NPC ‘Rejoices’ with two great performances!

/in /by

Holiday spirit was in abundance as the Northeast Piedmont Chorale performed for enthusiastic and warm audiences in Wake Forest and Henderson for our Fall concert season on Dec. 16-17, 2022. The “Rejoice!” concerts were the first Fall events for the Chorale since our December 2019 concerts.

The Covid pandemic sidelined the Chorale for nearly two years starting in March 2020 before a return to rehearsals in February 2022 and concerts last Spring.

The Friday evening concert was held at Wake Forest Baptist Church in Wake Forest while the Saturday event was at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson. A 72-voice Chorale, the largest in its history, performed with a 16-piece orchestra at both venues and were treated to standing ovations from the audiences. The NPC also has experienced strong financial support from audiences, businesses and individuals since returning. 

The focus shifts now to the next Spring series with rehearsals starting Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, in the Fellowship Hall of Wake Forest Baptist Church at 107 E. South Avenue in Wake Forest. Rehearsals are held each Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. Want to sing with us? Look for membership information by clicking on the “Join Now” button at the bottom of the home page of this website at www.npchorale.org. After receiving your membership request, our director will contact you either by phone or email. We know you will enjoy singing with us.  

In addition to our four annual concerts, the Northeast Piedmont Chorale will be holding the popular Spring Sing, conducted by Sally Albrecht, a member of the Chorale and an internationally renowned choral composer, conductor and clinician on Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School’s Fellowship Hall on 600 W. Holding Street in Wake Forest. 

The Spring 2023 concerts will take place on Friday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church on 4301 Louisburg Road in Raleigh and Saturday, April 23, at 3 p.m. at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center on 201 Breckenridge Street in Henderson.

NPC is looking for tenor and bass singers

/in /by

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale is looking for additional tenor and bass singers. 

If you enjoy singing a wide variety of music genres and would be interested in singing with the Chorale for the upcoming Spring season, please contact Cindy Edwards, our director, at cynthiahedwards@gmail.com.   

Rehearsals for the Spring season begin on Monday evening, January 9, 2023. Rehearsals are held each Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Wake Forest Baptist Church, 107 E. South Avenue, Wake Forest, NC, 27587.

We would be so pleased to have you join us for a great season of singing!

A Message From Our Board — November 2022

/in /by

In September when we received our concert music, everyone became very quiet when our director, Cindy Edwards, began chanting, from memory, the Swahili lyrics to Baba Yetu, a Swahili adaptation of “The Lord’s Prayer” by Christopher Tin and Chris Kiagiri.  There was absolutely no doubt in her mind that in December, just three short months away, we would be performing these same Swahili lyrics with an amazing soloist and an orchestra.  Cindy painted a picture of how amazing the performance would be and gave us the confidence to learn the lyrics in a language that we had never spoken. At home and at rehearsals we spoke the words and sang the words over and over again, and before we knew it, we were singing in Swahili. Baba Yetu is a joyful rendition of The Lord’s Prayer that will have performers and audiences alike rejoicing. 

Baba Yetu is just one of many songs, both traditional and contemporary, in our fall concert program, and we hope you are planning to join us on one or both of the following dates:

Friday, December 16, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.
Wake Forest Baptist Church
107 East South Avenue
Wake Forest, NC 27587

Saturday, December 17, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.
McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center
201 Breckenridge Street
Henderson, NC 27536

Keep checking the website for updated information, announcements, and special events.

Northeast Piedmont Chorale Presents Spring Sing

/in /by

Northeast Piedmont Chorale will again be hosting Spring Sing on March 11, 2023, in the fellowship hall of St. Catherine of Sienna School, located at 520 W. Holding Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27587.

Spring Sing brings together people from our community—high school students, college students, and adults—who love to sing. It has been four years since we hosted the last Spring Sing, and we are looking forward to an exceptional day of singing and learning under the direction of Sally K. Albrecht, an internationally known choral composer, conductor, and clinician. Throughout the day, we will work with Sally to learn the music she has selected and the choral techniques that enhance each piece of music. 

