Thank you to everyone who came to enjoy our concert. The performance of Widor's Mass was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Pictures and audio from the concert are below.
Spring Concert
The Greater Canton Men's Chorus
Joins the Master Singers
Sunday April 10th 3:00 pm
The Shrine Church of Saint Stanislaus
3649 East 65th St
Cleveland, OH 44105
Admission is free.
(216) 341-9091
The Shrine Church of Saint Stanislaus
3649 East 65th St
Cleveland, OH 44105
Admission is free.
(216) 341-9091
Program
2 Choruses & 2 Organs
Messe Solennelle...Louis Vierne
Messe Solennelle...Charles Marie Widor
Litany of Loreto...Jason Metheney
Daniel Hathaway, Organ
Timothy Robson, Organ
Stow Heritage Ringers
The Master Singers Inc
Dr. J.D. Goddard founded the Master Singers Inc. Chorale of Northeast Ohio in May of 2001. He founded MSI on the premise that its performances of serious, heavy classical choral masterworks could and would thrive in Northeast Ohio. Dr. Goddard was approached by a group friends and musicians from the Akron area and asked to start such a choral organization which could accomplish this end.
The founding of the Master Singers Chorale was the product of an inspiration to achieve and accomplish something from a heartfelt desire of Dr. Goddard to prove that it not only could be accomplished but more importantly to prove that the great choral masterworks of past and present will continue to be appreciated throughout the Northeast Ohio area by listeners and singers alike.
Dr. Goddard, utilizing his own personal finances, paid for advertisements in area newspapers which announced the formation of a large choral group encompassing the entire Northeast Ohio area. The growth of MSI can only be attributed to "rapid and enthusiastic word of mouth". Dr. Goddard very proudly states, "we audition singers to include, not to exclude."
The response to the Master Singers by members of the community has been nothing short of fervent, enthusiastic, supportive, spirited, and devoted to a new approach and style of choral rehearsal and presentation unlike that of any other large community choral groups in the area.
Dr. Goddard founded the Master Singers, given the following circumstances.....
no backing...., no core group of singers...., no music...., no rehearsal hall...., no financial sponsor(s)...., no university choral organization affiliation...., no pre-selected Board of Directors...., no solicited money...., no non-profit status...., no expectations...., no co-founder...., no promises made....,
(and)
on the blind faith that people of all walks of life and ages would and could join together, want to sing and work hard, and be allowed to sing with the freedom and encouragement to not only interpret the softness of a pianissimo but to also express and explore the emotions of their hearts and voices with their God-given full range of vocal dynamics and vocal abilities.
MSI has become critically recognized as one of Northeast Ohio's finest large community choral ensembles. The Master Singers Inc. Chorale specializes in a broad range of choral literature, from a cappella works to major choral-orchestral masterpieces representative of all eras of classical choral literature.
Learn more at: mastersingersinc.org
The founding of the Master Singers Chorale was the product of an inspiration to achieve and accomplish something from a heartfelt desire of Dr. Goddard to prove that it not only could be accomplished but more importantly to prove that the great choral masterworks of past and present will continue to be appreciated throughout the Northeast Ohio area by listeners and singers alike.
Dr. Goddard, utilizing his own personal finances, paid for advertisements in area newspapers which announced the formation of a large choral group encompassing the entire Northeast Ohio area. The growth of MSI can only be attributed to "rapid and enthusiastic word of mouth". Dr. Goddard very proudly states, "we audition singers to include, not to exclude."
The response to the Master Singers by members of the community has been nothing short of fervent, enthusiastic, supportive, spirited, and devoted to a new approach and style of choral rehearsal and presentation unlike that of any other large community choral groups in the area.
Dr. Goddard founded the Master Singers, given the following circumstances.....
no backing...., no core group of singers...., no music...., no rehearsal hall...., no financial sponsor(s)...., no university choral organization affiliation...., no pre-selected Board of Directors...., no solicited money...., no non-profit status...., no expectations...., no co-founder...., no promises made....,
(and)
on the blind faith that people of all walks of life and ages would and could join together, want to sing and work hard, and be allowed to sing with the freedom and encouragement to not only interpret the softness of a pianissimo but to also express and explore the emotions of their hearts and voices with their God-given full range of vocal dynamics and vocal abilities.
MSI has become critically recognized as one of Northeast Ohio's finest large community choral ensembles. The Master Singers Inc. Chorale specializes in a broad range of choral literature, from a cappella works to major choral-orchestral masterpieces representative of all eras of classical choral literature.
