Jeff Prenevost is artistic director.

Contact: [email protected], (734) 433-2787

Adult mixed choir affiliated with the Chelsea Center for the Arts. Circa Nov. 2009, has 10 members. "Pops" as in "popular" music, broadly defined, but mostly meaning non-classical Western music in or from the modern era, heavy on the jazz, pop, and rock genres, with occasional forays outside (such as good arrangements of traditional Irish ballads, for instance).

Fairly selective and ambitious amateur group; not a "community choir". Competitive auditions are held each September, and each former or existing member must re-audition and be re-accepted (or not), against the new talent. Auditions are held on a few evenings in mid-September at the Chelsea Center for the Arts -- see the website, http://michiganpopschoir.org, for details and schedule. Auditioners are asked to sight read, sing a song of their own choosing, do some scat singing, and some ad hoc harmonization. Members must have excellent sight reading skill, an solid ear for pitch, good vocal tone, range, and speed, and a great feel for complex, heavily syncopated rhythms as are common in jazz and Latin music.

Group rehearses Saturday mornings, 8:30 - 10:30am, and frequently supplements those with Thursday evening rehearsals, 6:30 - 8:30pm. Dues are $100 per year.

As a venue for themselves, and a service to their community, the Michigan Pops Choir organizes and sponsors "Cabaret Chelsea", a series of informal community performing arts "show-parties" held in Chelsea, MI, at the historic Chelsea Depot.

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