Valley of Cleveland Chorus Notes

In the last issue of the Scottish Rite News, I promised that I had a spectacular announcement for the next issue. and here it is: After the wildly successful concert at Brown’s Stadium this summer of the three tenors, opera stars Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti, the Scottish Rite, Valley of Cleveland, is very pleased to announce that three tenors will be making a return appearance in our own Masonic Auditorium this November.

However, the three tenors will not be making that appearance due to the cancellation of the Fall 2000 reunion.

Of course, the three tenors who would have appeared at the Masonic Auditorium are not world-famous opera stars mentioned above, but three tenors who hold down the seats in the first-tenor section of our own beloved Scottish Rite Chorus: Harry Kiefer, Dave Fink, and Chester Willey.

Harry has been a devoted member of the chorus since 1960, and is also a member of Clifton-Gaston Allen Lodge no. 664. He is retired from Sherwin-Williams. Dave is a retired firefighter who joined the chorus in 1994. He is Past Master of Edwin S.Griffiths Lodge no. 749, and a Past Patron of North Royalton Chapter OES. Chester doesn’t do much of anything at all if he can get out of it, but he still works for Key Bank (he’s not smart enough to have made enough money to retire!) and is a plural member of Amity Lodge no. 5 in Zanesville, Ohio, and Euclid Lodge no. 599 in Lyndhurst, where he is currently Tyler.

Be sure that you mark your calendar for the spring 2001 reunion when the three tenors will be there in concert. The Scottish Rite Chorus had our first rehearsal on Thursday, October 3rd. We celebrated our resumption of rehearsals and fellowship with some refreshments provided by our President Darrell Reeds. Our celebration was somewhat dampened, however, by the joint announcement from both our Organist, Ill.·. and Dr. Robert Bray, and our Director Ill.·. Marvin Price, that they have both submitted their resignations to the Board of Trustees of the Valley of Cleveland. They have both served nearly 40 years in their respective positions, and with Dr. Bray and his wife relocating to a cottage at the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, the Secretary of the Valley of Cleveland, Ill.·. John H. Youngblood, has assured this writer that a committee is in place to locate new leadership for the chorus, and it is the intent of the Board of Trustees to make every effort to continue the substantial music program within our Valley.

With that in mind, we invite any interested brethren of the Valley (or any other Valley) to join us. It’s not too late to learn the music, and the Chorus members will all help as much as they can. Besides, we have too much fun on a Tuesday night not to share!!! Come down and join our “three tenors.”

Ill.;. & Dr. Robert J. Bray, 33°
Retiring Organist

Ill.·. Marvin J. Price, 33°
Retiring Chorus Director

Best wishes
Bob and Marvin
on your
retirement