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Orangeville Show Chorus’ Concert coming to the Orangeville Opera House

October 3, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield 

On Oct. 19, the Orangeville Show Chorus is celebrating 45 years of singing their wonderful Barber Shop harmony in a concert called “Thank You for the Music.” The show is on at the Orangeville Opera House from 2 to 4 p.m.

It began as the best things often do with a simple meeting. In 1979, Pat Vipond met with another person in response to an ad in the paper for ladies to gather together to sing. There gathered together a number of women to sing in the old police station. The original ad had come from Sweet Adelines International. The group is a “worldwide organization of women singers, established in 1945, committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performances,” according to its website.

During those early days of forming a Chorus in Orangeville, as many as 15 people came once a week from Toronto to teach the Barber Shop method of singing which is a cappella or unaccompanied and harmonized in four parts.

In a conversation over Zoom with master director Joan Borden, founding music director Pat Vipond, and Anne Somerville, all chartered members, they had the opportunity to talk about the past 45 years, what is to come next and their upcoming concert to celebrate their milestone anniversary.

One winter’s night when travel from Toronto was halted by the snow, people came from Erin to sing. In the end, the comment was “the quartets from Toronto really taught us the feeling of singing harmony together. Somebody funded the group and we had to open a bank account.”

At the moment, the Chorus numbers “about 40,” with the majority as lead singers – they are who carry the melodies.

It was a tremendous thrill when they went to Paris to sing with about 35 singers in all, a group that was half Canadian and half American. There, they had the opportunity to sing at the magnificent UNESCO House, Paris, in the first week of January 2003.

“We did another concert in a church with a group from Germany. The trip to Paris happened because someone in Grand Valley told us from an ad in the paper, there was a festival in Paris that was looking for groups from North America to come,” Ms. Vipond said.

There are annual competitions, which the Chorus attends, some in Syracuse, New York; some are now also held in Canada. By attending the competitions, the Chorus has won a progression of awards: Most Improved Chorus in 2005 and again in 2009, when Joan Borden experienced her first directing role and the Chorus won second place AA and won fourth Place overall medals.

At that time, Ms. Borden became a Master Director.

By winning first place AA in the 2011 regional contest, the Orangeville Chorus was invited to come to the Harmony Classic at the Sweet Adelines International Convention in Denver, Colorado in October 2012. The Chorus won fourth place for this, their first appearance on the international stage.

Here they are 45 years and still singing! Their upcoming concert, “Thank You for the Music,” will feature a variety of musical genres, we were told, pop, jazz and more. Plus, guest musicians will be there, Ryan Grist, Debbie Collins and Alex Ugolini. Count on some of the show being choreographed, as other Chorus shows have been. Some of this may be surprising, as there were hints about line dancing in the air.

Anne Somerville shed a little light on the program, saying, “We’ll focus on bringing the audience into how the music makes them feel; with our story line, the audience can reflect on how music makes us feel.”

Part of the history of the Chorus will be on display in the Atrium, showing in part, how many, many women have passed through. Having said that, of the 40 members of the Chorus there are, 16 are long-term members and three of them are the original charter members.

Specifically a women’s Chorus, we asked – what about women singing together? 

“It’s a feeling of accomplishing something beautiful together,” came the answer. “When you walk through these doors and start singing, the rest of your life doesn’t bother you. Singing something beautiful is a wonderful feeling of support.”

People go through issues, yet the friendships that are made spill over and are “pretty much outside of this massive thing they all share – singing.”

They all have that in common.

Every so often, after a terrible day or a health issue, one member will come to rehearsal, saying she almost didn’t want to bother. By the end, she is so glad she was there because the chorus singing together made her feel very much better.

“You cannot sing when you’re sad.”

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for many women who don’t have much confidence,” said Pat Vipond. “They learn it through singing.”

“Age doesn’t matter.” The chorus has a strong inclusive policy for membership. All are welcome. They do ask for a weekly commitment to come to rehearsals.

Next up for the Orangeville Show Chorus is their expanded interest in different genres of music, with plans to adapt musical theatre, and more music that is current as an attraction to younger members.

They are looking forward to singing for Santa, come the season, including the tree lighting at Orangeville Town Hall, telling the Citizen, “Last year we took a bus and sang at five locations.”

They are looking forward very much to performing their concert, “Thank You for the Music” at the Orangeville Opera House on Oct. 19, from 2 to 4 p.m.

For tickets, visit osc.choirgenius.com

Or call Theatre Orangeville Box Office at 519-942-3423

From composer John Rutter: “To express in symbolic terms, [singing] is what it’s like when human beings are in harmony.”

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