 12 instrumentalists. The whole choir sang the farewell. Jeff Gill was the dramatic and production director.

Selling Texas Manor Fruitcakes became a Coshocton Community Choir major fundraiser for a number of years, and the tasty fruitcakes were delivered before Thanksgiving each year.  

In 1997, the American Boychoir made another visit to Coshocton as part of the Dogwood Festival of the Arts. The concert was held at The Coshocton Presbyterian Church, and 37 members of the Community Choir, and 30 members of the Coshocton Children’s Choir also participated. Pianist Dickie Barrick, and Don Kason, Paul Ring, and Steve Hildreth – members of The Roscoe Brass - also participated.  After the concert, 5th grader Ryan McPeek from Coshocton successfully auditioned for the Boychoir.

On December 5, 1997, Paul J. Christiansen, legendary 20th century choral titan, and founder and director of the Concordia Choir, died just hours before his choir's annual Christmas Concert.    "Because Paul J. Christiansen and his choir had made such an impact on me and the Coshocton Community Choir, we dedicated our spring 1998 concert to him and his legacy," shared Snyder. 

The Community Choir sang a group of masterworks that he had edited, a set of his original compositions, a set of arrangements he completed of hymns and spirituals, and concluded with a group of works he composed or arranged for the Coshocton Community Choir. In addition to the two spring concerts in Coshocton, the Community Choir also took the tribute spring concert to Zion Lutheran Church in Wooster.

In 1999, the Community Choir’s audition tape to sing for the Ohio Choral Directors Association was selected, and the choir got to sing for their summer conference at Cleveland State University.

Also in 1999, two members of the Coshocton Children’s Choir, Josh Chaney and John Pollock, successfully auditioned for the National Honor Boychoir that rehearsed and performed for the American Choral Directors Association in Chicago. The 250-voice choir was drawn from all parts of the country.

"In 2001, the Choir was invited to sing on the prestigious concert series in Hoover Auditorium at Lakeside on Lake Erie," said Snyder. "What an honor that was for us!"

If you are a choir alumni and haven't yet received information about the 50th Anniversary Celebration, call the choir's office at 740-623-0554.  Find more information about the Coshocton Community Choir and their upcoming concert on Sunday, April 24, at www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org.

50th Anniversary Series: The Second Decade – 1982-1992

The Coshocton Community Choir, founded by and conducted by Charles R. Snyder is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season.  A celebration concert will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium.  Here's a look back at the early years of the choir - the second decade.

In the early 1980s, the choir commissioned artist Suzanne Smailes Clark to design their logo, and suggested St. Andrew’s cross.  "Her classic adaptation was simple and elegant, and proclaimed our purpose and mission: to worship God through song," shared Snyder. 

The growing Choir needed more organization, and the first officers were elected: Donna Dolick, president; Dave Bown, vice-president; Kathy Rockey, secretary; Becky Lerch, treasurer; Lizzie Horst, librarian; and Judy Pingle and Sharon Sutton, publicity.  Other officers chosen were Jan Kinder, Patty Thompson, Jim Bundy, and Ed Duling, section leaders; Roger Foster, properties manager; Cherie Snyder, robe manager; and Ann Leppla and Tom Rockey, publicity committee. Helen Wright continued as accompanist.

"In February, 1982, we sponsored Paul Christiansen’s Concordia Choir in concert at McKinley Auditorium," recalled Snyder.  "The community’s welcome was enthusiastic, and the impact on the Community Choir was immediate: the sound of our choir reflected what they had heard, and more people auditioned to join us!"

That summer, the Choir was invited to join the Coshocton County Community Band for a summer concert on the Courtsquare.  The tradition would continue for eight years.

In the fall, conductor Snyder spent seven weeks studying with Dr. Christiansen at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.  "To attract more listeners, Dr. Christiansen suggested we move our concerts from churches to public auditoriums and sell tickets," said Snyder.  "While we were skeptical, we decided to try.  We planned two performances at the Triple Lock Theatre.  The concerts were sold out!"

The first financial drive was successful. The Choir took its first road trip, and sang their Christmas concert at Trinity United Methodist Church in Mt. Gilead.

Dickie Rohrer was welcomed as accompanist in 1983, and the Choir’s Christmas concert attracted 800 listeners.  "Lee Bown became our choir manager in 1984, and her ideas and enthusiasm were contagious!," said Snyder.  "Ron Little was appointed assistant conductor that fall." 

Robes, risers, and a choir shell were made possible in 1984, thanks to a grant from the Coshocton Foundation, and gifts from Ed and Frances Montgomery, and Seward and Edith Schooler.

