These Binghamton singers will pay musical tribute to those lost to COVID, health workers

Tom Lamphere of Johnson City knows the grief of losing friends to COVID-19 and the pride of knowing two members of his family helped victims of the pandemic.

That’s why the longtime member of the Binghamton Downtown Singers wanted to hold a special concert.

“We’ve all been touched by COVID-19,” he said. “So many people know someone who’s passed away from COVID. This is a way to memorialize them.”

On June 10, the Downtown Singers will perform “A Concert of Healing” at the Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City. The concert will honor the memory of those who died in the pandemic and pay tribute to the frontline workers who labored to protect everyone from the pandemic.

Since the pandemic began in 2020, more than a million people have died nationwide. In Broome County, more than 600 people have died from COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health.

Under the baton of Artistic Director Marisa Crabb, the orchestra and community choir will perform Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem” (1865-1868) and Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” (2013). Forrest, 45, is a native of Breesport in Chemung County.

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Featured soloists are Julia Ebner, soprano; Timothy LeFebvre, baritone; Ana Stoye, child soprano; and Dann Coakwell, tenor.

The idea for the concert belongs to Lamphere, who lost two friends to COVID-19 and still tears up when he talks about them.

“I do have a real personal reason to do this concert,” Lamphere said.

Lamphere also has two frontline workers in his family. His daughter works for the Broome County Health Department while a grandson worked on the COVID unit of UHS Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City, he said.

“This is a chance to come and acknowledge the health care workers and thank those people for the tireless work they’ve done,” he said of the concert.

A member of the Binghamton Downtown Singers for nearly 40 years and also a member of the singers’ board of directors, Lamphere selected both works of music for the concert. He said he is looking forward to performing both works of music, especially “Requiem for the Living.”

“It’s very rhythmic,” he said. “It’s a very exciting piece of music.”

Lamphere said he hopes that anyone who lost a friend or relative to COVID-19 or who was a frontline worker during the pandemic will attend the concert.

“I would like people to come,” he said. “This is their chance to come and be there that night and either memorialize a deceased person or acknowledge a health care worker who’s been taking care of people.”

The concert is made possible by a grant from the Arts and Culture Fund of the Community Foundation of South Central New York. This project is also made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

If you go

What: A Concert of Healing in memory of the victims of COVID-19 and in honor of the health care workers who cared for COVID patients

When: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 10

Where: Sarah Jane Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church, 308 Main St., Johnson City

Ticket Information: General admission tickets cost $20 and can be purchased online at downtownsingers.org/tickets; by email at tickets@ downtownsingers.org; by calling 607-205-8741, or at the door. One free student admission is allowed with each purchase of a full price general admission ticket.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton Downtown Singers host healing concert: What to know