We will begin the day at 8:30 a.m. with registration when participants will receive all the information and music they will need for the day.  There will be a light breakfast available for all to enjoy.  Following breakfast, participants will work with Sally to learn their music and choral techniques. At lunch time, a light lunch will be served.  Following lunch, we will continue learning our music until 3:30 p.m.  At that time, we will have a break to get ready for the concert at 4:00 p.m.  We encourage participants to invite their friends and family to hear the music and choral techniques they have learned throughout the day.

Spring Sing is one of those very special events that happens only once every few years. Make this the year that you participate.  Encourage your friends and family members to spend the day singing with you.  We promise that you will have an amazing day!

The deadline for registration is January 31, 2023. The registration form is available below:

Spring Sing 2023 Registration Form 123

Click the link below for a flyer with more information on Spring Sing 2023:

Spring Sing 2023 Save the Date Flyer First Spring Sing Notification 123

A Message from Our Board — September 2022

/in /by

Anticipation, expectation and excitement filled the Fellowship Hall as members of the Northeast Piedmont Chorale gathered for the first rehearsal of the fall 2022 season. This year, the Chorale broke all membership records when it welcomed 82 members, the highest number in its 35-year history. Our voices filled the room with beautiful sounds in eight-part harmony as we began learning the music that we will sing at our concerts this coming December.

This year our concert theme is “Rejoice!” and our program explores that theme in a variety of holiday music pieces. Ranging from classical pieces like March of the Kings and traditional pieces like The Little Drummer Boy, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and Deck the Hall, to modern and contemporary music including Baba Yetu sung in Swahili and Veni, Veni Emmanuel sung in Latin, our concert programs have something for everyone. Each night will be a concert to remember.

Mark your calendars and “Rejoice!” with us on one or both of the following dates:

  • December 16, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., in the sanctuary of Wake Forest Baptist Church, 107 East South Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27587
  • December 17, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., in the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, NC 27536

In the meantime, the Chorale will be preparing for what promises to be an extraordinary concert season.

A Message from Our Board — August 2022

/in /by

After a very successful spring concert season, the members of the Northeast Piedmont Chorale are even more excited to begin preparing for our fall concert season. Rehearsals begin on Monday, September 12, 2022, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall, located in the new wing of Wake Forest Baptist Church, 107 E. South Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27596.

All other rehearsals will take place on Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m., unless otherwise specified by our director.

While our membership has grown, we always welcome new singers. If you are looking for a community choir and enjoy singing a variety of music genres, we invite you to consider joining the Northeast Piedmont Chorale. You will find more information about membership on this website. At the bottom right of the home page, click on the button that says “Join Now.” Just complete the information requested and hit the “submit” button at the bottom of the page.

This year our concert theme is “Rejoice,” a theme that has many meanings — happiness, joy, gladness, delight, jubilation, exuberance, exultation, glory, celebration — for many people. For the Chorale, it means the joy of singing and performing together, of bringing happiness to our audiences through the music we sing, and of celebrating the beauty and magic of the holiday season.

Our fall concert program will include a beautiful selection of music pieces that will have singers, instrumentalists and audience members rejoicing. From traditional holiday favorites to music from all over the world, audiences and performers alike will leave the concert humming those pieces that they loved hearing. As in past years, we will perform two concerts at two different venues, including:

  • Friday, December 16, 2022, 7:30 p.m., at Wake Forest Baptist Church, 107 E. South Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27596
  • Saturday, December 17, 2022, 7:30 p.m., at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, NC 27536

We hope you will join us in December for what promises to be a very special evening of music.

In the coming weeks and months, look for more information about the new 2022-23 season right here at npchorale.org.

A Message from Our Board — June/July 2022

/in /by

What a year this has been for the members of Northeast Piedmont Chorale! After not performing for more than two years, the Chorale presented two very exciting, successful, and meaningful spring concerts on Friday, April 29, at New Hope Baptist Church in Raleigh, and on Sunday, May 1, at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson. Accompanied by a 17-piece orchestra and our very talented accompanist and narrators, the Chorale took our audiences on an historical journey of our country, from 1776 to the present, with a message that resonated with everyone from those performing to those listening in the audience.  Many people filled the seats of both venues and made generous donations to the Chorale at the end of each concert. We are humbled and very grateful for the generosity of our community supporters, including our families, friends, and businesses. Thank you!

