MUSINGS OF A LOCAL By Iris Mead - THE COMMUNITY CHORALE, A PLEASURE FOR THE EARS - 20 June 2025

In December of 1974, a new musical performance group began their long history of bringing quality and wide-ranging music to the Catskills.  The Community Chorale, led by Richard Tucker for 49 years, until his untimely death in 2023, just four days after their winter concert, was started at the request of the Interfaith Council originally as a Christmas concert.  That concert led to a second concert in 1975 at one of the area churches, and in 1976 to celebrate the Bicentennial, the group decided to continue and add an additional yearly concert.   Through the years, they have presented all kinds of music to generations of residents in the area.  From the beginning, the music has been a mix of jazz, opera, inspirational, Broadway show music, and tributes to known composers.  A small committee of the Chorale selects most of the music for the concerts, always mixing in more serious music with fun music.  He was also the accompanist at each concert and could play the piano!  Now the conducting is shared by Rebecca Maeder Chien, South Kortright Central School choral director, and Carol Ann Dykstra, retired Roxbury Central School choral director, with Dan Chien as accompanist.

Dick Tucker’s mission for the Chorale’s concerts was to bring music to the people without a ticket charge.  There is always a donation box or basket by the door for those who want to help support the Chorale as there is new music to buy, advertising and paying guest musicians who may appear from time to time.  Long time member and musician, Dan Chien, was the natural choice to take on the very hard-to-fill shoes of accompanying the Chorale and will at times do some conducting as well.  An accomplished musician in his own right, Dan serves as the organist/choir director at Jay Gould Reformed Church and is a guest artist/director for many groups in the Oneonta area.

This year’s Chorale is comprised of 30 singers; 11 sopranos, 10 altos, 4 tenors and 5 basses.  Blended together, these 30 voices merge melody and harmony together for the enjoyment of the audience as well as for themselves.  Two of the performers, Agnes Laub and Pat Tucker, Dick’s wife, have been singing with the group since its inception.  Members of the Chorale travel to Roxbury or Margaretville for weekly practice from many towns in the area.  There is no audition required to join, just a love of music and to enjoy the experience and the uplift one gets from singing.  Through the years, the Chorale has performed at the Belleayre Music Festival, Belleayre Opera productions, and the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice.   They now perform a spring and a holiday concert, one in Margaretville and one in Roxbury.

On this coming Saturday evening, June 21 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday afternoon, June 22 at 2:30 p.m., this year’s Spring Concert 2025 will feature The Best of Bond, (James Bond) with music from Bond movies, a medley of familiar songs from MGM movies and a special song called Sing Gently that was done virtually by a choir during Covid.  If you have never attended one of the Community Chorale concerts or are a fan of the Community Chorale, they invite you to get out and enjoy the performance.  It makes all their many nights of practice worthwhile.

Saturday 7:30 at the Margaretville United Methodist Church, Church Street next to the fire house    Sunday 2:30 at the Jay Gould Memorial Reformed Church, Roxbury.