Escape Into Music With the Community Chorale

If your great escape comes through music and you love to sing and harmonize the North Reading Community Chorale is looking for you.

The chorale is marking its 30^th season this year. Since 1981 it has presented two concerts, a holiday concert and a spring concert. Rehearsals for this year’s holiday production, Spirit of the Season, are underway, with scheduled dates of December 9-10. Regardless, they are still welcoming new members.

Chorale member Eileen Verney, who is vice president of the Board of Directors, has been singing with the group for eight years now.

“We have all levels of experience -- some who can read music and some who can’t,” Verney said.

She explained that the group supplies practice discs to its 40 plus members. Ages range from 18 to 80 and include couples that join together. The group rehearses on Monday nights from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the .

“Our director, Peter Ghiloni, has been with us for four years now,” she said. “The arrangements that he finds are beautiful. This year we are doing an arrangement of Oh Holy Night and It Is Wonderful.”

In 1981 a group of local music enthusiasts decided to form the chorale to provide the community with the opportunity to connect and share music. The chorale’s repertoire spans the stylistic gamut, including spiritual, jazz, Broadway, classical, folk and more. Aldersgate United Methodist Church provides a rehearsal space, but the group itself is an independent entity and performs music from all religious and secular traditions.

Verney says the chorale's longevity is due to its flexability and feeling of family.

"I think the big word is comraderie," she said. "People really care about each other... there are two or three members that have been in the group for 20 years." Adding later, “It’s a wonderful getaway for someone who is looking for a night out.”