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Date: 9/6/2023
WILBRAHAM — The Wilbraham Community Chorus is seeking people to participate in its annual concerts, a tradition going back nearly 50 years.
The chorus began in 1976 to celebrate the country’s bicentennial, but soon transformed into a community chorus. Ray Drury has been the conductor since the early 1990s and said people enjoy singing in the chorus and keep coming back.
“We mostly see folks that have been with us for years,” Drury said, although every year there are a “handful of new faces.”
The chorus will perform two concerts in December, one at Saint Cecilia Parish in Wilbraham and the other at First Church of Christ in Longmeadow.
Even though the rehearsals and performances take place at church spaces, Drury said the chorus is secular and the program will feature a mixture of styles and genres of music, ranging from seasonal melodies to classical pieces and touching on folk and pop music.
“The concept that has worked for us is an eclectic mix” of music with “something for everyone,” Drury said.
Drury said participants should be able to “carry a tune,” but no auditions are required. While there is a small fee for sheet music, the chorus is mostly an investment of time. Rehearsals will be on Mondays at 7 p.m., at Christ the King Epiphany Church beginning Sept. 11 and running until performances in early December. Drury asked that people be willing to attend most rehearsals. While the voices will be the star of the show, vocalists will be accompanied by Marcia Jackson on piano.
The chorus had close to 100 people participating each year prior to the coronavirus pandemic, which required the group to pause operations for a couple of years. Last year, Forrest began performing again with about 60 individuals. “We’re hoping to get a few more now that Covid is less of an issue,” Drury said. “The audience numbers were somewhat down and we’re hoping that improves, too.”
People interested in participating should attend the first rehearsal on Sept. 11.