Carnegie Hall performance comes to Orange County

BLOOMING GROVE—Orange County audiences will get to hear the same performance of Haydns' Maria Theresa Mass (Theresienmesse) given at Carnegie Hall last Sunday. The Classic Choral Society sang at Carnegie Hall under the baton of maestro Jonathan Griffith, conductor-in-residence of New York City-based Mid-America Productions. They will bring their performance to the historic United Church of Christ on Rt. 94 at Old Dominion Rd. in Blooming Grove on Sunday, May 1, at 4 p.m.; and to Grace Episcopal Church on North St. in Middletown on Saturday, May 7, at 7 p.m. The Maria Theresa Mass is one of Papa Haydn's six grand masses, beloved by several English kings and the emperor Napoleon. For its local performances, directed by Janiece Kohler of Monroe, the Classic Choral Society will add Haydn's Missa Brevis (Little Organ Solo Mass), a mass from the same period that shares the romantic lyricism of his longer masses, but which is much more personal and intimate. Soloists will include Jody Weatherstone, Kristine Macmillin, Nicholas Augustus, and Robert Pollsen. The featured organ soloist is Patricia Maimone, former organist at West Point. As is customary for all Classic Choral Society concerts, no admission will be charged, but a free will offering will be collected. During the past few years, the 80-voice choir and 20-piece orchestra has grown in membership. Local members include: Allan Barry, Gladys Calzada, Barbara Fallen, and Ned Fallen of Chester; Annie Baldwin, Sandra Memmelaar, Don Myers, and Andrew Signorelli of Goshen; Kathleen Alevras, Lou Anne Blanchard, Lyn Hutz, Meredith Leo, Jen Lombardo, Kristine MacMillin, Janet Sleeves, Bobbie Trager, Kathy Volpe, and John Yates of Washingtonville; David Casazza of Blooming Grove. For more information, visit www.classicchoralsociety.org; call 928-6462; or e-mail at classicchoral@frontiernet.net.