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A cappella singers are just a bunch of Treble Makers during the holidays

Choir schedules strong of concerts

When the holiday season comes, the Park City Treble Makers rise to the occasion.

The 16-voice, all female a cappella choir, now in its fifth year, has booked its busiest season yet, said director Shelle Jennings.

“We have eight gigs to perform between Dec. 3 and Dec. 17,” Jennings said during a joint Park Record interview with second soprano Renee Mox Hall and second alto Karen Nielsen. “It’s who we are as the Park City Treble Makers, and we’re really excited to do this.”

Here is the schedule:

  • Dec. 3 — 1 p.m. at Swaner EcoCenter, 1258 Center Drive at Kimball Junction, during the Park City Summit County Arts Council’s Art Elevated exhibit and sale.
  • Dec. 9 — 6 p.m. at Elk Meadows Assisted Living, 400 W. 4200 North in Oakley.
  • Dec. 10 —1 p.m. at Beehive House, 241 S. Highland Drive.
  • Dec. 11 — 4 p.m. Salon Concert at a local home
  • Dec. 14 — 11 a.m. at Newcomers of Greater Park City meeting at Park City Community Church, 4501 N. S.R. 224.
  • Dec. 16 — 6 p.m. at Billy Blanco’s, 8208 Gorgoza Pines Road, for the People’s Health Clinic holiday party.
  • Dec. 17 — 5 p.m. at Santa Claus’ arrival at the Town Lift Plaza.
  • Dec. 17 — 8 p.m. at the Park City Holiday Spectacular at the Egyptian Theatre, 328 Main St.The concerts on Dec. 3, 14 and 17 are for the public.

    Some of the concerts are like a reunion of sorts, Jennings said.

    “We did both Elk Meadows and Newcomers Club of Greater Park City the very first year we got together, and the Swaner EcoCenter was the first place we ever performed,” she said. “I was terrified because we were brand new, but it’s been fun to go back to those places and see and perform for everyone again and remember what it was like.”

    Mox Hall said the People’s Health Clinic party is also another event that Treble Makers has continued throughout since the early days.

    “If not, we have definitely performed for them at least four years,” she said.

    The Beehive House is new this year.

    “It’s a new assisted living facility on the access road just off I-80,” Jennings said. “It’s a small home, but they are looking forward to having us there, which is terrific.”

    The performance the group is ramping up for this year is the salon concert.

    The idea was inspired by Leslie and Russell Harlow of the Park City Beethoven Festival, a chamber concert organization, Nielsen said.

    “They are dear friends of ours they do salon concerts during their seasonal festivals,” she said.

    A typical salon concert features a performance, but also offers food and beverages.

    “The artists sing and the take a break and meet and dine with the audience,” Nielsen said. “So, I put some feelers out with the steering committee and asked if we could do our own salon concert.”

    One of the Treble Makers members offered her Jeremy Ranch home for the event.

    During the concert, Jennings will perform with friend and violinist Patricia Toth Mayo, and singer Katrina Kmak, who will narrate the Winter movement of Vivadli’s “Four Seasons.”

    “Patricia and I do a lot of work around town and we’ve been friends since she moved here,” Jennings said.

    The selections for each performance is culled from 18 seasonal numbers in the Park City Treble Makers’ repertoire.

    “With the exception of the salon concert, where we will perform all the songs, we perform different songs and do different things,” Jennings said. “As we get to know the people we perform for, we realize that different numbers are more appreciated than others in different places.”

    During the Park City Holiday Spectacular, the choir will introduce some instrumentation.

    “How do you spell kazoo?” Jennings said with a laugh. “That will be great fun.”

    When the group performs at Elk Meadows and the Beehive House, it will sing standards, including “White Christmas” and “Jingle Bells.”

    “We will also do some caroling,” Jennings said. “I know some of these residents may not know who won the presidential election, but they may remember having sung ‘The First Noel’ when they were younger.”

    The performances will feature a little different set up.

    “I like for each of our members to stand behind some the residents and sing to them, rather than perform for them,” Jennings said.

    The Newcomer’s Club performance will include a special request by Nielsen.

    “Karen asked if we can reintroduce a setting of ‘Ave Maria,’” Jennings said. “So, we’re doing the sacred, mixed with the fun and secular.”

    Singing with the Park City Treble Makers is a way for Mox Hall and her musical sisters to give back to the community.

    “Like all art forms, if there is no one to receive it, there really is no point to do it,” she said. “Yes, we enjoy singing. We enjoy being together. We love singing together. These are my dearest of friends, but in order to give our group purpose, we need someone to perform for.”

    From the onset, Jennings and the Park City Treble Makers’ steering committee came up with an idea to serve Park City’s nonprofit organizations.

    “During the holiday season, everyone puts on an appreciation party for the community and for those people who keep the organizations operating,” Mox Hall said. “With the Park City Treble Makers, we can serve these nonprofit organizations, while filling our own souls as well.”

    For more information about the Park City Treble Makers, visit http://www.facebook.com/parkcitytreblemakers.


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