If all goes as the organizers hope, the sound of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s united voice — hundreds of singers of all sorts of talents and vocal ranges, ages and backgrounds — will echo through the trees circling Reid Park’s DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center on Saturday, Aug. 31, and spill out into the surrounding neighborhoods.
And folks from those neighborhoods might find themselves curious enough to take a walk to the park, where they will see people filling the grassy bowl, singing familiar tunes including “Anchors Away,†“Hey Jude†and “You Are My Sunshine.â€
“It’s kind of one big mass karaoke,†said Eric Holtan, music director for True Concord Voices & Orchestra and one of the people who will lead the makeshift choir in the second annual ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Big Sing.
You don’t have to be a classically trained vocalist to participate. You don’t even really have to be able to carry a tune.
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“This is all about not the individual voices but the sum of all of the voices coming together,†Holtan said. “Big loud voices to small voices.â€
About 200 people showed up for last year’s inaugural Big Sing and organizer/founder University of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ music professor Elizabeth Schauer expects that number could easily double this year. The event will include an opening performance by Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo High School under the direction of John Contreras and participation by chorus members from ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Magnet High School.
Schauer said the Big Sing is a chance for folks to sing in public, something we rarely get a chance to experience these days.
“It’s just a family event for people to sing together. The idea is to represent a diverse group of people in our community and bring them together,†she said. “When people are singing together they can’t yell at each other.â€
In addition to Holtan, song leaders include ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ High Magnet School Choirs Director Chizuru Jurman, Kimberly Waigwa from Desert Voices Chorus and Temple Emanu-El’s Robert Hanshaw.
Pianist Donté Ford will return to accompany the choir.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Girls Chorus Director Marcela Molina and Gaslight Theatre’s Dennis Tamblin will emcee.
Schauer said participants should bring a blanket or chairs, as well as picnic supper. She also has invited food trucks to participate.