Visitors
Chorus Sings Tune of Change
by Vicki Marzulle
In an effort to appeal to a wider audience, The Peach State Chorus chapter of Sweet Adelines International has slowly modified its image over the past three years.
Mary Norman, publicity manager, said the group is not "just a bunch of little old ladies."
"Our members range in age from 18 to 83," Mrs. Norman said. "That's an age span of 65 years. However, music is the universal language that draws them all together in spite of this diversity."
That diversity is reflected in the revisions in the group's musical selections.
"We do a little bit of everything," said chorus director Stacy Branch, who also is director of the Lakeside High School Chorus. "We do gospel and traditional barbershop. We even sing pop. In our summer show we did Under the Boardwalk and Surfing USA and other beach Boys stuff."
The chorus also has made a costume change for some performances. The members recently bought matching T-shirts and sweatshirts to wear at informal concerts, and they wear floor length gowns for formal concerts and competitions.
"We try to change the outfits," Ms. Branch said. "In competition this year we have a band scene, and we have to do traditional barbershop there. Part of the chorus is going to be wearing band uniforms and part of the chorus will be dressed like the crowd there to see the band.
"Things have changed."
To reflect the new image of the group and to recognize members on both sides of the Savannah River, the chorus will change its name in May.
"We're going to call it River Harmony Chorus," Ms. Branch said, "because we have the Savannah River that connects the South Carolina with the Georgia people. We tried to find something that goes along with that.
Mrs. Norman said it's a tradition for the group to sing Georgia on My Mind and Carolina in the Morning at each performance since members are from both states.
The group, chartered in 1976, has 40 members. Although the group practices in North Augusta, it is chartered in Georgia.
This month, the choral group will attend a retreat at the Bishop Gravatt Center in South Carolina in preparation for a five-state regional competition in Chattanooga, Tenn., in March. Winners of the regional competition will be invited to perform at the international competition.
"That's really great to go to," Ms. Branch said. "There are groups there from Sweden and Germany and Australia. it really spans the globe."
The Peach State Chorus is part of Sweet Adelines International, a charitable organization where members donate their time to entertain for fund-raisers and for various charitable organizations.
The chorus also performs each Christmas with the all-male Garden City Chorus at Augusta State University. Proceeds from the ticket sales, along with the chorus' membership dues, provide a $1,000 scholarship to an Augusta State University music major.
Ms. Branch invites women who are interested in joining the group to come to the open rehearsals on Thursday nights at 7 at the Church of Christ, 600 Martintown Road.
For more information, call Mrs. Norman at 279-6499, or visit the Web site at www.sweetadelineintl.org