WINTERSVILLE — Getting a new local community choir off the ground would be music to the ears of a trio hoping to carry on the tradition of the former Steubenville Civic Choral Society.

And to Ohio Valley audiences as well.

Erik Waugh, director, and participants Amanda J. Abrams and Robb Townsend believe an organizational meeting promoting the new Ohio Valley Chorale will set the tempo for making some “beautiful music” again, giving area residents a chance to share a common interest and goal and to have some fun, too.

Jan. 30 is the first rehearsal, with Wintersville United Methodist Church, 702 Main St., the location, and 7 p.m. the starting time. All local singers high school age and older are welcome to come. There is no audition. The first performance, anticipated to be held in May at a location to be announced, will be a concert of sacred music featuring Gabriel Faure’s setting of the “Requiem” as its main piece, along with works by Dan Forrest, Jeffrey Ames and Paul Basler.

“For several years now, I’ve had a vision to, in some way, resurrect the idea of the Civic Choral Society,” said Waugh, who serves as director of music at Wintersville UMC, works with the marching band at Steubenville High School and is the principal conductor of the Tri-State Community Band.

“I have had discussions with many people over the last five years and found there to be a significant interest throughout the community,” he said. “After starting my position at Wintersville UMC I met Amanda Abrams, and, in one of our first conversations, she mentioned her past involvement in Civic Choral Society and shared with me that she would love to see a new group formed in the area,” Waugh continued.

“We have discussed it a number of times since then as a possibility, and this past December, after performing in Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ (at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Steubenville) we decided to try and push forward to make this newly formed group a reality. With the assistance of Amanda and Robb Townsend, we have made contact with many of the former Civic Choral Society members who have expressed sincere interest in joining us on this journey,” he added.

Waugh anticipates a good turnout Jan. 30.

“I am confident that with all of the responses we’ve already had that we will have a strong attendance for our first rehearsal. There is no limit to the number of people. The more vocal strength we have, the better,” he said, pointing out that Abrams and Townsend have been “incredibly instrumental in the formation of this group.”

Waugh has always had a passion for music.

“My grandmother had a Wurlitzer organ in her home and — as my family tells it — she had me sitting on the bench from the time I was able to sit up on my own,” he said. “At the age of 10, I played the organ for my sister’s wedding. I learned all of the music for the ceremony by ear, as I could not read music. In junior high, I was involved in the marching and concert band programs, and in high school, I was actively involved in band, choir and drama club. After graduating from Steubenville High School in 2005, I studied vocal music and conducting at West Liberty University. During my time at West Liberty, I had the privilege of performing with both of the university choral ensembles, including the by-audition-only chamber choir. Since 2008, I have worked as a church musician, serving in various capacities as director of music, organist, choir director, worship leader and more,” Waugh said.

Although he was never involved in the Civic Choral Society, Waugh did perform with the State College Choral Society, in State College, Pa., during its 2010-11 concert season, which included a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Waugh’s vision for the new group?

“The Tri-State Community Band affords the opportunity for instrumentalists in our area to share their love for music with one another. After seeing a sincere interest in a similar opportunity in the choral music genre, my goal for this group is to provide an open opportunity for singers throughout our community to make music together,” he said.

“The group will provide yet another opportunity for members of the community to come together with one goal in mind — to create beautiful music. Through the forming of this group, it is my belief the friendships will be formed and lives will be positively impacted through our common love for music,” Waugh said.

Abrams shares in that enthusiasm.

“We are so excited to get something started for local singers again,” she said. “I had first sung with Civic Choral Society as a child in a children’s choir with a (Dave) Brubeck piece when my aunt sang with them. I later sang for a little while with them in high school again and then again for the last several years before Steve Spurlock finished up the group,” she said.

“I have missed singing with a group of this caliber so much, and I know that many others from Civic Choral and other choirs in the area have as well. There are so many tremendously talented singers and musicians in our area,” she said, noting Waugh and Townsend, director of the Kolmont Church choir, “have been talking about starting a group for a while now since Erik came to work at my church at Wintersville United Methodist.

“We had all talked with various friends who are local singers, and there was so much interest in someone starting a group again. When we all got together to sing in George Melhorn’s ‘Messiah’ at Covenant Presbyterian this past December, a lot of our friends all started talking about getting a choir started again,” Abrams continued. “Erik, Robb and I met and finally decided to see what interest there really was. Erik approached our church board of trustees at Wintersville United Methodist, and they have graciously offered the use of the church sanctuary for the Monday evening rehearsals. We then ordered all of the music and will have it in hand for the first practice on Jan. 30,” she said.

Abrams said she’ll sing soprano and has offered to help in any way she can, “including in reaching out to community members for fundraising to help to obtain a small professional orchestra secured for our concert this spring. At the moment, I have been helping with planning in the background and trying to get others to join in as well through the contacts that I have. I am so appreciative that Erik has taken up the challenge to lead a new group.”

