Now in its 22nd season of music making, Kellogg Community College’s Branch County Community Chorus is accepting new members for its upcoming Spring 2023 concert season.
No audition is required to join the BCCC. Singers interested in joining can simply attend the first rehearsal at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, located at 27 East Chicago St. in Coldwater. Rehearsals will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday at St. Mark’s through May.
Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard, professor of vocal music and music area coordinator at KCC, conducts the BCCC and said there are openings available in all voice parts, but there is a particular need for basses and tenors.
“Members come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds, from those with very little formal musical training to those with advanced degrees in music,” Case-Blanchard said.
If you are passionate about making music with others and can sing in tune, he said, “We have a music stand for you!”
While there is no formal audition process required to join the BCCC, prospective choir members are asked to meet with the director for a vocal assessment prior to the start of the rehearsal process. This is merely a vocal placement assessment to ensure that each singer is in the correct voicing.
Individuals interested in joining the BCCC may do so for personal enrichment or academic credit. For more information about registering to join the BCCC, contact KCC’s Grahl Center campus in Coldwater at 517-278-3300.
For more information about the BCCC in general, contact Case-Blanchard at case-blanchardg@kellogg.edu or visit kellogg.edu/bccc.
Performing arts grants may be available to those who have participated in the choir for two consecutive semesters and who have met all requirements.
About the Branch County Community Chorus
The Branch County Community Chorus, established in the fall of the 2001-02 academic year, is a “town and gown” ensemble that produces high-level concert performances. Membership is open to anyone who wishes to sing with the group. Under the leadership of Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard, who became BCCC director in 2004, the choir greatly expanded its repertoire to include not only the traditional classical repertoire (including works by Bach, Handel, Mozart and others), but jazz, show music, world music, spirituals, opera choruses and much more. During its 2006-07 concert season, the BCCC began a semi-annual choral touring program. The choir has since toured nationally and internationally, presenting concerts in the U.S. in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin. In the summer of 2012, the BCCC embarked on its inaugural European concert tour, presenting concerts in Cork, Dublin and Malahide in Ireland. The choir returned to Europe in the summer of 2014, presenting concerts in towns and cities along the Amalfi Coast of Italy. In the summer of 2020, the choir will present concerts in Hamilton, Niagara Falls and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.