GRAND FORKS – The Mixed Voices Community Choir will present its first concert, “Songs of Comfort and Joy,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Calvary Lutheran Church, 1405 S. Ninth St. in Grand Forks.
The 60-member, adult choir was organized earlier this fall by Whitney Berry, teaching associate professor of music at UND and choir director at Calvary Lutheran. Most members are local residents, but others are from Manvel and Crookston.
At Tuesday’s concert, a free will offering will be taken to support the Community Agency Network Association’s New Start Nook, a local closet that provides essential household items for people transitioning out of homelessness. CANA, the state’s Region 4 homeless coalition, includes 33 agencies in the Greater Grand Forks community.
The concert’s title, “Songs of Comfort and Joy,” came from the “idea of bringing joy to our audience – and choir members – through music as well as providing the comforts of home to clients of the New Start Nook program,” Berry said.
The concert will feature an eclectic mix of music, including pop, doo-wop, folk and seasonal favorites.
The choir will start rehearsals again Jan. 13; rehearsals are set for 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays through May at Popplers Music, 1726 S. Washington St. Another concert is planned for May; the date is yet to be determined.
The choir is open to anyone who loves to sing, Berry said. No auditions are required.
“All voices are welcome,” she said, “but we could use a few more basses and tenors.”
Singers can register in person at Popplers Music or online. Go to “Mixed Voices Community Choir” on Facebook or search “mixedvoiceschoir” on Instagram.
The is $50 for the upcoming semester. The dues cover the cost of purchasing music and the fee for the collaborating pianist, Sydney Crockett. Those who are interested in joining the choir are invited to attend the first rehearsal Jan. 13 and register then. Anyone who would like to try a rehearsal or two before deciding to join are welcome to do so, Berry said.
The purpose of the choir is “to unite people of all backgrounds and abilities to gather around a shared interest in music,” said Berry, who saw the absence of this type of choir, with the dissolution of the Grand Forks Community Chorale, led by Dean Jilek, a few years ago.
The Grand Forks Master Chorale, an auditioned choir with Jilek as artistic director, is still active and remains as an option for area singers.
For more information, email Berry at
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