1937 Choir Photo - Director: Walter Eddows, Clarence Kohlman at the organ

Please send us any old programs, video clips, newspaper reviews, or photos you may have to help us add to our archives! We are particularly grateful to Bonnie Graham for providing copies of her extensive collection of choir memorabilia.

Below is a chronology of the choir, organized by the person who was director of music. However, note that the tenure of each director is a bit unclear -- occasionally a director would be hired just for Camp Meeting and then later would become the regular director, so the dates might overlap.


Overviews

Jason Tramm era (2007-present)

2024 Choir Festival - July 20

2024 Choir Reunion Concert - April 13, Cindy Bell directing, Nancy Paugh accompanying

2023 Sacred Masterworks: Sacred Gems

2023 Choir Festival

2022 Choir Reunion - Nov. 12, 2022 at St. Paul's.

2022 Sacred Masterworks: Sacred Music Across the Ages

2022 Choir banquet

2022 68th Choir Festival -- Lift High the Cross

Video available only on DVD with a donation.

2021 Sacred Masterworks: "Hear My Prayer"

2021 -- 67th Choir Festival -- He Leadeth Me

Songs of Hope and Healing -- Covid-19 pandemic reduced our attendance down to about 250 musicians, all socially-distanced for safety.

2020 -- Coronavirus pandemic disrupted the summer season.

Sunday services were streamed for two weeks as large gatherings were not permitted; then only 100 people were permitted in the Auditorium. Jason Tramm organized a "virtual choir" with the assistance of Gordon Turk and Quinton Tramm for the Sunday anthems:

2020 (66th) Choir Festival

The Choir Festival was rescheduled to August 30, but with the pandemic still raging, no group singing was allowed. Jason Tramm and his son Quinton organized a "virtual" choir festival with five anthems, orgen selections by Gordon Turk, a quartet, and a brass piece that was shown to a limited audience of 100 plus overflow in the Tabernacle.

2019 Choir Reunion - November 16

2019 Sacred Concert - Selections from Messiah

2019 (65th) Choir Festival

2018 - Choir Reunion, Montgomery UM Church

2018 Sacred Masterworks concert: "Music of the Spirit": Songs of Faith (Gwyneth Walker), Gloria (John Rutter)

Jason's selfie with Dr. Gwyneth Walker at dress rehearsal

2018 Choir Festival - Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

2017 Sacred Masterwork -- In the Footsteps of Our Saviour - Saint-Saens "Christmas Oratorio" and DuBois "Seven Last Words of Christ"

2017 Choir Festival - In the Footsteps of Our Saviour

2017 July 4th Parade

2017 New choir shirts - modeled by Choir Secretary Steven Buckley.

2017 Choir Reunion concert - (Dr. Cindy Bell Conducting) March 11 Program

2016 Sacred Masterwork - Elijah (Mendelssohn) poster (jpg) and Program (pdf)

2016 - "Jason in the Grove", a celebration of Jason's 10th year in Ocean Grove -- opera in 3 acts written by Harris Whitley

2016 Festival - Program (pdf) Photo Album

2016 Choir Reunion Concert - Program (pdf)

2015 Sacred Masterwork - Grace and Peace, works of Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, and Bernstein - Program (pdf)

Part 1 (audio recording)

2015 Festival - Program (pdf)

2015: Grace Church and Ralph, July 4 Parade
2014 Sacred Masterwork: The Messiah (Handel)

2014 Festival Program (pdf)

2013 Sacred Masterwork: Baroque Treasures by Bach and Handel: Program
2013 Festival - Program (pdf)
2012 Sacred Masterwork: Stabat Mater (Dvorak) Preview, NJ.com
2012 Festival - Program (pdf)

2011 September 11 Remembrance Service Program
2011 Sacred Masterwork -- cancelled due to Hurricane Irene; planned to perform "Songs of Faith" by Gwyneth Walker
2011 Festival - Program (pdf)
2010 Sacred Masterwork - The Creation (Hayden) Review in Newark Star-Ledger
2010 Festival - Program (pdf)
2009 Sacred Masterwork - Stabat Mater (Rossini)
2009 Festival - Program (pdf)
2008 Sacred Masterwork - Symphony #2, Hymn of Praise (Mendelssohn)
2008 Festival - Program (pdf)
2007 Festival - Program (pdf)

Paul E. Oakley era (2005-2006)

Paul Oakley photo

2012 Obituary
2006 - Elijah - Program (pdf)
2006 Festival - Program (pdf)
2005 Festival - Program (pdf)

Lewis Daniels era (c. 1966-2004)

Lew Daniels 2000  Lew Daniels 1985
Lew Daniels 2012
Lew conducting a rehearsal at the 2012 Festival

2012: Lewis Daniels Obituary (Asbury Park Press)
2004 Great Masterworks - Poster for Brahms' German Requiem (jpg)
2004 Festival - Program (pdf) (pdf) -- 50th Anniversary

2003 Festival - Program (pdf)
2002 Great Masterworks - Program (pdf)
2002 Festival - Program (pdf)
2001 Great Masterworks - Program (pdf)
2001 Festival - Program (pdf)
2000 Great Masterworks - Program (pdf)
2000 Festival - Program (pdf)

