The Smith River Singers celebrated their 10th anniversary with a stirring Christmas concert on December 9 at the Galilean House of Worship. The centerpiece of the performance was Handel’s Messiah, drawing an audience of nearly 1,000 people to the venue.
The choir, which began in 2014 with just 23 members, has grown to more than 80 singers. “We were very small and kind of struggling a little bit at the beginning,” said Dr. Pam Randall, who leads the group. “The youngest singer is 14 or 15, and the oldest singer is 91. We span a very large range of ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, and races. It’s a choir that represents the community.”
The Galilean House of Worship has hosted the event since before the COVID-19 pandemic, after the concert outgrew its original location at First Baptist Church. “We quickly outgrew that facility,” Randall said. The current venue, which seats about 1,000 people, features a choir loft that can accommodate up to 85 singers. “It’s a great venue for us to perform in,” she said.
Professional opera singers joined the performance as soloists, alongside Still Water, a small ensemble within the Smith River Singers, which performed Silent Night and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. A live orchestra, which included students from Bassett High School, added depth to the program. “Our very own bass is singing the bass solo,” Randall said.
The choir, composed of non-auditioned volunteer singers from Martinsville and Henry County, focuses on bringing free music to the community. The group presents both a winter and a spring performance. “It’s a different feeling when you sing in a massive choir like this,” Randall said. “People like the magic that a large group of voices can create.”
The choir began rehearsals for the concert in early September. Most participants are returning singers, but Randall noted that about 10 new members joined this year. The performance, which highlighted the Christmas portions of Handel’s Messiah, included texts drawn from the King James Bible.
“It is the highlight of my Christmas singing,” Randall said. She added that the choir provides a creative outlet that brings her “a ton of joy.” The group was also featured this year on PBS’s Buzz 4Good, which showcases nonprofits. “They’re really passionate about singing,” Randall said.
The Smith River Singers will return to the Galilean House of Worship for their Spring Concert on May 12 at 7 p.m. The event will be free to the public. More information about the choir and how to join can be found at www.smithriversingers.org.
Thank you for this article. We love singing in this choir under the direction of Dr. Randall.