The Greene County Courthouse Chorale choir filled the Midtown Carnegie library with Christmas spirit Wednesday afternoon. The group is made up of city and county employees and retirees.
The Chorale has made an annual tradition of the Christmas concert at the library. Out-going Library Director Regina Greer Cooper is a part of the group, she says they practiced at the library’s community room for years before a library staffer invited them to sing out in the library. She enjoys the holiday spirit it brings, as do staff and patrons.
Tim smith, former County Administrator and Deputy City Manager, directs the Chorale. He says they formed in 2006. They were inspired by Central High School's annual courthouse rotunda concert. Smith says hearing acapella music in the rotunda would give anyone goosebumps. It was inspiring enough to get the local government staff in the building to want to join in.
For Smith and the group, it's simply about a love for singing and as Smith puts it, "everybody loves Christmas carols."
The Chorale performs its own annual courthouse concert. You can hear them perform today at noon. The courthouse also brings local school choirs in. Walnut Grove, Glendale, and Springfield Lutheran will also perform in the rotunda today.
Choral music and carols have been a Christmas tradition since at least the Middle Ages, with many we’d consider classics dating from the 1800s. In Springfield there is no shortage of opportunities to hear your favorites. This past weekend the Men's Chorus of the Ozarks and Queen City Chorale held their holiday concerts, as did Drury’s Vespers group.
Springfield’s Chamber Chorus will perform this weekend on Dec. 16, at the First and Calvary Presbyterian Church at 7 p.m. and on Dec. 17, at the University Heights Baptist Church at 3 p.m. For information on that concert visit springfieldchamberchorus.org
The Courthouse Chorale performs at noon in the courthouse rotunda today. Tuesday the Dec. 19, the courthouse will host the Central High School Choir at 9 a.m., and Central’s Chamber Choir at 10:30 a.m. On Wednesday Dec. 20, the courthouse will host the Clever Jam Band at noon.