In April, 1985, choir friend, attorney Harold E. Hunt, filed the papers for their non-profitincorporation status. In the fall of 1985, the Choir had its first auditions, as nearly 100 singers expressed interest in singing. With Lee Bown on board, the Choir had its first organized Annual Fund drive. They also sang for the Ohio Choral Directors Association’s fall at Salt Fork.  In December the Choir offered Christmas concerts at 3:00 and 7:30 p.m., and the audience grew to 1,100.

In February of 1986, the Concordia Choir was in Coshocton for two days.  The morning after the concert, Dr. Christiansen worked with the massed choir (300 high school and adult singers), and critiqued performances by the Coshocton High School Choir and a Community Choir ensemble. Afterwards, he led his choir in several spirituals. Spirits were high!

"For our 15th anniversary that year, we had a concert at the Coshocton Presbyterian Church, singing the first half in the multi-colored church choir robes, and changing into our new robes for the second half," shared Snyder. 

Later that year, the Choir and the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra (SEOSO) performed in Coshocton, and Snyder conducted the combined ensembles. The Choir also sang an a cappella concert in the glorious acoustic of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Somerset.

The Choir had its first Christmas festival concert in 1987, with narration, a painted backdrop, and an instrumental ensemble for 1,350 listeners.  In the spring, they performed again with the SEOSO, now conducted by Dr. John Kolpitcke.

The first Coshocton Children’s Choir made its debut in 1988. The 33 singers wowed the audience!  The Choir’s first Bachert scholarships were presented to two graduates in the spring. 

Thomas E. Havelka was appointed assistant conductor that fall, and the Choir took its Christmas concert to St. John’s Lutheran Church, and sang to a full house.

The Choir sponsored a concert by The American Boychoir, preceded by an assembly for 1,100 area third and fourth graders. The result: 7th and 8th graders lobbied to have two more years in the Children’s Choir!

If you are a choir alumni and haven't yet received information about the 50th Anniversary Celebration, call the choir's office at 740-623-0554.  Find more information about the Coshocton Community Choir, at www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org.

50th Anniversary Series: The First Ten Years – 1971-1982

The Coshocton Community Choir, founded by and conducted by Charles R. Snyder is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season.  A celebration concert will be held on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium.  Here's a look back at the early years of the choir.

There doesn’t seem to be a printed history of community choral groups in Coshocton County, but we know that a concert featuring Mendelssohn’s oratorio, Elijah, was presented in 1905 at the Presbyterian Church.

In the mid-1960s, Frank Brownstead, director of music at the Presbyterian Church, launched two performances of Handel’s Messiah (1964), and the Brahms’ Requiem (1965).  All three relied on singers from the community. In 1968, the Coshocton Music Club organized the Community Chorus, a group that provided musical entertainment for community functions.  The Chorus became inactive in 1970.

"I returned to Coshocton in the fall of 1970 to teach at the newly-opened Middle School," said Snyder.   "When asked if I would take over as the director of the Community Chorus, I declined.  Being the children’s choir director and Scoutmaster at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, as well as teaching, I felt my plate was full."

Early in the fall of 1971, Snyder met with the City Schools superintendent, Roy McKinley, and shared his vision for a more permanent choral ensemble for Coshocton County.  McKinley encouraged his efforts and pledged a rehearsal room at the Middle School.  The first choir had 35 singers, and included parents of his students, fellow teachers, members of his church and Scout troop, and some singers from the previous community chorus.

400 were in the audience at Grace United Methodist Church for the debut performance of the Coshocton Community Choir!  The musical menu was the Christmas portion of Messiah, with organ, string quartet, harpsichord, oboes, trumpets, local soloists, and a Columbus organist.

The 1972 second season included a joint Christmas concert at Grace United Methodist Church featuring the Community Choir, as well as the Community Band, conducted by Richard McCluggage. The following week, the Choir presented Messiah at Grace Church, and Helen Wright was the organist.

Messiah was again the musical menu for the 1973 third season, and eight strings enriched the sound of the orchestra.  The Columbus organist got lost on Pleasant Valley Drive, and arrived twenty minutes late to Emmanuel Lutheran Church.  Although they tried, the Choir was still not able to attract enough singers for a spring concert.

Snyder had a new job the following season, which didn’t leave time for rehearsals or concerts in 1974.  But the Choir gathered 54 singers in the fall of 1975 and sang for the community Thanksgiving service at St. John’s United Church of Christ.

Sensing his disappointment, Coshocton Presbyterian Church organist Helen Wright visited Snyder at the Scout Camp in the summer of 1976.  She encouraged him to continue with the Choir, and offered to be the accompanist and business manager. She offered The Presbyterian Church for rehearsals and the Christmas concert, and her expertise made a huge difference:  there were 78 singers, and 800 in the audience! 

