Women’s Voices Raised
This Sunday, June 10, at 4 p.m., The Women's Chorus of Nantucket, directed by Marcia Hempel, will present a concert at the Unitarian Church, 11 Orange Street. Suggested donation is $10 at the door.
This newly-formed chorus was started in 2006 by island pianist and choral director Marcia Hempel. After working with young singers who sang in the "treble" range, Hempel began rehearsing with women on the island, singing music such as the Wailin' Jennys song "One Voice," which will be in their concert on June 10. “I fell in love with the way this music sounds...with the tight, close harmony...it was so beautiful...and I wanted to do folk music, duwop, world music, and other non-classical pieces that the island choruses don’t usually explore,” Hempel explained.
Of the approximately 25 women who sing with the chorus on a regular basis, most are year-round residents and about half have experience singing with choruses. “Five or six are pretty new, and I’m very happy that this is giving them the chance to sing,” said Hempel.
For the June 10 concert, the chorus will sing pop songs from the 1950s, multicultural music from Africa and Latin America, jazz by Irving Berlin, folk music from the US and Scotland, and music by the Beatles. "Fields of Gold," recorded and written by Sting, is also on the program. Hempel will accompany at the piano while she conducts: “I like being able to interpret the music on piano as well.”
Hempel has done her own arrangement of the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah," which will be premiered at the concert. Cohen was a folk singer whose songs were very popular in the ‘60s, and whose song "Suzanne" was recorded by Judy Collins. "Hallelujah" is a dark anthem to love that has become popular again thanks to many a cappella groups in colleges who have been singing it recently.
Hempel invites all to the concert: “Come and hear the music...it’s hard to imagine the sound of live vocal music—you have to be in the room to feel it.”
The chorus has received two grants from the Nantucket Arts Council, and the women singing with the chorus range in age from 20 to 70. They recently sang some selections as part of the NCMC Jazz Band concert and gave a concert last year that was very well received. They rehearse every week at the Unitarian Church; all are welcome to join. For information about the concert or about joining the Women's Chorus of Nantucket, contact Marcia Hempel at 508-228-3802.
