Mary Jean Adkinsand Carling FitzSimmons weren’t going to let a little thing like the coronavirus pandemic stop the music.
The executive director and artistic director, respectively, of Spirito! Singers, an Oak Brook-based choral group of girls in grades 5-12, have created a virtual model for fall programming that should bring a whole different perspective to how communal music making appears.
“We hope to get back together in January, but didn’t want to just stop what we’ve been doing,” Adkins said. “We needed to do some soul searching about what ‘choir’ truly means. “Choral music is about much more than singing and performing.”
FitzSimmons said there are many important skills learned in choral rehearsals, along with singing, such as teamwork, perseverance, empathy, creativity and critical thinking.
“We can continue to foster these skills outside of rehearsals, by creating classes that will support the work we do as an ensemble,” FitzSimmons said. “By learning more about other aspects of vocal music, our singers will be stronger than ever when we are able to sing together again.”
And Diana Kwak, a 17-year-old Downers Grove resident who is in her sixth year with Spirito! believes the experiences individuals have this fall with virtual courses will make the group stronger when it gets back together.
“When you sing in a choir, you rely on other people and can’t really create that with a virtual program, but the opportunity for us to improve ourselves will make the group better,” Kwak said.
Adkins said Spirito! Singers was started in 2008 with the mission of inspiring girls to be leaders and using music as a venue to help make that happen.
“It works great in helping to instill confidence, character and self-esteem,” she said. “What we do here also lends itself to amazing teamwork opportunities.”
Spirito! Singers has participants from about 30 western suburbs and 60 schools.
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The fall online class offerings include vocal technique, aimed to help strengthen solo performances and address technical issues unique to singing; songwriting, which will provide a workshop-style setting to debut participants’ original songs and receive feedback from other students and teachers; and music technology, which will allow students to create new works using online and software-based platforms, with no other instruments necessary.
Classes in conducting, advanced composition, various levels of music theory and music history also are available for the Fall.
“Our goal, by the end of this virtual semester is for our girls and young women to be well-rounded, confident musicians,” FitzSimmons said. “We want our singers to know that their voices are valid not only as choral singers, but also as composers, conductors, soloists, and theorists. And I hope that the skills they learn in class will empower them to be leaders not only in rehearsals, but in their communities as well.”
Spirito! fall courses are available for both current members of the choir and non-members who would like to give Spirito! a try. No auditions are necessary.
The Spirito! Course catalog for virtual fall classes is available online at www.spiritosingers.org, and the registration process may be started by emailing FitzSimmons at [email protected] and putting “fall class inquiry” in the subject line. Registration is open until Aug. 15, and online classes begin on Aug. 31.