Started in 2001, the 23-member group is chartered with Sweet Adelines International
Lawn signs can be an effective way to advertise. If you’re driving through Williamstown, there’s a chance to see a sign that says “Ladies Come Sing With Us!” and a phone number. From there, you will be in contact with the Shades of Harmony chorus.
The Shades of Harmony chorus is a female a cappella group chartered with Sweet Adelines International. They have 23 members, ranging in age from 14–79, from all walks of life. There are nurses, teachers, bus drivers, sales representatives and even contractors who sing in the chorus.
Shades was started by Lori Ludlum in 2001. She is currently the group’s director.
“I used to be in a bigger chorus up the road aways,” she said. “I decided I wanted to have one in my hometown so I didn’t have to travel but I still would keep up with doing the women’s end of it. I cold-started with three people and we slowly grew. Now we’re up to 23 people. It’s been a wonderful adventure.”
Shades of Harmony boasts a varied repertoire of music.
“We have some pop music, some Broadway musical, some inspirational, a lot of Christmas and holiday, some patriotic, some barbershop,” Ludlum said. “It’s all written in four-part harmony, but not all necessarily in barbershop style, which is an American art form.”
There are opportunities to audition for the group. The process was laid out by team coordinator and membership chair, Karen Bonin.
The first week someone comes to a practice, they receive information and listen to Shades perform. The prospective member is allowed to record the practice.
The second week, they receive an audition to learn one of the current contest songs.
From there, they start working on that and have practice quartets.
“If a person auditioning is a bass, they would sing with a lead, tenor and baritone and have to hold her own part with the music memorized,” Bonin said. “If she can do that, she’s in. It’s usually a six- to eight-week process.”
One can participate in only the upcoming holiday season. Melissa Guzman, assistant director, outlined that process.
“The holiday season is one of our busiest times of the year,” she said. “We Christmas carol in Haddonfield, we have our own show every November in the Pfeiffer Center, we sing at the library in town, we have a lot of performances that time of year. Holiday Harmony Chorus is a good way for a prospective member to come try us out, sing with us for a little while and see if they would like to join.”
Guzman said anyone interested can start in October so they’re prepared to sing when their annual concert comes in November. Those people can keep on singing with Shades through the whole holiday season if they want. This is free to prospective singers. While Shades’ current roster sits at 23, they’re hoping to get around 30 for the holiday season.
Shades of Harmony places an emphasis on being the best singers they can be which is why they have two weekends a year dedicated to education.
“We are very lucky in this particular group, international organization [Sweet Adelines], education is provided for us,” Ludlum said. “People are trained to come in and teach us to sing better, to breathe better, to perform better. We have two weekends a year, whole weekends Friday night through Sunday morning, we go away, have classes, sing and get coaching from experts in the field.”
The 23 women in Shades of Harmony are: Lynn Behnke, Karen Bonin, Jackie Branks, Wendy Chambers, Evelyn Donnachie, Jean Enge, Linda Ewing, Ginger Gagnon, Catherine Garcia, Celeste Gormley, Melissa Guzman, Eileen Hoopes, Betty Ann Liguori, Lori Ludlum, Cathy Apgood, Carole Michaels, Pearl Nickel, Patti Olsen, Lauren Pluchino, Jordyn Rubinsky, Terry Scaruzzi, Sandra Smith and Maureen Wynkoop.
The Shades of Harmony chorus practices at VFW Post 1616 on Tuesday nights starting at 7 p.m. The next concert is on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. at the Pfeiffer Center. ChildrenSong of New Jersey will perform there as well.
For more information about Shades of Harmony, visit www.shadesofharmony.org or call Ludlum at (856) 728–2669.