While the summer is a time when our Chorale members take a well-earned break, board members meet each month to take care of Chorale business and prepare for a new season. An important issue under consideration is whether or not to require full Covid-19 vaccinations, including booster shots. Throughout the summer, the board will continue monitoring the status of Covid-19 in our area and what medical experts are recommending for those participating in singing groups. We will also be sending out an anonymous survey to our members with questions about this issue. At the end of the summer, after considering information from medical experts and our Chorale members, we will share our decision with our members, and we will also publish it on this website. 

The 2022-23 season promises to be an exciting season with music that will appeal to everyone. Rehearsals for our fall concerts begin on Monday, September 12, 2022. The theme of our fall concerts is “Rejoice!” in celebration of the holiday season. Audiences will recognize many of the traditional songs they love, and a few that may be new to them. We promise that everyone will be humming the tunes at the end of the concert. Also, there will be a special fundraising event, “Pass the Baton,” that will give someone from the audience an opportunity to direct the Chorale and orchestra in a well-known Christmas carol. Join us for a very special holiday event on one of the following dates:  

  • Friday, December 16, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., at Wake Forest Baptist Church, 107 E. South Avenue, Wake Forest, NC 27587
  • Saturday, December 17, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, NC 27536

Our spring season will begin on Monday, January 9, 2023, as the Chorale begins rehearsing the spring concert program.  While the theme of the spring concert season will be announced at a later date, the dates and venues of our spring concerts are:

  • Friday, April 21, 2023, 7:30 p.m., at New Hope Baptist Church, 4301 Louisburg Road, Raleigh, NC 27604
  • Sunday, April 23, 2023, 3:00 p.m., at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, NC 27536

We invite all who enjoy singing and performing to learn more about the Chorale right here on our website, www.npchorale.org.  If you are interested in joining the Chorale, you will find membership information by clicking on the “Join Now” button located at the bottom of the home page on this website. After we receive your membership request, our director will contact you.

The new year will bring a variety of activities like “Spring Sing” and special fundraising events. As the dates and venues are set for these events, we will post them on our website and on social media.

Spring concerts a huge hit; Chorale now looks to next season

/in /by

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale’s Spring concerts were two years in the making and the wait was well worth it! The thrill of being able to sing and perform again after the pandemic seemed to have been matched by the audiences’ enthusiastic appreciation of the performances and with being able to attend live events again.

This Spring, the Chorale presented “Home is Where the Heart Is,” in a series of concerts performed on April 29 in Raleigh and May 1 in Henderson. Both concerts attracted the largest audiences the Chorale has seen in many years. After being sidelined since March 2020 by safety concerns resulting from the Covid 19 pandemic, the Chorale returned to rehearsals in February 2022, leading to two stellar performances of patriotic and inspirational music well received by audiences at both venues. The Friday night concert was held at New Hope Baptist Church in Wake County and the Sunday afternoon matinee event was held at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Vance County.

The Chorale now turns its attention to preparation for the Fall and Spring singing seasons. Rehearsals for the Fall semester will begin Monday, September 12, 2022, in the Fellowship Hall at Wake Forest Baptist Church. Rehearsals take place each Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. Rehearsals for the Spring semester will begin on Monday, January 9, 2023. In addition to the four concerts we present each year, in the Spring of 2023, the Northeast Piedmont Chorale will be holding its popular Spring Sing, conducted by Sally Albrecht, a member of the Chorale and an internationally renown choral composer, conductor, and clinician. Keep checking this website for more information about the date, time, and venue for this very special Spring event.

