May 9, 2001
Singers make sweet music
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Manifesting their motto, harmonize the world, members of the Grand Traverse Sweet Adelines made beautiful music for their families and friends last Tuesday evening. A dress rehearsal for a division competition in Grand Rapids last weekend, the chance to run through their songs in a performance venue was invaluable.
After their rehearsal, they presented chorus member Karen T'Kint, a music teacher at Long Lake and Cherry Knoll Elementary schools, with a check for $500. This money, raised during the year by chorus activities, will help T'Kint purchase music equipment for her students.
"We always need equipment," said T'Kint, a member of the chorus for two years. "This donation was a very thoughtful and generous thing for them to do. They are not only a great group of singers but a great group of friends."
Besides being generous, the chorus is devoted to their craft: singing a cappella four-part harmony in the American barbershop tradition. The payoff of a year's hard work plus the confidence gained from the dress rehearsal came Saturday evening when the chorus received a Most Improved award. They also won third place in the small chorus category, against eight other choruses in their division.
This was quite an accomplishment for the 35-member chorus, where a nearly third of the singers are new this year and have never competed before.
"With 11 new members, that just makes it extra special to have them onstage for the first time," said Merilyn Bryan of Burt Lake, director of the Grand Traverse Chorus for six years. "To watch people develop and grow and be able to pull it all together is a real treat."
Tracy Harver of Elk Rapids is one of the new members this year. She joined after participating in the chorus' Ready, Set, Grow program last year. This program offers singing lessons to women who love to sing hoping they will join the chorus. Calling herself a 'shower singer,' Harver decided to give the lessons a try. She liked it so much she signed up for the chorus and has been with them ever since.
"I've always liked to sing and I just wanted to be able to sing with other people," said Harver, whose prior musical training was playing in the band in grade school. "I had a fair idea I could sing but I never had any idea I could learn all this. It is a real skill to listen and sing at the same time."
The Grand Traverse Sweet Adelines draws members from all over northern Michigan, from Petoskey to Empire to Boyne City. They all converge every Tuesday night in Traverse City to sing, working on songs, choreography and learning together the distinctive barbershop harmonies.
"This is a wonderful, great group, we all love to sing," said Cathy Peterson of Elk Rapids, the past president of the chorus. "You have to use your ear and lean on and depend on all the others; the friendships are very tight here and we have a great group of ladies."
The Ready, Set, Grow program is available to women singers 18-80 years old interested in improving their vocal skills. The free lessons run Tuesday evenings on May 15, 22, 29 and June 5 at 7 p.m. at the UAW Hall, 703 Rose St. For more information on the Ready, Set, Grow program, call Lynne at 228-4140.