
{"id":22255,"date":"2011-12-08T10:24:01","date_gmt":"2011-12-08T15:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.carrborocitizen.com\/main\/?p=22255"},"modified":"2011-12-08T10:24:22","modified_gmt":"2011-12-08T15:24:22","slug":"chorus-becomes-%e2%80%98voices%e2%80%99","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/2011\/12\/08\/chorus-becomes-%e2%80%98voices%e2%80%99\/","title":{"rendered":"Chorus becomes \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcVoices\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><figure id=\"attachment_22256\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22256\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/www.carrborocitizen.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Chorus1120811.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"208\" class=\"size-full wp-image-22256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Chorus1120811.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Chorus1120811-113x47.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Chorus1120811-150x62.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Chorus1120811-100x41.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-22256\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Voices\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 25-member ensemble, Cantari.\tPhoto by John Paul Middlesworth<\/figcaption><\/figure><strong>By Caroline Corrigan<\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Staff Writer<br \/>\n<\/em>Over the past three decades, the Chapel Hill Community Chorus has grown exponentially in both size and quality, comprising a 130-member chorus, as well as a 25-member ensemble that was added five years ago.<\/p>\n<p>But many members felt the chorus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 name did not accurately reflect its evolution over the years, resulting in the decision to change the chorus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 name to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Voices\u00e2\u20ac\u009d this past fall. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We felt that the name itself did not reflect the quality of the group,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Sue Klausmeyer, conductor of the chorus since 2000. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153People hear \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccommunity chorus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and think amateurs.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>The chorus is far from a group of amateurs, however.  <\/p>\n<p>Victor Recondo, a distinguished pianist and educator who taught choral music at Graham and Phillips Junior High, started the chorus in 1980 when he invited faculty members to join with students and parents in a Christmas concert. The group gradually evolved into the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Community Chorus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c later renamed the Chapel Hill Community Chorus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c under the leadership of Betsy Underwood, who served as president of the fledgling nonprofit organization. <\/p>\n<p>After becoming a part of the Community Schools Program, the chorus evolved into an adult, non-auditioned ensemble, performing challenging classical pieces twice a year at various locations in Chapel Hill. <\/p>\n<p>Today the chorus has developed strong ties with UNC and local public schools, businesses, churches and philanthropic sources, like Strowd Roses Foundation and the Orange Couty Arts Council. Each year, the group performs two major concerts per season in December and May, as well as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153lighter\u00e2\u20ac\u009d performance during its annual July concert. <\/p>\n<p>The chorus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 25-member ensemble, Cantari, became a part of the chorus in 2006. Because of its growth, chorus members are now required to audition for a spot. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Auditions have become very important,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Voices president Bill Kodros. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But if they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done some chorus singing or singing in general, then they normally get in if there are enough slots open.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Kodros added that the Voices Summer Chorus, a six-week program, is a great opportunity for community members interested in getting involved with the group.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153The summer chorus is much more relaxed and the music is a little simpler,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It also gives Dr. Klausmeyer an opportunity to get to know these people and what they can do, and most will be taken into the main chorus in the fall.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Though the change to the chorus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 name was made official just recently, Kodros said the decision has been an ongoing discussion for the past three years. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Even though our quality had improved, we still noticed a bunch of concerts that weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t well-attended,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We began checking with people who follow the music scene closely, and we realized that many of them had never even heard of us at all.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Board members recognized that the group\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s publicity problems were a result of ineffective marketing, but they were unsure of how to resolve this issue. <\/p>\n<p>The solution revealed itself about a year ago when Jonathan Prinz, the next-door neighbor of one of the chorus members, agreed to help the group free of charge. <\/p>\n<p>Prinz, an expert on branding, spent the next year guiding the chorus through a marketing process. Chorus members were surveyed about how they felt toward the former name, how they felt about being in the chorus and if they felt that the name represented them well. Audience members, donors and members of the music department were interviewed as well. Voices was finally suggested as the group\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s new name and was favored by an overwhelming majority of members.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153A one-word name is very easy to use in a logo, and it quickly communicates what we are,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Klausmeyer. <\/p>\n<p>Though the name change has only been in place for a couple of months,  Klausmeyer said that, thus far, it seems to be effective. <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It is concise, well designed and it works out well in publicity,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We think it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a good one for us.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Kodros added that the new name\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s success will become more apparent after the chorus completes its December concert series.  <\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too early to tell now, but a lot of the advertising and marketing we are going to do will be concentrated on our first concerts in December,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll know more after this concert year.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>Despite the multitude of changes the chorus has undergone, it has remained an organization known for its camaraderie and local connection, and is still governed, operated and financially supported by local chorus members.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I love working with choral music and I love the Chapel Hill area,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Klausmeyer. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The chorus has something for everyone to enjoy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>The chorus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 ensemble, Cantari, will be performing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153From Heaven on High\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on Saturday at Chapel of the Cross of Chapel Hill at 7:30 p.m. Voices will be performing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A New World Christmas\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over the past three decades, the Chapel Hill Community Chorus has grown exponentially in both size and quality, comprising a 130-member chorus, as well as a 25-member ensemble that was added five years ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":22256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22255"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22255\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22259,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22255\/revisions\/22259"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}