Benjamin Frisch

SCHOHARIE COUNTY – The Schoharie Valley Singers will dedicate their upcoming Spring Concerts to the memory of Benjamin Frisch (August 12, 2006 – January 11, 2026), a cherished member of the ensemble whose life was tragically cut short earlier this year.

Though Ben sang with the choir for only a short time, his joy in music was unmistakable. He loved to sing and treasured being part of the Singers. His warm, gentle, and sincere presence left a lasting impression on all who knew him. Music was not simply something Ben did—it was part of who he was.

A gifted and devoted musician, Ben shared his talents generously as a self-taught organist and pianist, serving churches and enriching worship with both skill and heart. His love for music was deeply rooted in his faith, which guided his life and inspired his song.

The concerts, titled “The 60’s: Beatles, Broadway & Beyond,” will be presented on Friday, May 1 at 7:30 PM at the LDS Church in Central Bridge, and Saturday, May 2 at 4:00 PM at the Reformed-Presbyterian Church in Duanesburg. Under the direction of Betsy Meredith, Interim Artistic Director, and accompanied by Mark Pracher, the program reflects the joy, faith, and sense of community that Ben brought to every note he sang.

A centerpiece of the program will be “Be Still, My Soul,” Ben’s favorite hymn, the same hymn sung at his funeral. The performance will feature the choir’s immediate past director, Rea Jean Teeter, on cello, offering a moment of reflection on the peace and trust in God that Ben held so deeply.

The concert opens with Lionel Bart’s “Consider Yourself,” arranged by N. Leyden. First-half selections include “Up, Up and Away” (Jim Webb, arr. Z. Van Auken); “Moon River” (J. Mercer/H. Mancini, arr. H. Simeone); “Tonight” (S. Sondheim/L. Bernstein, arr. W. Sickles); “This Land is Your Land” (W. Guthrie, arr. by Schoharie Valley Singers Director Emeritus Mitch Haverly); “Edelweiss” (Rodgers and Hammerstein, arr. J. Cacavas); “Be Still, My Soul” (K. von Schlegel/J. Sibelius, trans. J. Borthwick, arr. H. Sorenson); and “Lean on Me / We Shall Overcome” (B. Withers / Horton, Hamilton, Carawan, Seeger, arr. Mark Hayes), featuring soloist Rachel Owens.

The second half celebrates the music of the Beatles—John Lennon and Paul McCartney—with a dynamic set of arrangements. Guest musicians forming a power trio include Vinny Marotta (bass), Isaac Nokes (drums), and Moses Torres (guitar). Selections include “Good Day Sunshine” (arr. Audrey Snyder); “Hello Goodbye” (arr. A. Anders & T. Davis, adapt. M. Huff), featuring soloists Adrianne Canterbury and Margaret Law; “Yesterday” (arr. B. Chilcott, adapt. J. Narverud); “When I’m Sixty-Four” (arr. Alan Billingsley); “Let It Be” (arr. Frank Metis); and the closing anthem, “All You Need Is Love” (arr. Alan Billingsley).

As the Schoharie Valley Singers remember Ben, they give thanks for the time they shared—brief though it was—and for the joy he brought into their music and their community. In faith, they trust that his voice now joins the eternal choir.

Tickets may be purchased from any choir member or at the door.

The Schoharie Valley Singers trace their beginnings to 1979, when the late Frances B. Tripp, a former Schoharie High School music teacher, founded the group under its original name, The Depot Lane Singers, following her retirement. In 2005, leadership passed to Mitch Haverly, a retired music educator from Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School. Thirteen years later, in 2018, the ensemble adopted the name Schoharie Valley Singers and was incorporated as an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. At that time, Middleburgh Jr./Sr. High School music teacher Benjamin April became the group’s third artistic director. Following April’s resignation in 2023, Rea Jean Teeter, a retired music teacher from the Guilderland Central School District, stepped in as the ensemble’s fourth artistic director and conductor, preparing the group for its winter/holiday concert. The Singers benefited greatly from her leadership, along with the continued musicianship of accompanist Mark Pracher. After Teeter’s resignation in January 2026, the ensemble is currently led by interim director Betsy Meredith, a retired music educator from the Middleburgh Central School District, with Pracher continuing as accompanist for the Spring Concerts. The Schoharie Valley Singers have established a search committee and are actively seeking a new artistic director.

The Schoharie Valley Singers is a Grant Recipient from CREATE Council on the Arts: “This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant 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 and administered by CREATE Council on the Arts.”