Historical Society welcomes carolers

The Lorain Historical Society Carnegie Center filled with the sounds of the season Dec. 10 as Choral Spectrum performed their program, An Uncommonly Beautiful Christmas.

This was the second year the group, led by Dr. Ted Williams, performed traditional Christmas carols at the center, 329 West 10th St. in Lorain. The event serves as a fundraiser for both the ensemble and the society.

According to the society’s Executive Director Barb Piscopo, the concert serves as a great way to raise money for the two organizations and a great way to get people into the Christmas spirit.

”It’s nice to offer (Choral Spectrum) this beautiful space for their Christmas performance,” she said.

Williams, who has directed the ensemble for 15 years, said this year’s program grew out of an attempt to escape the monotony of more modern Christmas carols.

“As a musician who has been singing my whole life, when we get to Christmas, first of all you have to do a Christmas concert,” he said shortly before the ensemble began to perform. “You don’t want to do the same old carols.

“There are about 15 Christmas carols you hear over and over again,” he continued. “For a musician to have to sing those same carols year after year after

year, we looked for something new and fresh.”

While the ensemble was looking for something new, Williams said the majority of the carols they would perform were actually quite old. He clarified that what people commonly refer to as Christmas carols actually refers to the text of the songs and not the music.

In that spirit, many of the pieces the ensemble performed, while ancient,

were newly arranged. Two examples, one from the 14th century and the other from the 15th were arranged by contemporary composer John Rutter.

David Roesch, 77, of Amherst, attended the program with some friends who had learned of the concert from the newspaper. He said concerts like these are important to the community.

“It gets people out of the

house,” he said.

Roesch may have been a bit out of luck in hearing his favorite carol, though. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was not in the program.

The program will be presented once more at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at the center.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased from the ensemble or the society.

Those interested in joining the ensemble or being placed on their mailing list should contact Williams by email at tsw2557@aol.com or by phone at 440-669-0339.

The program will be presented once more at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at the center.

KEITH REYNOLDS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Dr. Ted Williams conducts the Choral Spectrum ensemble Dec. 10 at the Lorain Historical Society Carnegie Center, 329 West 10th St. The ensemble will perform the program again at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15 at the center.