The sound of spring is … a choir?

BY JOSEPH PETERSON Special to The News-Post

There’s a reason George Frideric Handel’s famed Hallelujah Chorus comes to mind when rays of sun pierce through a gray sky and break the spell of winter.

In Frederick, however, that chorus need not be of your own imagining, as multiple community choirs will be performing concerts this season, bringing the sound of spring to life at venues throughout the area.

What follows is a list of concerts from February through May from six choral groups in Frederick and the surrounding area.

Clustered Spires Chorus Of Sweet Adelines

This all-female choir based in Frederick will perform “That’s Barbershop!” at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 25, showcasing women’s four-part a cappella harmonies. Their first concert of the year, it will be held at the Jack B. Kussmaul Theater at Frederick Community College. Tickets are $10 at the door, $8 for students. More information is available at clusteredspires.org.

Frederick Catoctones

This all-male choir is planning a guest night sing-out on Feb. 28 at the Church of the Brethren on Fairview Avenue in Frederick. They will also perform at the FCBIA Home Show at Frederick Fairgrounds on March 18. There is more in the works for this celebrated choir, which sang the National Anthem at an Orioles game, but most usefully, they just launched a new website this month. Check it out for videos and more information at catoctones.com.

Choral Arts Society Of Frederick

This year, CASF celebrates its 79th year and will bring two concerts to Frederick this spring. The first will join forces with the choirs of Hood College along with a full orchestra to provide a free concert highlighting Baroque “Cathedral Classics” in the newly renovated Coffman Chapel at Hood. That concert will be held at 3 p.m. March 26. Then it’s “Over There!” on May 12 and 13 at FCC’s JBK theater, where audiences can get a preview of what CASF will perform in France later this summer as an invited choir for selected D-Day commemorative events. Learn more at casof.org.

FREDERICK CHILDREN’S CHORUS

The Frederick Children’s Chorus has a mission to “bring children together for the joyful exploration and celebration of singing.” Fresh off their holiday appearance at the city of Frederick’s Festival of Lights candle lighting, the veritable community institution will first host a small concert featuring their youngest singers on April 25, but the full choir’s main spring concert will be on May 13. Along with sending a group to Nashville for a music festival in March, Frederick Children’s

Chorus is a busy choir and will also offer other various community appearances sprinkled in throughout the season. Keep up with the latest at fredcc.org.

Frederick Chorale

For more than 45 years, the Frederick Chorale has been enriching its home community with a broad repertoire that ranges from classic masterworks to contemporary favorites. Their spring concert this season, “From Stage to Screen: Timeless Classics and New Favorites,” will be held at 4 p.m. May 21 and 7:30 p.m. May 22 at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in downtown Frederick. More about the choir and upcoming shows is at frederickchorale.org.

Masterworks Chorale Of Carroll County

The Masterworks Chorale in nearby Carroll County is still looking to recruit more singers wanting to join the choir to perform composer Carl Orff’s popular cantata “Carmina Burana.” So, if you are looking for a choir to potentially sing with for at least one concert, go to their singer registration at masterworksofcc.org. That concert will be at 3 p.m. April 30 in the Baker Memorial Chapel at McDaniel College in Westminster.

For many choirs, it’s been a long road back to fully and safely functioning since the pandemic began. Listening to a choir can be soothing, invigorating, comforting or inspiring. Whatever your desire may be, with this many choirs in town, there’s sure to be a concert that will resonate with you or have you singing “Hallelujah!”