'Music is our soul'
Choral Arts Society brings holiday concert to basilica
by KEN BARTOLOTTA Reporter

The Buffalo Choral Arts Society will hold its annual holiday concert Friday and Sunday, Dec. 14 and 16, at Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna.

A remark made by a West Seneca School District administrator has stuck with Marcia Giambrone ever since she was a music teacher here.

"This administrator would always say, 'Sports is the spirit of the school, academics are the brains of the school, but music is the soul of the school,'" said Giambrone, who is now the conductor and musical director of the Buffalo Choral Arts Society.

"It's something that I've always remembered because I truly believe that," she said. "It's a credo that I've adopted throughout life."

The BCAS is currently preparing for its upcoming holiday concert at Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna.

The concert, titled "A BCAS Family Christmas," is one of the group's three landmark shows every year. It will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 16.

The chorus is accompanied by John Mitton, who is on the music faculty at West Seneca West High School and has been the musical director of the Iroquois High School musicals for 11 years.

Marcia Giambrone directs the chorus during a rehearsal. A BCAS Family Christmas will feature the Buffalo Choral Arts Society and the BCA Singers.

According to Giambrone, after almost two decades of performing at OLV, the group has become synonymous with the massive church.

"I first started doing Mother's Day concerts there when I was working in West Seneca," she said. "When I came to the Choral Arts Society, I thought it would be the perfect place for a holiday concert."

"If I wasn't in the group, I know I would come to see the concert because of the quality of the choir and the neat things we do with different instruments," said chorus member Justin Becker of Orchard Park. "And you can't beat the basilica."

For the director, the church presents a perfect backdrop to perform holiday music.

"It's a great opportunity for our audience to get the real feel of the holiday season," she said. "When you're standing on the altar and the sound is reverberating through the church, there are few greater feelings."

BCAS accompanist John Mitton rehearses with the group for its upcoming performances. Photos by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

"My co-workers can always tell when a concert is looming by my somewhat bizarre behavior, like humming or singing at my desk, playing recordings of the music to be performed or dancing around," said BCAS secretary Tina Reece of Tonawanda. "Our concerts have a warmth and intimacy that make them very special."

That passion for music is one that Giambrone uses as the driving force behind her mission to bring choral music to the rest of Western New York.

"Arts organizations seem to struggle always, getting the attention of the public," she said. "They're always vying for public awareness, so we want to bring this passion and this love of music to the rest of the community."

"It would benefit all of Western New York's choral groups to do more than just co-exist," Reece added. "We should be working toward a spirit of cooperation in all areas, ranging from joint ventures to merely exercising sensitivity in our choices of programs and venues."

Because the BCAS is a choral group, it is not as highly visible as instrumental groups, such as the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, said Giambrone.

"We want to get the message out and contribute to the best cultural aspects of Buffalo," she said, noting the importance that music plays in everyday life. "You have to feed your soul."

Giambrone feels that the role of music in society is as important today as ever.

"Through the hustle and bustle of the 21st century, we can sometimes lose sight of who we are," she said. "But through music we can gain back that perspective."

Much of this unabashed appreciation for the art form has come from Giambrone working under the renowned choral conductor Robert Shaw.

"When I worked under Robert Shaw, whose influence is global, he always had a saying: 'Music comes first, anything after that is fine, but it's the music that must come first.'"

Chorus member and Cheektowaga resident Dan Fronckowiak noted that the musicianship of the chorus is a fulfilling aspect for him.

"Because I don't have any formal training, BCAS is a fantastic way for me to develop some of the basic skills of musicianship that I wouldn't otherwise have an opportunity to learn," he said.

"I am a retired music teacher and BCAS has been not only a fulfillment of my love of singing, but also an asset in my teaching of choruses," added Joanne Cinti of East Amherst, a 15-year veteran of the group. "I have learned a great deal about singing and conducting and used that knowledge to be a better teacher."

Sweet Home High School senior Ashley Gryta of Amherst also noted that the chorus has helped her as a singer within the community.

"You get to be in touch with people from different walks of life who are also interested in music," she said. "You meet a lot of more unique people than you would at an area all state."

However, the director feels her job isn't just to bring the music to the community but also to exhibit a certain responsibility to the artist behind the piece.

"When you're given a piece of music that another composer has created, it's your job to convey what he wanted to get across," she said. "You have to affect and touch people the way he or she wanted to affect and touch people."

For tickets or more information, call the group's box office at 812-1541.

Reporter Elizabeth Taufa contributed to this article.