The 2020 pandemic has created a void this holiday season that in a normal year would be filled with music and joy. The holidays are a time when loved ones gather with friends and family to enjoy each other’s company and this usually involves some type of music. Opera Roanoke is using its most valued resources this holiday season – its voices – to share music with those who need it.
In November, a small group of Opera Roanoke Chorus members gathered safely at Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church to record a selection of holiday music that will be made available for free use by local churches and other groups such as senior care facilities, who may be short on their own musical resources this season.
Following the audio recording, OR Chorus members made a video recording to accompany this music on the picturesque rooftop of downtown Roanoke’s Center in the Square building. “Our goal was to provide our community with something tangible it could use to bring a little extra joy this holiday season”, explains OR Chorus Master, Josh O’Dell. “We have all experienced feelings of loss and uncertainty over the last eight months and being able to provide this service was an encouragement to each person involved in the project.”
A recent virtual choir video of “All Good Gifts” from Godspell, featuring members of the Opera Roanoke Chorus, The Voices of Appalachia, and other musical colleagues from around the Roanoke Valley has been viewed over 6,500 times on OR’s Facebook page and has reached over 14,000 people since it was posted on Thanksgiving Day.
Virtual Choir Videos: https://operaroanoke.org/opera-roanoke-chorus
Beginning December 1, the Opera Roanoke Chorus’ holiday selections will be made available upon request by contacting Josh O’Dell at [email protected]. More information on this and other Opera Roanoke virtual concert premieres can be found at operaroanoke.org.
