Celebrating Musical Talent at Homestead Village
Homestead Village Residents enjoy a wide range of hobbies, including music. From community choirs to jazz bands and more, our residents bring a wealth of musical expertise and passion to our community. Take a closer look at some of the incredible groups and individuals who make our musical scene so vibrant.
Music for Everyone Community Chorus
Did you know that our residents David Ferruzza and Sandy Grotberg are part of the Music for Everyone Community Chorus? This fantastic group, also known as MFE, aims to harness the power of music to build community and transform lives across Lancaster County.
Founded in 2010, the MFE Community Chorus is a non-audition, all-age, multicultural and secular chorus. They provide several modes of learning to ensure everyone feels comfortable during rehearsals. Whether you prefer printed music, lyric sheets or learning by ear, there’s a place for you in this chorus. And don’t worry — no prior musical experience is necessary!
The singers hail from all over Lancaster County and rehearse at the James Street Mennonite Church. The group performs at churches, festivals, athletic events and community gatherings throughout the region.
Homestead Harmony Chorale
The Homestead Village Harmony Chorale is comprised of thirty to forty residents who rehearse through most of the year. They give concerts through the holidays and spring season at Homestead Village and other off-campus destinations. The chorale has been blessed by its talented and delightful director Maggie Nicholas who is a classically trained opera singer.
“Since I moved to Homestead at the beginning of 2022, I’ve enjoyed getting back to singing with groups. I joined the Homestead Chorale, which I really enjoy, and I’ve just completed my second year with the MFE chorus. Making new friends through music has been wonderful … I look forward to singing for my new hometown again this month!”
— Sandy Grotberg
The Big, Big Jazz Band
Meet Al Shulz, a Homestead resident with a lifelong love of music. Al’s musical journey began at age 10 with piano lessons, which led to playing in various bands throughout high school, college and medical school. Al’s passion for music extends to his family. His wife, Peggy, a music major, directed their daughters in a singing octet that performed at local Catholic churches. Al has directed the children’s choir at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lancaster since 1990.
The Big, Big Jazz Band, in which Al plays keyboards, started in the mid-1960s with employees of the Armstrong Cork Company. Today, it boasts many professional musicians and has performed at venues like Long’s Park and the Fulton Theater. Their repertoire includes classics from Gershwin, Cole Porter, Sinatra, Nat King Cole, the Glenn Miller Band, Count Basie and Bing Crosby.
Al also plays in three other bands: The Moonlighters Big Band, The Bluebirds Ragtime Band and Good Friends, a small ensemble with a unique mix of instruments.
Bluebird Orchestra of Lancaster & Lancaster Marimba Ensemble
Dan Heslink, another talented resident, plays the marimbas in the Lancaster Marimba Ensemble which was founded in 1991. The group performs a variety of musical selections ranging in style from opera to vaudeville to classical. The variety allows the ensemble to showcase the true versatility of the marimba as an instrument.
He also plays the drums in the Bluebird Orchestra of Lancaster. This nine-piece band specializes in vintage arrangements of popular tunes from the Jazz Age, the 1920s and early 1930s. The orchestra’s lively performances are a hit at local communities and events throughout the Lancaster area, including an annual backyard concert.
A resident since 2019, Daniel attended the State University of New York at Fredonia, where he earned both a Bachelor of Music and Masters of Music. He continued his education at Indiana University, where he earned his Doctorate of Music. Prior to his retirement, Daniel was a Music Professor at Millersville University. He was also employed previously at both the University of Wyoming and Wisconsin University. Daniel continues his love of music in retirement.
Notable author of Musical History
Bruce Gustafson, a resident of Homestead Village since 2022, has published nearly twenty works, from articles to full scholarly volumes about French Harpsichord Music and opera of the 17th and 18th century. Bruce is fluent in French, German, and English, and many of his works are in the French language. He has traveled to and from Paris nearly every year since 1964 to study and collaborate with an international musical committee that was formed to study the complete works of French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687). He is noted by scholars as “the international expert” in this genre and has given lectures on musical history throughout the world.
According to a review of one of his works; “This catalogue, the most complete bibliography of its kind, contains entries for all printed harpsichord music known to have existed in France in the period 1699-1780, including over 230 volumes and 150 manuscripts. It offers precise transcriptions of title pages, full contents, dating, locations, editions, facsimiles, evaluations in the contemporary press, identifications of dedicatees, and stylistic comments. Indexes and appendices provide alphabetical listings of individual titles as well as listings by date, medium, and composer.” Bruce also took an interest in the water marks found on the parchment of early French musical compositions, so has documented and written about this topic in one of his publications.
In addition to his love for writing, Bruce enjoys playing both the harpsichord and the organ.
If you have a musical background, or even if you don’t; if you just like to sing, you’re welcome to give it a try!
With such a diverse and talented group of musicians, it’s no wonder that Homestead Village is a hub of musical activity. Whether you enjoy singing in a choir, listening to jazz or appreciating the charm of vintage orchestras, there’s something for everyone here.
So why not get involved? Join us at one of our upcoming performances or consider dusting off your own musical talents and sharing them with the community. Music has a magical way of bringing people together, and at Homestead Village, we’re all about fostering those connections.
If you want to learn more about the extraordinary way of life at Homestead Village, give us a call or request more information!