The pandemic hit all musicians hard—singers perhaps worse than any others. Chatham Chorale in an undated “before times” performance.
Choristers share a bond.
Singing together leads to more than just occasional performances. Like any group activity—the sharing, the studying, the physical energy—creates a web of experiences and memories. A bond of common interest, and devotion.
The pandemic hit singers hardest, of all musicians. Early super-spreader outbreaks linked to large groups of vocalists became a symbol of vulnerability. Mask-wearing made singing somewhat safer, but existentially challenging. Even recently, as concerts began to return gradually, several large-scale vocal performances have had to be postponed.
But now the Chatham Chorale is ready to sing. And they have a 50th anniversary to celebrate as well.
On April 30 and May 1 the Chorale, directed by Joseph Marchio, will give four performances at the First Congregational Church of Chatham, which is celebrating its own 300th anniversary. The varied program has American composer Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” as its centerpiece.
The Chorale has gathered online, and for performances over the holidays with the Cape Symphony, but these concerts have the feeling of a return to normal for the 100-or-so singers.
“Our last real concert was December 2019,” Marchio says. “During the pandemic, once we realized we weren’t going to be able to sing together, I started weekly Zoom sessions. Then we came back for holiday pops with the Symphony, but Covid started working its way through the group again.
“So we had to cancel a January performance,” he says. “This feels like our return.”
A select group of instrumentalists, including Cape Symphony concertmaster Jae Cosmos Lee, joins the Chorale. Julian Petrallia will perform on the recently refurbished church organ. Longtime Chorale collaborator Joan Kirchner joins as soprano soloist, and Marchio will lead the performances.
The four concerts are a sign of the Chorale’s enduring popularity. Audiences will be required to show proof of vaccination, with mask-wearing optional but recommended. “The church will seat 250,” Marchio says, “we’re doing it without social distancing.” The Chorale members are all vaccinated and boosted.
The pandemic Zoom sessions—“we did a lot of vocal exercises,” Marchio says, “and lots of solos from opera and Broadway”—kept the group together, but were hardly enough to keep the singers in performance condition.
“I was worried about tension in the throat and jaw, from the masks,” Marchio says. “Watching some of the mouth and tongue positions, it made me nervous.” A few months of live rehearsals have helped restore underused techniques. And fortunately, the group’s performance future looks secure; subsequent Chorale performances are already planned for June.
“The Chorale is healthy,” Marchio says of the group’s finances. “The board president (Bud Ferris) came up with a cautious three-year plan, trying to keep costs down. We have 100 total members, but I think 65 to 70 is the perfect number for performances in the chancel of the church.”
Not to be overlooked is the 300th anniversary of the First Congregational Church itself. And it’s not just the number—despite the pandemic limitations, the congregation, first established in 1720, has substantially renovated the church, and refurbished its organ.
“The church sanctuary did not change,” Marchio, who is church pastor, says. “But we built a 25-foot addition, and put the organ pipes up above it. And where there was carpet is now hardwood—it’s a fabulous acoustic.” The new organ will be introduced with three separate recitals later this spring, with performances by Petrallia, Marchio and Scott Dettra.
But first, a long-delayed anniversary concert, and a chance for audiences to hear Forrest’s “Requiem,” which had its premiere in 2013.
“We’re in a world where ‘Requiem for the Living’ just carries a different meaning,” Marchio says. “I don’t always immediately take to something, but I did with this. And the Chorale did too.”
The Chatham Chorale sings Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” on Sat., April 30 at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, May 1 at 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. in the First Congregational Church of Chatham, 650 Main St. General admission, $35. Students/under 18 free. For tickets and information visit chathamchorale.org or call 774-212-9333.