Singer, trumpet player to perform at Thanksgiving Festival of Choirs
CONNELLSVILLE – This year, the annual Thanksgiving Festival of Choirs is set for 6:45 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24. The event is sponsored by the local Mozart Music Club and will be held at Wesley United Methodist Church on South Pittsburgh St., Connellsville. Soloists are soprano Sherly Nagy and trumpet performer Jim Henigin. Nagy is a graduate of Connellsville High School and a 1975 recipient of the annual Mozart Club scholarship. In high school, she performed in the musicals “Hello Dolly” and “Music Man” and played the role of Fiona in “Brigadoon.”
Nagy is currently the organist/choir director at the First Christian Church in Connellsville and assistant organist at St. Rita’s Roman Catholic Church. She teaches private instruction in piano, organ and voice.
She sings frequently in weddings, churches and musical groups, including Lighthouse and Prodigy. Nagy is currently part of a musical duo with Jim Meyers called “A Touch of Class.” She and her husband, Jim, have two children, Bethany and Nicholas. Recently, Nagy began studies in sacred music at Seton Hill College in Greensburg.
Henigin is currently director of bands at Connellsville Senior High School. He is a 1994 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor of science degree in music education. Henigin is currently pursuing his master’s degree in wind conducting from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has taken graduate courses at Duquesne University and Michigan State University.
He plans to begin his doctoral work in conducting at West Virginia University in two years. Prior to his appointment at Connellsville, Henigin was director of bands at Cranberry High School near Oil City, Pa., and Waldron Area School District in Waldron, Mich.
While in Michigan, he was guest conductor of the Hillsdale County Honors/Massed Band Festival. Currently, he conducts the symphonic and concert bands, the Jazz Band, the Mighty Falcon Marching Band as well as teaches instrumental lessons and music composition at the high school. He and his wife, Kate, have two children, Benjamin and Emily.
This year, the Festival of Choirs is filled with spirituals and gospel music.
Keeping with tradition, a combined choir directed by Merle Stutzman will sing several selections, along with individual numbers by a few smaller groups.
Those interested in singing in the combined choir should call Joanna Ball to pre-order the music. It is also interesting to note that the American Choral Director’s Association (ACDA) has designed this year to be the “Year of the Spiritual.”
Ball, who is chairperson of the festival, said that, “spirituals and gospel music play a vital role in the history of American music. Much of the music that you will hear at this year’s festival will be recognizable.”
It is suggested that those planning to attend the event arrive 45 minutes to an hour early for seats since this program is always well attended.
Seats will be available for the handicapped at the front of the church.