That was the first season there was also a spring concert, and featured parts II and III of Messiah at Grace United Methodist Church.  Those concerts, and many that followed, were sponsored and partially funded by the Coshocton County Council of Churches.

The 1977-78 season again included Messiah at The Presbyterian Church and field-tested a concert of largely a cappella selections at St John’s UCC.  The concerts in 1978-1979 were again at St, John’s, and were largely a cappella, though Helen Wright and Patty Thompson supplied organ support.

The next few seasons saw the Choir singing for more community appearances: the Roscoe Village Candlelighting, a community Good Friday service, and an Easter sunrise service.

In 1981, 23 choir members joined Snyder in traveling to Columbus to hear The Concordia Choir at Capital University. It tuned their ears!  The 1981/1982 season included sponsoring the Concordia Choir in a Coshocton concert. The Community Choir sang the closing concert for FESTIVAL II: Religion and the Arts, where they premiered Garry Cornell’s commissioned “In Glad Adoration.”

If you are a choir alumni and haven't yet received information about the 50th Anniversary Celebration, call the choir's office at 740-623-0554.  Find more information about the Coshocton Community Choir, at www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org.

2022 Bachert Scholarship application now available

Applications for the Coshocton Community Choir Bachert scholarship are now available (download here) and are due April 8, 2022. Named for Barbara Bachert, one of the choir’s most generous benefactors, the scholarship has been presented annually since 1988 to a Coshocton County high school senior or a current/former member of the Community Choir to enable further musical study.  The $1,000 scholarship is presented in honor of a retired Coshocton County music teacher or individual(s) who have contributed to the cultural life of the Coshocton area.  

The Coshocton Community Choir is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this season. Watch for more details about their celebration concert on April 24, 2022. 

Applications for the Coshocton Community Scholarships are due back by April 8, 2022, and may be obtained from local high school guidance counselors or on the choir’s website at www.coshoctoncommunitychoir.org.  

Choirs to 'Live Into Hope' April 28

The Coshocton Community Choir's Live into Hope Spring Concert will be held on Sunday, April 28 at 3:00 p.m.at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium.

Now in its 48th season, the Community Choir was organized in 1971 by its director, Charles R. Snyder, a longtime Coshocton teacher, choral director, and church musician. Snyder says the theme for this concert, Live into Hope, was inspired by focusing on the hope of the spring season.

"Alexander Pope wrote 'Hope springs eternal in the human heart'," shared Snyder. "Budding trees, the first spring flowers, and the message of Easter always fill me with hope. A hymn text by Jane Parker Huber proclaims: 'Live into hope, the blind shall see with insight and clarity, removing shades of pride and fear – a vision of our God brought near'. I believe words of hope put to music have the power to lift us from fear and worry. I believe this concert, strengthened by words of hope and the Easter message of love will fill listeners’ hearts with joy. I’ve seen the difference it’s made in the Choir as we’ve been rehearsing."

The choir program explores a wide mix of songs in a variety of styles. Songs suggested by Community Choir members for this concert include Wagner’s 'Pilgrim’s Chorus', Haydn’s 'The Heavens Are Telling' [from The Creation], and Randall Thompson’s 'The Last Words of David'.

"For me, Mendelssohn’s setting of Psalm 43 trumpets the hope message: O my soul, why be full of sorrow, and why remain deep in despair? Hope in the Lord! God is my redeemer and savior, and my Lord God," added Snyder.

"A new arrangement of the beloved spiritual, 'I’ve Got Peace Like a River' and Eric Nelson’s setting of 'It Is Well With My Soul' have recharged our hope batteries as we’ve been rehearsing them," said Snyder. "And I know the audience will enjoy joining the three choirs in singing 'When the Saints Go Marching In'. It’s a real toe tapper!"

Toward the end of the spring concert each year, former choir members in the audience are invited to join the choir on the stage to sing Dr. Christiansen’s arrangement of 'This Is My Father’s World', and 'The Lord Bless You and Keep You'.

"During the Coshocton Singers portion of the concert, we also invite former Children's Choir (Coshocton Singers) members in the audience to join the choir on stage as they sing 'I'm Goin Up-a Yonder' and 'Blessing'," said Snyder.

There are over 200 musicians from throughout central Ohio who participate in this concert including the adult choir; The Coshocton Singers (grades 4 through 8), the Coshocton Youth Chorale (grades 9 through 12), instrumentalists Dickie Barrick and Mark Wagner on piano; and the Roscoe Brass Ensemble.

"We’re celebrating Dickie Barrick and her 35 seasons as our principal accompanist!" said Snyder. "She also is the accompanist for The Coshocton Singers and the Coshocton Youth Chorale. Her faithfulness, talent, collegiality, and humility have made her an invaluable part of our success. So much of what we do would not be possible without her."

