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Richardson’s Rich-Tone Chorus has a message in their music amid pandemic

A recent video features the singers performing virtually with their sister group, the Scottsdale Chorus in Arizona.

The COVID-19 pandemic could not keep the The Rich-Tone Chorus in Richardson from doing what they love: singing and entertaining their fans.

Since the pandemic shut down the group’s ability to meet, rehearse and hold concerts in person, they recently decided to perform online via social media.

“The reason why we did this is so that we could sing together,” Peggy Blake, a Rich-Tone Chorus singer said in a video report by the City of Richardson. “The reason why we sing is to move and touch people.”

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Switching to virtual performances has brought some challenges, Blake said.

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“When you’re singing in front of a camera and you’re watching yourself sing and you’re trying to get the words right and the notes right and convey the emotion, it’s hard. But when you see it all put together, it’s amazing.”

The singers’ first video was a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.”

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The Rich-Tones also recently worked on a project with their sister group, a female barbershop chorus in Scottsdale, Ariz. Together, they made a video of the song “It’s the Music That Brings Us Together,” by Clay Hine. More than 100 singers participated.

For the online performance, each singer used her smartphone to record herself singing a verse from the song. Once all of the videos were submitted, an editor wove them together.

“Everybody’s discovering the same thing,” said Dale Syverson, master director of The Rich-Tones. “It’s a real project to put this together. And you’ve got to find the right technical person to do it with the right equipment and the right program.”

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It also takes singers who are willing to invest the time, she added.

Syverson said there’s a special message in the music.

“The message is beautiful,” said Syverson. “And I think it’s a message that really speaks to what’s going on in the world today. It’s not just about our situation as singers. I really think we’re singing about the epic things that are going on in our lives.”

The Rich-Tone Chorus is a five-time international champion chorus of Sweet Adelines International, a group with nearly 21,000 singers worldwide. The organization is “dedicated to preserving the unique sound of a cappella barbershop harmony, sharing our passion for music and empowering our community in every area of their lives,” according to its website.

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