WHAT DO you get when you bring a group of Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Nazarenes, and Mennonites together to sing? A breathtaking group of voices singing songs of inspiration for all to hear.
This variety of denominations are a part of the Winchester Civic Choir. The group officially formed last year thanks to a small group of determined individuals who wanted to create a musical group that welcomed anyone to sing. Fighting through the uncertainty of COVID, the group has come out victorious and is now 65 members strong and looking to bring the joy of music to the community.
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
COVID was an uncertain time for everyone, but there was still hope. That hope for the Winchester Civic Choir came in the form of director Christopher Smith. He sang in an outdoor performance at the First United Methodist Church in Winchester. From that performance, talks began of starting a community choir.
“Wanda [Spencer] had reached out to me about singing with a group at an outdoor service,” said Smith. “I came and we discussed that Tullahoma had a civic choir that several locals once participated in. We were really excited about potentially getting past COVID and doing something to bring people together. Church choirs and community choirs were almost a thing of the past at that point. We were really worried that it wouldn’t be pulled off because COVID showed back up. But we started in August 2021. We had about 55 members in the first group. We’ve grown 15% this year, and we are just shy of 70 [members], I believe.”
UNTAPPED TALENT
Smith said that since the group’s beginning, it has unearthed a wealth of local talent.
“I think the beautiful thing about the whole group is that there are so many talented people in this area,” Smith said. “It’s not been touched outside of high school, or if they did it in college… and there’s not a single… and I mean this respectfully—but there’s not a single person in the group that cannot sing. And I’d say probably 90% of them can read music. So there’s just a lot of good talent in that area that we have not tapped into.”
Smith and the group believed there was a musical necessity that was not yet met in Franklin County.
“[The group] is a mission in a lot of ways,” explained Smith. “You know, we’re trying to put something back in the community. There’s this whole conception in our world that arts of any kind are failing, and we certainly don’t want to let that happen… I saw the way that we’ve rallied [around Hunter Girl]—and any big event like that in Winchester, and I feel there’s a need and a hunger for group music in the county.”
The choir includes members from ages 16 to 90, with a variety of denominations represented to even those who don’t attend church. Smith said it’s all about coming together and being a family.
“Our number one goal is not necessarily to be a church group,” he said. “You know, we’re faith-based; however, we’ve created a family. There have been longtime friendships rekindled through this group; people that went to high school together.”
MAKING A NAME FOR THEMSELVES
During their short time together, the group has already made a name for themselves and has just recorded a single, which is currently streaming on digital media platforms.
“We recorded a single with a Gaither Homecoming artist and another artist by the name of Rebekah Speer, which is now streaming. We also shot a music video for it with us in the background of that. We are also scheduled to record 11 or 12 songs with well-known musical engineer Tommy Cooper. That album will be available to the public once it’s completed.”
The choir is getting ready for their annual Christmas concert that is set for 7 p.m. on Dec. 10, at the First United Methodist Church in Winchester. The concert is open to the public.
It will be the premiere event for the choir. They have worked diligently over the last few months to ensure a most memorable concert.
For the future, Smith said he hopes to see the choir grow and be able to minister more in the community.
“Unless something happens, I expect we will grow [by] 5 to 10 people every year,” he said. “I would like to see us get to 100 members. We’re not going to go year-round; it loses its novelty and people will get burnt out. But I would like to see it get to 100 people and where we will have to be at the high school. I think one thing that sets us apart is that we are singing things beyond Christmas and trying to use those things to minister. It seems like we are the best-kept secret in the county. We’re not in it for the glory, but we just want it to go as far as it can.” GN
