A Decade Of Singing

Articles

A Decade Of Singing

By Kaycee Nilson
Apr. 5, 2006

What does ten years of a choral organization look and sound like? That question was answered over the past two weekends by the Chicago Chamber Choir. the final concert of their Tenth Anniversary Season, entitled "Sing It Again", was a culmination of their ten years of putting on choral programs in the Chicago area.

Founded under the name "Luminaria" in 1996, the group began as a small, thirteen member choir, led by music teacher Deborah Skydell. Rehearsing weekly at the Wicker Park Field House, and using grass-roots tactics to attract singers, the mission of the group became the sharing of music with individuals and organizations with limited or no access to high-caliber vocal performance. Following a philosophy that music should be available to everyone, the group performed at local schools, hospitals, and agencies serving the homeless.

When Skydell moved on with her teaching career, the group was taken over by singer and composer Toria Burrell. Changing the group's name to "Cantabile", the group began to develop a more polished sound, formed a board of directors, and recieved non-profit status.

When Burrell left to take maternity leave a year later, the organization turned to a new director, Timm Adams, and changed names once again. The board agreed to use the name "Chicago Chamber Choir" to more clearly represent the group's range, and help expand its audience base. The decision was also made to increase the size of the choir, allowing the group to perform a wider range of musical styles.

Now, ten years after its inception, the Chicago Chamber Choir (commonly known as "CCC") attracts seasoned and experienced singers to the group, and fairly large audiences to its performances. Between the three major concerts put on each year, CCC continues to sing for schools in and around Chicago, hospitals, private events, and music series as far away as Saugatuck, Michigan and Rockford, Illinois.

So how do we know what ten years of the organization sounds like? By listening to their "Best Of" concerts, held this March and April. In previous concerts, the group placed a ballot in their programs, listing every song ever performed by the group during its ten year run, and asked audience members to vote for their favorites. Those favorites made up the concert program for the final concert of the 2005-2006 season, called "Sing It Again".

"Our concerts usually have a main theme. And this one is a little self-indulgent," Adams joked during the performance, "because this whole concert is about us."

And how do we know what ten years looks like? By watching the finale, where Adams invited any former choir members present to come to the stage and join the current members in a rousing rendition of the "Finale" from Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Gondoliers".

Aften ten years of performance, Adams thanked former members by inviting them to sing in the finale, and thanked audience members by allowing them to select the program for the concert. He verbally thanked the board of directors, the two former conductors, the support staff, and the audience. And when he thanked the choir members themselves for sharing their time and talent over ten years, he came close to tears.

I guess that really shows what ten years of any organization looks and sounds like.

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About the author: Kaycee Nilson has completed her first novel, "Night Falls on Chicago." The first two chapters can be viewed at http://www.KayceeNilson.com.

Besides writing columns for Useless-Knowledge and Speedway Media, Kaycee is currently working on two more novels, "From the Mind of a Vampire", and "I'll Love You Til You Die."

If you have enjoyed what you read, or would like to leave Kaycee a message, please visit her message board at http://www.KayceeNilson.com/Board

Email: Kaycee@kayceenilson.com

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