"I love being part of of the Jersey Harmony Chorus community and find that no matter how tired I feel, singing with friends who feel like family energizes me." Caryn Speizer, Bass
Holiday Strolling in Princeton
Every holiday season for the past several years, Jersey Harmony has brought smiles to kids and adults alike as we sang holiday songs and carols to the people walking and shopping in the Palmer Square area of Princeton. This year was no different.
We sang for about two hours. Not only did we sing outside on the sidewalks and plazas, but we also sang to the people shopping in some of the local stores and cafes. This event is always a favorite with our members.
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Holiday Concert at Stonebridge at Montgomery
The retirement community at Stonebridge at Montgomery enjoyed hearing us sing our full holiday repertoire again this year. We sang a bunch of our favorites like Traditional Carol Medley, Jingle Bell Rock, and Chanukah is Here as well as a new classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. We received a lot of positive feedback and enjoyed bringing some holiday cheer to all.
A Blast from the Past!
Our annual chorus show, JHC Mixtape - Friends 4Ever, took our audience back to the 80's as we sang favorite pop hits from the time period, incorporated the lingo, and dressed in neon colors fashionable at that time.
We sang at the All Saints Church in Princeton, NJ to an audience of about 125. The audience had the chance to hear from several fantastic quartets too.
Our basket raffle was a hit and after the show we had some social time with light bites and drinks. It was a very upbeat, energetic, fun event.
A Spooktacular Rehearsal for Halloween!
Singing with Jersey Harmony Chorus isn't just about creating a wonderful sound with our voices, we also take the time to have a little extra fun. To celebrate Halloween many of us dressed up to mark the spooky season. We came as a flapper, cat, leprechaun, and construction worker to name a few.​
Fun at VocalFest AND
45-Year Anniversary of Jersey Harmony Chorus!
Every year in the fall our region organizes a weekend learning retreat at the Sheraton Hotel in Parsippany, NJ called VocalFest. This is a weekend of singing, learning, and fun.
This year, Dynasty Quartet a 2024 Sweet Adelines International silver medalist, shared their vast singing knowledge with the region. In addition, there were lots of opportunities to sing in large group classes, quartet choruses, special events like Singing with the Champs, and the Novice Quartet Contest.
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During the celebratory dinner and chorus show, Jersey Harmony received an honorary certificate celebrating 45 years!
Harvest Home Festival
Almost every year we sing a collection of our songs at the Harvest Home Festival hosted by the Griggstown Reformed Church. This year is no different. On Saturday, August 16 at 4:00 pm, we will be singing popular hits and show tunes in 4-part, a cappella harmony.
This event is a fun way to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of fall. Come enjoy food, crafts, and games in addition to the music!
Pool Party!
Sometimes it is just fun for our chorus to get together to socialize. We also took this social opportunity to celebrate 80 years of Sweet Adelines International (SAI). Jersey Harmony Chorus is a chapter of this organization. SAI creates an amazing opportunity for all of us to sing together and learn barbershop harmony and other 4-part a cappella music.
Thank you to our member, Sarita, for hosting at her home. We all enjoyed the food, catching up with one another and having a chance to cool off in the pool on a hot July day.
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Singing at a Strawberry Festival
Peddler's Village invited us to sing at their annual Strawberry Festival. We sang five songs When I am 64 (Beetles), True Colors (Cyndi Lauper), Mermaid (Disney Little Mermaid Medley), Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper), and Dancing Queen (ABBA).
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There were crowds and crowds of people milling about at this particular Peddler's Village event - more people than usual. Adults and children danced and sang along with us at times which was fun to watch. We received a lot of positive feedback this time too. A great day for a strolling gig!
Competing in Albany, NY
This year, we chose to sing an uptune, The Moment I Saw Your Eyes, and a ballad, As Long As You Need Me. In the group photo with us in our red, sparkling tops, we are acting surprised at the good roll of the dice. One of the fun things about singing barbershop is the performance aspect. We never simply stand on stage with our heads in our sheet music. We use expression and body language to tell the story of the song.
The photo of us on the bus was taken before we performed. The bus took us from the hotel to the performance hall. We will be singing on stage very soon!
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After everyone is done competing, we gather in the evening for a buffet dinner and are entertained by the winning choruses and quartets. It's a fun weekend of singing and camaraderie.
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Two Days of Coaching by the
Talented Jack Pinto
We were lucky to have Jack Pinto coach us over a two day period this week to help us prepare for competition in Albany, NY this March. Jack has been a lifelong musician and has both sung in and directed award winning quartets and choruses. Currently, he is the director of the Sweet Adelines (SAI) Harmony Celebration Chorus.
Each year Jersey Harmony Chorus invites at least one outside coach to help us improve our singing craft so that we can perform our best when we compete alongside other SAI Region 15 choruses in the spring each year.
Happy Birthday to our Fabulous Director, Kat Britt!
Our chorus is extremely lucky to have Kat Britt as our director. She brings a vast amount of expertise to each rehearsal and always creates a positive, fun, upbeat environment that is supportive and conducive to learning and growing as singers. She is very dedicated and always gives her heart and soul to our chorus.
This year, we wished her a happy birthday by writing up news stories for the front page of a mock newspaper. We focused on all the things that make her special. If you are considering joining our chorus, please know that you will be in good hands with her as your director.