SCORE Cincinnati

The following article about the Life Impact Productions appeared in the Wilmington News Journal, Clinton County section, by Gary Huffenberger, ghuffenberger@wnewsj.com:

It might just be in the realm of possibility that on March 27, 2010, the roof of Wilmington College’s Hermann Court will soar up into the sky from the power of song and the unified sound of a 500-voice choir rising to a crescendo during its presentation of “How Great Thou Art.”

Whether or not the roof is literally raised, the mass choir concert is bound to be memorable for participants and audience members alike, Life Impact Productions executive director of music Timothy Larrick said Friday as he took a break from work at McCarty Gardens in Sabina.

“It’s something a lot of people like to be involved in. And once you’ve sung in a choir that large, you never forget that experience and the sound that it makes,” Larrick said.

The “One Voice” mass choir concert will be the climax of a two-day clinic and rehearsal experience with composer, arranger and concert pianist Mark Hayes. Hayes’ personal catalog includes more than 650 compositions and arrangements, distributed by several leading publishers.

Hayes first conducted his “Te Deum and Magnificat“ at Carnegie Hall in May 2007, and will conduct the world premier of his “Requiem” at Lincoln Center on July 5, 2010.

But for two days in late March, Hayes will be in Wilmington for a mass choir concert.

There are mass choir festivals all over the United States and certain places are known for doing it every year, Larrick said.

Already, organizers are well on the way to reaching the goal of a 500-member choir, Larrick said.

When there are 500 voices in a choir — more than double the size of the 200-voice Mormon Tabernacle Choir — the “dynamics can be amazing,” he said.

There is no auditioning for the mass choir.

“These are everyday people who sing in church choirs, in the bathtub, in the car driving down the road. You come and be involved, learn something from Mark, maybe learn a little bit about yourself and how to sing in a choir,” Larrick said.

This choir concert will focus more on sacred than secular music, Larrick said. Among the titles planned are Hayes’ arrangements of “How Great Thou Art,” the American folk song “Oh Shenandoah,” “Swinging with the Saints,” “Here I am Lord” and “The Father Will Dance.” The theme song will be “One Voice” written by Barry Manilow.

The 45-year-old Larrick is organist at the Wilmington United Methodist Church and said they do a lot of Mark Hayes’ arrangements.

For the 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 27 concert, Life Impact Productions is bringing in lighting and sound and a stage and grand piano.

At one point in the concert, Hayes will play a set that he described to Larrick as kind of jazz-gospel that he arranged. It will be just him at the piano. “He’s a fabulous piano player,” Larrick said.

Audience capacity is expected to be about 1,500. With a 500-voice choir, tickets could be hard to come by if, for example, each choir member averages three family members or friends in the audience. “I wouldn’t put off buying tickets, and we are signing up participants now, as well,” Larrick said.

If interested in participating or being part of the audience, contact Rob Jaehnig (pictured) of Life Impact Productions at 937-728-6557 or e-mail him atrljaehnig@yahoo.com. There is a cost to be in the choir and be part of the two-day clinic and rehearsals leading up to the concert.

Note:

Rob is a victim of the DHL closing and a councilman of the City of Wilmington.SCORE provided advice and counsel in business formulation, ownership structure, organization and certain financial matters.