ABOUT US
The Plantation Choral Society
is a fun group of Plantation residents dedicated to bringing joyful music to The Plantation in performances of Holiday music
in December and Spring appropriate music at, when else? The Spring.
We perform as a 60 member mixed
chorus; 30 member acapella chorus, men’s chorus and women’s chorus and solo work as the occasion permits.
Our Maestro is Merlyn C. Wilson,
a Rivercrest
Village Snowbird resident, who, from September on cajoles, teaches and
urges us to seek new heights in our love for music.
Rehearsals are Monday afternoons
in Hermitage Hall and membership is wide open! Join us and help us find new ways
to enjoy singing!
OUR BOARD
President: Anne Zulauf, River Walk
Vice President: Fran Wollman, River Walk
Secretary: Judy James; Sable
Ridge
Treasurer, Doug Velberg, Glen Eagle
Section Coordinators:
Jim Fedorchak, Bass; River
Crest;
Ray Bearden, Tenor, Casa del
Lago;
Jill Sharp, Alto, Tara View
Pris Bowman, Soprano, Oak Tree
Merlyn C.Wilson,
Maestro and Musical Director
Plantation’s Accompanists
It
has been said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Well,
it has also been said that the way to a memorable chorus concert is through the fingers of a top notch accompanist.
What
is an accompanist? According to Webster, an accompanist is: “a person who plays or sings an accompaniment.” The
latter word is defined as: “anything that accompanies something else.”
Neither
of these definitions comes close to definitively telling the story of a top notch accompanist.
Marilyn
DuBrul, the premier accompanist for the Plantation Choral Society for about 16 years, with help from time to time from Claire
Wheeler, succeeded Dick Hosmer after an accident sidelined him. And now she has
retired for the second time and plans to concentrate on singing in the chorus as a 2nd Soprano, turning the 88
keys over to Eunice Mosier, who plays regularly for the Leesburg Rotary Club, the Wildwood Presbyterian Church and the M & M Dance Band.
DuBrul,
a graduate of the University of Missouri from the Kansas City Conservatory of Music at Mizzou, says an accompanist has to
do much more than fulfill Webster’s definition.
“She
has to be a babysitter; mind reader, prestidigitator, teacher, a close duplicate in patience to Job and a heck of a sight
reader!” DuBrul, after completing work for her baccalaureate and masters degrees in Music, taught school, “grades
K through graduate school” for 37 years. She also completed about 60 hours
toward a PhD, but said “I did not complete the work toward that degree because raising two children seemed more important.”
Now,
what you might ask is really involved with accompanying up to 60 adult residents singing gaily for recreation? Isn’t
it just a matter of sitting at a piano and tickling the ivories in time with the singing?
Or, is there more to it than that?
Being
the accompanist for the Plantation Choral Society, entails knowing and playing musical compositions performed solely by women
or men; with solo vocalists, sometimes with instrumentation including flutes, piccolos, saxophones, kazoos, triangles, bells,
and other noise makers.
It
also entails, at the Plantation, knowing and understanding the personal foibles of at least two choral directors not to mention
the desires of soloists who do not always keep time the same way the pianist views the subject piece of music.
The role of an accompanist depends on the needs of the performer. An accompanist may provide musical
accompaniment by playing an instrument while the singer is performing. They may also play the role of back-up vocals to the
main vocalist.
The most common instrument used by accompanists is the piano, other instruments such as guitars
are also popularly used. An organ is often played when accompanying a church choir.
Aside from being able to play an instrument and knowing how to sight read, a good accompanist can
adjust his/her playing style or technique to suit the performers' needs. An accompanist must be able to take direction and
build a rapport with the singer in order for the performance to come out well. An accompanist is comfortable playing a supporting,
yet integral role to the featured performer.
