Chorus Niagara singathon ensures voices are heard
Chorus Niagara made it look easy as its members sang their hearts out for nearly five hours straight Saturday.
Choir members participating in the 11th annual singathon at Seaway Mall said it was definitely worth the effort.
“You’re physically tired, but it’s fun,” said Peter Hauber, who has been a Chorus Niagara member for the past decade.
Most of the 100-voice choir gathered at the Welland mall’s centre court Saturday to entertain shoppers as well as many more people who visited the shopping centre specifically for the performance that was put on to raise funds to support its series of concerts throughout the year.
For chorus members, there’s a lot more involved in the event than sharing talent.
They are each asked to contribute hundreds of dollars in the hope of raising more than $50,000, by way of collecting pledges by hitting up co-workers or knocking on doors in their neighbourhoods.
“It’s a bit of an extra burden we have — an obligation,” Hauber said.
But the members don’t mind, knowing that their future performances will be much better and affordable because of their efforts, as well as corporate sponsorships.
“We have professional soloists at our concerts and professional musicians, and if we asked the audience to pay for it, they’d be paying $70 a ticket. It’s just not reasonable,” he said as Chorus Niagara members were taking a half-hour break from the stage to give the organization’s children’s choir an opportunity to perform.
“We’re a community organization, so our real role is in the community like this. We should be a community voice, ideally — singing what Niagara wants to say,” he said.
“We love the experience. People come back year after year because there are so many positives here.”
Peggy Lampard, a longtime Chorus Niagara member, was sidelined by voice problems Saturday, but still participated by collecting donations from the audience as the group performed.
She said Seaway Mall management has been “amazing” to work with for the past 11 years.
“They’re so good to the choir. It’s wonderful,” she said, adding that’s one reason the group keeps coming back.
“We feel very welcome here,” she said, adding mall president Mike Belcastro is “so generous and welcoming.”
The venue also gives the group a chance to perform in south Niagara. Most of Chorus Niagara’s shows are presented in St. Catharines at FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
“It’s nice to get down here and have other people here what we do,” Lampard said.
Being sidelined gave Lampard a rare opportunity to hear the choir from the audience’s perspective. She was impressed with her colleagues, particularly the group’s artistic director and conductor, Bob Cooper.
“We are so blessed to have him. He is world-renowned.”
“We love Bob,” Hauber added. “He’s just a great guy to be with.”