A local community chorus will soon resume live performances, and additional voices are needed for its spring concert.
The Gilmer Arts Community Chorus will hold auditions and chorus section placement Tuesday, Jan. 18, at the George Link Jr. Gilmer Arts Playhouse. Auditions begin at 6:30 p.m.
“New people have to audition, and the audition is primarily to place them properly in a section,” said John Rathbone, chorus member. “We have them sing something familiar like ‘My Country ‘Tis of Thee’ or give them something to read out of the hymnal. We have an accompanist who plays with them, and it takes about five minutes tops.”
The spring concert will take place Sunday, April 24, at Ellijay First United Methodist Church, a new venue for the chorus. Previous concerts have been done at the Ellijay Elementary School Auditorium.
Rehearsals will begin Tuesday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. Registration will precede the first rehearsal at 6:30 p.m. as all chorus members pay a $20 registration fee to cover costs for music and supplies. All rehearsals will be at the playhouse on Tuesdays leading up to the concert, Rathbone confirmed.
The chorus’ return to live singing comes after no spring and fall concerts in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID concerns, said Rathbone. Auditions were held for last year’s fall concert, which wound up being cancelled due to the COVID surge.
“The last time we did a concert was in 2019, which was four seasons ago,” said Rathbone.
The chorus performs a mix of popular and sacred music, show tunes and holiday selections, while an a cappella ensemble is also featured, Rathbone noted. Singers practice under the direction of multiple area conductors with many years of experience in choral conducting and performance, he added.
Rathbone said members are mostly from Gilmer, Pickens and Fannin County, and the chorus is the only one of its kind in a multicounty area that also includes Murray and Lumpkin.
“There’s the Cherokee Chorale in the Canton area, and then there’s the Young Harris Mountain Community Chorus. We’re kind of right in between them,” he added.
New conductors in tow
New conductors will join the chorus’ ranks for the spring concert, and they bring a wealth of experience along, Rathbone noted.
New conductors Hannah Carter and Patrick Young, will join established community chorus conductor Charles Claiborne and piano accompanist Susan Gooch, who will also conduct a concert piece.
Carter is currently the music and choir director at Gilmer High School. Originally from Calhoun, she graduated from Young Harris College in 2018 with a degree in music education with vocal emphasis.
Young is the current Director of Music for Ellijay First United Methodist Church. He also works for Young Harris College as director of bands and assistant professor of music. Young holds a master’s music degree from the University of Georgia, and a Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Gooch, pianist at Jasper Methodist Church and a longtime community chorus accompanist, will conduct an all women’s piece for the spring concert, Rathbone said. Gooch has also served as piano accompanist for Gilmer and Pickens High Schools.
Claiborne, who will conduct a 35-minute piece based on well-known hymns at the spring show, has co-conducted several past concerts for the Gilmer Arts chorus. He previously taught Atlanta-area high school choruses and is a past conductor of the Smyrna Community Chorus and past assistant conductor of the Atlanta Choral Guild.