Rockford Area Arts Commission

Rockford Community Choir
Renee Vande Wege – Conductor
Kayle Clements – Accompanist

Choir rehearsals are Thursday nights, 7:00 – 8:30 in the Rockford Freshman Center Choir Room. We ask for a $30 donation to help cover the cost of new music and folders. Rehearsals begin again January 5 and run through April 12, 2012.

Seventh Grade thru Adult – for information, contact Mrs. Renee Vande Wege at (616) 866-8378 or rvandewege@gmail.com.

Next Concert:
2012 Spring Concert
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Rockford Fine Arts Auditorium (High School)

Conductor: Renee Vande Wege
Rehearsals: Thursday nights, 7:00 – 8:30pm
Place: Rockford Freshman Center Choir Room

The Rockford Community Choir is sponsored by the Rockford Area Arts Commission and has been in existence for more than 25 seasons. It has been my recent privilege to take on the directorship, after singing with the choir for six years under two previous directors, the latest of whom has agreed to be our choir’s new accompanist! Welcome back, Kayle!

We rehearse September through May and perform two major concerts a year. No audition is required. We currently have 25 singers and welcome others to join us. Season finale concerts are held in conjunction with the Rockford Community Band, Orchestra and Children’s Choir. Other performances and venues may be added throughout the season, based on choir member availability and community interest.

A typical rehearsal involves warm-ups, technique refinement, literature study, occasional listening, basic movements (to improve artistry) and announcements or good things (an opportunity to share with others).

Renee Vande Wege, Rockford Community Choir Director, has been involved with the Rockford Area Arts Commission since 2002. In 2011, she launched a local music business, Vande Wege Vocals, through which she teaches a variety of local music classes and conducts the Rockford Community Children’s Choir (RC3). Vande Wege has also been teaching private voice lessons in the area since 2001. She is a member of the Opera Grand Rapids chorus and enjoys performing in and instructing local Children’s Opera Workshops. Vande Wege earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Hope College (’00), and her Master of Music in Music Education from Michigan State University (’05). She is married to local singer/song-writer, Mr. Picklehead of Dilly Songs. The Vande Weges reside in Rockford with their children, Emily and Levi.

2011-2012 Community Choir Members

Soprano I
Joyce Andrus
Heather Brown
Lynsey Brown
Lisa Parker
Beverly Tremlin
Anna Wilson

Soprano II
Cindy Beel-Bates
Barbara Bissell
Stephanie Fischer
JoAnn Manino
Jane Meyers

Alto
Jackie Barth
Joann Caldwell
Lara Goldsmith
Rhonda Lehan
Katherine Parker
Lisa Posthumus

Tenor
Bob Andrews
Judy Baer
Randall Posthumus

Bass
James Goldsmith
Jeff Lewis
Charlie Sears
Aaron Vande Wege