NEWBURYPORT — The Newburyport Choral Society (NCS) will begin its spring semester of weekly rehearsals on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7:15 p.m. at Belleville Congregational Church, 300 High St., Newburyport. Online preregistration for singers will be open through Tuesday, January 23.
NCS welcomes new singers to its musical family each season. Singers represent all age levels and also the full range of musical knowledge from beginner to advanced.
“We have so much fun rehearsing each week,” NCS President Victoria Bushey said. “Our music director, Dr. Minji Kim, shows us by example how joyful the process of learning new music can be.”
This semester NCS will be learning music for its May concert, “Resilience and Hope.” The concert will celebrate the valor and strength of the human spirit—resilience and courage in facing the challenges of war, discrimination, pandemics, climate and environmental threats.
Music selections for the concert will include compositions by various female composers, as well as “Requiem” by 20th century French composer Maurice Duruflé.
“The central theme is one of hope as we face our challenges together,” Bushey said. “And we are partnering with the Climate Resilient Newburyport community action project to dedicate one of our musical pieces to local climate resiliency.”
For those who might be on the fence about joining the chorus attend either of the first two rehearsals on Tuesday, Jan. 16 or Tuesday, Jan. 23. First-time singers should arrive by 7 p.m. and bring their COVID vaccination record.
Online pre-registration is recommended prior to attending the first rehearsal. New singers may obtain an invitation to register online by sending an email to Membership Director Penny Lazarus at members@newburyportchoralsociety.org.