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Barbershop chorus sings final concert Sunday

WARREN — Holiday favorites in four-part harmony will fill Warren’s Christ Episcopal Church on Sunday for the final concert by the Stephen Foster Chorus.

The chorus, which started in 1946 and had more than 100 members at its peak, announced last month it was disbanding due to declining membership.

To help fill out those harmonies for its final concert, the local chorus will be joined by members of the Akron Derbytown Chorus.

“I’m figuring we’ll have around 30 voices Sunday,” Vice President Bob Kranyak said. “When we got together last week, we (Kranyak and President Frank Bozek) both loved that big sound.”

The concert will start with the Stephen Foster Chorus performing alone, doing such holiday staples as “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas,” “O Christmas Tree” and “The Christmas Song.”

The Akron Derbytown Chorus will perform a few things on its own, including “When There’s Love at Home” and “Blue Christmas.”

“I’m looking forward to that,” Kranyak said of “Blue Christmas.” “I’ve never heard that done barbershop.”

The first half will end with the two ensembles singing classics like “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Silent Night” and “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”

Santa and Mrs. Claus will make an appearance at intermission, and the second half of the concert will start with performances by at least two of the barbershop quartets affiliated with the Akron chorus.

The two choruses will come together for more songs in the second half, and Kranyak expects at least a couple alumni from the Stephen Foster Chorus to join them.

Because the nonprofit group is disbanding, admission will be free for Sunday’s concert, and any remaining funds will be disbursed to local charities.

If you go …

WHAT: “The Sounds of Christmas” — Stephen Foster Chorus and Akron Derbytown Chorus

WHEN: 3 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Christ Episcopal Church, 2627 Atlantic St. NE, Warren

HOW MUCH: Admission is free.

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