Spring term rehearsals of the Danville Sings community choirs begin
Published 12:24 pm Thursday, January 9, 2025
josely.labarrere@bluegrassnewsmedia.com
Danville Sings, a community choral organization made up of three local choirs, will begin spring term rehearsals in the next two weeks. The choirs — the Danville Children’s Choir, Resonance Men’s Choir, and Sounding Joy Women’s Choir — are accepting new singers and stress the health benefits of choral singing.
“Choral singing is one of the healthiest, most physically, emotionally, and socially satisfying activities there is,” the organization said in a statement. “Recent research has established that choral singing is among the most beneficial activities for brain health that anyone can pursue.”
Directed by Patti Wright, the Danville Children’s Choir will rehearse beginning Jan. 13 in the choir room at Lexington Avenue Baptist Church. The 35-member group, which includes singers in grades 3 through 10, rehearses every Monday from 7 to 8:15 p.m.
The choir was first organized in 1990 by Bruce Richardson, who directed the choir, but it regrouped nearly three years ago after COVID-19 ended its run. New singers may come to the first rehearsal to meet the director and check out what the choir has to offer.
This summer, the children’s choir will travel to Cincinnati for a performance at the Queen City Children’s Choir Festival. Anyone seeking more information can contact Patti Wright at pwright62@gmail.com.
In its eighth season, the Resonance Men’s Choir, bled by Barbara Hall, is the newest of the three choirs. The choir welcomes tenors and basses, high school age and up.
Rehearsals will take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 13 and Jan. 20 in the chapel of First Christian Church in Danville. The ability to read music is not required but earlier experience in choral singing would be helpful.
This season, the Resonance Men’s Choir will be performing in Danville, as well as the Northpoint Training Center.
For more information, contact Barbara Hall at barbara.hall@centre.edu.
The Sounding Joy Women’s Choir, which Hall will also direct, will begin rehearsals Jan. 9 and Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. in the Gillespie Recital Hall at the Norton Center for the Arts.
Founded in 2004, the choir comprises 32 to 36 high school-age and older sopranos and altos. New singers are invited to visit the first two rehearsals to get to know the group and discuss membership.
“Sounding Joy prides itself on being as strong a supportive group of women as it is an outstanding choir,” Hall said. The group will also play locally this spring, and return to its 10th annual performance at the Pewee Valley Women’s Correctional Institute in May.
Danville Sings welcomes anyone wanting to try out one of the choirs to come to a rehearsal and see for themselves how choral singing is beneficial. Like the other Choirs, the ability to read music is not required but previous experience in solo and choral singing would be beneficial.
The Choirs of Danville Sings- Danville Children’s Choir, Sounding Joy (women), and Resonance (men)- at their recent holiday concert. The Choirs begin their new seasons in early January. For more information about joining groups, contact Barbara Hall (barbara.hall@centre.edu) (Photo taken and submitted by Gayle Waddell)
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