“Wade in the water,” the chorus sang – stopped, then took a few cues from the director and tried it again.
As all of Montezuma County waits on rain, the Mancos Valley Chorus is putting together a different strategy this spring: they are singing for it.
“I wanna know: Have you ever seen the rain,” sang soloist Zane Ferguson during Tuesday evening’s practice inside the Mancos United Methodist Church.
The Mancos Valley Chorus moved between harmonies and corrections between bursts of laughter, piecing together a spring program built entirely around one theme: water.
The finishing touches to the program were practiced during a final dress rehearsal ahead of a series of free concerts coming soon to Mancos and Cortez. Performances are occurring at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Mancos United Methodist Church, 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lamp Post Creative Learning Center outside Cortez, 7 p.m. Wednesday at First United Methodist Church of Cortez, and for the hometown grand finale, 7 p.m. May 8 at the Mancos United Methodist Church. The Sunday concert and May 8 concert have receptions to follow.
“We are hoping that our concert season will be a rain dance to the rain Gods singing for the monsoons,” Becky Walker, choir member and secretary, said.
The spring concert is titled "Water Music" and features a set list inspired by rivers, oceans, and rain.
The set list is a mix of different keys, acapella arrangements exploring contrasting musical textures, and recognizable tunes like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Drunken Sailor.”
“The newer composition is acapella, which is big for us,” Walker said.
The nonprofit chorus has run for nearly three decades on these high spirits, with practices beginning three months in advance. The time commitment for the volunteer group is a larger ask on already busy schedules, but practices are full of energy.
It’s easy to participate in the ensemble — the group requires no auditions and provides members with audio recordings so they can learn their parts by ear without needing to read sheet music.
“You are positive we are saying the right notes? Because I feel insane,” one singer, giggling, asked the director, Maggie Gillete, on Tuesday.
Gillette reassured the singer.
“Yes, that’s right, it’s just a weird part. I promise,” she said before moving on to explain how the piece builds to a crescendo.
Gillette said she joined the chorus as a singer before taking over the helm in 2019. She selects and arranges the music for the choir’s two annual programs — a spring concert and a Christmas performance.
Often, she invents new melodies and arrangements, and even mashes together old classics, such as during last year’s Christmas carols that sang a Santa medley plus a couple lines in French.
While the events are open to the public at no cost, the organization relies on voluntary donations to sustain its operations. It is an inclusive group that’s not church-based but includes members of wide age ranges, from participants in their teens to some in their eighties.
A little after 8 p.m., Gillette offered some fine-tuning notes, advising singers to listen for specific keys, to keep practicing during off-time and to refine their facial expressions.
“We need to be a chorus about people. If we don’t care about our people and our families – if you have a family emergency or a celebration of life – that comes first. Obviously, you should miss a concert,” Gillette said after one singer said they might miss part of a show.
awatson@the-journal.com
