RESONANZ

Eric Townell, Music Director of the Rochester Oratorio Society, just announced he’s forming a new choral group called RESONANZ. (I’m not sure how to say this. REH-sonance? Reso-NAHNZ? Reso-NAANZ? He's spelling it with all caps.)

He’ll be holding auditions on Monday, September 8th.

It’ll be a 40-voice choir, roughly the same size as the Lyric Chorale, the Bach Festival Chorus, the Eastman Chorale, the Irondequoit Chorale, the Rochester Gay Men's Chorus, the Rochester Women's Community Chorus, and the Gregory Kunde singers.

“Its purpose will be twofold,” he wrote to Rochester Oratorio Society members in an e-mail. “a) to increase the ROS's earned income through singing for hire, and b) to increase public awareness of ROS by performing a fresh mix of lighter music, seasonal music, Americana and event-specific music in non-traditional concert settings.”

Townell says two people have made leading contributions to fund the start-up, the music has been ordered, the room reserved, and the gigs lined up. The mind boggles. He's a busy guy.