Malone students to perform at Roscoe UMC
COSHOCTON – The Roscoe UMC music department will host Samson Toe & Darius McBride, music students at Malone University in Canton, during the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, June 22. Roscoe UMC is located at 475 High St. (Historic Roscoe Village). Pastor Steve Sullivan invites the community to this service. More information can be obtained by calling the church office during regular business hours at 622-1138 or e-mailing rumcsec@yahoo.com.
Toe is a young American conductor that is fast gaining experience on podiums both in the United States and Europe. He is very passionate about not only soliciting emotional and accurate technique from his musicians, but engaging his audiences. At the conclusion of his senior year of high school, he was appointed Intern Assistant Conductor of the Canton Youth Symphony under the tutelage of Associate Conductor of the Canton Symphony Orchestra Matthew Brown. This was a position held by Toe for four seasons. Toe made his international conducting debut this past summer when he was invited to conduct on a series of concerts throughout Italy and Switzerland under the direction of Maestro Joseph del Principe in cooperation with the University of Siena. He is also the principal and founding conductor of the Canton Community Orchestra and Chorus. He has served as guest conductor for many school ensembles most recently conducting on the Canton City All City Band Concert 2012. He was also asked in 2011 to travel to Los Angeles, Calif. and serve for a summer as the conducting intern for the Harmony Project Hollywood Youth Orchestra which is the flagship and oldest orchestra formed by the Harmony Project (a music education organization for youth in Los Angeles). Toe served for two years as the student conductor of the Malone University Chorale where he conducted both rehearsals and performances of the University Chorale, University Chamber Choir and the University Chapel Choir. He also served as Chorus Master of the Malone Opera Theater Company coaching members on solo literature and conducting the chorus in performance.
As a church musician, Toe began as a church organist at age nine. Nine years later he joined the staff at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church as the organist and director of music. This was a position he held for six years. Two years ago, he joined the staff at Salem Mennonite Church in Kidron, as the choir conductor. He also serves as organ scholar to the principal organist at the church.
McBride is a fourth year music education student. For four years, he has been the assistant adult choir director and head youth choir director at his home church in Rochester, NY. He’s been involved in show choir, mixed chorus and apart of the chorus in musicals throughout middle and high school. McBride is currently in his second year as director of music ministry at First United Church of Christ in Sugarcreek. Along with his job in Sugarcreek, McBride serves as the tenor section leader and president of the university’s chorale and chamber choir. He is also part of opera workshop under the direction of Cynthia Wolshlager, of whom he studies voice with, and Toe and the director of Malone University’s “One Voice” gospel choir and Canton Community Orchestra’s chorus, founded by Toe. He counts it a blessing and an honor to be part of such incredible ensembles and work with so many great people. He hopes to reach out to people of all ages through music, whether it be singing or directing it. God has given him this wonderful gift not to keep it to himself, but to share it with many.
Category: Faith
