Island A Cappella offering fun, harmony for new members

A cappella is one of the most entertaining and interesting forms of singing, especially in choirs, where it can feature lots of harmonies and multiple parts.

There's a longtimewomen's a cappella group on the Island, and they are giving people the chance to try it out for themselves.

Over the next six weeks, women who want to see what it's like are invited to join the rehearsals with Island A Cappella.

The group started over 30 years ago, and now has a membership of almost 40, according to director Carolyn Prime.

"I came out really to meet new people, and to become part of the community, and what a wonderful opportunity it has given me all these years," said Prime on CBC Radio's Mainstreet.

Social group, too

The social aspect of the group is just as important, and the harmony is found in the friendships as well as the singing.

It's a no-experience necessary offer, for any new members.

"If you love to sing in the shower, you love to sing in church choir or other organizations, this is an opportunity for you to come for a six-week period or any portion of it, to really experience what it's like," said Jan Coffin, the group's president.

Starting this Thursday, they'll be holding joint rehearsals and workshops, that will give newcomers the chance to both learn and participate.

"We are going to bring those people in with our regular rehearsals," said Prime. "They're not going to be segregated off as a separated group, we're going to just bring them right in, from 7 p.m. onward."

Many differences

A cappella is much different from regular group singing, and each week, they'll focus on one of those skills.

"One week we'll have a class perhaps on vowel matching, and another week we'll do breath support. Another week we'll do presentation and performance," said Prime. "We don't hold music in front of us when we sing, so we like to be very enteraining."

And, they do like to wear some colourful costumes. "We certainly do!" said Prime. "We like our glitz", added Coffin.

Interested women can come to one or more of the rehearsals, which run about two hours and 30 minutes. They start Thursday, Sept. 15 at the Charlottetown Rural High School lecture theatre, at 7 p.m.

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