Many Seasons Of Song

Anyone who thinks choral singing is a dying art mustn’t get out much. In Vero Beach alone, at least half-a-dozen organizations give stage time to performing vocal groups, and that’s not even counting the big church choirs.

The phenomenon is not limited to retirement towns and certainly not to national borders. In places as diverse as Norway and Ghana, even private companies have their own choirs. Experts say that group singing can foster creativity, reduce stress and build self-confidence. It is healthy, physically, owing mostly to the demands of deep breathing. Directors often tell their choristers that if they aren’t tired after a performance, they weren’t sufficiently exercising their diaphragm.

Practices are also refreshingly grueling, as members of the Vero Beach Choral Society re-experience every Monday night from September to April. As this year’s guest conductor, Dr. Marcos Flores relies mostly on personal charm to motivate singers to give it their all.

Read the entire article in the April 2007 issue