New community choral group springing up in Cedar Rapids

Once the Follies gets in your blood, it sticks.

That's the idea behind a new community chorus being formed by former Follies performers Pam Feerer and Barb Colehour and helmed by current Follies music director Damon Cole, all of Cedar Rapids.

Anyone high school age and older who enjoys singing an eclectic mix, from show tunes and standards to spirituals and sacred music, is invited to attend the Cedar Singers' organizational meeting. It will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday in the choir room at Westminster Presbyterian Church in southeast Cedar Rapids.

'Barb and I have been talking for a couple years now that we just really need to have a city chorus to represent all the people in our community (who) love to sing and just can't find the right venue, and to provide a variety of music for people to sing,' Feerer said. 'That was the main goal.'

Preliminary plans call for full ensemble works, as well as pieces for women's and men's ensembles, quartets and soloists.

'We loved so much what we did during Follies in the big choral numbers, and we really missed that — being able to sing your heart out,' said Feerer, who performed in 25 Follies before 'retiring' nearly 10 years ago.

She and Colehour kicked around the idea again last fall, and Colehour agreed to approach Cole about being the director.

'I couldn't imagine anyone other than Damon doing it in this area, because of his knowledge of the type of work we did in the past,' Feerer said. 'He's got a large repertoire of music that he pulls from, so I think he would put together a nice program.

'We really wanted to keep that type of singing alive and offer it to Follies alumni people and to all singers in the community.'

The group will rehearse at the church on Sunday evenings, aiming toward presenting fall and spring concerts. Rehearsals will not be held this March, since Cole will be preoccupied with getting Follies up and running on the Paramount stage.

'This is not a sign-your-life-away commitment,' Feerer said. Organizers realize people travel for work and have family obligations, so they'll be flexible to accommodate those absences.

Members also will have a say in several facets of launching the endeavor, from the question of dues and ticket prices to long-range sustaining goals.

'We're trying to make it as cost-free as possible' for participants, Feerer said. And for now, they won't be holding auditions, but will place people according to the vocal parts.

An overarching goal is to bring back local choral traditions that have spun off in other directions.

'In the '60s and early '70s, there were really great community choruses — Torry Carlson directed one and Allen Koepke had a community chorus for a lot of years. It's kind of gone along the wayside and has gone into the two classical groups,' Feerer said, citing the more formal Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale and Chorale Midwest.

'I really think this community needs an outlet like this.'

If You Go:

What: Cedar Singers community choir

When: Organizational session 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday (1/11)

Where: Choir room, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1285 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

Who: Targeted for Follies alumni and area singers, high school age and older; director Damon Cole

Information: Co-founder Pam Feerer, (319) 389-0589