What is the Greater Richmond Chorus?  This was the first thing that entered my head when my editor asked me to cover them.  Let me just put it out there that I know absolutely nothing about choral music.  A little internet research told me that they are a Sweet Adelines International Chorus.  In fact, the only one in Richmond.  Now if you are like me, this gives you no real insight into what they sound like, but apparently it means that they sing four part barbershop harmony.  Finally we are into territory that I have at least heard of, even if I am not all that familiar with what it should sound like.  Now all of this introduction has been to make sure that you understand just how out of my league I felt as I biked out to the Scottish Rite Temple on North-side.  I truly had no idea what to expect, but being of open mind I was hopeful that it would be a pleasant experience.

Looking back I do not feel that I am in any way qualified to review this phenomenal group, but I'll share with you some of the impressions that I had while being mesmerized by their performance.  In terms of the quality of their singing, I will just say that much more qualified judges than myself have given them stellar marks.  They are the current champions of the Blue Ridge Region of Sweet Adelines International, and have won that honor five times since 1998.  On top of that, in the most recent regional competition they scored higher than any chorus has in the past twenty years.  But who cares about awards anyways?  I was there to be entertained.

And I was not disappointed.  Actually with the knowledge I have now, I would be disappointed if my editor had not asked me to cover them.  Of course that gets into some complex questions of cause and effect along with some very weird mixing of multiple timelines, so I'll just leave it be and get on with the review.  The starting act was, to me, a bit cheesy.  It was obvious that this was a chorus and not an acting troupe.  This does not mean that the feeble attempts at acting were not entertaining; to the contrary they were hilarious.  Please don't get me wrong.  I do not mean to belittle the performers.  I just want to make it clear exactly how much better the singing was than the acting.  The range of sounds that these women managed to create with just their vocal chords was truly amazing both to me and it seemed to a majority of the audience.  Once the initial attempts to have a plot line had fizzled out, the chorus was free to get down to business and really show off their talents.  

If you are familiar with choral music you know how great it can sound at its best.  If you are not familiar, then you will just have to take my word for it.  As someone who was about as unfamiliar with this style of music as anyone can be, I have to say that my practice of always having an open mind about new things has paid off tenfold in this instance.  But if you are still skeptical about how talented these ladies are, or even if you believe every word I've said, go check them out at the Grand Illumination on December 4th.  You won't regret it.

By Editing Department, Regional Editor and Author: Robin Marschak

Robin Marschak was born and raised in Richmond, but has only recently moved back after two years in California.  He loves all types of music from Jimmy Rodgers to Daft Punk to Tower of Power and all things in between.  He is currently a student at VCU and living in Oregon Hill.  Some of his favorite artists include Old Crow Medicine Show, Mark Campbell, and Steve Earl.  Other than listening to music and writing, Robin's hobbies include eating, sleeping, and an occasional guilt induced fit of exercise.  You can follow his adventures in local music on Twitter @robinmarschak, or hear some of the non-local music that he enjoys at either last.fm/user/beerdo231 or blip.fm/beerdo.

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