In its traditional concert Sunday, Clearwater Chorus celebrates spring fever in song.
By EILEEN SCHULTE
Published March 19, 2004
CLEARWATER - More than 100 Clearwater Chorus members will sing about spring Sunday afternoon at Ruth Eckerd Hall, letting their vocal cords rip with such favorites as Brigadoon, Almost Like Being in Love, Honeysuckle Rose among others.
The annual Swingin' Into Spring concert, led by longtime director Arthur Goetze, has been ushering in the season with choice duets, solos and group numbers for more than two decades.
This year, the program consists of an hour-and-a-half of jazz, swing, pop and show tunes. Dan Tutoli and Lenah Robles, singers who met in the chorus and married a year ago, will perform I'm Glad There is You, Ken Thress will sing Angel Eyes and Suzanne Ruley will croon I Won't Mind.
The vocal ensemble will do Put on a Happy Face and Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'. They will also sing a tribute to Karen Carpenter, an artist who "speaks to all generations," Goetze said, featuring soloists Diane Peterkin and Barbara Jordan.
Accompanying them will be an instrumental ensemble made up of Matt Ruley on flute, saxophone and chanter, Dave Graeser on guitar, Alan Thomas on bass, Gary Denton on drums, Rita Rostron on the piano and Cynthia Triffon on keyboards.
The chorus only performs three concerts each year; the Swingin' Into Spring show usually draws about 1,000 people.
"It's about spring fever, it's about love," Goetze said. "Young or old, we can still experience that."
The 30-year-old chorus is sponsored by Clearwater's Parks and Recreation Department and has performed concerts since 1969.
It has twice toured Europe and sang in Westminster Abbey.
When Ruth Eckerd Hall opened in 1983, the chorus performed the inaugural opening with jazz legend Dave Brubeck.
"A community chorus doesn't usually have an opportunity to perform in a professional hall," said Margo Walbot, Clearwater's cultural affairs manager. "The city has a collaborative effort with Ruth Eckerd to guarantee the community has access to the hall. It's a partnership that has been nurtured."
This chorus has more women than men (although men are encouraged to join, said Suzanne Ruley, Clearwater's arts specialist), and the youngest singer is in her 30s.
"I think we represent a core of the community with a variety of ages and occupations" said Goetze. "What we have in common is the bond of music. It touches our souls. We really strive for excellence."
