If you enjoy singing (no matter how shy you may feel about it) or if your child warbles around the house (gravitating toward music and acting), now is the time to sign up for one of Music on Norway Pond’s various choruses.
The Junior Minstrels, also known as the Junior Mints, for kids ages 6 to 14, will start rehearsals on Oct. 15. Their wide age range makes them unique among children’s choruses, bringing satisfying and surprising depth to their performances.
They learn all the important vocal skills, including breathing, well-pronounced vowels and consonants, dynamics, attacks, releases – all brought to an exciting climax for the Hancock Family Christmas Concert. In the spring, they combine their singing skills with their acting chops in a semi-staged show, which will be “Pirates of Penzance” this year.
In both performances, the children experience the joy that comes from the power they feel when they connect meaningfully with the audience. The Mints meet on Tuesdays from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. in the lower floor of the Hancock Meeting House.
Please note: Music on Norway Pond likes to keep the size of the group to 25 children, so sign up soon. The participation fee is $120 in the fall and $160 in the spring with scholarships for all who request them. Siblings also receive a small discount.
For more than 10 years, women of all ages have come together vocally to form the Norway Pond Festival Singers. Beginning Sept. 12, they will rehearse for the popular Hancock Family Christmas Concert on Thursdays from 12:15 to 1:45 p.m., also in the Meeting House. There is no limit to the number or the age of the Festival Singers – and participation is free. The more the merrier!
In January, men join the women of the Festival Singers for a mid-February performance. In 2020, we will perform Faure’s heartbreakingly beautiful Requiem, arguably the most satisfying, comforting, and beloved choral piece ever composed. Rehearsals are on Sunday afternoons and Thursday mid-day at the Hancock Meeting House. Singers are required to come to one rehearsal each week but are welcome at both. Participation is free. Note: High school students are also welcome for this project.
All three choruses work under the direction of Jody Hill Simpson, recently honored with the Alfred Nash Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to choral music in New England. “If you can sing ‘Jingle Bells’ in tune, I can help you perform with artistry and confidence!” Simpson said.
Call (603) 525-9303 or email jhspals@aol.com to pre-enroll for any of three choral groups.
“And please know that this is not a rock-solid commitment on your part,” Simpson said, “rather, it’s just an indication of interest. This will be a good year for singing – a balm for the soul and a terrific way to stay connected.”