Local chorus part of a global movement
Throughout January, the Choral-Aires Chorus is hosting special rehearsals as part of a global open house hosted by the Sweet Adelines International organization. These special rehearsals, or guest nights, give women interested in music and performance an opportunity to visit the chorus, receive vocal instruction, and sing with the 100-woman chorus without the requirement of a long-term commitment.
“What we find is that most of our guests come back,” says Chorus President Nancy Smith. “The combination of having an excellent outlet for artistic gifts like vocal performance, a built-in sisterhood that offers a unique community of belonging, and coming away from a rehearsal energized because of all you learned and the opportunity to be a part of something so big; these are all reasons women keep coming back after one visit. It's great fun to stretch and grow within such a tight-knit community.”
These special guest nights—titled “Sand, Surf and Song” for the International Competition awaiting the Chorus in Hawaii next fall—are held each Monday from 6:45 to 9:45 p.m., January 7 – 28, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church Recreation Center (345 S. Kenilworth Avenue, Elmhurst).
Guests will learn from top-notch directors as both a chorus member and as an individual vocalist, and build close relationships with nearly 100 other women who also love to sing and perform. The Choral-Aires Chorus is a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, and regularly earns medals at international competition, above nearly 600 other choruses worldwide. For more information about the guest night series, contact Barb Ehst at barbehst@hotmail.com or 630.204.5188.
More than 100 women from Illinois and Wisconsin sing tight harmonies a cappella (without instrumentation) with the Choral-Aires Chorus, a Sweet Adelines International medaling chorus, and the 2012 Lake Michigan Region 3 Champion. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. More information about the Chorus can be found at their website, http://choral-aires.com.