Learn more at: mastersingersinc.org
MSI Director J D Goddard
Dr. J.D. Goddard, founder and artistic director of the Master Singers Inc. Chorale of Northeast Ohio, made his conducting debut at the age of 9. By the age of 16, he was a professional clarinetist and assistant conductor of the San Gabriel Valley Honors Youth Orchestra in Southern California. At the age of 17, he accepted his first church choral conducting position at the First Presbyterian Church in "beautiful downtown Burbank," California.
Since that time, he has conducted and served as a clinician for choral and orchestral groups both amateur and professional in California, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Ohio. Dr. Goddard has directed many varied types of musical organizations including symphony orchestras, opera orchestras, master choruses, opera choruses, a cappella choirs, women's glee clubs, men's glee clubs, jazz show choirs, chamber singers, madrigal singers and numerous youth choirs.
In addition to being the Founder and Artistic Director of the Master Singers, Inc. Chorale, Dr. Goddard also serves as the Artistic Director of the Chagrin Valley Choral Union (appointed in Sept. 2007) & Artistic Director of the Western Reserve Chorale, Cleveland (appointed in Sept. 2008).
He developed his baritone/tenor vocal training with Jess Walters, lead baritone with the Covent Garden Opera in England. This led to Dr. Goddard's recognition as a performing artist with the Los Angeles Co-Opera Company, San Francisco Opera Company, Santa Fe Opera Company, and Kenley Players (Actors Equity). He also has performed as a guest artist with the Amarillo Symphony, the San Gabriel Valley Symphony, the DePauw University Orchestra and the Akron Symphony. Dr. Goddard was twice a southwest regional finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, and has performed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
He received his formal training and two choral conducting degrees under the internationally acclaimed choral conductor/teacher Dr. Howard Swan. Further choral training included studies with Dr. Charles White, Robert Shaw and Roger Wagner. While an undergraduate student at Occidental College, he was awarded first prize in the Southern California Collegiate Choral Conducting Competition. At the University of Texas, Dr. Goddard conducted the nationally acclaimed UT Men's Glee Clubs, while earning further degrees in operatic performance, and choral conducting. Dr. Goddard became a graduate assistant to Dr. Walter Ducloux, director of opera at The University of Texas. Dr. Goddard served as head of the voice and opera departments at Amarillo College, attaining tenure and full professorship. He also was director of opera and teacher of voice at The University of Akron, where he implemented and founded the University's first totally student run full-time opera program. In his second and third years at The University of Akron, (in addition to the full time opera program) he was also director of four choral organizations. He also has held the title of conductor/director of opera (1 year interim) at Kent State University.
Since that time, he has conducted and served as a clinician for choral and orchestral groups both amateur and professional in California, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Ohio. Dr. Goddard has directed many varied types of musical organizations including symphony orchestras, opera orchestras, master choruses, opera choruses, a cappella choirs, women's glee clubs, men's glee clubs, jazz show choirs, chamber singers, madrigal singers and numerous youth choirs.
In addition to being the Founder and Artistic Director of the Master Singers, Inc. Chorale, Dr. Goddard also serves as the Artistic Director of the Chagrin Valley Choral Union (appointed in Sept. 2007) & Artistic Director of the Western Reserve Chorale, Cleveland (appointed in Sept. 2008).
He developed his baritone/tenor vocal training with Jess Walters, lead baritone with the Covent Garden Opera in England. This led to Dr. Goddard's recognition as a performing artist with the Los Angeles Co-Opera Company, San Francisco Opera Company, Santa Fe Opera Company, and Kenley Players (Actors Equity). He also has performed as a guest artist with the Amarillo Symphony, the San Gabriel Valley Symphony, the DePauw University Orchestra and the Akron Symphony. Dr. Goddard was twice a southwest regional finalist for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, and has performed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
He received his formal training and two choral conducting degrees under the internationally acclaimed choral conductor/teacher Dr. Howard Swan. Further choral training included studies with Dr. Charles White, Robert Shaw and Roger Wagner. While an undergraduate student at Occidental College, he was awarded first prize in the Southern California Collegiate Choral Conducting Competition. At the University of Texas, Dr. Goddard conducted the nationally acclaimed UT Men's Glee Clubs, while earning further degrees in operatic performance, and choral conducting. Dr. Goddard became a graduate assistant to Dr. Walter Ducloux, director of opera at The University of Texas. Dr. Goddard served as head of the voice and opera departments at Amarillo College, attaining tenure and full professorship. He also was director of opera and teacher of voice at The University of Akron, where he implemented and founded the University's first totally student run full-time opera program. In his second and third years at The University of Akron, (in addition to the full time opera program) he was also director of four choral organizations. He also has held the title of conductor/director of opera (1 year interim) at Kent State University.
Enjoy the music from our concert and a slide show from behind the scenes.
Last Words of David by Randall Thompson
Ave Maria by Franz Biebl
Charles Marie Widor's Mass - parts 1-5