What do 90 retired and part-time authors, attorneys, home inspectors, teachers, stand-up comedians, database administrators, physicians, business owners, researchers and others do on Tuesday mornings in Oak Park?
They sing with the Sounds Good Choir, “Chicago area’s largest no-audition choral program for adults 55 and better, and the only one in Illinois with a separate choir for persons with early-stage dementia and their care partners” (according to their website).
There are eight Sounds Good choirs throughout the Chicago region and the Oak Park-River Forest choir is the largest, with 90 members.
I recently had the opportunity to attend one of their rehearsals, led by conductor Linda Crabtree Powell. Linda previously taught chorus at Brooks Middle School in Oak Park and Trinity High School in River Forest for many years. Her choirs have performed internationally. She wanted to be a music teacher since the age of 10 and began taking piano lessons at that time.
Because I write about my “Favorite Things” in Oak Park, I asked for her “favorite things” about the Sounds Good Choir.
Linda’s favorite thing is selecting the repertoire for the fall and spring programs.
“I [am] constantly listening and searching for music that will work well with our singers. I search for solid, interesting music composed in arrangements that work for our singers’ voices. It is rewarding and fun to learn challenging and diverse music at rehearsals, and later be able to share music with our audience.”
During the rehearsal, she led her group of soprano, alto, tenor and bass singers in body stretches, scales, and warm-ups. She dissects the lyrics by phrases and works with the different sections in her role as both teacher and cheerleader. The singers around me were clearly engaged.
A real sense of community emerged at the end of rehearsal, as the birthday people of the month stood up and their fellow singers warmly sang “Happy Birthday” to them. Some of the singers told me they have made new friends and go out to lunch and the movies together at the Lake Theatre.
I asked some of the singers for their “favorite things” about being in the Sounds Good Choir.
Barbara Hausman is the liaison for the choir. She lends support to the inner workings of the group and serves as a resource for the singers.
“I love the camaraderie of singing with others,” she said. “Especially in this day and age of much societal divisiveness, I appreciate spending time with others and together, collectively, making something wonderful … beautiful music. I refer to the choir as a group of ‘singer friends,’” she said.
Alan Hofstadter’s favorite thing is “the combined emotional, as well as physiological, ‘rush’ that comes from making music in unison and harmony. It’s very satisfying for both body and soul.”
Pete Neuman’s favorite thing is “the amazing way that Linda brings us together musically. We have some excellent singers. We also have some members with little singing experience who may not be able to read music. Linda is able to lead us all to our concert day with a musical result that we are truly proud of.”
Sarah Shirk told me that rehearsal day is her best day of the week and participating in this choir has given her the courage to sing with other choirs.
“Hearing my voice combined with other singers brings joy to my heart and a deep sense of belonging to something bigger than myself. Plus, I practice every day and am learning to read and understand music, so my brain is enriched on a daily basis,” Val Gee said.
Janice Roberts’ favorite thing is that over years of being in the choir, “I’ve noticed I’m more calm, less stressed after a morning at Sounds Good. I can see the ‘good’ in my life instead of focusing on the challenges.”
Katie Frankle’s favorite thing about the Sounds Good Choir? “Joining with other voices to make music lifts my spirits and always brightens my day. Also, I like running into a new set of friends around Oak Park, my fellow Sounds Good singers.”
If you’re interested in joining the choir when the new session begins in January, you can get information on their website at https://soundsgoodchoir.org.
Sounds Good concerts are free to concertgoers. I can vouch for the beauty of the experience and encourage you to attend.
The Sounds Good Choir Winter Multifaith/Multicultural Holiday Concert will be held this Friday, Dec. 13 at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St. in Oak Park. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and there is no admission charge.
Joy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident who writes about her favorite things in the village.
