Brenda TremblayThe brain child of Brenda Tremblay, music director of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Summer Renaissance Group is an opportunity for everyone from 12 to 112 who are trained singers or who “just like to sing for the pure joy of it” to join with members of local chorus groups to form “a casual summer chorus.” The group will meet at St. Luke’s, 14 State Street, Brockport, Thursday evenings, 7 to 8:30 p.m. beginning July 11.
“The Summer Renaissance Group is an opportunity for people to experience music in both a rich and casual way. The chorus will be unaccompanied by musical instruments so that pure voice will fill the room. Singers will be separated into groups, and the music will be sung in three or four parts, or what is known as polyphony. It is helpful if you can read music, but it isn’t a requirement. Sheet music will be supplied,” said Tremblay.
Members of the Sweden Senior Singers, the MadVocals from Brockport High School, and members of the Byron-Bergen Central School chorus have expressed enthusiastic interest. “I am delighted this experience spans the generations and that we will have high school students and senior citizens and those in between,” said Tremblay.
“St. Luke’s Church is a wonderful place to make music. The acoustics are excellent. It is like an amazing sound box. Music has a great power to inspire, heal and create wellbeing. It is also fun. Today we tend to consume music instead of make music. Summer Renaissance is an opportunity for us to make music,” said Tremblay. “The Summer Renaissance Group offers a way for people to connect with the art of music as well as with the art which lines the walls of St. Luke’s – the beautiful stained glass windows, five of which are the work of American master Louis Comfort Tiffany. Those who don’t care to sing, but who take pleasure in hearing others sing are welcome to come and listen to the music, take in St. Luke’s beautiful stained glass windows, and enjoy a summer evening with friends and neighbors.”
Brenda Tremblay has served as music and choir director at St. Luke’s for more than 10 years, sings in the Eastman-Rochester Chorus, hosts WXXI’s Classical 91.5 FM morning show, (6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, and streamed on the internet at WXXI.org), and hosts and produces the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts, aired on WXXI Monday evenings at 8 p.m. Contact her for information about the Renaissance group of singers she is forming at brendatremblay@yahoo.com.
