ChoralFest
July 17 - July 23, 2021
Hybrid Women's Conference
July 17 - July 23, 2021
Hybrid Women's Conference
Description
Schedule
Songs We've Sung
Conference Leadership
Pricing
Description
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ChoralFest is A Summer Choral Experience for Women
The summer of 2020 was certainly a summer like no other. We were ready to celebrate our second year as an all-women choral conference and welcome our new music director, Molly J. Webster. With the Covid pandemic numbers on the rise and singing designated a health risk, our ChoralFest planners shortened the conference and reconfigured our workshops and social gatherings to Zoom sessions. We held our breaths that we could still connect to the magic that is singing together at Ferry Beach without being there in force and by singing into a computer. After the first session, we collectively exhaled and settled in to enjoy talking and singing together. The magic was still there! As we plan for this year, we hope that we can return to our usual format and come together for our week, July 17 to 23, at Ferry Beach and singing, perhaps with some distance, together. If we cannot all safely meet in person, we will work with Ferry Beach staff to offer at least some of our programs via Zoom. Keep tuned. Who should attend
All women singers are welcome at ChoralFest regardless of proficiency. Choir directors, experienced choral singers, and "shower singers" sit side-by-side. Whatever your choral background, you will leave relaxed, rejuvenated, and inspired. Molly J. Webster will be our Music Director 
When we searched for a new music director during the fall of 2019, we were delighted to find the perfect person. The decision to choose her was confirmed when Molly gamely took on her first conference with us via Zoom. She is not only the Music Director at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor in Maine, but she is also the director for 3 other choral groups, gives voice lessons and has a masters degree in choral conducting. Molly writes: “I am incredibly excited to be offered this opportunity to share my love of singing with everyone at ChoralFest and can’t wait to get to know everybody! There’s nothing better than the sharing of a sincere love of fellowship, singing, and the ocean!”
Overview of the ChoralFest schedule
Depending on health guidelines, we hope to start each morning together in the chapel in the grove with the men from the GAYLA conference who share our conference week. If possible, conferees who wish can sing in the pick-up choir. Then we will devote our morning rehearsal times and most of our afternoon sessions to exploring the harmonies that only women’s voices can make singing together. If some Covid restrictions are still in place, we may meet safely distanced in small groups by part and shorten rehearsal times. Our repertoire will include a variety of choral works ranging from simple chants and rounds to complex multi-part selections that stretch us technically and vocally. We will prepare some fun pieces to sing Thursday night at the Talent Show with GAYLA. Our week will culminate with an inspirational chapel service when we blend choral performance and worship in a unique and memorable way, all in the majestic setting of Ferry Beach’s outdoor chapel in the pines. Other ChoralFest benefits As singers, we all know that singing lightens our moods, calls on our creativity and sharpens our thinking. In our usual lives, we have the opportunity to tap into all of these feelings for just a few hours a week. At ChoralFest we are immersed in song for a full week. The rest of the hours are yours to walk the beach, swim or gaze at the ocean or relax on one of the many porches and share experiences and stories with new friends who share your love of music. If you are like most of us who have attended ChoralFest for many years, you’ll count being at ChoralFest as one of your most memorable vacations. When the sun streams through the windows of our seaside music room…when the majesty of the pines moves the spirit within us during chapel…when we see a glint of sunlight dancing on the incoming waves—how can we keep from singing?! Please join us! |
ChoralFest Newsletters
What past ChoralFest participants have said
"What a super experience Choral Fest is: sun, surf, sand, singing, good friends and good food. What could be better?! As a choir director, I learned so much about vocal technique and production as well as directing techniques. I will bring it all home to my church and take my already good choir to the next level!" ~ Heidi, ME “When you come together to sing and create music with people in a unique environment of acceptance and love, there is deeper meaning to the music. As a music educator, I learn more about singing in a choir through the eyes of people with varying backgrounds, degrees of musical skills and vocal colors, than when I’m the person in charge. I can listen, learn, participate in something I love and be a part of something greater than myself." ~ Naomi, VA “Singing with others is unlike anything else we can do. It is spiritual practice and ministry at the same time. Spiritual practice strengthens our own spirit giving us the resilience to face all the ups and downs of life with a bit more equanimity. Ministry is a gift of spirit we give to others, our fellow singers and the audiences we sing for. I got and I had the opportunity to give, both equally important to me.” ~ Rev. Jackie, IL |
Schedule
Highlights of the ChoralFest schedule
Check in
Ferry Beach will have staff in the lobby of Quillen to check you in as you arrive. ChoralFest staff will also be at a table in the lobby to welcome you and give you your conference packet. Included in the packet are the seven pieces we will be presenting – two for the Talent Show and five for the chapel service on Sunday. Attendees are asked to cover the cost of this music, $20 or less per attendee, that will be theirs to take back home after the conference. Note: the number of pieces may be contingent on how much rehearsal time we have if Covid restrictions necessitate shorter time together.
