The Marion Music Club (formerly Marion Lecture-Recital Club) celebrates its 102 years of existence. The Music Club will kick off the 2022-23 season at Prospect Street United Methodist Church on Sunday at 3 p.m. with the “A Music Club Made in Marion” program.
Five alumni will perform for the afternoon concert and memorabilia from the past 102 years will be on display.
The performers are:
● Stephanie (Weiser) Henkle is from Marion and the daughter of the late Ed and Dorothy Weiser, who was a longtime member of the Marion Music Club (Marion Lecture-Recital Club). A 1971 graduate of Marion Harding High School, she earned singing degrees from Ohio Wesleyan and Indiana Universities and completed her doctoral studies at Ohio State University. Stéphanie sang the soprano solos in Marion’s annual Messiah performance and was a recipient of the Marion Music Club scholarship. Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, the Cooper-Bing Competition and the NATS State Artist Award, she has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the National Cathedral and concert halls in the United States, in Germany, Austria, Hungary and the United States. Czech Republic. Stephanie has served on the voice faculties of Denison, Otterbein, Capital, Cedarville Universities and Kenyon College. Many of his students go on to careers as professional performers of classical music, musical theater and film, as well as successful music teachers. Honored to have served the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Singing Teachers as president and district governor, Stephanie owns the Henkle Voice and Piano Studio in Westerville, where she lives with her husband, Jim, an employee of the United States Department of Defense. . Their son, Seth Carter, resides in Detroit with his 4-year-old identical twins, Sultan and Sage.
● Parker Baird is from Marion and the youngest of eight children of Rick and Peg Baird. A 2015 graduate of Marion Harding High School, Parker has been involved in nearly every facet of the music department. He has participated in marching band, pep band, Singers Show Choir, founding member of Singers X-Treme All Male Show Choir, symphonic choir, symphonic band, orchestra, chamber orchestra, quintet string, Stardusters Jazz Band, musicals, indoor percussion ensemble, and was the 2015 Music Student of the Year. Parker was awarded the Ohio State Jazz Camp Scholarship in 2012 and was a member from the OMEA All-State Choir in 2015. Parker attended Indiana University for three semesters and later transferred to Ohio State University where he was a wind member. symphony, the symphony orchestra, the lab jazz band and the jazz ensemble. He also participated in the trombone ensemble. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his studies for personal reasons. In the Marion Community, Parker has been on stage and in the orchestra pit for many Palace productions, the Marion Concert Band, Epworth UMC Orchestra, Emmanuel Lutheran Orchestra, and is a new addition to the Palace Theater Big Band. He helped teach at the Marion Harding Marching Band Music Camp for six years and at the Pleasant Marching Band Music Camp for one year. Parker has also been in the orchestra pits for musical theater productions at Harding High School, Pleasant High School, Ridgedale High School and River Valley High School. Parker currently works for Alloway Environmental Testing Services as a laboratory assistant.
● Julia Griffiths Vanderhoff is a singer/actress who graduated from River Valley in 1977. In 1981, she earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal and theater performance from Ohio University. Julia conducted 28 musicals at River Valley High School where she had the honor of being the first ever recipient of the River Valley Music Alumni Award. She is the current director of the Carillon-Aires Bell Choir (over 30 years) and past director of five other choirs at First Presbyterian Church. She is married to her husband, Gary, has two sons – Justin and Kyle – and a beloved pet, Cooper. Julia enjoys spending time with her granddaughter, Emersyn, and her grandsons Fletcher and Warren. She is probably best known for her role as Sassy the Belligerent Elf in the annual production of “Christmas at the Palace”.
● Anne Schetzer is currently Music Specialist/Vocal Teacher at McKinley Elementary School and former Choir Director at Grant Middle School at Marion City Schools. From 2004 to 2021, seventh and eighth grade choirs have consistently received top marks in the Ohio Music Education Association’s state-judged event. Ann has also presented topics related to college choral education as a clinician at the Ohio Music Education Association State Conference from 2016-2019. Additionally, she has had the pleasure of conducting the Honorary Choir of the Lorain County Middle School in March 2019 as well as the OMEA District X Honorary Choir at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University in November 2021. While at GMS, Ann also led a thriving musical. theater program where she directed and produced college productions. She also recently served as Musical Director/Conductor of the Marion Palace Theater Junior productions of “The Little Mermaid”, “Peter Pan”, “Aladdin”, “Tarzan”, “Willy Wonka”, “Junie B. Jones” and ” Frozen.” Ann is currently involved as a vocalist with the Marion Palace Theater Big Band and also works as a freelance vocal artist. Ann graduated from Otterbein University (College) with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a major in piano and voice. She earned her Masters of Music Education in Musical Art Education at Bowling Green State University. Last June, Ann was a judge on the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program, where she had previously competed and twice placed among the top five finalists. Ann also served as the Junior Service Guild’s semi-annual Murder Mystery Fundraiser Director. In August 2022, Ann made her songwriting debut with fellow musician and friend, Julia Vanderhoff, as they presented their first original show called “Breaking the Bingo Commandments”. Ann resides in Marion with her husband Scott. Their daughters, Sydney and Olivia, are students at Ohio State University and the University of Miami.
● Chelsea Ground has been singing, dancing, playing and studying singing since the age of 4. Dorothy Wieser was her first vocal coach. She is currently studying music with vocal coach and ACM winner Judy Rodman. Chelsea began singing in church and on stage at the Palace Theatre. At age 8, Chelsea traveled to New York with her parents, Cherrie and Joe Field, where she attended an MMA talent convention. She won first prize in Track, Impression and Talent. Chelsea started singing the national anthem at major sporting events when she was 10 years old. In 1997, Chelsea was crowned Miss Teeny Pop. Chelsea began her songwriting career at age 15 and now has a catalog of over 100 songs. At Pleasant High School, Chelsea played lead roles in musicals. She attended Muskingum College, studying voice and acting. After a year in Muskingum, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she received her first recording contract with Universal Rust Records. In 2006, Chelsea found success outside the United States with her techno song “Touch the Sky” featuring Marc Korn. Chelsea married her high school sweetheart, Adam Hesler, in 2008. In 2009 Chelsea signed with Moxy Records and in 2010 Chelsea released their debut single “Things I Should’ve Said”. In 2011, Chelsea and her husband moved back to Ohio to start their family. They now have three sons – Hudson, Brooks and Kingston. Chelsea continues to work in the entertainment industry and is a talent agent. Chelsea and her family own and operate TC Restaurant Group businesses in Nashville, Pittsburgh, and soon to be Gatlinburg, TN. She collaborates with artists Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line and Morgan Wallen and continues to perform.
