Sippican Chorus celebrates the glory of Springtime
The Sippican Choral Society presented their spring concert at Wickenden Chapel on Sunday, May 3. From the left, Rachel Lewis, Bernadette Hanks and Mary Denker. Photos by Mari Huglin 
Darry Dolezal is the music director for the Sippican Chorus. 
David Howley, left, and Mike Chaplain warm up before the show. 
Mason Tran, the oboist reads his music. 
Jack Dresser, left, and Brian Billiter sing together. 
Darry Dolezal directs the chorus in front of the audience. 
Members join together to sing "Gloria" by Vivaldi. 
Sun streamed through the windows at Wickenden Chapel. 
The group put on their annual spring concert to celebrate the coming of spring. 
The chrous sang together.
The Sippican Choral Society presented their spring concert at Wickenden Chapel on Sunday, May 3. From the left, Rachel Lewis, Bernadette Hanks and Mary Denker. Photos by Mari Huglin
Darry Dolezal is the music director for the Sippican Chorus.
David Howley, left, and Mike Chaplain warm up before the show.
Mason Tran, the oboist reads his music.
Jack Dresser, left, and Brian Billiter sing together.
Darry Dolezal directs the chorus in front of the audience.
Members join together to sing "Gloria" by Vivaldi.
Sun streamed through the windows at Wickenden Chapel.
The group put on their annual spring concert to celebrate the coming of spring.
The chrous sang together.
MARION — Voices rang out and filled a sunlit Wickenden Chapel with a feeling of hope and welcoming spring on Sunday, May 3 at a Sippican Choral Society concert.
The group held their annual spring concert “The Glory of Spring” with pieces from Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and classic arrangements of “The Nightingale" and “Down by the Riverside”.
President of the Sippican Choral Society Kelli McSweeny created the concert around “Gloria” and decided to celebrate spring. The concert was made up of shorter, lighthearted pieces that were “rousing” but not all "spiritual".
“It's the beginning of May and it's been a really cold winter and cold April, so we just want to celebrate the beginning of spring,” McSweeny said.
The chorus is made up of around 44 members, but the group is always open to newcomers.
One chorus member Karen DeVoe of Marion is an alto and soloist for the group. She has been with them for around 30 years, joining after she graduated college since her mom was in the group.
DeVoe said choral music is one of her passions. Her favorite part about being in the group is creating art with other musicians and singers.
“I love to come and jump in with this group, whatever the group happens to be at the time, and just make beautiful music together with great people and just have these really great experiences,” DeVoe said.
The singer said it is “invaluable” for the community to be able to come together and experience classic chorus music together since it has such a long history.
“There's no substitute for live music and people sitting in the audience get to experience that just live moment of hearing all that wonderful music and I would say whatever style it is, it should be performed to it,” DeVoe said.
She said the chorus is great for making new friends from across the South Coast and is happy there is always an audience to support their art.
Sandra Smith of Marion attended the concert in support of one of her friends and to enjoy the choral music.
She said she would have come even if her friend was not performing.
“I'm sort of here to support her but also because I love music- all kinds of music,” Smith said.
Smith said she was most excited to hear the chorus accompanied by the small orchestra.
She said it is important to celebrate music together in the community especially since she is close with many other audience members.
“Community is really important to me. The community supported me through a hard time and it's just really nice to see friends and people that I know,” Smith said.