Conference rehearsal sessions
The morning session from 10:00 am to 12 noon and afternoon rehearsal from 3:30 to 5:00 pm are the most important sessions to attend. We want to be sure that we have enough time to learn repertoire so that by the time we sing Thursday night at TNT and Friday morning during the chapel service, we can relax and have fun. If need be, we may divide into smaller groups by part and meet in different places to follow Covid regulations.
Chapel choir
All singers are invited to rehearse at 8:15 am each morning to form a pick-up choir for the chapel service that begins at 9:45 am. Plans to sing together will be contingent on Covid guidelines.
Free time
From Monday to Wednesday, the afternoons from 2:00 to 3:30 pm are free for attendees to enjoy the beach or just relax.
Evening programs
Saturday evening is our chance to meet together as a group for the first time to introduce ourselves and the conference staff, to outline what will happen during the week and to sing together.
Thursday evening is our time to present two of the songs we have learned for the Talent-No Talent show. As singers know, there is a special energy to be standing in the lights on stage and putting all your energy into inspiring words and music. We will need to see how the Talent Show will be set up if we are still following Covid restrictions.
The other evening programs from Sunday through Tuesday are optional. GAYLA, the gay men’s group, often invites ChoralFest to take part in their fun evening activities.
Check in
Ferry Beach will have staff in the lobby of Quillen to check you in as you arrive. ChoralFest staff will also be at a table in the lobby to welcome you and give you your conference packet. Included in the packet are the seven pieces we will be presenting – two for the Talent Show and five for the chapel service on Sunday. Attendees are asked to cover the cost of this music, $20 or less per attendee, that will be theirs to take back home after the conference. Note: the number of pieces may be contingent on how much rehearsal time we have if Covid restrictions necessitate shorter time together.
Conference rehearsal sessions
The morning session from 10:00 am to 12 noon and afternoon rehearsal from 3:30 to 5:00 pm are the most important sessions to attend. We want to be sure that we have enough time to learn repertoire so that by the time we sing Thursday night at TNT and Friday morning during the chapel service, we can relax and have fun. If need be, we may divide into smaller groups by part and meet in different places to follow Covid regulations.
Chapel choir
All singers are invited to rehearse at 8:15 am each morning to form a pick-up choir for the chapel service that begins at 9:45 am. Plans to sing together will be contingent on Covid guidelines.
Free time
From Monday to Wednesday, the afternoons from 2:00 to 3:30 pm are free for attendees to enjoy the beach or just relax.
Evening programs
Saturday evening is our chance to meet together as a group for the first time to introduce ourselves and the conference staff, to outline what will happen during the week and to sing together.
Thursday evening is our time to present two of the songs we have learned for the Talent-No Talent show. As singers know, there is a special energy to be standing in the lights on stage and putting all your energy into inspiring words and music. We will need to see how the Talent Show will be set up if we are still following Covid restrictions.
The other evening programs from Sunday through Tuesday are optional. GAYLA, the gay men’s group, often invites ChoralFest to take part in their fun evening activities.
