"A Classical Christmas" Dedication
Our 2025 holiday concert, “A Classical Christmas”, was dedicated to the memory of Daryl Edwin Wonderly, Sr.
Daryl Edwin Wonderly founded the Oneida Area Civic Chorale in 1967, directing it for 28 years until his retirement in 1995. Starting with only 25 singers, Daryl grew the group to over 100 singers in a few short years. His leadership, hard work, dedication and love of music set the foundation for the wonderful choir we still are today. The Chorale has given hundreds of non-auditioned community singers from all walks of life the opportunity to share in the joy of making music. The concerts have enriched the lives of performers and audiences alike in innumerable ways.
Daryl was a lifelong educator and passionate musician. He pursued his love for music by earning a Sacred Music and Literature degree at Nyack and Geneva Colleges and his master’s degree in music education from SUNY at Fredonia, New York. At Fredonia, he majored in voice, studying under Dr. Richard Paige. At Cazenovia College, he organized the “College Singers” and directed that group for five years.
Throughout his life, he shared his gift as a music teacher, choir director, and community leader. He taught vocal music at Oneida High School. His “Concert Choir” attained high honors and superior rating for many years. He was also an adjudicator of solos and choirs for the New York State School Music Association. He also served as music director of St John’s Episcopal Church, Oneida, New York and as the Winter Chapel Choir Director at the Voyager Resort in Tucson, Arizona for many years where his leadership and spirit has left a lasting legacy.
He was a man of many interests, especially in archeology and genealogy, and he was a lifelong learner with a deep curiosity about the past. His dedication to community service was reflected in his numerous volunteer efforts, where he gave both time and talent to causes close to his heart. We will always be indebted to Daryl for giving our community the gift of this choir.
Daryl passed away in Tucson on July 8, 2025, at the age of 92.
Daryl Edwin Wonderly founded the Oneida Area Civic Chorale in 1967, directing it for 28 years until his retirement in 1995. Starting with only 25 singers, Daryl grew the group to over 100 singers in a few short years. His leadership, hard work, dedication and love of music set the foundation for the wonderful choir we still are today. The Chorale has given hundreds of non-auditioned community singers from all walks of life the opportunity to share in the joy of making music. The concerts have enriched the lives of performers and audiences alike in innumerable ways.
Daryl was a lifelong educator and passionate musician. He pursued his love for music by earning a Sacred Music and Literature degree at Nyack and Geneva Colleges and his master’s degree in music education from SUNY at Fredonia, New York. At Fredonia, he majored in voice, studying under Dr. Richard Paige. At Cazenovia College, he organized the “College Singers” and directed that group for five years.
Throughout his life, he shared his gift as a music teacher, choir director, and community leader. He taught vocal music at Oneida High School. His “Concert Choir” attained high honors and superior rating for many years. He was also an adjudicator of solos and choirs for the New York State School Music Association. He also served as music director of St John’s Episcopal Church, Oneida, New York and as the Winter Chapel Choir Director at the Voyager Resort in Tucson, Arizona for many years where his leadership and spirit has left a lasting legacy.
He was a man of many interests, especially in archeology and genealogy, and he was a lifelong learner with a deep curiosity about the past. His dedication to community service was reflected in his numerous volunteer efforts, where he gave both time and talent to causes close to his heart. We will always be indebted to Daryl for giving our community the gift of this choir.
Daryl passed away in Tucson on July 8, 2025, at the age of 92.
Chorale To Commission Piece in Memory of Daryl Wonderly
In honor of Daryl Wonderly’s life as an educator and musician, and in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Oneida Area Civic Chorale, we are commissioning a composer to write a piece in memory of Daryl for the Chorale’s 2026- 2027 concert season.
If you wish to make a donation of any amount in Daryl’s memory, please download the form by selecting the button below and mail it to the address on the form. All donors will be listed in the June 2027 program when the commission work is premiered, and the Chorale celebrates our 60th anniversary.
If you wish to make a donation of any amount in Daryl’s memory, please download the form by selecting the button below and mail it to the address on the form. All donors will be listed in the June 2027 program when the commission work is premiered, and the Chorale celebrates our 60th anniversary.
OACC Welcomes New Collaborative Pianist
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The Oneida Area Civic Chorale would like to introduce our new Collaborative Pianist, Janice Plumley. Janice graduated from Ithaca College in December 1990 with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Music Education. While a student at Ithaca, Janice served as an accompanist for the Ithaca College Women’s Chorale. She began her teaching career in January 1991 as the Vocal Music Teacher at Camden High School in Camden, NY, where she conducted two large ensembles and numerous select ensembles, as well as directed ten musical theater productions. During her tenure in Camden, Janice earned a Masters in Music Education from SUNY Potsdam in 1995 and went on to earn a Masters in School Psychology in 2001, which led her to a career change. Janice recently retired from her position as a School Psychologist in the Camden Central School District after 24 years, during which time, she also remained active musically as the accompanist for Camden’s vocal music ensembles and as the director of the St. John’s Lutheran Church Choir in Rome, NY from 2008 through 2018.
Currently, Janice is the organist/pianist at Rome First United Methodist Church and is active in the musical theater community, having played in the pit orchestras for four productions at the Rome Community Theater and for Camden High School. She is very excited for the wonderful opportunity to perform with the Oneida Area Civic Chorale. Janice resides in Camden with her husband, Jeremiah, and three sons, John, Jeremy and Joshua, along with their dog, Jenny. |
OACC To Offer Student Vocal Enrichment Opportunity
The Oneida Area Civic Chorale is offering students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to perform in two concerts for free. The chorale will cover the student’s dues and provide ties or scarfs for each concert. Students must be available for the Sunday concert, Saturday morning dress rehearsal the day prior to the concert and attend 80% of rehearsals.
If you are interested, please complete the following application and mail to the address at the bottom by September 20th 2024 for the Holiday Concert or March 3rd 2025 for the June Concert.
Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
If you are interested, please complete the following application and mail to the address at the bottom by September 20th 2024 for the Holiday Concert or March 3rd 2025 for the June Concert.
Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.