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June 2011: Best of the Beatles "And then last Sunday... The place was packed with fans and family of a local choral group - well not really a choral group ... I consider them much more than that. The Voices of MetroWest made their second trip into Amazing Things with a Beatles program (with a couple of Jimi Hendrix sweeties thrown in). Now, everyone knows the Beatles and everyone knows their songs. But try to arrange them for a couple of dozen people. And try to make [them] sound not just good but great. This was [a] really fine show and showcased not only some great local talent but also a great community effort. My hat is off to that organization first and foremost as an organization. Top to bottom they were excellent. Paul Surface, the Founder and Artistic Director, was everywhere during the afternoon. His organizational abilities, attention to detail and his ability to just 'get it done' was outstanding. And music director Chauncey McGlathery led the group with skill and passion. A splendid time was guaranteed and - in fact - had by all. I DO love Sundays at Amazing Things Arts Center!" -Michael Moran, Amazing Things Art Center December 2010: Voices Loves Elvis "During a recent rehearsal the group was working on a Ray Charles tribute for an upcoming concert. They were singing, Hit the Road Jack and McGlathery was giving it his all conducting the group. He stopped the female choral members from singing and told them to focus on the 'don't you come back no more, no more, no more!' part of the song. 'Hey, the issue has been settled, the argument is over. You wouldn't keep making eggs for this guy or else he wouldn't leave! You need to sell this!' McGlathery said. He was able to skillfully break down the scene and let the emotion of it rise up in their minds. When the women sang the verse again, they did it with gusto getting outside of themselves and definitely selling the song. Passion is an undercurrent in this group and Surface wants people to know, 'There is no other singing group like Voices of MetroWest, in its structure and purposes. We are more than a singing group, we are about building community through music. We will never do traditional choral music, we sing music with a message. Our concerts are events, with attendees' participation. Members are passionate about the music.'" Read More... -Laura Richards, Framingham Patch January 2010: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Chauncey McGlathery went well above and beyond what is expected from a keynote speaker of the Martin Luther King Jr. Natick Community Celebration yesterday as he performed during much of the musical portion of the event, as well as inspiring the audience with his words. During the fifth annual celebration of King at Wilson Middle School, McGlathery and other speakers told those in attendance to not just think about the civil rights leader's words, but to use them as an inspiration for how to live their lives. McGlathery, who leads a choir at First Congregational Church in Natick and conducts the Voices of MetroWest singing group, said he has been reading about about King's life. As he read "My Life with Martin Luther King Jr.," a book by King's wife, Coretta Scott King, he realized that King understood early on that spreading his dream would require sacrifice and would likely lead to his early demise. Read More... -Charlie Breitrose, Metrowest Daily News September 2009 The first line of "The Star-Spangled Banner."In four-part harmony. About 15 minutes after introductions. 2, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1, 2 This is not a punchline, nor is it some futuristic version of our national anthem. Its the way a chorus is formed, how those who like to sing but never performed (except in the shower) discover their own voice, how they match with other voices, how they perform in front of a crowd, and how they develop fun and friendships along the way. "This is music with a message we want to break down barriers and bring people together," said Paul Surface, the artistic director of Voices of MetroWest. This is not your regular choral group belting out the classics from Handel, Haydn and others. There is gospel, but the group throws in rock, jazz and patriotic tunes. The repertoire this year 1960s Motown with a healthy dose of choreography. Who gives Voice to this group? That would be the music director, Chauncey McGlathery, who takes a song, breaks it down into the various parts (bass, tenor, also and soprano), converts the parts into numbers using relative pitch (see above), and sends the parts to members via MP3 files so that members can memorize their parts. The group rehearses once a week in preparation for concerts at various times of the year. Read More... -Maureen Sullivan, GateHouse News Service |
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