Looking for a few good men
They come from the entire region to sing together a few times a year. But like many groups in Bella Vista, they are starting to shrink. The Bella Vista Men’s Chorus is looking for new members.
“It’s fun — that’s why we do it,” member Bob Raines said. “We enjoy singing, we enjoy the companionship and we enjoy entertaining the people who come to hear us.”
There are 37 members now, director John Matthews said. That’s actually more than the last
year or so, but it’s down from the 90 to 100 men who used to sing together.
They meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday nights at the First Methodist Church to practice. There are no tryouts and newcomers are welcome, Matthews said.
There are three concerts each year. The first one is a fundraiser for a local nonprofit. Last year, the library building fund benefited. This year, the funds go to the Animal Shelter. The concert will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 5, at the Community Church on Lancashire.
Matthews chooses the music and it’s always a different style. For the fundraiser, the theme is “It’s Revival Time.”
Many of the members also sing in their own church choir, he explained, so gospel music is a good fit. Often, the Bella Vista Women’s Chorus joins the men’s group for the fundraising show, but this year they have a different concert to prepare for so Matthews used a few of his singers to form an ensemble to add some variety.
Member Allen Yount said the religious music brings some of the members in.
“We’re all about the same age and we all have a lifel0ng interest in the kind of music we sing,” he said.
Later in the year, they’ll sing “100 years of Broadway.” The tickets for that will help the group buy music for next year. There’s also a Christmas Concert each year.
Around the time of the concerts, “Sing-outs” will be arranged. The group goes to schools and nonprofits to perform. Singouts have to be close to the concerts so the same music can be used.
“Most are retired; they don’t want to work too hard,” Matthews explained.
Occasionally, an organization will pay the chorus to entertain, but they sing for free if it’s a nonprofit or a nursing home.
While almost all the members have some experience, most will improve with the weekly rehearsals. Matthews taught voice for 40 years and can help. Sometimes, he gives members a CD so they can sing along at home. Members are expected to practice on their own between rehearsals.
Some groups don’t use music when they perform, but the Men’s Chorus does. Matthews said he understands that an older group must deal with memory issues.
“If you don’t have a good time at any of my rehearsals, I’m not doing a good job,” Matthews said. “There’s no high pressure, no controversy. We get a lot accomplished, but we have a good time doing it.”
The year Matthews took over was a fun year, Yount said. The theme was music from movies.
“The encore was the Pink Panther,” he said. There were no words. “We snapped fingers and wore sunglasses.”
The Chorus has a web page, www.bellavistamenschorus.org/ and a Facebook page, www. facebook.com/BellaVista-Mens-Chorus254945468263189/. Matthews is the contact at 479899-5166.