Kellogg Community College’s Branch County Community Chorus is accepting new members for the 2024-25 concert season and is hosting an open house event in September to court prospective singers.
Prospective choir members are invited to join the chorus at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, for the open house, which will immediately precede the first rehearsal of the season. Both the open house and rehearsal will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, located at 27 East Chicago St. in Coldwater.
No audition is required to join the BCCC; singers interested in joining can simply attend the first rehearsal. Regular 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 called it, “a group of individuals who love making music and are always looking to expand its community of musical friends.”
Case-Blanchard said there are openings available in all voice parts – soprano, alto, tenor and bass – and he encouraged anyone with a passion for singing and a desire to learn to participate.
While there is no formal audition process required to join the BCCC, prospective choir members are asked to meet with Case-Blanchard for a brief vocal assessment prior to the start of the rehearsal process. This is an informal and welcoming process and allows for individuals from all musical backgrounds and experience levels to join.
Upcoming performance highlights include the following:
- Smith Memorial Concert at Tibbits Opera House, Coldwater (Sept. 21)
- Performance with the Battle Creek Symphony at W.K. Kellogg Auditorium (Nov. 2)
- “Sounds of the Season” annual holiday concert at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Dec. 8)
- International tour of the Baltics, including Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (Summer 2025)
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, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania 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. The chorus is currently in the early stages of planning its return to Europe in 2025.
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