HERMITAGE

Warren Junior Military Band and Shenango Area Youth Chorus Inc. will present some of the area's finest young musicians and singers at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Summer Concert Series at Buhl Farm park, Hermitage.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Warren Junior Military Band will perform at the park for the first time in more than five years, said the band's executive director Judy Cartwright.

The band performs year-round in parades and field shows and is also a regular entry at competitions throughout Canada and the Midwest.

The summer festival concert band is made up of people ages 12 to 21 from all over the Mahoning and Shenango Valley areas, as well as members from Michigan, Mexico and Brazil.

Recently the band finished up a Midwest concert tour, winning first place and a grand championship in concert competition in Racine, Wisconsin.

Several directors help conduct the summer festival band, the primary one being Paul Brizzi, who directs a high school band in Ankeny, Iowa. Dean Moore, a graduate of Youngstown State University's Dana School of Music, serves as assistant director along with Tom West from Muncy, Pa. Paul Sohayda who is band director at Mathews High in Vienna also serves as part-time band director.

The Military Band has changed and grown since it was first organized in 1927 as the VFW Boys Band by manager Lester Friend of VFW Warren (Ohio) Post 1090 and director Raymond Dehnbostel of Dana School of Music.

Donald W. "Squire" Hurrelbrink became band director in 1930 and served until 1996. Girls were allowed to join in 1945.

Hurrelbrink participated in every concert until his death March 13, 1999.

In 1983, the band's name was changed to Junior Military Band, reflecting its growing area of membership.

The concert band has played all over the world from marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City to playing in Belgium, Switzerland and on the White House lawn. Concert rehearsals and performances take place all year. The band performs locally in several holiday concerts and an annual spring concert. The band's performance begins at 6 p.m.

Before the band takes the stage, Shenango Area Youth Chorus will perform.

Julie Freeman, chorus director, said it's difficult to get the entire group together during the summer, but it will be together Sunday. She said the chorus has been performing for about 11 years, with choral members representing six different school districts throughout Mercer County.

The chorus consists of two groups: a junior ensemble for grades 2 through 6, and a senior ensemble for grades 7 through 12.

Both ensembles will perform separate numbers Sunday then several songs together.

SAY performed earlier this year at the Grove City Airport and will perform with Shenango Valley Chorale at their fall concert. Sunday's program includes patriotic songs and other family-oriented songs, Ms. Freeman said.

"It's great working with these kids," she said. "They're very willing to sing and perform. They work very hard."

She said the chorus is always looking for new members who want to perform in a good quality kids' choir: "This group is growing and we'd like to continue to see it grow."

Chorus directors Ms. Freeman, Hermitage, and James Piccirilli, Sharpsville, are both members of the Shenango Valley Chorale and Madrigal Singers. Fred Belko is the accompanist. Piccirilli has a private voice studio in Sharpsville; Ms. Freeman is choir and orchestra director at Hickory High School, Hermitage.

The concert will relocate to the Farrell Area High School auditorium in the case of rain.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharon-herald.com