The Inland Children's Chorus Articles Page
We invite those who have participated in the Chorus, attended concerts, or appreciate the preservation of a musical era to help with this effort. If you are interested, please write to alred@inlandchorus.com or call 262-512-3639.Richard B. Westbrock (below right), founding director of the Inland Children's Chorus (1936-1955), organized the Westbrock Singing Boys in 1933. Click on the image below to view or download articles that document Richard Westbrock's musical training from ages 16 to 28. (1.3MB)
A photo of the founding members of the "newly formed" Inland Children's Chorus is shown on the cover of the December 1936 issue of The Inlander. The issue includes photos of Richard Westbrock with chorus members, and Raymond Sovey, who staged the performance of the Chorus. Click on the image below to view.
The Inland Children's Chorus makes its first public appearance on Friday, June 5, 1937. This performance was part of the Dayton area drive to support the local Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Click on the image below to read the Inlander and local newspaper reports of the program.
The December 1937 issue of The Inlander includes an early photo of the concert group with Richard Westbrock. The issue also features clippings of newspaper reviews from the first concert with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Click on the image below to view the issue.
A 1938 newspaper clipping reports that the Chorus, "since its founding in September, 1936, has come to be recognized as one of the outstanding groups of its kind in the United States." The Click on the image below to view.
The December 20, 1938, performance of the Chorus with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra is reviewed in two Dayton newspapers. These early published reviews provide details about the founding and development of the Chorus. Click on the image below to view.
The January 1940 issue of The Inlander includes a photo of the concert group and photos of members with Wallace Whittaker, Inland General Manager, and Richard Westbrock. Click on the image below to view the issue.
The traditional staging of the Chorus was developed by Raymond Sovey, a two-time Tony Award nominee and long-time Broadway theatrical designer. The December 1940 article below describes how Wallace Whittaker, Inland General Manager, brought Sovey to Dayton. Sovey returned frequently to oversee the productions and spoke to the audience at a series of 1944 concerts at the Dayton Art Institute. Click on the image below to view the article and a biography for Sovey.
A May 1946 concert at the Dayton Art Institute was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Charles F. Kettering because of "the intense interest of the Ketterings in the welfare of the group." See the program for this series of concerts, and click on the image below to read a review by A. S. Kany in the The Dayton Herald.
Richard Westbrock (below center) meets in the fall of 1953 with tenor David Lloyd (left) of the New York City Opera and guest conductor Hugh Ross (right) of New York's Schola Cantorum in preparation for the world premiere stage production of Benjamin Britten's Saint Nicolas. Click on the image below to view newspaper reports prior to the concert.
Eleazar de Carvalho (below left), conductor of the Rio de Janeiro Symphony Orchestra, congratulates Hugh Ross (center) and Richard Westbrock (right) on the December 20, 1953 production of Benjamin Britten's Saint Nicolas. Click on the image below to see news photos from the concert and an invitation to a reception following hosted by Miriam Rosenthal with comments by Mary (Westbrock) Lubinski. See also the full concert program with published reviews.
John D. O'Brien announces in a letter to Chorus members the sudden death of Richard B. Westbrock (1906-1955). O'Brien writes that Richard Westbrock's "influence will be felt for a great many years in our community." Click on the image below to view the letter and published obituaries (1.3MB).
The summer 1955 issue of The Inlander announces the appointment of Joseph P. Geiger who then directed the Chorus from 1955 to 1970. Click on the image below.
The December 1955 issue of GM Folks (below), the General Motors Corporation national magazine, includes a feature article on the Chorus, "one of the country's outstanding children's singing groups." The article includes photos of the Chorus at practice and in preparation for a concert. Click on the image below.
Spring concerts were often so popular, as described in a 1956 clipping, that the Chorus gave multiple performances to accommodate the large audiences. Click on the image below to view both the clipping and a photo of the Italian Renaissance style Dayton Art Institute.
The April 1956 issue of The Inlander announces the graduates of the Chorus and an upcoming concert. Click on the image below.
The Chorus presents its Christmas concert on December 19, 1956, at the newly remodeled three-thousand-seat Memorial Hall. Click on the image below to view both the clipping and a photo of Memorial Hall, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The December 1957 and July 1957 issues of the The Inlander (below) include feature articles on the Chorus with photos in the practice room and at the annual summer picnic at LeSourdsville Amusement Park. Click on the image below.
The May 1958 issue of The Inlander announces the graduates of the Chorus. Click on the image below.
The April 1959 issue of The Inlander announces the graduates of the Chorus. Click on the image below.
The November 1960 issue of the The Inlander announces the Silver Anniversary Concert with a full front-page spread of articles on the history of the Inland Children's Chorus. Click on the image below.
A December 1960 newspaper article reports on the upcoming Silver Anniversary concert to be held December 13, 1960. The article notes that the chorus made its first appearance on December 20, 1936. Click on the image below.
The January 1961 issue of the The Inlander includes photos of the Silver Anniversary Concert and the retirement of John D. O'Brien with the presentation of a plaque from members of the Chorus. Click on the image below.
A December 1963 feature article describes the Chorus at practice with photos. Click on the image below.
Two 1964 articles announce the graduates of the Chorus and the upcoming spring concert on May 12. Click on the image below.
The May 1965 issue of The Inlander announces the graduates of the Chorus. In the article, the graduates reflect on the value of their experience. Click on the image below.
One of the TV appearances of the Chorus included a 1966 Christmas special on Dayton's NBC affiliate (now WDTN), hosted by Johnny Gilbert, long-time announcer and the distinctive voice of the game show Jeopardy. Click on the image below.
The April 1970 issue of The Inlander announces the graduates of the Chorus. The article describes the upcoming May 12 concert and reports that "former Chorus graduates Joan and Jane Boston, Alfred Wimmers and Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Schamel will be featured soloists and dancers during the evening's program." Click on the image below to read about what would be the final performance of the Chorus.
The Dayton Daily News fine arts editor, Betty Dietz, reports on the official dissolution of the Inland Children's Chorus (ca. Fall 1970). Click on the image below.
Matt Phelan, former member (1936-1943) and graphic design executive, developed a tribute publication (below) in 1995 as well as restored recordings on cassette tapes that he distributed free of charge. Thanks to Matt Phelan for his generosity and permission to include his work on this site. Click on the image below (1.2MB).
Matt Phelan's tribute and restored recordings are reported in a December 1995 article in the Dayton Daily News. Click on the image below to view or right-click to download both the article and Matt Phelan's scrapbook pages of clippings from the late 1930s and early 1940s. Warning: this file is large (8.8MB).
On May 21, 2010, former members met at Wright State University to establish the Inland Children's Chorus Collection and the partnership of Special Collections and Archives with InlandChorus.com. Click on the image below to view or right-click to download both the print and online version of the Dayton Daily News report of the meeting. See the about us page for more photos.
