Senior singers return to stage with free showtune concert

May 31, 2023 | Miasha Lee

WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Do Re Mi Singers are back on stage after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

“I want this to be the best that they can possibly do,” said director Cathy Berry. “The singers are very enthusiastic about the program, as well as I am. We’ve been working on this program for a long time. I began putting this together before COVID. We started to work on it and then COVID jumped in. Now, we have an opportunity to bring this program back.”

The free concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in King Hall at Mittineague Congregational Church, 1840 Westfield St., West Springfield. The program is called “The Wide World of Music in Broadway and in Movies,” and selections will include music from productions such as “The Sound of Music,” “The King and I,” “Peter Pan,” “Man of La Mancha” and more. All are invited and refreshments will be served.

The Do Re Mi Chorus is an all-volunteer senior chorus that has performed at senior centers, assisted living facilities and nursing homes in Hampden and Hampshire counties. Its repertoire includes seasonal carols, folk, rock, classical, jazz, show tunes and patriotic hymns. Currently, there are 30 members who come from Westfield and the surrounding towns.

Berry was a music teacher at elementary schools, Westfield North Middle School and Westfield High School before she retired. One day she received a call from Tina Gorman, executive director of the Westfield Senior Center, who was looking for someone to direct the chorus. That was 15 years ago.

As the director, Berry comes up with the theme for each performance and researches the music to make a cohesive program. She focuses on delivering the best quality sound that is possible in the group, along with expression to make the words come alive.

“I’m always striving for the best sound that we can achieve,” Berry said. “I want to raise the bar and sing music that is accessible. It’s always with the idea that the group is going to present a program that’s enjoyable and relatable for the audience.”

She went on to say, “The relationship within the group is very good. Everybody is very friendly and supportive of each other. It’s always a pleasure when I lead and it’s a special pleasure when the music comes together. I really enjoy it. It’s my life.”

Member Karen Gladwin has been in the Do Re Mi Chorus for five years. She’s had a passion for music since she was young, earning a bachelor’s degree in music education and teaching music in Cheshire, Adams, Ludlow and Westfield.

“There’s a lot of wonderful things about being in the group,” Gladwin said. “Part of it is making lots of new friends, but just the mission of the group, to go out, sing for people and entertain them. The audience gets so much enjoyment out of what we do, and it gives us joy as well.”

“The best part of being in the group is getting together with others who enjoy the singing of music,” added Carl Vincent, a Westfield resident who’s been a Do Re Mi member for 20 years. “More importantly is the sharing our love of it with others. Also, seeing people enjoying and connecting with it and bringing them happiness and joy that we can see by their responses and reactions.”

Westfield resident Rosey Bonner has been a part of the chorus since she retired in 2017. Bonner has always loved music and singing. She sang in school and church choirs and took organ lessons for eight years.

“It was something for me to do after working a million hours a week,” Bonner said, when asked why she joined the chorus. “I thought it was time to give back to the community, and what better way to do it than to do it through singing, which is something I love to do. It’s one of the ways I volunteer and give back to the community.” She continued, “Cathy Berry has always chosen music that fits the choir and its voices. It’s fun music, it’s pop music, it’s Broadway music. It’s a variety of genres. Plus, I love the people that I sing with, they’re great people. They love music and life. It’s a good place to go for socialization.”

Berry’s goal this summer is to research music and come up with a new program while still performing this one.

“Music is such a powerful and healthy activity when you come together in a group like this to sing,” Berry said. “This is not about me; this is about all of us. We work together and that’s very important to me because it establishes our relationship that’s based on respect and commonality for music.”

For seniors interested in joining, the Do Re Mi Chorus meets 1-2:30 p.m. Mondays at the Westfield Senior Center, 45 Noble St., Westfield.

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