Orv McElfresh and his wife, Janet Fry, are ambassadors for the artist series programming offered for free at Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Church in Huntley, 10805 Main Street. On Friday, March 7, the featured program was the Wartburg College Castle Singers and Kammerstreicher. The Wartburg College Castle Singers have a special meaning to McElfresh.
Janet Fry and Orv McElfresh partners in life that bring music to the community. (Photo by Christine Such/My Sun Day News)
“I joined the Castle Singers in 1961. It is a fairly large group of singers, around 35. I enjoyed being part of the group back then and having them here is quite a thrill for me and a treat for our community. The group started in 1950,” he said.
Today, under the direction of Dr. Nicki Bakko Toliver, a wide variety of selection from Byrd to The Beatles. They enjoy performing both on and off campus. They also tour the United States annually and travel overseas.
Kammerstreicher is one of four nationally and internationally touring ensembles at Wartburg College. The group was formed in 2014 by Dr. Daniel Kaplunas Kammerstreicher and is now led by Dr. Rebecca Nederhiser. The Wartburg College site states, “The mission of Kammerstreicher is to provide meaningful aesthetic experiences for members and audiences alike. This includes celebrating works by underrepresented composers and engaging the community through educational clinics, performances, and outreach.”
McElfresh moved to Sun City after his first wife passed away.
“My friends asked me what I was doing here,” he said. “They pushed me to look at houses in Sun City. I needed one that would accommodate a Baby Grand Piano. I found three houses that fit the bill. One of my friends was a realtor and helped with the process. I sold my house and moved to Sun City seven years ago.”
McElfresh was a Shepherd of the Prairie Lutheran Group member and started attending a grief group. There, he met Janet Fry.
Fry said, “We had so much in common. We were both grieving, and we both attended Lutheran Colleges, and it was just meant to be,” she said.
McElfresh said, “It was a minor miracle. We’ve been together four years on April 24.”
Fry said, “We enjoy working together to help promote and bring these programs to the community.”
The mission of the Shepherd of the Prairie Artist Series is “to provide a platform where gifted artists can share their God given talents. This series will serve as an extension of our steadfast commitment to community outreach.”
If you haven’t attended a program yet, mark your calendars — it’s free. The next two Artist concerts are: Youth Ensemble of DuPage, a talented group of young musicians, on Sunday, May 4, at 4 p.m. and Lakes Area Swing Band, a local favorite, on Saturday, July 19, at 7 p.m.
