The Inland Children's Chorus Articles Page
This area documents the history of the Chorus through a timeline of news clippings, feature articles, and other documents. Click on the images below to view a document or right click to download a copy. If you would like higher resolution versions of these documents, please write to alred@inlandchorus.com.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.comRichard 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)
Eleazar de Carvalho (left below), conductor of the Rio de Janeiro Symphony Orchestra, congratulates Hugh Ross (center) and Richard Westbrock (right) on their production of Benjamin Britten's "Saint Nicolas." Carvalho was a guest at the December 20, 1953 performance. Click on the image below to read reviews of the performance by Betty A. Dietz of the Dayton Daily News and Merab Eberle of The Journal Herald.
The December 1937 issue of The Inlander includes the earliest photos of the concert group with Richard Westbrock. The issue also shows Raymond Sovey of New York, who staged the performance of the Chorus, and clippings of newspaper reviews of the first concert with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. 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 technical and costume 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.
Richard Westbrock (below center) meets with tenor David Lloyd (left) of the New York City Opera and guest conductor Hugh Ross (right) of New York's Schola Cantorum. See the concert program for this world premier of Benjamin Britten's "Saint Nicolas." Click on the image below to view a news photo at the performance showing the Chorus with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and an invitation to a post-concert reception by Miriam Rosenthal with comments by Mary (Westbrock) Lubinski. (1.2MB)
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 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 at the Dayton Art Institute often attracted capacity audiences, as described in a 1956 clipping. Click on the image below.
The April 1956 issue of The Inlander announces the graduates of the Chorus and the upcoming concert. Click on the image below.
The Chorus opens the newly remodeled three-thousand-seat Memorial Hall at its Christmas concert on December 19, 1956. Click on the image below.
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 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.
The December 1963 issue of the The Inlander includes a article on the Chorus at practice with photos. 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 hosted by Johnny Gilbert, well-known announcer and the distinctive voice of the game show Jeopardy. Click on the image below.
The Dayton Daily News fine arts editor, Betty Dietz, reports on the official dissolution of the Inland Children's Chorus (ca. 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).
