This December, the Hillsdale Arts Chorale will perform its first in-person concert since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concert, titled There at the Manger, will be performed at 7 p.m. on Dec. 18 at College Baptist Church.
“The concert is going to be a reflection of the Christmas story,” Kendra Bonjernoor, president of HAC, said. “It will be free and open to the local community and college because we want it to be a celebration. It’s a thank you to our community for sticking with us and it’s a way to kick off our first music season in two years.”
In her second year as president, Bonjernoor said that the biggest question has been whether or not HAC can survive as an organization through the pandemic.
At the spike of COVID-19 last March, the HAC was just a few weeks away from performing its spring concert. The musical season was forced to an end, and the group had many decisions to make about future performances.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 made it very difficult to make music in 2020,” Stephanie Gordon, HAC marketing director, said. “The organization had to become creative with how to make music in a safe manner.”
Over the past year, HAC streamed two virtual concerts and posted them online for the community to view. Participation remained low throughout that time, Anne Schmitt, operations manager of HAC, said.
“A lot of people were affected by the pandemic, but one of the things that we kept hearing was that singing is the most dangerous thing to do,” she said. “That really completely changed and completely shut down the choral music world.”
After the pandemic, the previous conductor resigned, and former HAC member Warren Miller agreed to take on the role of interim conductor. Miller taught music and marching band for many years in east Jackson schools.
“They are giving me the opportunity to direct the group for the Christmas concert, and I think that’s awesome,” Miller said. “I’m going to have as much fun as I can with it.”
Multiple board members said that it was community involvement and long-term relationships between HAC and local members of the community that kept the Chorale going through the pandemic shutdowns.
Wyse said that while they get the opportunity to perform many major musical pieces, it’s the people that make the experience so wonderful for those involved.
“We work hard, but have fun doing it,” she said. “We have made so many solid, lifelong friendships there. Some of these friends are like family.”
Though the HAC board is still battling COVID-19 hurdles, they are committed to keeping choral music alive in the Hillsdale community.
“Music is designed to be shared and it’s one thing to sing and rehearse, but it’s another to get to share it with a live audience again, especially at Christmas,” Miller said. “We look forward to performing some pieces that will share that beauty, joy, and excitement with the audience.”
Moving forward, Bonjernoor said that it will continue to be extremely important for HAC to find a full-time conductor that is invested in the Hillsdale community.
“When we have a conductor that is invested, that’s what sustains us,” she said.
Bonjernoor gave all the credit to Howard J. Rizner not only for his founding of the Hillsdale Arts Chorale in 1973, but for the entire community’s love for and involvement in choral music.
“He had a purpose and a vision and we must keep that vision alive,” Bonjernoor said. “This means we had to come to a consensus about what music really means, not just to us individually, but what it does for the entire community.”
