Latest News


  • New Credit Card Payment Option
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Mar 30 2023
    We are pleased to announce that we can now accept credit card payments over the phone for those patrons who aren't comfortable paying online.  When a member of our box office staff returns your phone call, just let them know that you'd like to purchase your concert tickets using a major credit card.  To purchase tickets over the phone, please call our box office 607-205-8741 and leave a message.  Please do not leave your credit card information, but instead wait for the call back.
  • New Box Office Number
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Mar 30 2023
    The Downtown Singers have a new box office number.  The new number is 607-205-8741.  Please update any saved contact information you may have for our office.
  • Downtown Singers Receive UCF Grant
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Tue, Mar 14 2023
    Once again this year, the Binghamton Downtown Singers are truly grateful to the United Cultural Fund (UCF) for their grant of $1000 awarded to our organization.  Please see the full press release below which includes information about the UCF, the full list of organizations receiving grants, as well as a list of the major donors who make these grants possible.

    Thanks again for your support of the arts!
    Attachment:
  • Downtown Singers Perform at CHOW Concert
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Dec 8 2022
    A group of volunteers from the Binghamton Downtown Singers performed at the 2022 CHOW Concert on Sunday December 4th.  We hope you enjoy this video of that performance.
    YouTube Video URL:
  • Start Our 40th Year in Style
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Sun, Dec 4 2022
    The Binghamton Downtown Singers will celebrate their 40th year with a gala
    cocktail party from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at Remlik’s, 31 Lewis St.,
    Binghamton. Past and present singers, soloists and orchestra members and their guests
    are invited.

    Here’s a chance to renew old friendships and make new ones while extending the
    festive holiday season – and proving that you own other “glad rags” than just
    concert black and white.

    An hors d’oeuvres buffet will be $20. Advance tickets are required and can be purchased until January 7th on the DTS website.
    There will be a cash bar.
  • Soloists Reunite to Celebrate 40th Year
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Sun, Nov 20 2022
    For our 40th year celebration, the Binghamton Downtown Singers wanted to do something special.

    While the Board of Directors gathered posters from previous concerts, the idea to invite soloists from past performances was born. Our Principal Artistic Director, Marisa Crabb, contacted several soloists who were thrilled with the idea. Here are some of their responses:

    This warms my heart and I'm excited to return to Binghamton! I would be delighted to sing with you all! 

    I can’t tell you how much I look forward to singing this wonderful piece with you and the DTS! 

    Count me in! I am excited and honored to be a part of this performance. 

    Congrats on your 40th anniversary – such a testament to Alan and to you.


    So, as a special treat to kick off our 40th year, our Messiah performance will feature seven soloists, rather than our usual four.  We invite you to come join us to hear these amazing voices once again.
  • Choir Grows with New Members
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Nov 17 2022
    We are excited to be able to make many Covid-related requirements now optional for our rehearsals and performances. As a result, we are seeing our singers return in force for our 40th year.  But the more exciting news is that we are seeing a large growth in first-time singers.  They comprise 10% of our current chorus!  New singers have joined each section, and they are excited to sing with us, and to sing the Messiah. 

    Here's what some of our new members have to say about joining the choir:

    "My mom used to bring me to rehearsals when I was just a baby. Then I started singing The Messiah when I was 9. The DT Singers have been my extended family. This group raised me; giving me love, and a world class music education. I've learned the importance of listening to my neighbors and the importance of my own voice."

    "I'm excited to be a part of the Singers; this experience has been like no other musical endeavor I've embarked upon. I'm meeting wonderful people and learning new music at the same time. I'm so blessed to be carrying on this amazing local legacy and I hope my voice, joined with the rest of the Singers, can honor the memory of those who are no longer with us."

    "For many years I dreamed of singing the Messiah but had no training (not even in high school!) and thought it unlikely to happen. But with the encouragement of my eldest child I joined the DTS for the Messiah and learned so much. It's an enormous blessing to be part of such a talented and artistic group and I look forward to more seasons to come!"

     
  • Help Us Celebrate Our Story By Telling Us Your Story
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Nov 17 2022

    As we celebrate our 40th year, we want to hear your story. Maybe you sang with us years ago and want to share that experience. Maybe you are one of our loyal patrons and have a fond memory of a performance and how it brought the spirit of the season to your heart. Or maybe you're a current member and want to share what performing with the choir means to you.

    Whatever your story, we would enjoy having you share it with us so we can share it with others. Please click the link below to go to the entry form.

    Enter Story

  • Tickets for 40th Year Messiah Available Online
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Fri, Nov 4 2022
    The Binghamton Downtown Singers are pleased to announce that online ticket sales are now available at https://www.downtownsingers.org/tickets for our 40th year Messiah performance. Tickets are $20 per person and may be purchased with a credit card, or by sending a check to:

    Binghamton Downtown Singers
    PO Box 1143
    Binghamton NY 13902-1143

    Tickets purchased online with a credit card can be printed immediately.  Tickets purchased online with a check can be printed once the check has cleared.

    In addition, one student is admitted free with each ticket purchase, so bring those young people in your life to enjoy this glorious holiday music.

    Tickets may also be purchased by leaving a message at 607-875-4371, by emailing tickets@downtownsingers.org, or by contacting any choir member.
  • Guest Conductor expands our skills
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Jun 2 2022
    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.
  • Tickets Now Available Online
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Sun, Mar 27 2022

    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!
     
  • Downtown Singers Awarded UCF Grant
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Thu, Mar 10 2022
    BCAC ANNOUNCES OVER $261K FOR
    2022 UNITED CULTURAL FUND (UCF) RECIPIENTS

     
     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.
  • Spring 2022 Concert Program Announcement
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Wed, Nov 10 2021
    The Binghamton Downtown Singers are pleased to announce the program for our Spring 2022 concert.  Our Spring concert will feature Gabriel Faure's Requiem. According to good-music-guide.com, "Faure's Requiem is unique. The anguish, loss and horrors of Death and Judgement Day are left by the wayside. Faure concentrates on the true meaning of the word "Requiem", or "rest". His Requiem is about peaceful acceptance and release, and the music is serene, elevating, comforting."

    We look forward to sharing this unique requiem with you in the Spring.
  • Downtown Singers Launch New Website
  •  
  •  Date Posted: Fri, Oct 29 2021
    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!
Copyright © 2023 Binghamton Downtown Singers