OK City Chorus @ Summer Music Camp
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | Martha Thomason |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Mon, Jul 1 2024 |
~ Submitted by Cindy Allen ~
OK City Chorus made a striking impression at the annual Sweet Adelines Region 25 Come On and Sing Summer Music Camp. More than 20 local members joined around 150 others from across Region 25 at the event held on June 21-22 at Edmond Church of Christ.
Region 25 boasts 18 choruses and over 20 quartets from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas.
The two-day camp was packed with enriching activities, including classes, special presentations, quartet coaching, personal vocal instruction and chorus rehearsals. Members of the OK City Chorus were enthusiastic participants and some also took on roles as faculty presenters.
A highlight of the camp was the presence of Lea Baker, who traveled all the way from New Zealand to serve as the special guest faculty. Her presentations focused on helping chorus members find their expressive and engaging voices through techniques like identifying head, chest, and mixed voice and adopting a growth mindset.
“I really loved learning about body energy and how to use it to enhance our singing,” said Myrth Mehl, a new member of OKC City Chorus. “But I love getting to know other members of the chorus as well.
Often you just know those on your side of the risers so it was really great to talk to the ‘other side’ and interact. It was awesome singing with the chorus for the first time!”
Mary Rhea, the director of OK City Chorus, inspired future directors with her presentation, "Could I Be a Director? Yes." Donna Smith engaged the audience with her talk, "Gap to Good Times," which addressed ways for Sweet Adelines to appeal to chorus members of all ages. Mary and Donna also teamed up to teach a class on creating chorus packages for competition, while Jen Foster led a session for team leaders.
Donna’s session on engaging women from different age groups highlighted the challenging differences that multi-generational choruses face, she said.
“We learned what has influenced each generation and ways to tap into the strengths of each age group, whether Boomer or Zoomer,” Donna said.
A standout feature of the camp was the Top Gun quartet coaching sessions, which offered valuable insights for quartets looking to refine their performances. These sessions were a highlight for many attendees who eagerly observed the coaching in action.
The camp concluded on a high note with the "Big Show," featuring chorus and quartet presentations. OK City Chorus delivered a moving rendition of "The Sounds of Silence" and was joined by the Wichita Chorus for a powerful performance of "We Can Work It Out."
“SMC never disappoints,” Donna said. “Seeing old friends, making new ones and enjoying this thing we love and I always learn so much, plus have so much fun.”
Adding to the excitement, Lea Baker joined OK City Chorus for their Tuesday night rehearsal, providing expert coaching on their competition ballad and up-tune presentations.
