Special
Features / January 2008
The Blending of Women's Voices
 Emily Capece
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womanSong, a women’s choir in Charleston, WV, is ten years old. Earlier in the year, the organization lost its director and began conducting interviews for a new one. By sheer luck, they found the perfect replacement.
Emily Capece was visibly pregnant living in Princeton, New Jersey and was going to be moving to the Charleston area. Someone told a womanSong board member about this wonderful woman with a Masters degree in Choral Conducting. womanSong was able to contact Emily and have her interview as soon as she relocated to the area.
Jan Andrews, Vice-President of womanSong’s Board of Directors and Media Liaison for the group describes Emily as “vivacious and wise”. At the young age of 29, Emily assumed leadership and things started moving quickly. “Emily and her baby boy, Rudy Patrick, fit in just perfectly. Rudy has lots of extra aunties now and we are twice blessed!” commented Jan.
When the singers of womanSong raise their voices, they weave a rich musical tapestry in four-part harmony. The women sing in all styles from the 12th century to the twenty-first. The chorale sings Renaissance, contemporary, Broadway, classical, folk, spirituals, and Celtic and more. Founded in 1997, the group has been a non-profit organization with the perfect blend of voice and purpose. The concerts are free, but concert-goers are asked to bring non-perishable food items for the local food pantry. Tickets are sold for special fund-raising concerts to help non-profits in the community that support women, children and families in our area. These concerts have aided the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation of WV, the Ronald McDonald Charities of Southern West Virginia, and Hospice Care.
“The women of womanSong each bring many varied talents to our group.” says President, Lynn Wood. “Our members include two flute players, four guitar players, a hammered dulcimer player, several pianists, three church organists and a clarinetist. We come from all walks of life: homemakers, librarians, music teachers, managers, business owners, realtors. We are an eclectic group whose common interest is the love of singing. Our free concerts are a gift of song to the community.”
The group whose ages run from 20-60, are looking for new recruits. “We are beginning to attract younger women,” Jan added. “Emily will be conducting auditions in early January and is especially looking for lyrical first sopranos and low altos. But we encourage everyone to audition because we never know when we will need additional singers. “Auditionees should be able to read music and enjoy performing all types of music.” says Emily. “I may be new to the organization, but I can tell you that it is a wonderful group of committed women who take the music seriously, but also have great senses of humor.”
The organization is in a growth spurt. It not only has a new director, it has changed its bylaws, has a new board, a new office, and soon a new logo to start womanSong’s second decade. They have changed their rehearsal time to Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. to accommodate women who work during the day.
Their Spring Concert is scheduled for May 10th, 2008 at the First Presbyterian Church located at 16 Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston. It will feature music written by contemporary female artists. The theme is “Music in my Mother’s House” which will make it perfect Mother’s Day entertainment.
womanSong performs at different events throughout the year and has had regular performances at Tamarack and at the Greenbrier. They have cabaret groups available to sing at smaller events like weddings, business events, parties, etc. Also, there is a group that is committed to providing music for patients and their families at Hubbard House, a hospice facility in Charleston.
If you would like more information about womanSong or wish to schedule an audition or performance, visit their website at: www.womansongchorale.org or call Jan Andrews at 744-4642. They are assigning times for auditions right now.
womanSong is a women’s choral society located in Charleston, WV. Telephone 304 744 4642 or at www.womansongschorale.org
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