And, a Plantation accompanist also serves as a second pair of ears for the conductor who often
concentrates on the sound coming from one section, (for example the Tenors), who
are having problems with a particular part of the score and may miss a problem
elsewhere, such as with the Sopranos. The accompanist keeps him aware of what is going on elsewhere in the chorus.
And, occasionally, the accompanist might be needed to console a soloist who feels the conductor
is picking on him or her and “simply doesn’t understand me!”
Every organization has a member who takes a new participant under his/her wing and helps that person
become comfortable with the organization. In darts, it might be the captain;
in Ice Hockey it may be the goalie; in sewing circles it might be the president of the group, but in the chorus it is likely
to become the role of the accompanist.
The Plantation Choral Society has a long history of welcoming its members and making them feel
comfortable; sometimes the group as a whole; sometimes the section leader, sometimes the conductor, but the accompanist is
always a soft touch and available to make a new voice feel at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
The
Plantation Choral Society has a real need for additional performers in its choruses and as accompanists. Accompanists are needed for performances and for weekly rehearsals from early September to late April,
with a lengthy break between the Holiday Concert and beginning rehearsal for the Spring concert.
Current
choruses include: The mixed chorus; the acapella chorus; the men’s chorus
and the women’s chorus.
Following
are frequently asked questions and answers to those questions regarding Society membership:
Q:
Is there an upper limit as to age?
A:
No. Choral membership is open to all residents of The Plantation at Leesburg.
Q:
Do I have to be able to read Music?
A:
The ability to read music is always very helpful to our conductors, but not necessary.
Our conductors and choral members with more extensive musical backgrounds are very helpful, patient and encouraging. A good voice is always a joy.
Q:
Must I attend every rehearsal?
A:
Rehearsal attendance is very important as choral music is composed for mixed voices; the presence of the singers is important
for many reasons, especially to knowing the sound is pleasingly mixed. However,
individual arrangements can be made with the conductors to miss rehearsals as needed.
Attendance is mandatory for the last four rehearsals prior to a performance.
Q:
Is there a membership fee?
A.
No. In the beginning of the Society, there was no admission fee to concerts. At that time, members contributed to pay for new music. But as Society membership grew and new music was needed, the chorus established a ticket fee to offset
the costs. Music copyright laws forbid the copying of music and penalties of
up to $10,000 per instance for copying without permission require that music
be purchased at costs ranging from $2 a copy for 70 copies of each piece. A typical
concert will use up to 16 pieces of music.
Q:
Are there any costs associated with becoming a member?
A:
None but a commitment of time.
Q:
What must I pay for costuming?
A:
There is no charge for costuming; the dress for the Holiday concert is black
shoes, black pants (slacks), black socks, long-sleeved white shirt, black bow tie for men, and Society furnished black and
gold vest.
Q:
Must I perform a solo?
A:
Our conductors would ask you to solo if you informed them in advance that you would like to be considered for solo work.
Q:
When are rehearsals?
A:
Rehearsals are held on Mondays at Heritage Hall. The full chorus meets at 3 p.m.
and members of the Acapella chorus meet at 2 p.m. Rehearsals are ended at 5 p.m.
Q:
Must I buy my own music?
A:
All music as well as a folder for the music is furnished by the Society.
Q:
Are section rehearsals ever held?
A:
This is left up to the section members and leader as a rule.
Q:
Is a tryout required?
A:
The conductor likes to hear your voice in order to assure you become a member of the proper section; Soprano, Alto, Tenor
or Bass.
Q:
Must I sing in all concerts?
A:
Yes, unless prior arrangements are made with the conductor.
Q:
What are membership requirements?
A:
A love of music and the desire to sing.
Q:
Does the chorus go outside Plantation to perform?
A:
The chorus makes itself available to outside performances. Participation in those
performances is on a volunteer basis.
Q:
Within the organization, can quartets, trios, etc., be formed?
A:
Yes with consultation and agreement from the conductor.
click here----> HISTORY OF THE PLANTATION CHORAL SOCIETY
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