Songs We've Sung
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Conference Leadership
Molly J. Webster, Music Director
When we started our search for a new Music Director after the 2019 conference, we agreed that we wanted a female with ties to a church as a choir director in New England. One of our past attendees immediately sent an email recommending Molly J. Webster, who had been recently hired as Music Director at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor in Maine. After reading her resume and getting additional feedback, we knew that searching further would not bring us such a perfect fit.
In addition to her position as Music Director at the UU Society of Bangor, Molly also directs New Renaissance Singers, a community choir that performs choral works from all genres and periods; is founder and director of Husson University Singers, a choir for all students, staff, and faculty at the local University; and is the Founder/Artistic Director of Divisi, a select, auditioned choir that performs exclusively contemporary a cappella choral works.
She graduated from The University of Maine in 2007 with undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance and then received a Masters degree in Choral Conducting in 2010. While at UMaine, she participated in Athena Consort (an all-female choir) as well as Renaissance (an all female a cappella group) and also sang with the University Singers under the mentorship of Dr. Dennis Cox.
Molly has been grooming new singers with private voice lessons for over 13 years, so we look forward to including vocal techniques to our workshop sessions.
She has already begun to search for songs to suggest for our conference. Right now she is exploring works that revolve around the general theme of water and the renewal and life that springs forth from its source. We’ll also be looking for songs that support the Ferry Beach 2020 theme for the summer, “Joy is an inside job”. Stay tuned for more information to come.
Tim Horne, Rehearsal Accompanist
Tim Horne returns for his ninth year as ChoralFest’s masterful accompanist. Not only have we come to rely on Tim’s extraordinary abilities to accurately play any piece before him at the correct tempo and with feeling at our rehearsals and performances, but we can also rely on him to step in wherever he is needed for both ChoralFest and GAYLA – always with a smile and sound advice. He is the music director at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, NY. He is also the accompanist for the Catskill Choral Society, Hartwick College Choir, and Oneonta High School.
Michele Kelly, Musician of the Week
We are delighted that Michele Kelley will once again be the Musician of the Week (MOW) for our conference week. As MOW she will direct the chapel choir for the morning services under the pines in the Grove. She’ll also lead singing Ferry Beach songs after some of the dinners and will help organize the Thursday night Talent Show. If we are all back singing together this summer, we will be happy to have her singing second soprano for ChoralFest and lead several sectional rehearsals.
During the school year, Michele teaches general music and directs three choruses at Millbury Street Elementary School in Grafton, MA. On Sundays she is the Music Director for the Universal Singers at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Franklin, MA. In addition, she is an accompanist/vocal coach for a variety of musical theater groups in MA and also a songwriter who has performed solo and in various musical group configurations over the years.
Suzanne Adams, Conference Coordinator
Since taking on the conference coordinator position in 2013, Suzanne has worked with the ChoralFest leadership to promote the conference and to provide information to singers as they consider coming to ChoralFest and once they have signed up. She also provides details about the conference to the Ferry Beach staff and coordinates with staff during the conference.
Suzanne has decades of choral and solo singing experience not only with her church choir but with local choral organizations. She was in the group that helped form ChoralFest and has attended every conference. Now retired from the association management company she and her husband owned, she loves putting her writing, graphic design and meeting planning experience to work bringing people together to sing. And what better place to combine singing, Maine and the beach than magical Ferry Beach that she has come to love in the more than 25 years she has been coming for retreats and conferences.
When we started our search for a new Music Director after the 2019 conference, we agreed that we wanted a female with ties to a church as a choir director in New England. One of our past attendees immediately sent an email recommending Molly J. Webster, who had been recently hired as Music Director at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor in Maine. After reading her resume and getting additional feedback, we knew that searching further would not bring us such a perfect fit.
