NL_110719

22 | November 7, 2019 | the new lenox patriot life & Arts
newlenoxpatriotdaily.com
Lincoln-Way Area Chorale ready to celebrate 25 years with performance
Lee Cruz, Freelance Reporter
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Members of the Lincoln-Way Chorale rehearse part of their performance on Oct. 21
led by Elise’ Greene. The group is preparing for its performance Nov. 17, which will
celebrate 25 years since being founded. Lee Cruz/22nd Century Media
The Lincoln-Way Area
Chorale is diligently preparing
for its annual holiday
concert, titled “Silver
Sounds of the Season” as
the organization is celebrating
its 25th anniversary
this year.
The chorale is comprised
of more than 80
members and is led under
the direction of Artistic
Director Elise’ Greene.
On certain selections at
the concert, the group will
be joined in song by the
children’s choirs from St.
Francis of Assisi Church
in Orland Park and St. Anthony’s
Church in Frankfort,
and will receive string
and wind instrument accompaniment
from band
members of the three Lincoln-Way
High Schools.
Some of the musical selections
will include “The
Christmas Song,” “I’ll Be
Home for Christmas,” “It’s
the Most Wonderful Time
of the Year,” “Joy to the
World,” “Shepherd’s Pipe
Carol,” “Angelic Christmas
Fanfare,” “Jingle Bells,”
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,”
“Canticle of Winter,”
“Christmas Bells,”
“Christmas on Broadway,”
“Winter Wind,”
“Have Yourself a Merry
Little Christmas,” “O Holy
Night,” and “Silent Night.”
As Greene leads the
chorale through rehearsal,
one can easily recognize
the high level of enthusiasm
that she has for serving
in that role. She keeps
the members on task and
the session moving fluidly.
When she stops to improve
the group’s pronunciation
of a word, transition between
lines, or pace during
a portion of a song, she
shares clear examples that
help the members quickly
understand how to execute
those adjustments.
She is positive and encouraging
while aiding
the chorale in elevating
their skills, and she offers
affirmations when the
members produce good
results. She occasionally
reminds the group to demonstrate
good energy and
emotion through subtle facial
expressions and body
language, and she consistently
models that in the
way she carries herself
throughout the rehearsal.
She helps create a spirited
atmosphere by integrating
good-natured humor
throughout her instruction.
Her style generates a dynamic
that the chorale responds
to well and makes
the members eager to polish
their performance.
Representing more than
a dozen local towns, and
with an age range from
nearly 20 years old to nearly
90 years old, the chorale
has continually sustained a
healthy number of members
through the years
since its inception, and
participation is expected to
grow next year as several
community members have
expressed interest in joining
the group.
That is encouraging
news to Greene, who has
relished in her experience
directing the chorale.
Greene was selected as the
organization’s Artistic Director
last year after serving
as a music teacher for
38 years.
The position allows her
to continue involvement
in music and conducting,
which is one element that
she finds fulfilling. Moreover,
she considers the
relationships she builds
with the chorale members
extremely rewarding.
“I am really enjoying
getting to know so many
really beautiful people,”
she said. “The longer I’m
with them, the more I realize
how wonderful they
are. They’ve all come to
the group from a different
path or for a different reason,
and it’s really interesting
to hear their stories
of what led them here or
when they started to sing,”
Greene feels that a community
choir can provide
a meaningful experience
to its members beyond offering
an opportunity to
perform music. She noted
that, in today’s society
many people do not know
their own neighbors well
or at all, so an organization
like a community choir at
least gives them a chance
to connect with others who
reside in the local area on a
weekly basis.
“They know each others’
lives, they know each
others’ families, and they
become such dear friends,”
she said. “They share a love
of music and a love of singing.
When you go through
a performance experience
with somebody, there’s
something that bonds you
together in a really unique
way. So, besides the fact
that it’s all these people
coming together to create
this beautiful music and being
really satisfied on that
level, they’re also being
satisfied on a personal level
with involvement in this
choir community.”
With the whole chorale
rehearsing once a week and
the individual sections of
it practicing once a month
since mid-August, the
group has refined its performance
to produce a high
quality holiday program.
Greene said the chorale’s
dedicated effort is reflected
in the audiences’ reactions
to the performances.
“If they haven’t heard
us before, I think they’re
shocked,” Greene said.
“They’re not expecting
that kind of sound from
a community choir. It’s a
wonderful thing to hear.
Hopefully they’re very entertained.
To leave in a better
place than when they
came in, to leave feeling
uplifted, happy, and joyful:
that’s what they should
feel when they leave a
concert,” she stated.
The “Silver Sounds of
the Season” concert will
be performed on 3 p.m.,
Sunday, Nov. 17, at the
Lincoln-Way East High
School Fine Arts Auditorium,
201 Colorado Avenue,
Frankfort. Tickets are $18
for adults, $16 for seniors
and students, and at a special
rate for groups of 10
or more, and may be purchased
online at lwac.com
or via phone at (815) 469-
1010 or (708) 479-1863.