Abrams said music always has been important to her and her family.

“I have been involved in music as long as I can remember playing flute in school in Wintersville and a youth orchestra in Wheeling and then in college at the University of Pittsburgh where I earned a music minor along with my degree. I now sing from time to time at Wintersville United Methodist Church, where we are so blessed to have Erik as our music director,” Abrams said.

“I later started singing at our family’s church and with Civic Choral Society, which is what really got me interested as an adult in singing again. My grandmother was our church choir director for nearly 50 years at Brentwood Methodist Church, and my mother sang and was our pianist. My aunts and uncles are all musicians and singers also as are some of my cousins. My mother, grandmother, aunt and I all sang with Civic Choral Society in different performances over the years. It was so meaningful to us to have not only a place to sing with friends and family, but to sing such wonderful sacred music that is a little more challenging than traditional church choir music,” Abrams said.

“I truly believe our area — and any area really — needs more of the arts and more positive outlets for artists but also for the community to come and listen and participate as well,” she continued. “Our lives are often so stressful, it is always so wonderful to sit down for a couple of hours at our practices with a group of kind and caring community members and sing sacred music. Music can be so uplifting in so many ways, and sometimes those couple of hours is just the break we all need,” she said.

“I have met so many wonderful friends throughout my life through music as a musician and singer from elementary school, high school and college in band, orchestra and chamber music groups and now as an adult with community choirs and church groups. We all seem to meet so many friends that we have so much in common with this way,” Abrams said.

“Many times we meet people who become lifelong friends, as I have, and people we might not otherwise ever meet. Our area really has such a large community of musicians and singers that most people might not even realize is there. Choir is really not just a musical outlet, but a gathering of friends and wonderful social time for everyone. Erik, Robb and I, along with all of the other individuals we have talked to, all wanted something to be involved with again, and we thought this would be the right time to try. We hope that singers from all over the Tri-State Area will join us, and we have been reaching out to all of our friends who have sung in the past in any of the groups we have affiliation with. There seems to be a good bit of interest in friends from our churches, former members of Civic Choral Society and also some new friends who wish to join in,” she said.

“On a very personal note, when we discussed names for the group, and Erik mentioned using the word ‘chorale’ along with other options, I asked if we could use this in the name to honor my cousin Victoria Jackson, who my family tragically lost in 2009 in an automobile accident,” Abrams explained. “She loved music her entire 16 years that we were blessed to have her with us. She was in the band and also top choir at her school in Medina, Ohio, and it was called the Chorale. Her parents — my aunt and uncle — and brother are all musicians and singers also, and I know are thrilled that our community is starting a new group with her in mind in the planning of the organization. Her plan was to have studied to be a music therapist, so I hope that this is another way we can keep her memory alive with us. I have promised to myself since we lost Victoria that I will continue singing to honor her memory, as this was one of the most important things to her,” Abrams said.

Townsend, a resident of Mingo Junction who serves as the choir director at Kolmont Church in Mingo, sang in the Steubenville Civic Choral Society for more than five years under the Spurlocks.

“I’ve missed the CCS, so I’ve been hoping someone would start a similar group,” said Townsend, who knows Abrams from singing in it and Waugh from singing in “Messiah” at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Steubenville.

“I think groups like this are important for a sense of community, to meet people from other churches and cities,” he said. “I made great friends being in CCS, and I look forward to continuing those friendships and making more in OVC.”

Townsend’s vision for the new music group is for it to constantly grow, attract new members and build on the tradition of the Civic Choral Society that existed for decades and was led by Steve and Marti Spurlock.

Townsend invites local singers to be a part of the new Ohio Valley Chorale.

“Some of the music will be challenging, but I think of that as a good thing,” he said. “Working together to perform an amazing concert for the audience is always rewarding. My only regret with the Civic Choral Society is that I didn’t join sooner, so I encourage everyone to come and try the new Ohio Valley Chorale and be a part of something positive in our community.”

Joan Thompson of Wintersville has Jan. 30 marked on her calendar, eager to be a part of a new musical adventure in the area.

Asked why it was important to her to be a part of the new group, Thompson said she sang with “Messiah” at Covenant Presbyterian in December. “Singing with other people who can really sing is, how do I say that,” she looked to Waugh for the right word.

“It’s so fulfilling” Waugh offered, “in so many different ways. Music is so interesting because it’s such a universal language, and it’s one thing that can unite people from all different cultures and all different backgrounds and all different walks of life.”

For information or questions about the Ohio Valley Chorale, contact Waugh by e-mail at ovchorale@gmail.com or phone 740-264-1676. A Facebook page featuring information is being created.