JOIN THE CLUB: Bluebonnet Chorale is pitch-perfect in its musical mission
Members of the Bluebonnet Chorale get a few last-minute instructions from Director Mary Williams (left) before a May performance for Abundant Life Fellowship at First Baptist Church in Marble Falls. Abundant Life is a program for people ages 55 and older. At the piano is accompanist Cathy Frioux of Bertram. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Becoming a member of the Bluebonnet Chorale puts a song in your heart and lifts your spirits, whether rehearsing or performing, agree the 35 or so voices who make up this volunteer Highland Lakes-area choir.
“I love it when, after weeks of practice, a song comes together and the music puts a chill down your spine because the song is so beautiful,” said Marybeth Edeen of Marble Falls. “I also really enjoy it when we perform a song and members of the audience, especially in the nursing homes, sing along with us because I know how music can transport you back to another time and place.”
The chorale rehearses from 2-4 p.m. on Mondays at The Church at Horseshoe Bay, although it is not affiliated with the church or any religion. Many members sing in their own church choirs. All of them come together for the love of performance and song.
“It’s fun to sing, and it’s always a good blend of old familiar songs and newer tunes,” said Tricia Roe of Kingsland. “I find myself singing one song or another from our playlist as I go through the week, and it always reminds me of how important music is in my life. Being in the chorale has been a real blessing.”
The season begins with a rehearsal on the first Monday after Labor Day and runs through May. The group learns three sets of music, one each for fall, Christmas, and spring performances.
In charge of corralling all of this chorale enthusiasm is Director Mary Williams of Sunrise Beach Village, a retired teacher with 31 years of experience, including at Marble Falls High School. She is also the choir director at her church, St. Paul the Apostle in Horseshoe Bay.
“Our mission is to bring music and love of life and entertainment to others who can’t come to us,” Williams said. “And for us, nothing cheers us up better than a 30-minute presentation when whoever’s there recognizes the song and sings with you.”
The choir performs at joyous events in libraries, churches, and nursing homes, dressed in their bright blue collared shirts and black pants and sporting big smiles on cheerful faces.
“We sing pop and fun songs,” Williams said. “We have a fun time and lift people’s spirits.”
The only requirement to join is a shared joy of singing. No one has to audition. If you want to join, you are in, Williams said.
“We have had women who were Broadway singers with lots of stage experience and others who don’t read music at all,” she said. “I don’t make anyone memorize anything. I just want them to know it well enough that we are not glued to the music and can add movement and fun.”
Horseshoe Bay resident Gerry Kirby has been a member of the Bluebonnet Chorale since 1998. The group started in 1995.
“I’m still there because it lifts me up,” she said. “And, more importantly, we leave our audience with a song in their heart.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world in 2020, the chorale had around 60 members. The size is down by about half that number now, but Williams hopes to have closer to 40 for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
“That would be just big enough to have a great sound but small enough to fit into every venue,” she said.
While the pandemic caused some members to step back, others joined once the lockdown was over.
“I needed to get back out in the world and live life after the shutdown,” said Vivian Barrineau of Horseshoe Bay. “We bring our songs to people who don’t necessarily have the opportunity to hear this kind of music anymore. Music is a beautiful gift. It touches our soul and enriches our lives.”
The effect of a toe-tapping tune becomes especially evident at assisted-living facilities.
“It touches people,” said Cookie Puckett of Horseshoe Bay. “We go to the rest homes, and some of them don’t remember their kids, but they remember the songs we sing.”
The relationship with older audiences is mutually beneficial for these “broads who sing like angels,” Puckett continued.
“When you get older, sometimes you can’t do some of the things you used to do, but this is something we can still do that’s of value to someone else,” she said of being a member of the choir. “It’s a service. It makes people feel better. I think music is magic.”
To be part of that magic, call 325-423-0023 or email jrmmwms655@gmail.com. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/BluebonnetsChorale.