Membership drive begins Jan. 10 for Chiaroscuro community men's chorus
ADRIAN — Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in February, Chiaroscuro, an Adrian-based community men’s chorus, will begin its membership drive next week for any men interested in singing with the chorus during its winter/spring performance season.
The membership drive begins Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Adrian First United Methodist Church, 1245 W. Maple Ave. It will be weekly on Tuesdays during January, with rehearsals and auditions taking place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Jan. 10, 17, 24 and 31.
During rehearsal, guests will be able to join in the singing of four-part men’s choral selections “so that they can enjoy and experience the unique sound and camaraderie that comes from singing in a men’s chorus,” a news release from Chiaroscuro said.
Members are expected to be able to match pitches well and to learn their parts primarily outside of the rehearsal dates, using provided and proven rehearsal aids, the release said.
Chiaroscuro is under the direction of director and founder Susan Matych-Hager, professor emerita of music from Siena Heights University and the 2010 winner of the Maynard Klein Award for artistic excellence and a lifetime of leadership in the field of choral music, presented by the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Michigan.
The chorus held its first rehearsal at the end of February 2013.
The goal of the ensemble, the release said, is to sing meaningful choral music with beautiful tone that engages the minds and touches the hearts of the listeners. The men in the ensemble include both amateur and professional musicians.
“After a long hiatus because of COVID, the chorus is excited to be singing together again,” the release said.
One of the last performances by Chiaroscuro prior to the pandemic was in 2019, including a performance of “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff with the Adrian Symphony Orchestra in May 2019, followed by the Midwest premiere of “The Rose of Sonora” by award-winning film composer George Clinton with the ASO in October 2019.
The men’s chorus returned to the performance stage for a yuletide concert in December that resulted in standing-room-only attendance and a “wonderfully warm standing ovation,” Matych-Hager said.
Matych-Hager served five terms as the editor of Bella Voce, the journal of ACDA-Michigan and two terms as the repertory and standards chair for Men’s Choirs, the release said. In addition to work directing choruses and vocal groups for nearly 60 years, Matych-Hager is a nationally known full-time glass artist and jewelry designer. She also serves as the director of the glass program at the Adrian Center for the Arts where she teaches classes.
For current and up-to-date information about the community men’s chorus, visit the Chiaroscuro Facebook page at Facebook.com/ChiaroscuroEnsemble or visit www.ChiaroscuroMensChorus.org.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Membership drive begins Jan. 10 for Chiaroscuro community men's chorus
