Medford-based caroling group expands repertoire, membership this year
Caroling, caroling through the town is a big part of the holiday season for Michael and Suzanne Chadwick.
The Medford residents, who moved to the township in 2012 from New York, were longtime customers of Reily’s Candy even before the move, always buying Suzanne’s Medford-based grandmother a sweet gift from the local shop. It was this tradition that led the Chadwicks to a new business — and years of holiday cheer.
Five years ago, Reily’s Candy owner Susan Palkon asked Chadwick and his wife if they would put together a quartet to sing carols when the Medford business hosted its annual facility tour.
“From that, within a week, we had five other people asking us to sing for their events,” Chadwick said.
The Village Carolers were born.
That first year included about 15 performances, and the group has grown ever since. The Village Carolers now perform in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut — always in quartets, with the occasional group of eight — and the roster tops 45 singers this year. Each is a professional musician, with some having sung on Broadway and with the Metropolitan Opera and Opera of Philadelphia.
“So these are highly trained, loud people,” Chadwick said.
In the beginning, there was very little corporate interest because The Village Carolers sang only Victorian carols. The Victorian Era ended in 1905, and all of the carols were in the public domain. They also tended to be more religiously-based.
This year, The Village Carolers have expanded to include 22 new modern pieces in their songbook, including “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” “White Christmas” and “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” All of the songs are in original arrangements one would only hear with The Village Carolers.
“We’re also world premiering a brand new hymn/carol this year as well. It’s called ‘Sleep Baby Jesus,’” Chadwick said, calling the song sacred and not secular. “People have requested it, even though they’ve never heard it.”
Singing a cappella, according to Chadwick, is what sets The Village Carolers apart and has contributed to the group’s success and growth.
“People have heard all sorts of different types of holiday things. It’s usually a recording,” Chadwick said. “The power of a live human a cappella voice that’s operatically trained singing these (songs) is actually quite profound.”
In fact, Chadwick said there have been countless times when the carolers had to separate themselves from the emotion going on in the audience, when some may, for instance, begin crying during a rendition of “Silent Night.”
“It speaks to people in a way that a recording can’t,” Chadwick said. “There are certain hymns and carols and songs
that people will have a sentimental attachment to for some reason.”
Unless otherwise asked, The Village Carolers dress in Victorian costume and, depending on the presentation, will act Victorian as well. So if someone requests “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” a caroler may respond they have never heard of that song.
“Of course, it’s tongue in cheek. We’re doing it with a wink,” Chadwick said with a smile.
The Village Carolers are still taking members. Members should have experience singing in ensembles or theater, not just with classical singing or church singing. There is an audition process that involves sending an audio and video submission.
“We then provide them the music on their own and give them rehearsal tracks to practice with on their own. Then we do a testing in Medford,” Chadwick said. “People come from far and wide. We sing in quartets and we see who’s ready and who’s not.”
Members hail from The Village Carolers’ wide performance area, including local singers from Marlton, Haddonfield, Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs.
By mid-November, The Village Carolers had already booked 25 performances, and Chadwick fully expected to eclipse last year’s 33 high. He said bringing the modern songs into the fold has helped. Performances range from corporate events, like one with NFL Films this year, to community tree lightings and everything in between.
And, of course, The Village Carolers will be returning to where it all started.
“We sing at Reily’s every year,” Chadwick said. “We would never not do that.”
To learn more about The Village Carolers, hear samples of its songs and learn how to book a quartet, visit www.thevillagecarolers.com. Contact information is on the website.
