You might call it “Glee” for grownups.
With all the hype for a cappella singing on TV and in movies, there’s more interest than ever in competitive singing.
Movies like “Perfect Pitch” and television shows like Fox’s “Glee” and NBC’s “The Sing-Off” have given glee club-style singing a whole new emphasis.
Here in Lancaster County, a cappella singing has long been popular, thanks to the Red Rose Chorus for men, which was chartered in 1949, and the Red Rose City Chorus for women, formed in 1961.
Both groups gather together weekly to practice and celebrate the art form known as barbershop music, which is a form of a cappella singing — singing without the accompaniment of musical instruments.
Both Red Rose choruses can be heard throughout the year, performing for civic and charitable organizations, private groups, churches, community events and fundraisers.
The women’s chorus, based in Lititz, has appeared at the Lititz Rotary Craft Show, Second Fridays and Car Cruise Lititz.
Its members also deliver singing Valentines and holiday-grams, perform the national anthem at Barnstormers games and enrich parties and retirement homes with their barbershop harmonies.
On Feb. 8, the choruses will co-host A Cappella Fest, a daylong workshop dedicated to teaching and shaping a cappella vocalists.
The event will be held at the Lititz Moravian Church, 8 Church Square, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, with a continental breakfast served at 8:30 a.m.
Classes will be taught by Jeffrey Gemmell, currently the interim director of choral activities at Millersville University, where he conducts University Choir, Chorale, Women’s Chorus and the Marauder Men’s Glee Club.
Gemmell is also on a full-time research leave from the College of Music at the University of Colorado —Boulder, editing the Lititz anthems of early American Moravian composer, Johannes Herbst at the Lititz Moravian Church.
In addition, Gemmell serves as organist/choir director and director of music ministries.
“I have been working with singers of all ages in choral and private voice settings for over 30 years,” Gemmell said, adding that he mainly works with high school and college students.
Gemmell reported that a cappella singing has always been his favorite medium, with its acoustical tuning of voices to achieve its musical effect.
“The joy of ensemble singing is that it involves listening and sensitivity to others as a co-component to success. To me, this musical teamwork makes a cappella choral singing a very special human endeavor,” says Gemmell.
A Cappella Fest will also be instructed by certified musical director Lori Jo Whitehaus, who is the director of both Red Rose Chorus and Red Rose City Chorus, as well as the choir at Hummelstown United Church of Christ.
“Most choral groups in the community use an accompanist, so our workshop offers singers a chance stretch their skill set,” said Whitehaus, who has been a teacher in the Harrisburg School District, with more than 30 years experience in the art of singing a cappella.
Whitehaus said the workshop is not designed to teach people how to sing.
All those attending should have some singing experience and an interest in learning effective ways to show off their singing abilities.
The workshop is open to all vocalists looking to expand their talents, and groups and choruses are invited to attend.
The price of the workshop includes a day’s worth of a cappella education provided by certified faculty, as well as a continental breakfast and lunch. The fee is $30 for adults and $15 for students.
“At the end of the workshop, we will provide an opportunity for both the Red Rose City Sweet Adelines and the Lancaster Red Rose Chorus of the Barbershop Harmony Society to perform some of their favorite songs,” Whitehaus said.
A few quartets will be featured, and the end-of-the-workshop concert will be an opportunity for the participants to share what they have learned with the public.
The free concert will be open to the public, and will begin immediately after the workshop ends at 4 p.m.
To learn more about the A Cappella Fest or to register, visit acappellafest.org.
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