Published: October 21, 2009 03:01 pm      

Songs from the silver screen

Community chorus schedules two local performances

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

Lights, camera, accentato.

Greater Johnstown Community Chorus will roll out the red carpet for its fall concert, “A Night at the Movies,” which will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, 436 Vine St. in downtown Johnstown, and again at 7 p.m. Saturday at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 1000 Scalp Ave. in Richland Township.

The songs are taken from a variety of silver-screen offerings, from contemporary films to Hollywood classics.

Featured songs will be “Moon River,” “My Favorite Things,” “Up Where I Belong,” “Wind Beneath My Wings,” “As Time Goes By,” “Luck Be a Lady” and “Pennies From Heaven.”

“To set up an ambiance, we’ll drape velvet ribbon on the railings, have the women wearing long gowns and have someone with an old-fashioned flash camera,” said Pat Freidhoff, communications director for the chorus.

There also will be movie posters on display.

Many of the songs that director Josh Covert selected are jazz arrangements of old favorites, while others are faithful renditions of familiar sounds.

“This has been fun to practice,” Freidhoff said. “The older members know the older songs, and the younger ones know the newer ones.”

“There will be a small group ensemble, and some of the songs feature a solo line that some of our more talented members will sing.”

The chorus is entering its eighth season with a repertoire that includes pop music, classical, jazz, contemporary, fusion and rock.

Covert presents different and difficult arrangements to his singers, often requiring eight-voice chords.

“Josh is effective as a director,” Freidhoff said. “He can get a response from us. He inspires us to want to sing the way he wants us to sing.”

Covert is band director at Meyersdale Area High School, plays with Flood City Brass and is working on a master’s degree at Duquesne University.

The chorus is a nonprofit organization, but because of income from ticket and program ad sales, grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and contributions, it is able to purchase its own sound system.

This will allow the chorus to perform in places that do not have sound systems available.

Tickets are $7 at the door.

Information: 539-0795.