Mandolin group performs in Weirton
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The Pittsburgh Mandolin Orchestra, the largest mandolin orchestra in the United States, performed at Weirton's First Christian Church on Dec. 20 as their fourth and final Christmas performance of the season.
According to the orchestra's Music Director Charley Rappaport, "We do six to ten major performances a year and hope to increase that number. The problem is finding a place with a space large enough to accommodate forty musicians."
He went on to say that the orchestra has played in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and once a smaller ensemble played in Morgantown, but this is the first time that the full orchestra has played in West Virginia.
The Pittsburgh Mandolin Orchestra has been in existence since 1919, but did not continue after World War II, until 2002, when Alan Epstein, who now resides in Albany, N.Y., revived it.
The orchestra, whose musicians range in age from their teens to their 80s, play mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, woodwinds, guitars and percussion.
They are also accompanied by a soloist, Gary Burdick.
The full orchestra performed a variety of well-known, traditional Christmas carols, as well as the Canadian favorite, "The Huron Carol," the Russian winter song, "Troika Bells" and the Ukraine's, "Carol of the Bells."
Soloist Gary Burdick sang "Ave Maria."
The audience was encouraged to join in and sing along to three of the carols.
Before the performance ended, a small ensemble played "What Child is This?" The performance concluded with "Silent Night" as their encore selection.
Following the performance, a reception was hosted by the First Christian Church Worship Committee.
Kirk Morrison, a six-year member of the orchestra and former member of the church, said, "The orchestra members talked about how fun it was to play here, and how good the acoustics were in the church. It's a good way to learn to play and fun to be part of something so unusual and historic."
It was noted that the first live radio show in the United States was broadcast on Pittsburgh's KDKA radio in 1921 and that the performance was by a mandolin quartet.
For information on the Pittsburgh Mandolin Orchestra, or to view a schedule of their performances, visit its Web site at www.pittsburghmandolinsociety.org.
