Ringing Hills Chorus prepares to sing barbershop harmony for annual concert in Montgomery County
Their annual show is this Saturday, November 4 at 2pm at Grace Lutheran Church of Pottstown.
POTTSTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Every Tuesday night, Julie MacGregor leads rehearsals for the Ringing Hills Chorus in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
"We are a group of women who like to sing," says MacGregor. "We entertain when we can."
The ladies are part of a chartered chorus of Sweet Adelines International. MacGregor says that organization consists of "about 20,000 women around the world."
MacGregor has been a member of the Ringing Hills Chorus for 25 years and director for the last three. She says music is a very important part of her life.
"I always say to people, I'm going to see 20 of my best friends on Tuesday night," she says.
The a cappella group sings in 4-part harmony. She says the leads sing the melody line, with a tenor singing a secondary harmony above that. Then, there's the basses that sing another harmony, along with the baritones.
"Usually I sing baritone," says MacGregor. "We're the ones that make our sound - barbershop."
The intergenerational chorus was founded more than 30 years ago. MacGregor says that nobody that sings with the group is a professional musician, but there is quite an age range.
"We have people in their late 20s and women who have reached their 90s," she says.
Jan Dunning, 91, is one of the original members of the Ringing Hills Chorus.
"I like to sing, and it makes you feel good when you're down," says Dunning.
She's credited with naming the chorus.
"We practiced at the high school in Pottsgrove, which is at the bottom of ringing hills," says Denning.
MacGregor calls Denning, "a role model for all of us."
"Jan is like our mama bear," says Kelly Takach, who's the youngest member of the Ringing Hills Chorus.
Takach says Denning brings "gummy bears every week" to rehearsals.
"It's something that we all look forward to," she says.
The chorus performs around the area. Their annual show is this Saturday, November 4 at 2pm at Grace Lutheran Church of Pottstown. Their show this year is called "Rollin' Along with Ringing Hills Chorus."
MacGregor says a variety of songs are performed to "try to appeal to everyone's sense of music."
"This is a fabulous group of people," she adds. "It gives me great joy."
"We enjoy what we're doing," says Denning.
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