Skokie Concert Choir gets underway for 2026-27 concert season

The Skokie Concert Choir welcomes anyone who enjoys singing to join them for camaraderie and music as they prepare for two performances this season. Singers are not required to audition, nor are they required to read music, although some familiarity with music is helpful.

Under the direction of Mr. Ben Gray, members, who come from a variety of backgrounds and are of all ages, come together every Monday night to blend their voices and make beautiful music together. Along with Gray, the choir has been fortunate to have accomplished classical pianist, Adrian Metzger, as their accompanist for the past 20 years.

The first rehearsal of the season will take place on Monday, Sept. 14, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Oakton Community Center, 4701 Oakton St. in Skokie. The group, which was formed in 1986, will begin rehearsing for a Jan. 17 performance at Devonshire Playhouse, 4400 Greenwood, in Skokie.

There are typically around 40 singers each session who reside in Evanston, Morton Grove, Niles, Des Plaines, Park Ridge, and other suburbs, as well as Chicago and Skokie. To assist with learning the music, singers are provided with MP3 files of all of the music for each concert.

Each concert consists of 12-15 pieces in a variety of genres, from classical, to jazz, to show tunes, to foreign-language folk songs. The most recent concert in June included “Long Time Ago” by Aaron Copeland, “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman, Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” Abba’s “Dancing Queen,” and “Mon-Nee-Joh,” a beautiful piece sung in Korean. The concert concluded with a rousing tribute to the Armed Services in honor of the country’s 250^th birthday.

The upcoming Jan. 17 concert will include, among others, “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind,” by John Rutter, “Make Our Garden Grow,” by Leonard Bernstein, and a medley from the musical Newsies. And to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66, the choir will perform that classic jazz standard.

In addition to the winter and summer concerts, the Skokie Concert Choir also performs at the Skokie Festival of Cultures each May, and this past June, the choir dedicated a bench and sang at Lorel Park in Skokie in memory of choir president Trisha Clare who passed away in Jan. 2025. In 2015 the choir was given the Award for Artistic Excellence from the Skokie Fine Arts Commission.

Research shows that singing has powerful health benefits to our physical, cognitive, and socioemotional health. These effects are even more profound when done in the company of others. Singing can help everyone at any stage of life. It can help kids learn and older adults stay sharp, so why not do yourself a favor and join the Skokie Concert Choir! New members can attend up to three rehearsals before they have to pay the dues, which are collected in September and February at a rate of $185 per person or $275 for couples. Singers who wish to contribute more can become a Supporting Member for $250 ($375 for couples); or a Sustaining Member for $300 ($450 for couples). Membership dues go towards covering the choir expenses which include the director and accompanist salaries, venue rental, music purchase, etc. In recent years, the choir has also received grants from Rotary International and the Skokie Fine Arts Commission.

For more information, visit skokiechoir.org.