Classic Choral Society's 58th year begins in just a few weeks! As CCS launches into the next rehearsal season, we look forward to welcoming new and returning singers. Our first rehearsal will take place on Monday evening, January 16, 2017, at 7:30PM. The first rehearsal is a very important one. On that evening the music and schedule of rehearsals and concerts is distributed, singers are greeted, registered, then briefed on what to expect over the next few months and - best of all - we make an valiant effort to sing through the entire concert program (sight-reading for most everyone) from beginning to end. That initial read-through gives us a pretty good glimpse of the work that will lie ahead of us. We've found it's a great (and sometimes hilarious!) way to begin.
If you really enjoy singing and are passionate about choral music, with some experience singing in a school, community, or church choir, you are cordially invited to join us as a member of Classic Choral Society. There are openings in all sections: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Auditions are not currently required, so don't let that keep you away. You are urged to contact Director, Janiece ("Jan") Kohler, at 845-713-4543 prior to the rehearsal start-up date so we can have music ready for you. Contact may also be made via email: classicchoral@hvc.rr.com. Either way, please let us know whether you'll be there on January 16th. Contact us, too, if you have questions about CCS and/or its plans. Just a heads-up: CCS received an invitation to sing at Carnegie Hall again this year, in mid-March, but plans are incomplete at this time; we do expect that our local concerts will be at the very end of April or in the early weeks of May.
The Choral Society's rehearsal home is the historic Blooming Grove United Church of Christ, located at 2 Old Dominion Road (between Washingtonville and Chester on Route 94). We rehearse weekly, from 7:30 until 9:30PM, in the sanctuary of the main BGUCC church building which is well-known for its wonderful, singer-friendly acoustics. Please consider joining CCS! It's a wonderful way to meet new friends, enjoy an inexpensive night out, and unwind from the stresses of being a busy adult.
As author Stacy Horn said in her recent book, IMPERFECT HARMONY: FINDING HAPPINESS SINGING WITH OTHERS (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill 2013) - "Once a week I return to one of the most beautiful churches in Manhattan, pick up whatever masterpiece we're currently working on, open my mouth, and sing. Life is hard, battles of all kinds continue to rage around us, and disappointments accumulate. But singing is the one thing in my life that never fails to take me to where disenchantment is almost nonexistent and feeling good is pretty much guaranteed."
