Meistersingers

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1926 Meistersingers

The following information regarding the creation of the Meistersingers was based on a letter I found that was sent to my mother (Hagar Heston Jameson). The letter indicated that Mr. Shenton created this group from members of the Boys & Girls Glee Club.

F. Russell Shenton was the first Director 1925 - 1926 followed by 

H. Norris 1926 - 1927 and L. Ginter 1927 - 1928.

“Meistersingers Club” in 1926

President:  Ray Beckley

Vice President:  Marie Trunk

Secretary: Eva Trunk

Treasurer: Hagar Heston

Gerald Daghir

Gerald Daghir is a true ARTIST who influenced many like me to consider performing or conducting music as a noble profession. His name is Gerald Daghir, originally from St. Mary's, PA. After playing minor league baseball (he was a southpaw) and serving in our armed forces near the end of the Korean conflict, he used his G.I. Bill to attend Penn State U., and get his Music Education degree! He arrived in Coatesville, PA, in 1955, and immediately rejuvenated the Scott High School chorus, the Meistersingers! He had some wise strategies...like recruiting football and basketball players to build up the men's sections of the choir! The young ladies quickly followed, as did other young men that loved music; and in no time the Meistersingers performed with nearly 100 singers. The PA Southeastern District Chorus, which included students from the posh Main Line suburbs, had to set a limit of 16 students per school, because all the Scott High students who were auditioning were highly qualified! (One day in the early 1960's I was playing in a pickup basketball game in the gym of Eastern University in St. Davids. I hit a few jump shots from outside, and one of the guys on the other side asked me what high school I was from. When I answered Coatesville, the guy said, "Do they teach anything out there besides music and basketball?" (Our basketball team was very good every year. When I was there our center, Clifford Williams, was in the bass section of Meistersingers and sang solos. A few years later a high school All-American football player, center Walt Downing, sang the leading role of Tevye in a great performance of "Fiddler on the Roof." He matriculated to the U. of Michigan, where he was a 1st team All American, and soon after that he was a pulling guard for the San Francisco 49ers on Joe Montana's first ever Super Bowl Championship in 1982. One of his mentors, of course was Gerald Daghir!) I could go on and on, but Mr. Daghir gave a countless number of us a great love for choral music. The Meistersingers' concerts were legendary. I can still see athlete/soldier Mr. Daghir conducting pieces like Beethoven's "Hallelujah" with his baton in his left hand and tears of joy streaming down his face! Gerald Daghir is now about 91 years of age, and he and his wife, Ursula, live in a very nice retirement village near Newtown Square, PA. This past Christmas this incredible Maestro and Man produced, directed, and accompanied a fully staged performance of "Amahl and the Night Visitors," by Gian Carlo Menotti. I couldn't reschedule my own Syracuse concerts and church services to be able to go and hear "Amahl," but in my mind's eye I saw Mr. Daghir conducting the performance from the keyboard with his heavenly smile, and that tear running down his cheek! Mr. Daghir, we are all so grateful to you! We thank God for you! And we will always love you!

Contributed by Warren Ottey, Honor Soloist Class of 1959