The Binghamton Downtown Singers are pleased to announce the launch of their new and improved website.  The new website includes interactive public pages where visitors can subscribe to our mailing list, see upcoming performance details, learn about the choir's rich history, and even learn how to join the choir and share our joy of music.  In addition, the choir can now accept donations by credit card for the convenience of our patrons.

Please take a few moments to explore!

We are excited to announce that we are offering online ticket sales for our June 4th concert through our new website. Go to www.downtownsingers.org/tickets and click on the “Buy Tickets” icon. For your convenience, tickets may be purchased with a credit card, or you may send a check.  Tickets purchased with a credit card may be printed immediately. Tickets purchased with a check may be printed using the link in your confirmation email once payment has been received.

You can also purchase tickets by leaving a message at 607-875-4371, by emailing tickets@downtownsingers.org, or by contacting any choir member.

For questions about purchasing tickets online, please email websiteadmin@downtownsingers.org.

We hope to see you June 4th!
 

Since 1983, the Binghamton Downtown Singers have been known for performances of large-scale vocal masterworks from centuries past. Even our occasional forays into a more modern repertoire have been for major works with full orchestral accompaniment.

But Artistic Director Marisa Crabb knew that we were capable of even more and, for our spring 2020 concert, planned a program that blended more traditional fare (Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem and his Cantique de Jean Racine) with shorter pieces that would perhaps take us out of our musical comfort zones.

For that portion of the concert, Crabb turned to Peter Sicilian, a Tri-Cities Opera veteran who parlayed his performance training and experience into a career teaching and coaching at both Binghamton University and SUNY-Broome. COVID-19 shut down the 2020 rehearsals, but, fortunately, Sicilian was again available for this year.

“It’s always been my intention to do this sort of performance in which we do different types of music,” Crabb said, adding that she had long wanted to work with Sicilian. She said Sicilian has a different approach to preparing singers, including a wide variety of vocal exercises, that would “make the choir stronger.”

Sicilian will conduct Seal Lullaby by Eric Whitaker, Prayer of St. Francis by Allen Pote and Hosanna, Hosanna by Glenn Burleigh, all with piano accompaniment, and the a cappella Shenandoah, arranged by Derric Johnson. The unaccompanied Shenandoah and the gospel-style Hosanna are particularly new ground for some of the chorus members, but Sicilian has helped the choir rise to the challenge.

Crabb describes Sicilian as both a longtime supporter of Downtown Singers and as a friend and TCO colleague of her late husband, DTS co-founder Alan Crabb. 

“Downtown Singers is such a mainstay in the community. From the time of Alan in the ’80s to the present day with Marisa, I have always looked forward to their spirited performances, and I am thrilled to step in front of this group of amazing musicians and be some small part of this musical powerhouse of the Southern Tier,” Sicilian said.

Sicilian, who also serves as music director/organist at the Church of the Holy Family in Endwell, received his bachelor music degree from Syracuse University and a master’s in music with an opera specialization from Binghamton University. He is a former artistic director of Tri-Cities Opera.

 The Broome County Arts Council (BCAC) announced $261,059.00 in 2022 United Cultural Funds (UCF) to 21 local artists, arts organizations and community non-profits - a substantial increase from the number of awards granted in 2021. Applicant statistics in Broome County reflect a nationwide picture: a greater number of medium and large arts organizations sought deeper levels of grant support to counteract loss of revenue due to COVID lockdown in 2020. However, more individual artists and small arts organizations seemed to demonstrate a renewed faith in the recovery of the Arts by launching fresh, new programs. “Altogether, this paints a very positive picture of creativity and economic recovery through the Arts in Broome County,” says Deb Colón, BCAC Board Chair. In the next several months, look for virtual writing workshops, events, and publishing opportunities, a production of the musical The Bridges of Madison County, a Haudenosaunee Festival, a ceremony and celebration for Twelfth Night, an urban farm mural, and much more.

2022 UCF General Operations awards were granted to Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra, Bundy Museum of History and Art, Discovery Center of the Southern Tier, Endicott Performing Arts Center, Goodwill Theatre & Firehouse Stage, LUMA, Roberson Museum and Science Center, and Tri-Cities Opera. 2022 UCF Project awards support the work of thirteen individual artists and smaller, community arts projects with Grants of $1000 each. 2022 UCF Project recipients included the following: The Center for Gender, Art, & Culture, the Kopernik Society of Broome County, the Vestal Museum & Coal House, Binghamton Community Orchestra, Binghamton Downtown Singers, The Binghamton Poetry Project, Binghamton Theater Organ Society, Cornell Cooperative Extension, First Presbyterian Church, Jenna McIntosh,The Madrigal Choir of Binghamton, The Nanticoke Valley Historical Society of Maine, NY, and SRO Productions. Additionally, Broome County Arts Council received 15% of UCF Campaign totals, reserved for BCAC’s general operations & programming.

Major donors whose charitable gifts helped make UCF grants possible include: the Stewart W. & Willma C. Hoyt Foundation, Broome County Government, the Dr. G. Clifford & Florence B. Decker Foundation, the Miller S. & Adelaide S. Gaffney Foundation, IBM, Eugene & Judith Peckham, Columbian Financial Group, NBT Bank, Mediabrush Marketing, Sentry Alarms, Chianis & Anderson Architects, Dr. Pamela Smart, Visions Federal Credit Union, and other local businesses and individuals who believe in the value of arts investment.

Since 1987, the Broome County Arts Council’s United Cultural Fund has distributed over $11 million to the Arts in Broome County, while serving over 100,000 residents. UCF grantees typically return $3-$4 million dollars to Broome County’s economy, annually. The economic impact of revenue loss due to COVID has been hard-felt in the Arts community since March of 2020, but with an 18 month recovery period predicted (AFTA, 2020), United Cultural Campaign funding continues to be especially critical to the health and vitality of our County. As ever, we are grateful for the generosity of all who supported the recovery and sustainability of the Arts in Broome County with their donations.