SCHOOLS: Elite High School Chamber Chorus Prepares for Ambitious European Trip

While there has been little doubt locally about the quality of Groton-Dunstable High School Chamber Chorus, it has only been in the last several years that this high performing chorus been noticed in music circles around the nation and even internationally.

This elevation of status began when the chorus performed at the 2012 Olympics in London. Their performance got the attention of many in the music world and so a small chorus from a small town in the United States received international notice and things have not been the same for the chorus since that time.

Groton-Dunstable Music Director Tim Savoy, who has guided the music program at the high school for the past nine years, deserves much of the credit for the transformation of the chorus into an elite group whose performances have swept competitions in the eastern half of the United States. When Savoy came to Groton-Dunstable, the Chamber Chorus was already in existence. In his initial years Savoy took steps to improve the quality of the chorus including establishing higher standards to become accepted into the chorus. These standards included previous participation in a chorus for one semester, ability to sight read music and, most difficult of all, to audition for entrance into the chorus.

The chorus is now an honors program with 24 to 30 members and meets in class five days a week. In the past six years the chorus has participated in competition performances throughout the state and region and more recently in national competitions. In addition to Massachusetts the chorus has performed in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Ohio and has come out on top in all those competitions.

One of the crowning moments for the chorus came when they won what is called the "Grand Sweep." The Grand Sweep is essentially like a World Series in Baseball except it includes eight different competitions. At the conclusion of the eight competitions, scores for each competing choruses are calculated over the eight different performances and combined for a total score. When scores were tabulated, Groton-Dunstahle received the top score and the prize of winning the Grand Sweep.

The chorus has also won Best Sectional competitions for tenors, sopranos, altos and accompanists. Of course, another crowning moment for the chorus was their performance at the 2012 Olympics and the notoriety they gained from that performance. That performance also proved to be a game changer for the chorus as they became the object of demand for venues nationally and internationally.

Savoy said that in the past year the chorus has received approximately 50 invitations to perform at different places not only in the United States but also around the world.

Because of funding limitations, the chorus cannot accept most invitations. Savoy said he usually reviews invitations with his students to help in deciding which might be worth an effort to attend. The invitations which drew Savoy and his students' attention was a multi-performance venue covering three countries in seven days in April.

The three countries include Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic. The cities where they would perform are Venice, St. Petersburg in Austria and Prague in the Czech Republic. The tour would take place during Holy Week and the performances would be held in different cathedrals in those cities.

Such an ambitious trip is costly and Savoy said the parents of chorus members will be paying for most of those costs, but while some parents can meet the estimated cost for their child, others cannot. And so, to ensure that all chorus members can participate, several fundraising activities are being planned by the Music Department. Fundraising information can be found at: www.gdchamberchorus.org.

The first fundraising event is a concert Friday, Jan. 3, 2014 at the Black Box Theater at the high school. The concert will feature the student band "Aero" and the Groton-Dunstable Teacher's Band. Members of Aero are graduates of Groton-Dunstable High School, most of whom graduated in 2007. Members of the Groton-Dunstable Teacher's Band include Savoy on piano and teachers from different school in the district. Tickets are $20 and will be available at the door. Tickets will also be available in advance at several stores around town.

Another concert will be held Saturday, Feb. 1 at Groton Dunstabhle Performing Arts Center and will feature Livingston Taylor. Tickets for this concert are $35 and a VIP ticket will also be available for $75.

The VIP ticket will allow ticket holders to meet with Livingston Taylor after the concert. Tickets will be available at several store locations around town and also by calling Lisa Sousa at 978-399-8451.