Oneida Area Civic Chorale

OACC DIRECTOR RETIRES

The Oneida Area Civic Chorale’s season came to an end one concert short of its 2019-20 schedule, with the last concert directed by Kimberly Nethaway. The 100-voice community chorus was set to perform “The Water is Wide,” on May 17, but the pandemic crisis caused the concert’s cancellation. Nethaway, of Rome, was set to direct that performance, however, she has now retired after leading the OACC for 25 years. Before becoming director in 1995, Nethaway filled several chorale roles. She joined as a singer when she began her career as a music teacher, first at Holland Patent Central School, and then at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School. She quickly became more involved in chorale, serving as a substitute accompanist, and then resident accompanist. Soon she became associate director to the chorale’s founding director, Darryl Wonderly. When Wonderly retired, Nethaway moved into that role and kept it for 25 years. Throughout her 25-year tenure, Nethaway directed more than 75 full concerts and countless ensemble performances which included a full range of musical genres, special guests, and concert venues. Concert themes ran the gamut between serious classical works and light-hearted musical comedy. As Nethaway reflects, “How many choruses can say they have gone from kazoos to Mozart, Broadway to Brahms, folk music to Haydn, and jazz to Dvorak?”

When asked about her favorite concert, she said, “That’s a difficult question. I think the pinnacle of musical success for OACC was the presentation of Dvorak’s ‘Mass in D Major’ in 2010. This was a very challenging major work, and I felt we did an outstanding job.” She said other concerts that stand out are the “Homeland” concert in 2016, and the chorale’s 2007 presentation of, “Songs of Liberty.”
“The most fun concert was, perhaps, ‘The Musical World of Disney’ in 2018,” Nethaway said. “I have really enjoyed any performance in which we have been able to include students.” When asked about her favorite musical genre, Nethaway replied, “I believe the genre of a program I am working on is, at the time, my favorite. I truly like them all, and since the chorale is a choir that sings in many genres, it has been a dream come true for me as a director.”

Always a proponent of American music, Nethaway said she truly enjoyed teaching and conducting the works of American composers, and in 2003 began leading OACC ensembles on biennial European tours to present concerts of American music. These eight tours encompassed 14 countries, finishing in 2019 with five concerts in the South of France. The chorale singers who took part in the tours joined Nethaway in cherishing the opportunity to travel, tour, and share the universal language of music as they connected with thousands of people abroad. Nethaway said she has always felt that her primary role as a director has been to do her best to bring a composer’s work to life and to lead the chorale in performing it to the very best of their ability. Under her direction, the chorale commissioned and premiered works by composers Alfred V. Fedak, Amy F. Bernon, and local composer and OACC friend Samuel Pellman. In 2017, she arranged a collaboration with guest conductor and composer Mark Hayes, in celebration of the chorale’s 50th season.

As with most retirements, Nethaway’s begins with sadness as she leaves the chorale, members said. As she wrote in a note to singers, “Retiring from OACC will leave a great void in my life, but I will try to focus on gratitude for all the musical moments we have shared, and the friendships we have formed.” She said she hopes to do some traveling with her husband, John, who is also retiring from the group as a singer. Together they also look forward to spending more time with their children and grandchildren, now that their schedules won’t be restricted by Monday night chorale rehearsals. In addition to Nethaway’s retirement, the chorale also bids farewell to keyboardist Bernadette VanValkenburg, who concludes 25 years in her position of accompanist. VanValkenburg, of Sherrill, said she looks forward to traveling with her husband, Tom, pursuing her many hobbies, and spending more time with their children and grandchildren. The chorale has hired a new Director Mark Bunce, of Frankfort. Bunce, who is the director of Vocal Music at the Central Valley School District, begins his OACC tenure with the 2020-21 season.