“The Spirit of Music” will radiate through the crowd when the Community Chorus takes the stage at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, at the Polk County High School Auditorium. 

 

The concert, under the direction of Dell Morgan, and accompanied by Pam McNeil on the piano, will feature music, both secular and sacred, that lifts the spirit. Selections include a medley from The Phantom of the Opera, and Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber; spirituals, including Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho, Deep River, and Down by the Riverside; pop songs from the World War II era, and other familiar favorites. 

 

Dell Morgan, a native of Jonesville, SC, began his formal music education at age 5, and studied piano, trumpet and voice throughout his high school years. He received a bachelor’s degree in music from Gardner Webb University, and has been involved with church music, theater groups and performing groups for more than 30 years as a performer, conductor and pianist. He has accompanied the Tryon Little Theater musical productions. 

 

Dell was the founder of a music ensemble at the University of South Carolina Union campus that continued for more than 10 years. He now works at Converse College in Spartanburg as the circulation/document delivery supervisor for the Mickel Library. He is in his 16th year as pianist and hand–bell director for Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Spartanburg. This is Dell’s first time in the director’s stand for the Community Chorus. 

 

Accompanist Pam McNeil’s keyboard career started when she was five years old with a color-coded toy piano. When she banged out “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” her mother decided it was time for lessons. Pam is a graduate of St. Andrews University and Western Carolina University, where she served as accompanist and had her first experience with the original Moog synthesizer.  

 

She has played for the Community Chorus, Tryon Little Theater, churches, musicals, parties, friends and (once) a foster sheep. She is currently the organist at Tryon United Methodist Church and works at Saluda Elementary School. 

 

The Community Chorus is made up of about 75 volunteer vocalists. Community Chorus concerts take place each year in April and December and benefit the Rotary Club of Tryon Scholarship Fund. 

 

For more information, check out the Community Chorus website at: http://www.carolinacommunitychorus.org/.