OJC Press Release ID: 2645

Monday, April 17, 2017

75th Birthday Celebration with the OJC Choir

One night only - April 24 6:30 p.m.

The OJC Choir is pleased to announce a birthday celebration for our communities’ dynamic junior college to be held on April 24 at the OJC Humanities Center. Everyone is invited to a reception at 6:30 p.m. to be followed by a concert sung by the OJC Choir at 7:30. The concert will feature music performed by students at OJC over the last 75 years.
Much of the music is drawn from musicals directed by Ed Stafford, Stephen Simpson, and Bill Boast.

The reception will include light refreshments and music by a jazz combo consisting of Dean Rees/piano, Al Guadagnoli/electric bass guitar, and Jordan Borrego/drums. Other live music will also be performed. No food is allowed in the auditorium but chairs in the lobby will be provided. Feel free to come and reminisce with friends and community leaders.

OJC President Jim Rizzuto will introduce the concert by speaking about OJC’s history and substantial contribution to our area. A slide show will accompany the songs with images taken from OJC Annuals published from 1945-1978. The audience can have fun identifying people they know from the way they looked 40 and more years ago. In polyester!

The music includes selections from Oklahoma, The Man of La Mancha, Carousel, Finnian’s Rainbow, 42nd Street, The Fantasticks, H.M.S. Pinafore, and more. Sally Kappel, OJC Choir accompanist, will direct “River in Judea”, a song she had directed when she brought the choir back to OJC in 1997. John Eubank will reprise his role as the Captain in H.M.S. Pinafore that also highlights a quartet of Terry Miller/soprano, Kristin Langston/alto, James Eubank/tenor, and Mike Shima, bass. James Lind will sing the folk song “Brigg Fair” in tribute to a very famous musician who had performed with OJC Professor and violinist Robert Louis Barron back in 1950. A video presentation prepared by Anne Taylor will feature current OJC students. And of course no birthday celebration would be complete without some rendition of “Happy Birthday”. A hint…our version was covered by the Fab Four.

Adding pizzazz to the music will be long-time area musician Al Guadagnoli laying down the bass line for the Broadway songs. Jordan Borrego, drummer extraordinaire and CSU-Pueblo student, will add his always tasteful drumming to the same music. Diane Brown from McClave will provide the extra hands for the four handed accompaniment for “I Can See It” from The Fantasticks. As always, accompanist Sally Kappel rocks the piano for all of the music.

Dean Rees, OJC Choir director, invites one and all for an evening of fun, entertainment, and fellowship.

The Spring 2017 OJC Student and Community Choir invites you to celebrate with them on April 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ed Stafford Theatre.