[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 105 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1472-E1473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASTERWORKS CHORALE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 1998

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 25th 
Anniversary concert season of the Masterworks Chorale in Belleville, 
Illinois and its founder and director, Dr. A. Dennis Sparger.
  Masterworks Chorale began under the sponsorship of Belleville Area 
College as the BAC Community Chorus. In 1982, the chorus left the 
college and officially incorporated under the name Masterworks Chorale, 
Inc. The 65 members of the adult chorus must audition for their place 
in the group. The chorus has been awarded the first place gold 
medallion at the Great American Choral Festival competition, made the 
European Tour twice, sung with the St. Louis Symphony under the 
direction of Leonard Slatkin, and has been a major force in the arts in 
our community.
  Dr. Sparger recently retired from the music faculty at Belleville 
Area College, where he served for 32 years. Under his baton, the 
Chorale has performed more than fifty major choral-orchestral works in 
the past 25 years. In addition to founding the Chorale, Dr. Sparger 
also founded the Masterworks Children's Chorus and was their director 
until 1990. In 1986, he was appointed music director and conductor of 
the Bach Society of St. Louis.
  A native of Chicago, Dr. Sparger began musical studies at the age of 
eight and began conducting at sixteen. He earned both his bachelor's 
and master's degrees from Eastern Illinois University. In 1981, he was 
awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in conducting from the 
University of Illinois, where he studied under Harold Decker. According 
to Dr. Sparger, Harold Decker is responsible for teaching about 75 
doctoral candidates during his career. These students have taken 
position at major universities and with symphonies around the nation. 
Dr. Sparger is the only one who chose to make his career at a community 
college. All of this makes Dr. Sparger's selection for the Harold A. 
Decker Choral Award, presented to him by the American Choral Directors 
Association of Illinois earlier this year, even more meaningful.
  Masterworks Chorale is a member of the Arts and Education Council of 
Greater St.

[[Page E1473]]

Louis and a member of Chorus America, the association of professional 
vocal ensembles. This special 25th anniversary concert is partially 
supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dennis 
Sparger and Masterworks Chorale for 25 years of wonderful music.

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