Mendelssohn Club of Albany Announces Annual Spring Concert

DELMAR, NY (05/03/2022) (readMedia)-- The Mendelssohn Club of Albany will perform its traditional spring concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 13th in historic Chancellor's Hall in the New York State Education Building. Jason Dashew will make his concert debut as The Mendelssohn Club's new conductor.

"Working with and getting to know this wonderful group of talented men has been a true delight," said Mendelssohn Club Conductor Jason Dashew. "I imagined my first semester as the club's new conductor would be enjoyable, but the effort, camaraderie, and joy these singers bring to rehearsal each week has been incredibly rewarding. I am looking forward to our performances at the Tulip Festival and our spring concert as opportunities for these accomplished singers to showcase their hard work and love of music."

The theme for the evening is "A Night of Romance," and the concert will feature a wide range of music from the Renaissance to Rock eras and everything in between. To help celebrate the arrival of spring, The Williams College Octet will join the club as a special guest. The Williams College Octet is an all-male a cappella group founded in 1940, making it one of the oldest collegiate a cappella groups in the country. The group's website says, "Originally an actual octet, the group has since expanded in order to perform contemporary music, which often requires a few spare guys for percussion, beat drops, and crowd-surfing."

In keeping with tradition, the club will introduce Albany's new Tulip Queen and her court at intermission. The club also will perform at the Albany Tulip Festival on Saturday, May 7.

Tickets for the concert – A Night of Romance - are available in advance or at the door for $22. To purchase tickets in advance, please contact tickets@mendelssohn.org for more information. The New York State Education Building is located at 89 Washington Avenue in Albany. The entrance to Chancellor's Hall is located near the corner of North Hawk Street and Washington Avenue. Covered parking is available one block from the State Education Building.

About The Mendelssohn Club: A Capital Region tradition since 1909, the 60-voice male chorus is the area's longest continuously performing arts group. The club is composed of men from the Capital District, Hudson Valley and Berkshire regions, and performs a full range of male choral selections from around the world. The conductor of The Mendelssohn Club is Jason Dashew. Mr. Dashew earned a Bachelor of Music degree from SUNY Fredonia and a Master of Arts from SUNY Albany. He currently serves as the director of choral activities at Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, New York. In addition to conducting five choral ensembles, he also teaches music theory and directs the annual spring musical productions for Bethlehem's middle and high schools. Mr. Dashew also directs the youth choirs at the First United Methodist Church in Delmar. Pianist Michael Clement serves as the club's accompanist. Mr. Clement trained at the Eastman School of Music, the University of Arizona, and the University of Southern California. He has performed concerts throughout the U.S., and has served as music director of Opera Excelsior, vocal coach at the College of Saint Rose, accompanist at Skidmore College, and music director of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Albany, New York.