About Us
Boston Harmony/Montpelier World Music Chorus
Join the Choir!
“Larry and Patty, both passionate about music and authenticity, manage to create among 'strangers' a strong sense of community. How do they do this? Simply by being real, by being genuine and by calling out the best in people through awesome music and relaxed fun. Their infectious joy spreads quickly, and everyone is caught up in a wonderful experience of creative and jubilant music-making.”
“I was delighted to be in the presence of leaders so knowledgeable and comfortable with sharing, that learning was effortless—even with the challenge of unfamiliar languages and diverse musical styles. This aspect of Village Harmony bears great weight in our global community, as music is surely one of the best ways to connect people of different cultures.”
We will be looking for new singers of all voice parts and all ages, 12 and older, to join us for the 2010-11 singing season. Boston Harmony and the Montpelier World Music Chorus, both choirs led by the dynamic team of Patty Cuyler and Larry Gordon and both will be in their sixth year, are community choirs open to teens and adults of all singing experience.
Come stretch your musical boundaries and learn to sing an exciting, fulfilling and most likely challenging repertoire, to include dance-songs from South Africa, folk polyphony from Corsica, the Balkans & Caucasus Georgia, shape-note songs, traditional American folk arrangements, and gospel quartet, blues & bluegrass songs. Much of the teaching in these choirs is done by ear—when we read from scores we also teach by rote—so music-reading and prior singing experience, while great assets, are by no means necessary to participate. We don’t require auditions. If you want to sing with us, then WE want YOU.
Both Patty and Larry have infectious, inclusive leading styles that are demanding without being perfectionist. They are the co-directors of the larger organization Village Harmony, which sponsors singing camps and workshops throughout the world in which participants study traditional polyphonic singing styles first-hand. Quite a few of the choirs’ singers have participated in one or more of these camps. Prospective singers are welcome to test-drive the choirs, you can just show up at the first rehearsal.
For more info about signing up for either chorus, or to let us know you are coming: telephone us at (802) 426-3210, or email
us at vharmony@sover.net
The Montpelier World Music Chorus
- Tuesdays 6:30-9:15 pm (with optional folk dancing at 6:30 pm; singing rehearsals begin at 7:15 pm).
- At Lamb Abbey, Montpelier (behind the VFW Hall by the Pioneer Street Bridge.) For more information about, and directions to, The Lamb Abbey, go to: www.thelambabbey.com.
- We will begin the 2010-11 season in mid-September. Mark your calendars, and send us an email to say you are interested.
Boston Harmony
Boston Harmony normally rehearses one weekend a month at the Masonic Hall in Concord, MA; usually for two days – Saturday 2-8 PM and Sunday 10:30-3:00. We can arrange overnight hosting for people from out of town (we often have participants joining in from New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine, and northern Vermont).
Tuition for the 2010-11 year (September-April) will be $250 for adults and $200 for students.
Rehearsal schedule:
September 25-26 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
October 23-24 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 1:00-6:00 Sunday (Sunday will be in Chelmsford, with a potluck dinner)
November 13-14 -2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
December 11-12 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
February 12-13 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
March 12-13 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
March 26-27 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
April 9-10 - 2:00-8:00 Saturday; 10:30-3:00 Sunday
Tentative Performances:
NEFFA weekend, April 16-17
Concert mini-tour (optional, April 18-21)
Concerts April 22/23/24
Directions to Masonic Temple in Concord
From Route 2 Westbound
Continue until Route 2 takes a 90 degree turn to the left at the bottom of a hill next to a Mobil station.
Go STRAIGHT at this intersection aprox 4 1/2 miles.
At the first and only stop sign (just past the Concord Museum), the road ends at an angle. Turn/bear left and continue into Concord Center - aprox. 1/2 mile.
Monument Square is a small green common with an obolisk in the middle. The Colonial Inn is directly ahead of you. Continue around Monument Square passing the turn off for Lowell Road.
The next building is the Christian Science Church and the Maonic Temple is next to the church.
Parking: On Saturdays you can park behind the Christian Science Church. On Sundays, Christian Scientists use the space and have asked that their parking lot not be used by non-members (even though it will look fairly empty). Either park on the street on in the municipal lots.
If you get lost, try Liza Carter at: 978-371-7317