Each year, the Chorale performs four concerts — two in the late Fall and two in the Spring. The Fall 2022 concert series will take place on Friday, December 16, at Wake Forest Baptist Church in Wake Forest and on Saturday, December 17, at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson. Both concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m. The music will put you in the holiday spirit. We are also planning two concerts for Spring 2023 and are in the process of working out the details for each concert. Keep checking this website for the dates, times, and venues.

If you love to sing and are interested in joining the Chorale, you can find membership information by clicking on the “Join Now” button at the bottom of the home page of this website at www.npchorale.org. After receiving your membership request, our director will contact you either by phone or email. We know you will enjoy singing with us. 

Northeast Piedmont Chorale brings back live music with April 29, May 1 concerts

/in /by

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale joined choirs worldwide in exercising caution to keep our members and audiences safe during the pandemic caused by the spread of COVID-19. Now, the chorale, accompanied by piano, synthesizer, and a 17-piece orchestra, will be presenting two welcome back concerts on Friday, April 29, and Sunday, May 1.

This image provides an image and the details for the NPC's two concerts for the Annual Spring Concert Series.

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale presents Home Is Where The Heart Is for the Annual Spring Concert Series on Friday, April 29, 2022, at New Hope Baptist Church in Raleigh and Sunday, May 1, 2022, at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson.

“We are thrilled to be bringing music back after two long years of not being able to sing or perform together,” said Chorale President Judy Miller. “This season’s theme, ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is,’ traces the history of our country from its founding to the present and sends a message of hope in these turbulent times.”

The program opens with “America, the Beautiful.” It follows the history of our country through songs like “Song of the Tall Ship” and “They’re Coming to America” that tell the story of immigrants headed to America to find a new home. The program continues with “Shenandoah” and “Cindy” which highlight the adventurous spirit of the early settlers. Other songs like “The Gettysburg Address” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” reflect the feelings of a country split apart by the Civil War. The program ends with a message of hope and healing for all nations.

“We believe in the healing power of music and the arts. Song is a transformative medium for both our Chorale and our audiences,” explains Cindy Edwards, director of the Northeast Piedmont Chorale. “Our members are looking forward to bringing a moving and beautiful evening of music to our audiences.”

Concerts are free to the public. The April 29 concert will occur at 7:30 p.m. at New Hope Baptist Church, 4301 Louisburg Road, in Raleigh, and the May 1 concert will occur at 3 p.m. at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street, in Henderson.

The Northeast Piedmont Chorale (NPC) is a non-profit, non-sectarian volunteer organization whose mission is to perform fine choral music for residents of the Northeast Piedmont area of North Carolina at no charge. Members of the chorale come from Durham, Garner, Henderson, Kittrell, Louisburg, Middlesex, Oxford, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Youngsville, and Zebulon. The Chorale performs for hundreds of community residents each season. It relies on the generous support of corporate and individual contributors, local arts councils, member dues, fundraising activities, concert contributions, and the public to continue performing free concerts.

A Message from Our Board — February 2022

/in /by

Finally, after a two-year hiatus because of Covid-19, the Northeast Piedmont Chorale is back! Our members can’t wait to begin rehearsing again on Monday night, February 7, 2022. We have been preparing for this day for the past two years, and recently have been working hard to put final preparations in place — creating seating charts, information sheets, registration procedures, and music packets. We have also had to make very difficult decisions about how we will conduct rehearsals in light of Covid-19, including the requirement for our members to show proof of vaccination and booster shots and social distancing in our rehearsal set-up and registration process.  

Throughout the past year, we continued conducting Chorale business with the new season in mind. During that time, our director created tutorial videos for all singing parts in every piece of music for our spring concerts. All Chorale members received the links to their specific singing part allowing them to practice at any time. What a valuable gift to our members! In addition, we conducted a donation letter campaign among our members and have prepared additional donation letters that our members will send to family and friends in the coming months. Additional fundraising efforts will take place throughout the season! Look for fundraising news in the next few months.

Finally, we recently learned of an opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York in the spring of 2024. You can imagine our excitement! As more details emerge, we will share them right here, so please return to this website frequently. For now, we will concentrate on getting our voices into shape again after such a long absence and preparing for our spring concert performances.