In addition to her position as Music Director at the UU Society of Bangor, Molly also directs New Renaissance Singers, a community choir that performs choral works from all genres and periods; is founder and director of Husson University Singers, a choir for all students, staff, and faculty at the local University; and is the Founder/Artistic Director of Divisi, a select, auditioned choir that performs exclusively contemporary a cappella choral works.
She graduated from The University of Maine in 2007 with undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance and then received a Masters degree in Choral Conducting in 2010. While at UMaine, she participated in Athena Consort (an all-female choir) as well as Renaissance (an all female a cappella group) and also sang with the University Singers under the mentorship of Dr. Dennis Cox.
Molly has been grooming new singers with private voice lessons for over 13 years, so we look forward to including vocal techniques to our workshop sessions.
She has already begun to search for songs to suggest for our conference. Right now she is exploring works that revolve around the general theme of water and the renewal and life that springs forth from its source. We’ll also be looking for songs that support the Ferry Beach 2020 theme for the summer, “Joy is an inside job”. Stay tuned for more information to come.
Tim Horne, Rehearsal Accompanist
Tim Horne returns for his ninth year as ChoralFest’s masterful accompanist. Not only have we come to rely on Tim’s extraordinary abilities to accurately play any piece before him at the correct tempo and with feeling at our rehearsals and performances, but we can also rely on him to step in wherever he is needed for both ChoralFest and GAYLA – always with a smile and sound advice. He is the music director at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, NY. He is also the accompanist for the Catskill Choral Society, Hartwick College Choir, and Oneonta High School.
Michele Kelly, Musician of the Week
We are delighted that Michele Kelley will once again be the Musician of the Week (MOW) for our conference week. As MOW she will direct the chapel choir for the morning services under the pines in the Grove. She’ll also lead singing Ferry Beach songs after some of the dinners and will help organize the Thursday night Talent Show. If we are all back singing together this summer, we will be happy to have her singing second soprano for ChoralFest and lead several sectional rehearsals.
During the school year, Michele teaches general music and directs three choruses at Millbury Street Elementary School in Grafton, MA. On Sundays she is the Music Director for the Universal Singers at the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Franklin, MA. In addition, she is an accompanist/vocal coach for a variety of musical theater groups in MA and also a songwriter who has performed solo and in various musical group configurations over the years.
Suzanne Adams, Conference Coordinator
Since taking on the conference coordinator position in 2013, Suzanne has worked with the ChoralFest leadership to promote the conference and to provide information to singers as they consider coming to ChoralFest and once they have signed up. She also provides details about the conference to the Ferry Beach staff and coordinates with staff during the conference.
Suzanne has decades of choral and solo singing experience not only with her church choir but with local choral organizations. She was in the group that helped form ChoralFest and has attended every conference. Now retired from the association management company she and her husband owned, she loves putting her writing, graphic design and meeting planning experience to work bringing people together to sing. And what better place to combine singing, Maine and the beach than magical Ferry Beach that she has come to love in the more than 25 years she has been coming for retreats and conferences.
Pricing
Pricing per Person |
Adult: $384.00 (Includes Conference Fees + Meals) Online Attendance Only: $25.00 (if applicable to your conference) Off-Site Daily Fee: $64.00 Adult / $47.00 Youth (Includes all Meals) |
Lodging |
Lodging Prices Vary. See our Lodging Page for pricing information. |
Membership |
Membership must be paid to attend any Ferry Beach program and is due annually. Individual Membership: $30.00 Family Membership: $50.00 See our Membership Page to learn more and to purchase or renew a membership. |
Or Call 207-282-4489 x1 to Register by Phone
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Due to our financial situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ferry Beach will not be able to provide the traditional amount of support for our conference volunteers. If you are able to, please consider donating to help support a volunteer this summer and ensure your conference runs as smooth as you expect!
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Our mission at Ferry Beach is to awaken hearts to explore, grow and renew the spirit of universal love.
We work by creating programing and events in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
We work by creating programing and events in the areas of Arts & Culture, Education, Spirituality, Sustainability, Personal Growth and Justice & Action.
