Singing with Sam

“Singing with Sam,” “Singing with people who can really sing, singing good music, and singing it well.”  These were some of the responses offered to what Director Sam Evans and Itasca Community Chorus is doing well.  Saturday, September 12 about fifty members of Itasca Community Chorus convened at Zion Lutheran Church for a full day of rehearsals and community building.  The 60-member choir is in full rehearsal for its first concert of the season Oct. 30 7:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids.  

Throughout the day Sam Evans, Concordia music graduate and intern to Rene Clausen, conducted an intense and fruitful full choir rehearsal interspersed with sectionals lead by Susan Loeffler and  Susan Hoolihan  (sopranos),  Lenora Evans and Darcy Reich (altos); Sam Evans & Stuart Boehr (tenors), and Phil Kneeland and Kathy Goodwin (basses). 

The Itasca Choral Society Board had contracted with Kathy Allen and Lisa Randall to do community building activities with the choir mid-morning and afternoon.   That increased the sense of how much these choir members value each other and the opportunity to sing with Sam.  Among other challenges was the task of having all singers stand on two tarps and turn them over without ever coming in contact with the pavement.  Lunch replete with luscious pie, build-it-yourself sandwiches, and salads was catered by NaNa Chells

Membership in Itasca Community Chorus is closed for now but will reopen in January.  For more information contact itascacommunitychorus@gmail.com.   Membership in the Messiah Choir slated for Dec. 13^th is now open, so start practicing now with one of the collaborating church choirs from Community Presbyterian Church, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church or Zion Lutheran Church for the mass Messiah Choir Dec. 13^th.

Members left singing “How Can I Keep from Singing,” “ Shenandoah,” “Danny Boy,” “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord,” “Swinging with the Saints,”  and other spirituals practiced throughout the day. Singing with Sam is good work and a lot of fun, so plan to join us Oct. 30 at 7:00 pm at the United Methodist Church.  

The activity was funded in part by an Action Team grant from Thrivent Financial. 

On Fire . . .

Last night Sam Evans burned blue throughout a two-hour rehearsal.  Inspired by the music and the new season, Sam promised to jump, dance, do whatever it takes to pull together a the volunteer choir of 50 plus voices.  Leading off with Keith Hampton's "Praise His Holy Name,"  Sam kept the attention and the choir tuned through his whole-hearted commitment to making beautiful music.

A 2011 graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, Sam brought us the best of his experience under Rene Clausen in addition to his own continuous music education.  To set the tone after a 10-minute break, Sam modeled a "Glad to Meet You" feature that allows a member to step up and introduce him/herself weekly. 

Among the new members is Allison, a music teacher and former member of the Northern Lights Chorale who has just moved into the community.  Allison her husband are expecting their first child in October, but she came because she needs to sing.  Deena Skaja came, too and was assured that Itasca Community Chorus is a "community plus one" organization where we welcome each singer who wants to help us harmonize.  If one section looks too large, we'll adapt. 

We are as always looking for more tenors and basses.  Last evening the choir thrilled when Len Hedman hit those low notes and listened with appreciation when Mary Ann Bartos switched to tenor to help with the high notes. 

Kathy Goodwin indicated that "Danny Boy" brought her close to tears as did "Over the Rainbow."
In this season's repertoire are Moses Hogan's "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord,"  James Erb's "Shenandoah," and Z. Randall Stroop's "How Can I Keep from Singing."  The chorus left last night after a resonant  "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." 

This morning Sam has emailed all members utube recordings of several of the numbers to keep us singing throughout the week. 

As always, each member contributes so much to the choir weekly and there's so much to learn from each other, that Itasca Community Chorus asks that all members make music and attendance a priority.  The season is short, the Sept. 12 retreat is coming up shortly, and the Oct. 30th concert is just week's away, too so let's all keep the fire burning. 

Reach Sam at itascacommunitychorus@gmail.com.