After a three-and-a-half-year COVID-related hiatus, Greenfield Community College’s choral group has re-emerged this year in a new form.  

Formerly the GCC Chorus, GCC Community Chorus was the endeavor of Margery Heins, who had directed the college’s previous choral ensemble as an academic class since 2001. No longer a for-credit class, the group, which is running instead through the Department of Community Engagement, is open to anyone “with the ability to carry a tune” who can commit to the rehearsal and performance schedule. 

On Dec. 8, GCC Community Chorus will host a free holiday concert from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. in the main lobby of GCC. 

“We’ve only been rehearsing for less than two months now and I was very pleased that not only did some community people show up, but some people who had been in the chorus before,” Heins said.

The choral group has 13 members, plus Heins and Meg Reilly, the pianist and organist. 

“We’re expecting to grow from there [in the] second semester,” Heins said. “We’re very much interested in having more people interested in singing, join.”

The group sings a variety of music genres, but it's “classically based,” she said. 

The chorus previously provided live music interludes for the GCC Theater Department’s production of Angels in America. 

“[Attendees] can expect a really fun holiday concert,” Heins said of the upcoming Dec. 8 concert. “There’s an informality to it. It’s carrying through a tradition that we started before COVID. … People can come and stay around if they have a few minutes.” 

The afternoon will include Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs, she said, and opportunities for the audience to sing along.

Anyone interested in singing next semester is welcome to attend the fall 2023 performances, or contact director Margery Heins for membership information at heins@gcc.mass.edu. Second-semester rehearsals will begin in early February 2024. To indicate your interest in participating in the workshop, visit https://engage.gcc.mass.edu/workshops/community-chorus/.

Membership is $100 for non-college students; students can join at a discounted rate of $50. 

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.