DPO’s Stained Glass Concert Series returns in June
The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s free, community-driven Stained Glass Concert Series returns in June at three churches throughout Dayton.
Under the leadership and direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Neal Gittleman, the joyful series is open to the public with no tickets required. The concerts are also part of a series of community outreach efforts called the Norma Ross Memorial Community Concerts in honor of the late Norma Ross, a tireless advocate for music and minority youth.
The 2021-2022 Stained Glass Concert Series will be held:
■ Sunday, June 5, 5 p.m. at The Inspiration Church, 2900 Philadelphia Drive, Dayton
■ Sunday, June 12, 5 p.m. at Omega Baptist Church, 1821 Emerson Ave., Dayton
■ Sunday, June 19, 5 p.m. at New Season Ministry, 5711 Shull Rd., Huber Heights
The program for this year’s concerts will feature Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, written in 1793 and technically the first of Haydn’s 12 London Symphonies to be written, although occurring fourth in numerical order of these famed works. Symphony No. 96 is known as the “Miracle” Symphony because, as the legend goes, Haydn himself was conducting a performance of the symphony in London in 1795 when an ornate chandelier came crashing down from above into the theater. Due to the fact that audience members had all pushed forward to get a closer view of Haydn conducting, the section of the seating where the chandelier had fallen was empty, resulting in no one being injured, which was a miracle.
The program will also include contemporary composer Jessie Montgomery’s “African Dolls,” a suite of dances, each representing a separate traditional children’s doll. “The piece is influenced by west African drumming patterns and lyrical chant motives, all of which feature highlights of improvisation within the ensemble,” said Montgomery, describing his composition.
As part of the DPO’s celebration of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the birth of Dayton-born poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, Herbert Woodward Martin, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus in English at University of Dayton, will recite selected poems from Dunbar’s collection at each concert. Additionally, Dayton singer Felita LaRock will join the DPO for the June 19 concert at New Season Ministry.
To close the concert, the DPO will be joined by the choir of each church for an uplifting finale.
For more information on the 2021-2022 Stained Glass Series, visit https://daytonperformingarts.org/philharmonic/stainedglass-series/.
Steven Hankle selected as Dayton Philharmonic Chorus Director
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance has named Steven Hankle, Ph.D., chorus director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Following the 25-year career of retiring DPO Chorus Director Hank Dahlman, Hankle will lead the DPAA’s official vocal ensemble that sings with the DPO when the DPO performs works that include a choir.
Hankle is the assistant professor of choral music and music education at the University of Dayton, where he directs the premiere mixed ensemble, University Chorale and the treble choir, Bella Voce. Under his direction, the University Chorale made an appearance at the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Development Conference in 2022, and in 2019, he prepared the University Chorale to perform J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Bach Society of Dayton.
Prior to his role at the University of Dayton, Hankle was choral and music education faculty at Penn State University from 2012 to 2015, where he directed the university choir. During his tenure, he prepared Johannes Brahms’s “Ein Deutsches Requiem” for the PSU Mass Choir and PSU Philharmonic performances. His choir also undertook an international engagement in Nairobi, Kenya, where he co-conducted the Avoice4peace choir, which comprised of singers from Kenya, Florida and Texas.
“I’m delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Hankle as the new director of the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus,” said Patrick J. Nugent, president and CEO of DPAA. “We are grateful to have identified a chorus director affiliated, once again, with a local university. While Hank serves as the director of choral studies at Wright State University, Steven is an inspiring leader in the choral program at the University of Dayton. We welcome his expertise in choral education and performance, and we cannot wait to see what Steven has in store for our talented chorus members in the upcoming season and beyond.”
“Hank Dahlman leaves big ‘shoes to fill’ at the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus, but I’m very excited that we’re able to pass the baton on to Steven Hankle,” said Neal Gittleman, artistic director and conductor of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. “Steven, like Hank, is an excellent musician and a firstrate trainer of choirs. That’s so important with the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus coming out of a nearly two-year silence due to COVID-19. The choir had a wonderful coming-out-of-COVID party last weekend with Beethoven’s Ninth, so they’re poised and ready to enter the Steven Hankle Era. I look forward to lots of marvelous choral singing with the DPO next season.”
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Hankle is a graduate of San Francisco State University, where he studied choral conducting with David Xiques, Joshua Habermann, Susan McMane and Vance George, and of Florida State University, where he completed his doctoral studies in choral conducting with Andre Thomas.