It was another packed house at the Polk County High School Auditorium when the Community Chorus took the stage for its annual Christmas concert. For many people in the greater Tryon area, it’s a must-see-and-hear event.

“Let’s Go Caroling” was the theme, featuring, in addition to the 60-voice choir, a five-piece brass ensemble, percussion, and an audience sing-along of favorite carols. Anna Marie Kuether was at the helm this year, with Pam McNeil masterfully accompanying on the grand piano. As has been the practice since the chorus was founded in 1973, proceeds from the ticket sales supported the Rotary Club of Tryon’s Scholarship Fund. In 2017, Community Chorus concert ticket sales contributed about $15,000 to the scholarship fund. It’s estimated that the concerts have raised more than $300,000 for scholarships over the years.

So how did this 44-year-old community chorus get its start?

According to records and recollections, the chorus was originally called the Rotary Community Chorus, and was the brainchild of the late Rotarian Ken Lackey. He recruited volunteer singers from the community, persuaded Tom Grenfell of the Tryon Presbyterian Church to direct them, and put together a program that was presented to the public at the Tryon Fine Arts Center in the spring of 1973. Ken titled it the “Rotary Festival of Music.”

That first spring concert was such a success that it was followed by a Christmas Concert in December, and the two-concert-per-year format has remained ever since.

It wasn’t too long before Grenfell persuaded Betty Brewer, the choir director at Tryon Presbyterian, to take over direction of the chorus. Betty, along with Joseph Erwin, choir director at The Congregational Church in Tryon, would go on to lead the Community Chorus for some 14 years, splitting the responsibilities for the spring and Christmas concerts. The Community Chorus dedicated its April 2017 Spring Concert to Betty and Joe. Both attended the concert, to the delight of all. Joe passed away just a little more than a month later, in June.

Linda Lee Reynolds, president of the chorus’ board of directors, said, “We were privileged to have Betty and Joe direct us for so many years. In addition to choosing outstanding choral works to perform, they brought great diversity to the program.”

“Betty remained active with the chorus for many years, working in the background on production and the like,” Reynolds added.

In 1976, the chorus made a change to become a more permanent organization, with the members having more say in the programming. The group drafted and approved by-laws and elected Carole (Blackburn) Bartol as its first president.

Board of directors member Art Brown, a 20-year member of the chorus and a Rotarian, said the organization had three main goals at its inception: to perform good quality music, to provide entertaining concerts for the community, and to host a successful fundraiser for the Rotary Scholarship Fund. “We wanted to ensure that the singers enjoyed performing the music as well as having the audience enjoy the concert, and that the Community Chorus contributed to quality programming in the community,” Brown said.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Janice Impey directed the chorus over a span of 10 years, with some 16 performances to her credit. Jan came to The Community Chorus from the Chicago area and had an extensive background in choral performance and music education. She was an accomplished jazz and classical pianist and brought an eclectic blend of classical and popular music to the chorus concerts during her tenure as director.

“Jan Impey was a versatile musician,” Reynolds said. “Her concerts would feature the best of classical and modern music.”

Through the years, the chorus has had three name changes: from The Rotary Community Chorus, to the Tryon Community Chorus and finally the Community Chorus. But even that name has a variation. When searching the web, the chorus can be found at www.carolinacommunitychorus.org, and it’s under Carolina Community Chorus on Facebook.

Today the Community Chorus is a federal 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. In addition to president Reynolds, board members include Ben Davis, vice president, Joan Lonnes, secretary, Carol Browning, treasurer, Ken Shull, Rotary president, Jim Bross, Brown, James Bryan, Judy Lair, Gayle Lane, Ray McLees, Beth Ray and Hank Sibley. Lonnes has been a chorus member since the group’s founding.

Last spring, for the first time, the Community Chorus gave out its own award to a chorus member who is pursuing higher education. James Reidy of Campobello was presented the award at the Spring 2017 concert. Reidy is a freshman at Furman University in Greenville and has been a chorus member since he was in middle school. Reynolds jokes that he started as a soprano and grew into becoming a baritone. Reidy’s mom and sisters also sing in the chorus.

Plans are already underway for the Community Chorus’ Spring 2018 concert, set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at the high school. Lesley Bush will return to the director’s podium for the ninth time.

“Chorus singers are already excited about the prospect of singing favorite show tunes for their always-appreciative audience,” Reynolds quipped.

Rehearsals for the spring concert are underway. The chorus typically rehearses for 10 weeks prior to a concert from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Tryon Presbyterian Church fellowship hall, 430 Harmon Field Road, in Tryon. The chorus is open to anyone who enjoys singing. No audition required. More information can be found on the web or on Facebook.

For the singers in the community chorus, the concerts are a labor of love. “We have fun while we sing, and it’s for a worthy cause,” Reynolds concluded. •

by Sandra Sibley/photos submitted by Carol Browning

Directors and Accompanists

The Community Chorus has been graced with a group of talented directors and accompanists since its founding in 1973. Directors of note are Betty Brewer, Joseph Erwin and Janice Impey, who each served for more than 10 years as directors. Also of note is Pam McNeil, who has been the primary accompanist since 1996, but also performed as accompanist on occasion as early as 1978.

Directors

Tom Grenfell: 7 performances between 1973 and 1979

Anton Cedarvall: 2 performances in 1976

Inky Cloud: 2 performances, in 1977 and 1996

Joseph Erwin: 14 performances between 1978 and 1994

Mary Ann Kilver: 1 performance in 1978

Betty Brewer :11 performances between 1981 and 1990

Ned Davis: 2 performances, in 1988 and 1989

Joseph Armbrust: 2 performances, in 1991 and 1993

Mary Davis: 1 performance in 1992

Beverly Ward: 1 performance in 1993

Lara Miller Jump: 4 performances between 1994 and 1996

Janice Impey: 16 performances between 1997 and 2008

Lesley Bush: 8 performances between 2003 And 2017

Crys Armbrust: 3 performances between 2008 and 2010

Richard Kennedy: 3 performances between 2009 and 2011

Mark Schweizer: 3 performances in 2011 and 2013

Candace Wilson: 3 performances in 2014 and 2015

Annamarie Kuether: 2 performances, in 2016 and 2017

Ben Chumley: 1 performance in 2016

Accompanists

Maurine Smith: 6 performances between 1973 and 1975

Carole Bartol: 1 performance in 1976

Pam McNeil: More than 45 performances between 1978 and 2017

Lucille Davis: 2 performances, in 1979 and 1983

Doris Corely: 2 performances, in 1984 and 1985

Ricky Duckett: 1 performance in 1986

Ellie Roemer: 10 performances from 1987 to 1996

Betty Van Buskirk: 1 performance in 1996