Dayton Celebration Chorus
The Dayton Celebration Chorus is an adult community chorus that serves the city of Dayton and the Miami Valley region. There is no audition. 
Open to all interested adult singers, the Chorus sings a diverse repertoire of both sacred and secular choral literature, with an emphasis on American music. Founded in 2003 as the Schuster Center Celebration Choir, the organization was first sponsored by the Victoria Theatre Association. In 2014 the group affiliated with the University of Dayton Office of Special Programs and Continuing Education.
Our performance venues have included the Schuster Center for the Performing Arts, Courthouse Square Grand Illumination, Kroc Center, Dayton Art Institute, Victoria Theatre, The Greene, UD Arena, Fifth Third Field, and various churches and retirement communities. Chorus members have enjoyed performance opportunities with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Holiday Festival Community Chorus, the UD New Horizons Band, the Miami Valley Symphony, and various guest artists and conductors. DCC has been selected annually to sing the National Anthem for the Dayton Dragons at Fifth Third Field.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals are held in several sessions throughout the year.
Tuesdays 6:30 – 8:00 pm
St. John’s Lutheran Church
Fifth and Ludlow Streets in downtown Dayton
Accessible parking is directly behind the church, with the entrance off Fifth Street. Use the church’s rear entrance. This leads directly into the multi-purpose room, the rehearsal space.
Current Session: Fall 2016
- October 4 - Rehearsal and introduction to winter/holiday music
- November 8 - December 20, pending performance schedule
- No limit to the number of participants
- No audition required
- Tuition $45
-- TBA
Meet the Director
Tenor David Sievers is an artist-in-residence of voice at the University of Dayton where he teaches private voice and related coursework, and is co-music director and conductor of the UD Opera Workshop. Dr. Sievers has performed many of the standard character tenor roles in the operatic canon and solos in the classical canon.
He is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the National Opera Association, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, the Opera Guild of Dayton, the Dayton Music Club, and Phi Beta Kappa. He was most recently named Music Director of the Dayton Celebration Chorus. A church musician since the age of 12, Dr. Sievers is also the Pastoral Associate of Music and Liturgy at St. Luke Parish in Beavercreek, Ohio.
Meet the Accompanist
Dr. Mary Fahrenbruck, chorus accompanist, is a retired music professor from Central State University, where she taught for 30 years.
She performs professionally as a solo pianist, chamber musician, accompanist, and musical pit orchestra musician throughout the region.
A few words from our members
“Singing with the Dayton Philharmonic last Christmas in the Schuster was awesome!”
“The choir has provided me an ideal opportunity to return to singing, an activity I hadn't enjoyed since high school.”
“The warm-ups and singing tips have really helped me to sing better and longer and to be a stronger musician.”
"I love the variety of selections!"
“I enjoy the variety of ages in the choir and have made many new friends from all over the Miami Valley region.”
“I may feel tired when I first come to rehearsal after the long workday, but I always feel energized and happier when I am there.”
Mission and Purpose
As part of its mission and purpose, the Dayton Celebration Chorus:
- provides opportunity for community musicians to build their musicianship skills
- emphasizes healthy singing, with good tone, breath control and diction
- reflects the University of Dayton’s mission and its commitment to building community and to life-long learning
- sings a varied repertoire, both sacred and secular, with a focus on American music
- shares its joy of singing by presenting public performances in the community
- serves as musical ambassadors for the Miami Valley region and the city of Dayton
- promotes wellness and a positive learning and social environment, understanding that healthy singing is good for the body, mind and spirit
Support for the Chorus
The Dayton Celebration Chorus is supported through member tuition fees and donations for performances. There is a “Member Assistance Fund” for those singers who need a tuition-assistance grant. For more information, contact: Office of Special Programs and Continuing Education Phone: 937-229-2347