This area provides an opportunity to make connections with others and share your thoughts or memories on the discussion forum below. Please help preserve the history of the Chorus with your comments. The following are links to related content and individuals on the Web.
YouTube "The Story of Bethlehem" Part 1 and Part 2
Chorus America "Impact" Study (excellent)
Houston Children's Chorus ~ Founded by Stephen Roddy (former member)
Free Adobe Reader to view and download the PDF documents on the website.
Google Custom Search of InlandChorus.com
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Richard Westbrock was the director. He was a friend of my father's (Richard Mastbaum). He found sponsors at Inland for me and later my sister (Mary Mastbaum Pfeiffer) and brother, Thomas Mastbaum. I went in first since I was the eldest. Dad was a great singer and both he and mother (Lucille Abel Mastbaum) loved music. They wanted us to have a musical experience. Dad sang in Dayton at various churches, mostly St. Mary's with his friend Eugene Eifert, who was a tenor. Dad was a bass. They did duets and sang for lots of weddings. Both had wonderful voices.
Mr. Westbrock was a strict taskmaster. We had our music in binders and if anyone dared click the rings, they were dismissed immediately! I saw this happen at a Memorial Hall rehearsal and it made me very wary. The rehearsals at Memorial Hall must have been for the concerts. I never did make it on stage, but was an understudy. At least I got to wear a blue dress and was in the wings during the concert. Seeing that “GM Folks” cover on the website brought back memories. There were many familiar faces in that photo, but I do not remember a single name.
I would ride downtown after school on the bus (we lived off of Wyoming St.) to the Loretto for the weekday rehearsals, Then after rehearsals, walk down to meet Dad at work (Elder and Johnson at 2nd and Main) to ride home on the bus with him. This was the 1950's, but I cannot imagine allowing a 10year old child go on a city bus downtown now or even allowing my son in the 1980's.
It was a real shock when Mr. Westbrock died in 1955. I had not experienced many deaths at that age. It was a difficult time for the chorus. However, our family, especially Dad was pleased with the choice of Joe Geiger as new director. He was a talented musician and organist at St. Mary's Church. Their family had been special friends of my family for many years. Joe had been the best man at Mom and Dad's wedding in 1936. We had we had many dinners with Joe, Mary Louise and their daughter, Mary Agnes. They were very lovely people.
I did stay in the chorus for a short time after Joe Geiger was the director. I was getting involved with school activities and switched from being a soprano to an alto since the rehearsals conflicted with something I was doing on soprano rehearsal day. I think that was why I got the understudy since altos were in more demand than sopranos. The one song I remember the best was “Evening Prayer”. I can't remember too many of the words, but can recall that “fourteen angels watch and keep”. My sister was in the chorus longer and even has some records. I believe she will also be contacting you.
I enjoyed seeing all the pictures on the website. Bob Drerup and Gene Schamel were old friends of Dad's too. The Drerup kids went to grade school with me at St. Mary's. Dad also sang with the St. Mary's choir too. As you can see, your website stirred up many memories for me and I thank you for the memories. I hope to be able to go to the luncheon in April 28, 2012. I am recovering from back surgery and am now in rehab, so I am hoping to be recovered enough by that time to attend.
I didn't know all the songs, but a few I did. I'd never heard Hansel and Gretel's Lullaby before. It was an instant favorite. I didn't want the music to stop, at the same time I wanted the end to come to hear that beautiful song as they disappeared.
After some years, the tickets stopped coming. Perhaps, the neighbor boy aged out. I wondered if he was glad. More than once, I'd seen him sitting on his porch writing. My mother said they were penance papers for Mr. Westbrock! I'm really glad I had the opportunity to attend several concerts. It was one of the highlights of my childhood. And I have good memories of it.
May 1945: Joyce is 3rd row up and 1st at center
December 1945: She is 3rd row up and 3rd from center
May 1946: She is 4th row up and 2nd from center
December 1946: She is 4th row up and 1st at center
As Fred says in his comment, she became well known at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and many other places. As I was writing this note, the Dayton Daily News of July 7, 2011 listed in the obits the name of Heidi Albrecht Easterbrook. I don't know if she was in the chorus, but Heidi was also an accomplished singer in New York and the daughter of Dr. Joseph and Peggy Albrecht who sang with the Dayton Philharmonic. Other outstanding soloists in the chorus included Angela Mae Lehman who was also very lovely. She graduated shortly after I became a member. Bill McCord was one fellow who sang solo parts when I was a member. Carrie McCord and a younger sister were also in the chorus.