Tri-City Community Chorus director Christian Giddings talked about his work with the 50-member chorus, and his love of music in a recent interview. The chorus will be hosting a performance Dec. 17 at Biddeford Middle School. Tammy Wells Photo
BIDDEFORD — Hired over the summer as the director of Tri-City Community Chorus, Christian Giddings is in his element.
These days, the 50 or so member chorus is in rehearsals for their upcoming concert “When the Snow Falls… A Winter Evening with the Tri-City Community Chorus,” set for 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at the performing arts center at Biddeford Middle School.
Rehearsals are at the Little Theater at Biddeford High School on Mondays. Chorus members settle into theater seats and sing.
Giddings plans the music, making sure it is challenging, there is a good variety, and it is music people like.
“I try to program really good music,” he said. “The fact they give up two hours every week I hold dear.”
Giddings, 32, has been immersed in music since he was a child, and holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral conducting from the University of Arizona.
He was raised in Unity, got his first guitar when he was 12 years old, and joined the school choir in middle school. He had a metal band while a student at Mount View High School in Thorndike, where the football team at the time did not do well, but the music program was vibrant, he recalled with a smile. He was a member of the school choir that travelled to California to sing at the Crystal Cathedral and at other venues. Back at school, that same choir performed 31 Christmas concerts in 25 days he said, plus stops at a local nursing home to sing for residents.
“I fell in love with music,” said Giddings, “and my school happened to be steeped in chamber music.”
Tri-City Community Chorus, in rehearsals for their upcoming performance Dec. 17, paused for a group photo, accompanied by director Christian Giddings, standing left. Tammy Wells Photo
By day, Giddings is the choral director at Noble High School in North Berwick. He is also in his final season as director of CODA Chorus in Winthrop. As well, Giddings is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine Augusta, where he teaches composition and voice.
For fun, he said, he likes to write songs.
“I had heard of this chorus for quite some time,” he said. “I like to work with community groups in general. I like choral groups like this one, (where) people from all walks of life come together for a common goal.”
Everyone is there because they want to be, he pointed out.
“I like the energy and enthusiasm of the people here,” said Giddings.
Tri-City Community Chorus will mark its 25th anniversary in 2023, and there is a program in the planning stages for a spring celebratory concert.
Some members have been around since the early days, and some, like Jeffrey Coggins, the pianist of the group, have been involved for a while — he joined in 2015. Others are relatively new to the choir, like Charlotte Nolan, who moved to Scarborough from Bridgton – she formerly sang with a choral group in Lewiston.
“I really enjoy this chorus,” she said.
Patricia Lachance has been a chorus member for 15 years and is the membership secretary and music librarian. At one time, she said, her husband and daughters also sang in the chorus.
“I don’t read music,” she said, who enjoys singing with the group. “I’ve learned a tremendous amount from the directors.”
Debora Berry joined in 2012, after her fiancée died suddenly of heart failure. “It helped me through the grieving process,” she said.
Brian Gooze said he joined because he felt like he was missing something and had always enjoyed singing in school.
Jessica Paiva has been a member for at least a decade and has known some choir members since she was a baby. Being able to make music with them is something special, she said.
While they rehearse for the upcoming performance, chorus board President Joyce Hollman reflected on her enjoyment of the group.
“It’s like having an extra family,” she said. “We often talk about our chorus family.”
Giddings said the upcoming winter performance on Dec. 17 will feature 16 pieces — some nostalgic, some with romance, sacred music, secular music, and some he called just fun — all in keeping with the theme of snow.
Giddings is enjoying his work and the chorus.
“I just love what I do,” he said.
Tickets are available at Hannaford in Biddeford, Community Pharmacy in Saco, from any chorus member, or at the door.
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