Looking back at the ACCMS Music is Blooming in Ashtabula County Weekend – April 25-26, 2026

The Gala, held at the Norman-D Banquet Center was a festive celebration, our first major fundraiser, and it featured the inaugural presentation of the Kathleen R. Milford Scholarship for vocal excellence for Ashtabula County choral music teen students.

The HeartStrings, a string instrument ensemble of musicians from the Ashtabula Arts Center provided elegant musical ambiance as guests enjoyed appetizers, socializing and perusing Silent Auctions Items which were donated by Northeast Ohio merchants and friends of ACCMS. ACCMS Chorale Singers, Board Members, and “ACCMS Family” Supporters enjoyed a sumptuous dinner catered by J&J Catering.

Kathleen Milford, the founder of ACCMS, and Artistic Director from 1989-2019, spoke about the birth and evolution of ACCMS, and her dream that ACCMS could provide additional funds to aspiring (and inspiring!) Ashtabula students pursuing choral and vocal excellence. The ACCMS Board established the Scholarship last year, and named it in honor of Kathleen Milford, who presented the award to Lila Powell, a senior at Jefferson High School.

Gala Committee members donated countless hours of planning and creativity to bring the Gala to fruition; comments by guests were quite favorable, many of whom hope to attend future events to fund the Scholarship and ACCMS. The Gala committee will be discussing and evaluating the event outcomes.

On Sunday, April 26th ACCMS continued the Music is Blooming weekend at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ashtabula as the ACCMS Chorale, under the Direction of Paul Shellhammer III performed an Americana themed Spring Concert to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Included were choral pieces that sang of dreams, struggles, faith, and triumphs in this American quest for freedom, independence, equality, and justice. The Chorale will conclude their 2025-26 season when they guest perform at the 250th Independence Day Celebration in Jefferson on July 4th, 2026.