Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Informal Singing at the Choir Bar

Here’s an idea: getting together to sing informally, minus printed music. It’s called the “Choir Bar,” an activity of the Fusion International Arts Center in Sacramento, and it’s been going every other Wednesday for the past couple of months.

Led by the Center’s Executive Director, Gayliene Omary, who learned to love singing in musical theater and school choirs, people sing familiar (typically popular) tunes, and work out their own harmonies. Sometimes sessions are devoted to a particular style (like the Feb. 13th meeting that will focus on gospel music). When they don’t have a piano accompaniment, they sing to recorded tracks.

The “Bar” part of the name is just to suggest a gathering place – all ages are welcome (no hard liquor), but food and drinks are available for purchase. Beyond that, they ask for a donation of $5 at the door.

Gayliene explains that she got the idea from a story on NPR that described a similar activity in Toronto, and you can check out that story at this link.

Fusion International Arts Center (www.fusioniac.com) has a mission to bring people together to communicate through the arts (dance, music, art, and theater) and to build cultural understanding and foster people’s artistic talents. Their building on Arden Way (near I-80) provides a large (16,000 square feet) space for events of all kinds.

For more information about the Choir Bar, contact Gayliene Omary at 916/538-4008 or gayliene@fusioniac.com

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