PERFORMING ARTS Director of choir keeps singing fun

The only adult show choir in the area has its second performance Thursday.
By AMBER HYLAND
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
STRUTHERS -- Singing should be fun, not burdensome.
That's the philosophy Bob Noble takes with him as he directs the only adult show choir in the area, the Struthers Community Show Choir.
The group's 32 members are 18 or older.
Noble said many of the members are former students of his from the Struthers High School choir or a show choir he once directed.
Although Noble said he had the idea for an adult show choir for a while, he waited for a couple years after his retirement to audition members.
"Working with adults is more relaxed. You're not pressured by deadlines," Noble said, remembering the tight schedules that high school show choirs have to follow.
Noble is still considerate of high school show choirs, making sure that the adult show choir's performance season doesn't compete with other choirs' busy Christmas season.
The group's performance season runs from February to October.
Relaxed commitment
Noble added that he wants the group to be as relaxed as possible because he knows that adults have jobs and children to take care of. This is why the group schedules only six to eight performances each season.
The group gets together once a month for 21/2 hours. The members receive CDs with music to practice their parts on their own. Practice is a time to put all of the singing parts together and rehearse.
Although most show choirs choreograph songs, Noble's group doesn't -- yet.
Noble said he wanted to keep it simple at first and work on vocals.
This was important because many of the members were nervous about singing again, Noble said, adding that confidence was restored after the group sang together.
"I always knew they'd sound good," Noble said. "I never had any doubts."
Upcoming performance
The group will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday at Mauthe Park as a part of the Music in the Park Concert Series. The concert series is promoted by the City of Struthers.
The group will perform a variety of music, including popular, jazz and Broadway songs. Some selections include: "Seasons of Love," "We Are Family", "Embraceable You," a medley of Aretha Franklin songs and selections from the musical "Chicago."
Feature soloists include: Renee Duran, Dana McIntosh and April Anderson.
Noble will perform a tribute of four songs made popular by Josh Groban.
The group hopes to perform in Struthers, Poland, Campbell and Lowellville before the end of its performance season in October.
The group's first performance was held at the Boardman Relay for Life in May.
Open auditions
The Struthers Community Show Choir will hold auditions the first two Sundays of November this year.
Noble said auditions last for about 10 minutes.
He asks those auditioning to match pitches and sing a song they know to find out their range.
He added that he doesn't want more than 50 members in the group because this would be difficult for the group when they start choreography.
Noble said he sees a need for more tenors and basses in the group.
Interested persons can contact Bob Noble about the group at Struthers Community Show Choir, PO Box 161, Struthers, Ohio, 44471.