The Ozarks Chorale’s long tradition of providing live musical performances in Eureka Springs will resume this year with the first rehearsal for the holiday concert scheduled starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. The holiday concert will be held Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Aud.
“We are very excited to start singing again and creating beautiful music together in our wonderful Ozarks Chorale community,” Ann Reed, president of the chorale said. “The chorale is most fortunate to have this choral opportunity to learn and grow under the leadership of our new director, Jess Wade.”
Long-time and well-regarded chorale conductor, Beth Withey, has retired. Wade, a native of Springfield, Mo., moved to Holiday Island after retiring after 25 years as a choral director at Texas A&M and Artistic Director/Conductor of the 120-voice Brazos Valley Chorale.
“Having visited Northwest Arkansas, and Eureka Springs in particular, many times over my lifetime, we decided in 2020 to move to our home on Holiday Island to experience the four seasons, beautiful mountains and lakes, and the wonderful, welcoming, talented people,” Wade wrote in an email to members of the chorale. “I am excited about this opportunity to help guide singers in my newly adopted hometown to produce the best in choral music. This choir has had the reputation of performing challenging, inspiring, and enjoyable music for over 25 years. And they have had the privilege of working with a number of fine conductors.
“I would be remiss if I did not recognize Beth Withey and the enormous impact she has had on this group for the past ten years. From everything I have learned, her depth of experience and enthusiasm have been instrumental in the musical growth of this ensemble.”
Wade said before he even moved to the area, he checked to see if there was a chorale. He initially hoped to sing with the group. When Withey retired, some people he sang with in a church choir recommended him.
“I’m very excited about helping with this wonderful choir and hope to bring in some growth and new ideas,” Wade said. “We have to get the word out that we are here and want to make great music together. In addition to bringing back people who have performed before, I know a lot of new people have moved to the area. I hope they will consider joining to become a part of a great choir.”
Research has shown that singing in choirs can have numerous benefits including strengthening the feeling of togetherness, regulating the heart rate (researchers have found that members of a choir studied had hearts beating in unison), reducing stress and depression, and improving symptoms of Parkinson’s and lung disease. There is even one study linking it to increased life expectancies.
Wade said some people might think they aren’t good enough to participate.
“That would seldom be the case,” Wade said. “You don’t have to audition to join. It helps if you can understand and read music but it doesn’t mean you have to be able to pick up a sheet of music and sign the song. It is just a matter of understanding the different terms we use in music. Many people might have been in choir in high school and college, and now may have time again for it. People need to know our members are not just from Eureka Springs. It is the Ozarks Chorale. We are happy for people to come from all around. On Tuesday nights, they are more than welcome to come sing with us.”
Participants are asked to commit to attend weekly rehearsals to learn their vocal parts. Wade said a willingness to commit your very best effort to the choir is the most important thing.
Kim Stryker, vice president of the Ozarks Chorale, said the singers have really missed performing together during the pandemic.
“We are really going to miss Beth, but during the pandemic the retired chorale conductor from Texas A&M happened in our midst,” Stryker said. “We are delighted the universe handed this to us. It will be a very nice transition between Beth and Jess.”
Wade has worked with and prepared choirs for Sir David Willcocks, Robert Shaw, John Rutter, and Roger Wagner. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Southwest Baptist University with piano emphasis and is certified to teach vocal/instrumental K-12, a Masters of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Kansas State University, and has completed coursework for a Ph.D. in Music Education/Choral Music at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has served as choir director and/or pianist for a number of churches, including Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ.
Wade’s choirs have performed in the U.S, Canada, China and Europe. He has prepared and conducted more than 40 major choral/orchestral works.