Life’s Flavors ~ North East Texas Choral Society Spring By Allison Libby-Thesing
Each spring, for the first weekend in May the Northeast Texas Choral Society puts together a concert for everyone in the whole family. The director and board work hard over the summer months during their“off season,” to make music selections that will draw in the audience and bring about emotions beyond enjoyment. They have worked hard to create a show that is more than just a traditional choir concert but a real form of entertainment for everyone to enjoy. This weekend NET Choral Society will be hosting their Spring concert at the Sulphur Springs High School Auditorium on Saturday, May 4at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m.
This year’s concert is titled “I saw the Light.”A mixture of music that draws on the themes of light and hope. The concert includes beautiful arrangements of American sacred, spiritual, and gospel music. Many of the pieces will be familiar to many in the audience, but with varying arrangements that the choral members cannot wait to sing for you. Director Carol Allen stated that her favorite piece is going to be“O Love”by Elaine Hagenberg. The“expressive, moving, human emotional side of love is shared” in this beautiful rendition of a classic hymn, titled “O Love That Would Not Let Me Go.”
Carol Allen has been the director for the past twenty-six years and is even more excited about this group of singers than ever before. Each member works hard and is committed to the success of the group. There are around eighty core members and the remaining members ebb and flow as the years go by, and she tries to hold membership steady between 85-100 singers. The group has experienced it all over the years, within their membership and many feel as though they have created a second family within the group. If you want to join and experience this group for yourself, auditions will be held again in August.
Until then the Northeast Texas Choral Society has a great program ready for your enjoyment and is set to have two shows this Saturday and Sunday. They want to encourage you to bring the whole family. Children are welcome to attend the performance and they hope to one day fill the auditorium and have no empty seats.They strive to have a community that supports the arts of all kinds and to start that love from a young age. Children under five years old are free of charge, and then 6-12 years old are $5, adults and older children are $15 each. Veterans and first responders are welcome and encouraged to attend the concert for free, as a thank you for your service. Tickets can be purchased from Alliance Bank and City National bank as well as from their website www.singerscount.org.
Each concert production cost around $35,000 to produce, and it takes multiple people to make each one happen. Sound personnel are hired to produce the best sounding music for the whole audience. Musicians are hired to play accompaniment with the choir for the evening. Of course, one of the largest expenses is the music. With a large library from years of productions, the board tries to make selections from ones the group already owns when selecting the music for the next concert. The choices are made with the whole audience in mind to bring enjoyment for the young and old. Your support with a purchase of a ticket helps to make each concert even better.
I hope that you will choose to attend this year’s concert and listen to this wonderful show and production put on by your friends and neighbors from Sulphur Springs and the surrounding counties. The concert will feature soloists and enjoyable music filled with hope and love.
By Allison Libby-Thesing
