Members of the Easton Choral Arts’ Welcome Committee were prepared with name tags, music folders, handbooks and smiles as they waited for the start of the group’s first Open House rehearsal on Tuesday, August 22nd.
The choral group, under the Artistic Direction of Alexis Ward, holds two open rehearsals for new singers to sit in and sing along with current members. Tuesday night had 41 returning and 6 new singers, with more expected at the next open house on August 29th at 7:00 pm at Christ Church Easton.
Director Ward took the group through warm-up exercises, rhythm practice and note learning with amazing success for a first rehearsal.
She even included an ice-breaker activity to help people become acquainted.
The evening included several different styles of songs, including “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “Feliz Navidad”, a Kwanzaa piece “Umoja”, the World War 2 song, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and a stunningly beautiful adaptation of “Silent Night,” accompanied by interim accompanist Ellen Grunden. ECAS is currently interviewing for a new permanent pianist.
The holiday concert “Home for the Holidays” will include holiday songs from across the country showing the diverse ways that Americans celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and the Santa Lucia Festival of Lights, brought to the Del Marva peninsula by Scandinavian settlers in the 1600s. The concert closer will be the much beloved “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah.
Anyone interested in attending the new open house rehearsal should send email to: [email protected] to reserve a packet of music for the evening.
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