"The Roscoe Brass Quintet has been an integral part of our concerts since 1991, and Don Kason and Steve Hildreth have also shared their talents in scoring and arranging some of the brass accompaniments we use," added Snyder.

"Those attending one of our spring concerts for the first time are usually surprised at how similar the Christmas and Spring concerts are," stated Snyder. "We explore the story of Easter in the first few songs and beautiful spring flowers adorn the stage. I am convinced you will leave this concert with a renewed spirit, a recharged battery, and hope in your heart."

The Coshocton Community Choir's Spring Concert Live into Hope takes place on Sunday, April 28, at 3:00 p.m. at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium, located at 1205 Cambridge Road in Coshocton.

Tickets for the 90-minute concert are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door, on the choir website www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org or by calling Business Manager, Lee Bown at (740) 622-3960. Pre-sale tickets are also available from choir members or from these ticket outlets: in Coshocton at the Coshocton Presbyterian Church or Buehler's Foodmarket; in Newcomerstown at Baker's Foods; in West Lafayette at Home Loan Savings Bank; or in Roscoe Village at the Coshocton County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"After every concert I hear from a few local residents who had not known there is a Community Choir here, and experienced our concert because someone invited them," Snyder shared. "Their joy and delight is obvious as they share their experience. I encourage you to invite someone to join you for our 48th spring concert, Live into Hope!"

To find out more about the Coshocton Community Choir, The Coshocton Youth Chorale, or the Coshocton Singers, call the choir office at (740) 623-0554, check out the Coshocton Community Choir Facebook page, or visit their website www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org.

Choir to perform 'Child of Promise,' Dec. 2

The Coshocton Community Choir presents their Child of Promise Festival Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 2, at 3:00 p.m. at Coshocton High School's McKinley Auditorium. The concert is under the direction of Charles R. Snyder and features the adult choir, The Coshocton Singers (singers in grades 4 - 8); and the Coshocton Youth Chorale (high school age singers).

"Every year we try to look at the ageless Christmas story through a different lens," said Snyder. "That new focus inspires a concert logo, suggests musical possibilities, and shapes the writing of the narration by the Reverend Richard Hoover. Columbus artist Tom Kulewicz has been designing the Christmas concert logo since 1988 - thirty years! Pastor Hoover first penned the narration in 2009, and has been writing it each year since 2013. We feel fortunate to be able to collaborate with such gifted colleagues."

"As often happens, the concert theme, 'Child of Promise', came from the text of one of the songs, in this case, 'Sleep, Little Baby', " shared Snyder. "The beautiful lullaby, written by Joseph M. Martin, will be sung by the Coshocton Youth Chorale. With the current unrest here and abroad, and natural disasters, the words of promise will be the Good News we need to hear, especially in this holy season."

The audience will be invited to join the choirs in singing 'What Child Is This,' 'Angels We Have Heard on High,' and 'Joy to the World.' Accompaniment will be provided by the Roscoe Brass Quintet, who have been part of the Community Choir concerts since 1991; Dickie Rohrer Barrick, who has been the accompanist of the Choir since 1983; and Matt Hayes, percussionist. The Coshocton Singers (founded as the Coshocton Children's Choir) has been part of the concerts since 1988, and singers of the Coshocton Youth Chorale have added their exuberant voices since 2003.

"Because this year marks the 200th anniversary of the writing of 'Silent Night', I've chosen a setting that's new to us," added Snyder. "Rhonda Polay's arrangement of our most beloved Christmas carol is not what one would expect, but it has become a new favorite as we've been rehearsing it.

"Three other songs new to us are 'Judea,' an energetic Christmas song written by William Billings, one of America's first composers; a newer setting of the old Sunday School song, 'Jesus Loves the Little Children'; and 'The Work of Christmas', written by contemporary composer Dan Forrest, using a powerful text by Howard Thurman, an African-American philosopher, author, theologian, and educator."

The Coshocton Community Choir concert will be held at McKinley Auditorium located at Coshocton High School, 1205 Cambridge Road at 3:00 pm. Tickets for the December 2, Child of Promise Christmas Festival Concert are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available pre-sale from choir members; online at CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org; or from these ticket outlets: in Coshocton at Marilyn's Natural Foods or Buehler's Food Markets; in Newcomerstown at Baker's Foods in West Lafayette at Home Loan Savings Bank or in Roscoe Village at the Coshocton Visitors Bureau. Tickets will also be available at the door on concert day.

To find out more about the Coshocton Community Choir (now in its 48th season), The Coshocton Youth Chorale, or the Coshocton Singers, call the choir office at (740) 623-0554, check out the Coshocton Community Choir Facebook page, or visit their website www.CoshoctonCommunityChoir.org.