1999 Sacred Masterwork: Elijah - Program (pdf)
1999 Festival - Program (pdf)
1998 Festival - Program (pdf)
1997 Festival - Program (pdf)
1996 Festival - Program (pdf)
1995 Festival - Program (pdf)
1994 Bishop Hymn Sing - Program
1994 Festival - Program (pdf)
1993 Elijah - Program (pdf)
1992 Festival - if you have a copy of this program please send it to us
1991 Festival - Program (pdf)
1990 Festival - Program (pdf)

Delaine Terpening Sarraf's collection of Festival ribbons

1989 United for Christ Concert - Program
1989 Ein Deutsches Requiem - Program (pdf)
1989 Festival - Program (pdf)
1988 Festival - Program (pdf)
1987 Festival - Program (pdf)
The first hour of the festival was recorded:

1986 Festival - Program (pdf)

Mid-1980's -- exact date unknown -- Gordon Turk made a cassette recording of Christmas tunes. Here are some digitized excerpts, courtesy of B. J. Lewis:
1985 Festival - Program (pdf)

1984 Festival - Program (pdf)
1983 Festival - Program (pdf)
1982 Festival - Program (pdf)
1982 Festival - Review in Ocean Grove Times (jpg)
1981 Festival - Program (pdf)
1980 Festival - Preview in Ocean Grove Times (jpg)
1979 Festival (25th)
1974 Festival - Article in Ocean Grove Times (jpg)

Herbert R. Howells (1933)

Howells was hired to take over the music program. However, he never actually took office.

Walter David Eddowes era (c. 1933-1966)

Walter Eddowes
Walter and Josephine Eddowes
Walter and his wife Josephine Eddowes, who was the Auditorium organist after Clarence Kohlmann died in 1944.

1961: Obituary from Ocean Grove Times (jpg)
1957: 25th Year Celebration -- "Ye Servants of God" written for this occasion by Carl Mueller and dedicated to the Festival
1955: First Choir Festival - Program (jpg)
1952: Concert Preview (jpg)
1942: Ocean Grove Sacred Music Week (jpg)
1937: Choir photograph (jpg). From Nancy Ann Gillian, daughter of Kelly Truit, age 12 in this photo
1937 Choir Photograph
1933: Ocean Grove Times report of his hire and his first Sunday

Donald Chalmers era (c. 1930-1932)

Criterion Quartet, Donald Chambers on right
Criterion Quartet, Donald Chambers on right

Mr. Chalmers had frequently performed in the Auditorium for more than 20 years as a bass soloist and assistant to Taliesen Morgan before being named music director.

1932: Passion Play Preview | Review
1931: Season preview
1930: Excerpt from OG Times article on Camp Meeting
1930: Oratorio: The New Earth
1930: Auditorium concerts failing - Hotels to discuss solution
1930: Concert notice - Criterion Quartet
1930: July 4 Auditorium Program notice
1926: Recording of Donald Chalmers singing bass in the Criterion Quartet.

Joseph Lincoln Hall era (c. 1918-1930?)

J. Lincoln Hall picture

Biographical Sketch
1922: Absalom (J. Lincoln Hall) world premiere: Preview Review
1892: Songs of Sovereign Grace edited by Hall

Homer Rodeheaver era (c. 1915-1918)

Homer Rodeheaver

Wikipedia article
1918: Rodeheaver leaves for WWI
1916: "Joseph" - a biblical drama Rodeheaver sung the title role and Donald Chalmers sang basso along with a chorus of 1000.
1916: APP Announcement of Rodeheaver's hiring as Music Director
1915: New York Times announcement of Rodeheaver taking over Camp Meeting music.
1913: Recording of Rodeheaver's Unclouded Day (Youtube)

Tali Esen (Taliesen) Morgan era (c. 1898-1915)

Taliesen Morgan   Taliesen Morgan, later   Tali Morgan Children's festival pin

1915: Handel's Messiah performed
1914: Elijah program
1911: Handel's Messiah preview
1908: Song service, Donald Chalmers a featured soloist
1905: Elijah review
1905: Asbury Park Daily News article on summer plans
1903: Ocean Grove Times News article on summer plans
1903: Stabat Mater ticket
1902: Ocean Grove Times article about winter chorus
1899: Asbury Park Daily Press article on summer plans
1898: Handel's Messiah performed
1895: Handel's Messiah performed

Walter Damrosch era (c. 1895-1898)

Walter Damrosch

1929: Very old "RCA Photophone" film of Damrosch
1897: Wax cylinder recordings from summer 1897, including a poem read by Fanny Crosby
1896:

John R. Sweeney era (c. 1880-1895)

John Sweeney Picture

1895: Ad for 1895 Song Book by Dr. Sweeney

Willisford Dey era (1878 - c. 1880)

Willisford Dey picture s

CDs of recent Choir Festivals

... are available only with a donation to the Camp Meeting. Contact Ocean Grove's Hub bookstore (732) 774-9262 (open May-September)
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