It’s been a long two years.

As with so many choral groups around the world, March 2020 brought rehearsals for the Tri City Community Chorus to a screeching halt.

As it became clear that we wouldn’t be singing or performing together for quite some time, our members began staying in touch through Zoom and an active Facebook group.

But just like any family that’s suddenly separated, we’ve missed each other.

We’ve missed piling into the Mason’s Hall in Saco every Monday night, sharing news of the week, a laugh, a joke.

We’ve missed sitting side by side for two hours, working hard to get the music just right, always leaving feeling more energized than when we arrived.

In August 2021, with the “safety net” of vaccines, masks, and a large, well-ventilated rehearsal space, we dipped our toes back in the water and began rehearsing for a December 2021 Holiday concert.

Feelings were tentative, at first. Rather than leaving rehearsals feeling elated and overjoyed, we’d look at each other over our masks as we left the building and say things like, “How do you think that went? Did it go well?”

It was almost like starting from the beginning again.

We’re sitting six feet apart, not side by side. We’re in a larger space, and we’re wearing masks, so we’ve got to sing more loudly than before, even when the music says to sing softly.

And, sadly, we’ve lost several of our long-term family members during the time we’ve been apart, one to COVID and one to cancer.

But the joy of singing together again has grown, week by week.

Now, we are excited to be preparing for our Winter 2021 Holiday Concert, entitled “Hope for the Holidays: A Jubilant Return to Song.”

The concert will take place on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 3 pm. at the beautiful Performing Arts Center at Biddeford Middle School, 25 Tiger Way (off Hill Street) in Biddeford.

All who attend must wear a mask, and the large auditorium will allow for distanced seating.

Rather than selling advance tickets, we will be accepting “free will donations” at the door.

The Tri City Community Chorus is a 501.c.3 non-profit group with deep roots in the Biddeford-Saco community.

We’ve been performing in the Biddeford-Saco area since the chorus was formed in 1998. In 2018, we celebrated our 20th anniversary, and we look forward to a gala concert in the spring of 2023 to mark our 25th anniversary.

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