Photos and story by Monty Siekerman
For the fourth year, Crafton Beck, Lima Symphony Orchestra music director, conducts the Lima Symphony Orchestra—but this will be his last year doing so since he is retiring from the LSO next season.
He plans to spend more time composing and will continue to direct the Mississippi State Symphony. Beck has served as LSO music director for the past 22 years.
The LSO has had only two directors in its 50-year history. His farewell concert will be next April.
ONU President Dan DiBiasio gave remarks during the concert, thanking the 22 sponsors who made the free concert possible. He also acknowledged two women, Chris Burns-DiBiasio and Kirsten Osbun-Manley, who played an important part in seeing that the occasion was well-supported and went off flawlessly.
The grounds department, whose members were at the site bright and early, also received kudos. And, President DiBiasio made kind comments about the ONU/LSO relationship and thanked retiring Music Director Crafton Beck for his support and cooperation over the years.
• Dan DiBiasio, Chris Burns-DiBiasio, Crafton Beck, and Kirsten Osbun-Manley.
• The audience on the ONU sculpture mall applauds and waves flags at the conclusion of the 4th annual Patriotic Pops Concert on Monday evening. Those attending rose to their feet as the two-hour program concluded with Kirsten Osbun-Manley singing “God Bless America,” the Irving Berlin song written during World War I.
• Kirsten Osbun-Manley sings a rousing rendition of “God Bless America” to conclude the Patriotic Pops Concert in a fitting manner.
• The Stars and Stripes forever—Bill Mears and Alanna Watkins of Lima hold American flags at the Patriotic Pops Concert.
• Several well-behaved dogs attended the outdoor Pops Concert, including Gabby, a 12-year-old papillon owned by Director of Alumni Relations Barb Meek.
• Noteworthy Community Choir performs before a large audience, estimated at more than 700 people.
• Members of the military, past and present, were recognized during the Armed Forces Medley. Service members stood when the song of their branch was played. Among those standing for the Army song were Dan Altstaetter of Ada (left) and Ken Wynkoop of Findlay.
• Three little girls dance to the music of the Lima Symphony during a 4th of July Pops Concert on the sculpture mall at Ohio Northern. While several songs played, the dancers enjoyed making up their own routines on a grassy area during the informal, outdoor event.
• Sara Chonsong of the Lima Symphony assists Dick Downer with taping a flag to the top of his staff, which is made of mulberry. Dick is the father of Vicki Mills who directed the Noteworthy Choir. Ada VFW Post members handed out hundreds of small flags to audience members.
• Ada VFW Post 9381 color guard posts the colors at the beginning of the Patriotic Pops Concert.
