Staples Area Men's Chorus to sing at Landmark Inn
The 2015-2016 singing season for the Staples Area Men’s Chorus (SAMC) is coming to a close with the finale concert “The Afterglow” Saturday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Landmark Inn, locatede at 631 3rd St NE, Staples.
The concert will be a series of selections with an intimate atmosphere. Past concerts have included audience requests and break-out groups performing favored pieces.
This is a fundraiser concert for the SAMC to help with costs of performing at Carnegie Hall in 2017. In addition to their songs, they will be selling etched pint and stemless wine glasses. The men are also preparing for the 2016-2017 season and hosting the Big Sing next April.
The chorus has been busy this year with performances including Real Men Sing, the Messiah concert, the Sing Off! and most recently, the Big Sing in Jamestown, N.D.
Concert Chair Robin Collins discussed the last season and found the highlight of their year again was performing at Real Men Sing. This year “we had a premier piece of work that we had commissioned ‘What Will We Promise?’ by (chorus member) Dave Bengtson and Christopher Aspaas,” Collins said.
“With Real Men Sing, the big thing is the opportunity to bring this event to these young men we invite in from the schools to participate and enjoy music together,” he continued “While there are a number of Real Men Sing events in the country now, we are certainly one of the first, and as far as we know, we are the only one that does it at no charge to the participants, other than their transportation.”
For many people, the Messiah at Christmastime was a favorite of the year. Collins remarked that for those in attendance, it is worth noting this performance was put on by “virtually all local talent...not only the singers but the instrumentalists as well. For a community two or three times the size of Staples, you are not seeing that sort of thing happen. We just do have this great music tradition here in town that is pretty cool. The opportunity to do stuff like that i’s very, very special.”
The Staples Area Women’s Chorus and Staples Motley High School music students collaborated in putting on this major work.
Jean Hayenga recently shared her enjoyment of the SAMC’s work. She strongly encourages anyone who has not yet seen the SAMC perform to give The Afterglow your time. “It’s a fun time, a party,” she added.
A cash bar will be available prior to the concert and between sets, with socializing with the musicians during the break and after the concert.
Mary Sperley, another audience member who has enjoyed this season’s performances of the SAMC said so far this year, her favorite performance this year was the Real Men Sing. “We are so blessed in this community with music,” Sperley noted.
Tickets are available at the Staples World and Nelson Insurance Agency in Staples, Long Prairie Chamber of Commerce, and online at www.staplesmen.org.
