Gregory Fesko, also known as Grigore Iosifescu  is originally from Romania. He was born in 1934 in the city named Piatra-Neamt.   In Romania he studied and completed work at the following educational institutions. "Forester Professional" (3 years); HighSchool (12 years); "Art School" (3 years) ,"Art University" (2 years).

Between 1951 & 1985, before migrating to the United States, he worked as a  Painting Decorator; Display-Window Painter; Packaging Creator for the National  Food Industry (22 years); Graphic Designer;  Book Illustrator; Packaging Creator; Advertising Producer; etc.

In Romania, between 1970-76, he opened several Art Exhibitions in different locations of Romania such as: Bucharest, Turnu  Severin, Craiova, Constanta, Piatra and Neamt.  Other achievements in Romania included: Award No.1 at the National Art Festival (Bucharest, city  level); Award No.2 at the National Art  Festival, country level and the title "Laureate of The Festival"; "Stefan Luchian" award for painting, Bucharest, Romania.

Thanks to the International Accord "Helsinki" he immigrated from Romania to Youngstown Ohio as a refugee in 1985 with  his wife and two daughters, Cristina and Karina.    Between 1985-1999, he participated in "The 47th Area Artists Annual" (Butler Institute of  American Art); Downtown Youngstown, "Phar Mor Center"; "Winter Art Show"; "Fesko Art Show"; "From Where We Where" (Retrospective Art Exhibit); "The  620th Annual Juried Student Exhibition" with  an award, in 1998 at "The McDonough Museum  of Art"; "The Holiday Sales Fine Arts &  Exhibition Sale" - The McDonough Museum of Art (Coy Cornelius Studios and Gallery);  "The 63rd Annual Juried Student Exhibition" with award at "The McDonough Museum of  Art".  Also, he participated in the Trumbull Art Gallery, at the "45th TAG Annual Juried  Exhibition (Aug. - Sept. 2009) with Award of  Merit. He also worked at the "Dinesol Plastic Corp." in Niles, Ohio from 1995-99.

After receiving the basic knowledge of  English language, he became American  citizen and opened a shop in 1995 called the "Fesko Art & Sign Co."  in downtown Youngstown which was in business from 1995 through 1999.  He also attended  Youngstown State University as an Art Studio Major receiving 100 credits between  1996 and 1998.  In 1996, The State of Ohio Department of Education  granted him a Teaching Certificate in the Commercial Art Area. In 2007, 2008 and 2011, Gregory won first place at The Senior Olympics of Northeast Ohio for table tennis.  He was selected as a writer for the Ohio Writer' Conference (in Columbus) for Adult Education in 2010. 

During over two decades, he tried many ways to feel integrated in this new American society.  Three years as a full-time student at Youngstown State University, another three years working in a factory, and another four years as a businessman downtown and he never felt completely integrated. Being a member of this huge choir, just after several months, he discovered something amazing. Singing the same scores, pronouncing the same words of the music, his foreign accent disappeared and melted completely. He feels he is part of the American people and is not a stranger any more.  He feels comfortable everywhere in the country, Unbelievable!

Today, his art is displayed at the "Fine Art Sale Gallery of "The Butler Institute of American Art" in Youngstown, Ohio.

Frank Lynn, new to the area, moved to Boardman with his wife, Mary Ruth, in July, ‘09.  A native New Englander, he retired in June from thirty years of public school (music) teaching in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.  The move to Boardman is cause for celebration for Mary Ruth as she returns to her hometown where she has accepted the position of Executive Director at the Youngstown Playhouse.

In his many years with music education, Frank taught a wide variety of  music courses including: band (marching and concert), jazz ensemble, chorus, choral ensembles, general music, music theory, History of Rock, Humanities and Intro to Piano.  In his last fifteen years of teaching, Frank was a department of one in the tiny community of Milton, NH (pop. 4,500) at Nute Middle/High School.  From a high school environment of 200 students, grades 9-12, he developed an award-winning band program with both his Symphonic Band and Jazz Ensemble.

Over the years, he has worked extensively with church choirs in the Roman Catholic tradition as well as several Protestant denominations. Locally, he is the organist and choirmaster at St. James' Episcopal Church in Boardman.

In recent years, he has begun to focus on composing sacred music for organ and a cappella choir with an emphasis on short, accessible service pieces for the player and ensemble ... service-appropriate music for the developing keyboardist and small SATB choir. Some of his work is published by Darcey Music Press of Illinois and Adoro Music Publishing in Michigan. Adoro Music has several more of his organ and choir compositions under contract which will be released soon.

Retirement opens up the freedom to pursue personal interests and he has no problem keeping busy.  Between daily walks, bicycling, yard work, his church position, music, reading and compositional activities, days are full of activity.

The Stambaugh Chorus provides an opportunity to perform on the other side of the conductor's baton and Frank is delighted to work under the expertise of Dr. Lee.  Given his hectic and all-consuming musical lifestyle of the past thirty-plus years, Frank has not been able to sing in a choral ensemble and hasn't done so since his participation in the Provincetown (MA) Choral Society in the early 1970's.  He is fully enjoying his new-found association with the Chorus and is delighted to be singing once again.

He is becoming acclimated to the lifestyle differences New England to Ohio, although he misses the topography of New Hampshire, the fresh off-the-boat seafood always available everywhere and the mile after mile of unique New England coastline.

With two adult daughters living still in New England (Heather in New Hampshire and Justine in Maine) and siblings in nearby Massachusetts, there are many good reasons to return to that area as a visitor in the months and years ahead.