Richard Fortney felt a need in 1999 to move his love for music beyond the walls of his local church in Bay Village.
Fortney wanted to start a venture of his own, and bring music into the wider Lorain County community.
He went on to create TrueNorth Cultural Arts, 33463 Lake Road in Avon Lake, and he has since served as its director.
TrueNorth, now in its 24th season, is hosting its annual Christmas concert Dec. 16 at Avon Lake Presbyterian Church, 32340 Electric Blvd.
“(TrueNorth) started in 1999,” Fortney said. “We have an orchestra, and we have a community choir.
“We do both the choir and the orchestra, and then we also have a studio on Lake Road in Avon Lake where we teach music lessons.”
Fortney advertised that the concert would include arrangements by composers Mack Wilberg, Dan Forrest and Gustav Holst.
Additionally, the concert will include, “A Christmas Festival” by Leroy Anderson which, since its release in 1950, has become one of Anderson’s most popular holiday-themed pieces for band and orchestra, along with “Sleigh Ride.”
“We’re doing Christmas music, all your favorite Christmas carols,” Fortney said. “We’re doing a number of arrangements from Mack Wilberg.
“We’ve done a lot of his arrangements.”
The Christmas concert is one of four major events on TrueNorth’s annual calendar, Fortney said.
In addition to their holiday pieces, the groups practice for a Thanksgiving concert, a springtime show normally scheduled for Good Friday, and a patriotic summer concert, he said.
“We do all styles of music, from classical to contemporary, from popular to avant garde,” Fortney said. “We kind of do it all.”
Fortney spoke on TrueNorth’s ability to enrich the lives of not only its participants, but the wider community.
He encouraged all to come out for a few festive holiday tunes and help support TrueNorth’s wider vision.
“Our vision is two-fold,” Fortney said. “(We want) to educate, equip and empower individuals so they can embrace and succeed in the creative arts; and to envision and encourage communities where creative arts and art appreciation flourish.”
The TrueNorth Cultural Arts 2023 Christmas concert starts at 7:30 p.m.
Attendance is free, but donations will be accepted to help mitigate concert expenses.
