Franklin County Community Chorus

            Stop by Franklin County High School on a Thursday evening and instead of hearing lockers slamming, students chatting or the clanging of the warning bell, you’re likely to hear a more pleasant sound — voices wafting harmonically through the halls.

            The Franklin County Community Chorus, which presents concerts each year in December and May, meets at the high school to rehearse in the three to four months before each event. Bill Clutz, president of the chorus, said each concert typically includes 40 to 45 people – from students to retirees.

            "Our oldest singer is in his 90s," Clutz said. "Our members have a broad range of musical backgrounds. Some don’t have much experience at all, and others majored in music performance in college. We’re all volunteers who participate because we like to sing."

            The chorus formed in the late 1990s to provide music to the Franklin County community and to expose residents to different music than they might hear in churches and other public venues, said Clutz, who joined in 2005. Emphasis is placed on serious classical pieces, but the group also sings some contemporary music, and the December show will include both sacred and secular holiday music.

            Erma Rose, chorus director, presents her choice of music to the board of directors, which then reviews and approves it for the next show. Clutz said Rose often picks music with a theme, such as one focusing on a composer who has recently had a birthday or anniversary.

            "Erma likes to choose challenging music. She knows the group’s capabilities, and she’s very good at trying to raise the bar and get people to learn things musically," said Clutz. "Sometimes, we might have a piece that’s in Latin, and things like that take a lot of rehearsal time to learn because everyone has to be able to get the correct pronunciation and phrasing down," Clutz said.

            The chorus operates as a non-profit, and all singers are volunteers, Clutz said. Members pay dues of $20 per semester to cover the cost of the chorus’s operation, which includes buying music, printing programs and paying the director and guest accompanists. They also solicit individuals and businesses as sponsors and organize bazaars to raise money. In the past, they have printed and sold cookbooks as a fundraiser.

            "We’ll sometimes have our concert in a church, and when we do we’ll give them a donation for letting us use it," Clutz said. "But the main way we give back to the community is by giving them the opportunity to hear music from the 17th, 18th or 19th centuries that they wouldn’t otherwise hear in another venue."

            The chorus will perform its holiday show Dec. 12-13 and Dec. 27. Admission is free, Clutz said, but donations are welcome.

            Rehearsals for the spring concert will begin in January. No auditions are required, and Clutz said the group is always looking for more voices. For information, contact him at 540.576.3379 or wclutz@embarqmail.com.

Holiday Shows