MONROE - Mary Soddy has served as accompanist, given piano and voice lessons and spent her life working to make her own music as well as the music of others better - which is why she felt directing the Green County Harmony Chorus would be a good job for her.
"They've kind of been doing the same thing for a number of years and I hope to help them learn new music," Soddy said. "I'm kind of in the learning phase right now."
Not that Soddy sought out the position, however.
Chorus president Ron Johnson said he approached Soddy in March to take over the choir and become the fifth director the group, a men's chorus made up of bass, tenors, baritones and lead harmonizers, since it was established in 1962.
"I'm the one who recruited her," Johnson said. "I've known her for a long time and thought she would do well; that the guys would like her."
Now Soddy said she hopes to help the group that has existed for 55 years. Singing memorized music, the group performs at about a dozen area churches throughout the summer as well as local events like the biannual Green County Cheese Days festival.
"I said 'I'm not a conductor, I'm an accompanist,'" Soddy said, recalling when she was asked to take the job. "As an accompanist, you're always problem-solving and always helping the performer get it. That's your job."
Johnson, who has sung with the group as a bass for 40 years, said he hopes the group can resume performing an annual show they stopped hosting three years ago.
Currently, the chorus has focused on recruiting members. Though the ideal number of members would be 40, Johnson said there are about 20 singers in the choir now. The assortment includes singers from Blanchardville, Monroe, Freeport, Lena and Stockton.
"I hope we grow," Johnson said. "I'd like to see us start up the annual show again."
Soddy intends to aid with the process of learning new music. The chorus sings a cappella, songs without instrumental support, in a barbershop style. The group performs standard barbershop songs as well as gospel, sacred pop and novelty tunes. Johnson encouraged anyone interested in the group to attend rehearsals, which take place at 7 p.m. every other Tuesday in the basement of St. John's United Church of Christ in Monroe or contact him directly at 608-325-5414 for more information.
As a part of her duties as director, Soddy also hopes to bring in new members.
"I'm pretty well-known around town," Soddy said. "I tell people all about it when I see them around town. I work with a lot of singers. I'm just going to keep talking."
Soddy accompanies groups and individual vocalists. She has helped Monroe High School performers with solo and ensemble competitions, played piano for a number of area churches and for the Monroe Theatre Guild. The experience of bolstering a crowd has been one she has been continually honing since she was young.
"It's a neat thing to be a part of a group that gives people pleasure," Soddy said. "When you get an emotional response from the audience - that's why performers perform."
"They've kind of been doing the same thing for a number of years and I hope to help them learn new music," Soddy said. "I'm kind of in the learning phase right now."
Not that Soddy sought out the position, however.
Chorus president Ron Johnson said he approached Soddy in March to take over the choir and become the fifth director the group, a men's chorus made up of bass, tenors, baritones and lead harmonizers, since it was established in 1962.
"I'm the one who recruited her," Johnson said. "I've known her for a long time and thought she would do well; that the guys would like her."
Now Soddy said she hopes to help the group that has existed for 55 years. Singing memorized music, the group performs at about a dozen area churches throughout the summer as well as local events like the biannual Green County Cheese Days festival.
"I said 'I'm not a conductor, I'm an accompanist,'" Soddy said, recalling when she was asked to take the job. "As an accompanist, you're always problem-solving and always helping the performer get it. That's your job."
Johnson, who has sung with the group as a bass for 40 years, said he hopes the group can resume performing an annual show they stopped hosting three years ago.
Currently, the chorus has focused on recruiting members. Though the ideal number of members would be 40, Johnson said there are about 20 singers in the choir now. The assortment includes singers from Blanchardville, Monroe, Freeport, Lena and Stockton.
"I hope we grow," Johnson said. "I'd like to see us start up the annual show again."
Soddy intends to aid with the process of learning new music. The chorus sings a cappella, songs without instrumental support, in a barbershop style. The group performs standard barbershop songs as well as gospel, sacred pop and novelty tunes. Johnson encouraged anyone interested in the group to attend rehearsals, which take place at 7 p.m. every other Tuesday in the basement of St. John's United Church of Christ in Monroe or contact him directly at 608-325-5414 for more information.
As a part of her duties as director, Soddy also hopes to bring in new members.
"I'm pretty well-known around town," Soddy said. "I tell people all about it when I see them around town. I work with a lot of singers. I'm just going to keep talking."
Soddy accompanies groups and individual vocalists. She has helped Monroe High School performers with solo and ensemble competitions, played piano for a number of area churches and for the Monroe Theatre Guild. The experience of bolstering a crowd has been one she has been continually honing since she was young.
"It's a neat thing to be a part of a group that gives people pleasure," Soddy said. "When you get an emotional response from the audience - that's why performers perform."