Page 14 - PowerPoint Presentation

Tags and Swipes, Spring 2021

Merrimack Valley Chorus

Here at MVA we have found the best thing to do during virtual rehearsal is SING! SING! SING! We
have been opening our rehearsals with a repertoire song, selected by the Directors Team and closing it
with one selected by a member who was present at the previous rehearsal – followed by singing a
Regional Song. We have enjoyed adding Fight Song and It’s the Music to our repertoire choices.

Next on our agenda: we are in the midst of our virtual choir project, with some financial help from the
recent Regional chorus grant. We strive to involve all our members – especially those who have been
working so hard that they haven’t been able to consistently attend rehearsal. We spruced up a fun
repertoire song about the joy of being together and doing what we love, and we plan to add photos from a
number of the community activities MVA has engaged in over the years.

Last year, MVA, like many other choruses, was forced to cancel our annual retreat in face of the
pandemic. This year we were not so easily cowed! The Directors Team held a planning Zoom meeting
with Kim Vaughn in early January. She was very willing, not only to teach both Friday night and
Saturday – but to customize her class content to MVA, based on her study of our most recent competition
videos and score sheets.

Kim was amazing! Her thorough knowledge of and experience with Barbershop was something we
expected, but her teaching skill and friendliness was like wonderful, homemade buttercream frosting on
top of the cake. She even presented two “homework assignments,” utilizing Kim’s Instant Everything
worksheet, allowing each member to assess her own skills, and write personal goals building on strengths.
Singers can practice individual skill development, using the privacy of mute singing, during our zoom
rehearsals. Individual development! What a perfect concept!

(continued on next page)
14

North Atlantic Region 1 Sweet Adelines