Jefferson Community Chorus invites you to come and sing
Jefferson. September is the chorus’s open membership month. Adults, college students, and high school students are invited to sit in or sing at a September rehearsal, as the chorus begins to prepare for its “Christmas in the Village” concert.
| 18 Jul 2021 | 01:51
After a long pandemic-induced hiatus, the Jefferson Township Community Chorus will begin its fall/winter rehearsal schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 14, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., in the Jefferson Township High School Band Room, 1010 Weldon Road, Milton/Oak Ridge.
The chorus is sponsored by the Jefferson Arts Committee. James Wynne is the chorus director/accompanist.
The chorus will prepare for its “Christmas in the Village” concert scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4. Rehearsals will continue Tuesdays at the same time and location.
September is the chorus’s open membership month. Adults, college students, and high school students are invited to sit in or sing at a September rehearsal with no obligation to join.
Membership is open to all residents of Jefferson Township and surrounding communities. Auditions or previous singing experience is not required. Sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses are all welcome.
Those who enjoy singing a variety of musical styles are encouraged to join in September for the fall-winter season and in February for the winter-spring season.
Membership for the fall-winter is $30 and due by Oct. 15. Dues help with operating expenses, mostly the purchase of high-quality copyrighted music and the director’s stipend. Dues are $30 for the February through June for winter-spring season.
The chorus also presents a spring concert at a local church and is often involved in other special events and/or fundraisers. Through the years, they have sung traditional folk songs, Broadway show tunes, sacred music, ethnic tunes, popular songs, and classical music.
An educator and musician
Wynne retired in 2018 as the choral music director and instructor of music technology at the Jefferson Township High School, where he worked since 1983. He is the director of music and organist at the Hilltop Presbyterian Church in Mendham and the music technology coordinator and clinician at the New Jersey Music Educators In-Service.
A well-respected educator and musician, Wynne earned his bachelor’s in music education at Montclair State, his master’s in educational administration and supervision from William Paterson University, Graduate Study in Musical Performance-Organ Major from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, and Graduate Study in Music Education from Boston University.
Wynne is eager to resume work with the Jefferson Township Community Chorus. He welcomes back former members and wants to attract new members who love to sing, are looking for a venue to sing with others, enjoy learning new musical arrangements, and want to entertain in public.
Anyone interested in joining may call Teresa Fontana at 973-479-5789 or e-mail her at fontana.tess@gmail.com.
ABOUT THE CHORUS
Founded in 2001, the Jefferson Township Community Chorus is one of several performing arts groups under the umbrella of the Jefferson Arts Committee.
The chorus has attracted adults and students as well as Jefferson Township High School alumni to its ranks over the years. Some members belong to church choirs and just want to branch out to more secular music while most simply just enjoy singing. For a brief history visit jeffersonarts.org/chorus_about.html.