CRESTVIEW — North Okaloosa's vocally inclined who are interested in performing choral music may attend an organizational meeting for the Crestview Community Chorus.
Part of Mayor JB Whitten’s cultural activities initiative for the city, the Crestview Community Chorus is being organized by Cecile Lindegren, a vocal music instructor and one of the founders of the Fort Walton Beach Community Chorus.
The meeting is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. July 2 at Warriors Hall in the Whitehurst Municipal Building, 201 Stillwell Blvd. in Crestview.
"I think the idea is exciting," Lindegren said during an initial meeting with the mayor. "This is great because we’re starting fresh and new."
An exploratory meeting with choral music directors from local schools and area church choir directors found no conflicts between their respective programs and singing in a community chorus.
"I believe it would give our students some practical public performance experience," said Shoal River Middle School choral music director Steve Box.
Lindegren envisioned forming the community chorus along the same lines as the North Okaloosa Community Band, with volunteer singers and two or three volunteer directors, and performing two or three concerts a year.
Warriors Hall, with its baby grand piano, would be the performance venue, though like the band, performances might also occur at community events, and perhaps even with the band at special functions such as a combined Christmas concert.
Potential chorus members won’t need to bring audition music to the organizational meeting on July 2, but may offer suggestions for how the community chorus will operate.
"This is an organizational meeting to gauge community interest of those who are interested in joining," Whitten said. "At some time in the future, the chorus director will conduct auditions."
Contact the Crestview Parks and Recreation Programs office, 682-0789, for more information.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview Community Chorus to have meeting