With the winter holidays around the corner, the newly reformed Oxford Chorale will be sure to provide a little extra holiday cheer.
The chorale, which was originally formed 25 years ago as the Oxford Chorale Ensemble, disbanded several years ago when the director, William Bausano, retired from the group.
"We had not been singing for a couple of years and Mr. Jim Patton called to ask if we were interested in starting back up," said Joan Hoover, member of the old ensemble and now of the reformed group. "He said this was something he'd always wanted to do."
Patton is now the director of the group, renamed the Oxford Chorale.
"I'd been looking for a community chorale," Patton said. "We re-started in late September and changed the name a little."
Since the reformation of the group, members have been meeting for rehearsals every Sunday at Faith Lutheran Church. The group currently consists of about 25 members, Patton said.
"Members are accepted by audition," Patton said. "People contact me at any time. We're looking to welcome new people and expand; they contact me and we set a time. Anybody who's a fairly experienced singer and reads music pretty well is a good candidate."
Auditions are open to adults and young adults, although permanent residents of the Oxford area are preferred.
"We would like some young people, like graduate students, but it's nice to have permanent residents because you have more continuity with the group," Hoover said. "Sometimes when we have students or grad students they're here for a year or two then they're gone."
Hoover said being a member of the chorale was a very enjoyable activity.
"I really enjoy doing good music," Hoover said. "I like it for the challenge and just the beauty of singing with people who are really good singers and good readers."
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Although the group has only recently come back together, Patton said it is already looking to schedule performances outside of Oxford in surrounding communities.
"We're just doing this one (concert) in Oxford this season, but I am going to be looking for venues in nearby areas, in other parts of Butler County," Patton said. "When we do a program I'd like to perform it more than once."
At the upcoming concert, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Oxford Community Art Center, Patton said the audience can expect to hear some familiar Christmas carols and some not-so-familiar tunes.
"This time the concert has things like 'O come, O come, Emmanuel' and 'Mary's Magnificat' which people probably aren't familiar with," Patton said. "Then some traditional things like 'Let it Snow,' 'White Christmas,' 'The Christmas Song,' 'Winter Wonderland,' that type of thing."
Patton added that the concert will be a "mixture of serious music and more recognizable music." Admission for the concert is free, although donations will be accepted.
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