Service through songs concert season

The all-female, vocal music group began rehearsals earlier this month in anticipation of its Christmas performances, which start in early December, said Heartland Voices spokeswoman Cindy Van Kley.

Typically, the group performs at senior citizen centers, nursing homes, civic organizations and Penn Square Mall. Most, if not all, of the choir members live in Eastern Oklahoma County.

“We sing as a service to bring a little light to people and to make them happy,” Kley said.

In the past, Heartland Voices has performed for senior citizens at facilities like Autumn House, Orval Ray Towers, Arbor House and Timberwood in the Mid-Del area. The women also have sung at other venues like the Choctaw Public Library, the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts, and as far north as Epworth Villa near Quail Springs Mall.

Although the group performs Christmas favorites each year, it’s never the exact same song.

“We do different arrangements for the old standards,” Kley said.

For example, the group will perform a Ukrainian version of “Sleigh Bells” and has a new version of “Silent Night, Holy Night” in store for fans.

Right now, the choir is rehearsing each Tuesday night for its Christmas concert season. The only requirements to be part of the group is the ability to read music, a flexible work schedule and an ability to attend the Tuesday-night rehearsals.

“You need to be able to read music because some of the arrangements are pretty difficult,” Kley said.

The choir’s director, Chris Moore, sets up the list of songs the group will sing and writes the different musical arrangements. Moore, the director of musical ministries at Sunny Lane United Methodist Church in Del City, has high praise for the members of Heartland Voices.

“These women pay for their own music and outfits, give of their time and gas money for weekly rehearsals, and during our Christmas and spring performance seasons, several additional evenings as well, all to see the laughter and happiness on the faces of those precious people they entertain,” he said.

Moore has been the choir director the last 10 years.

“We are always happy to welcome new members who can read music, share their joy and love and appreciate all kinds of other people,” he said.

Choral members are from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, including Baptist, Baha’i, Church of Christ, Lutheran, Methodist and Catholic women.

“They are all united in their love of God and the love of service through song,” Moore said.

During its spring concert season, the group performs a variety of “fun stuff,” Kley said.

“We do some Andrews Sisters songs, some jazzier stuff and some sillier things that we think people will enjoy,” she said.

As an example of its funloving style, Heartland Voices performed Sammie “Rubber and Mike Ducky” Turek with kazoos and toy ducks.

The group was founded in 1953 and was known as the “Mother Singers” because most of the women were from the Del City PTA. In 1969, the group’s name was changed to Mid-Del Singers after its affiliation with the PTA ended. That also was the time when women from Midwest City began joining in larger numbers.

The group’s name was changed again in 2003 to Heartland Voices to better reflect the choir’s broader geographical makeup.-

For more info about the group or scheduling a performance, contact Moore at cmoore@sunnylaneumc.com or call 677-3347.