
To get us in the holiday spirit ahead of the walk and their winter concert on December 20, members of the West Village Chorale perform for us live.
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Katie Fitzgerald
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Alison Stewart
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Katie Fitzgerald
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Alison Stewart
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Diane Patterson
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Katie Fitzgerald
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Diane Patterson
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Alison Stewart
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Katie Fitzgerald
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Diane Patterson
Listener support at WNYC Studios.
Alison Stewart
This is all of it on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. One way to enjoy the holiday season is to sing. And this weekend, the Westfield Chorale is hosting its 50th annual Greenwich Village Caroling Walk. You can join the community for free and walk around the village and share in the holiday spirit. And now to get us in the holiday spirit are members of the West Village Chorale, who are here for a special live performance. The Greenwich Village Caroling Walk is Sunday at 2:00pm, by the way, and if you like what you hear, the Corral's holiday concert is Friday, December 20th at 7:30pm Tickets are available on their website. So now curl up with a nice hot beverage and welcome the West Village Chorale back to the WNYC studios. Hello, everyone. What are we going to hear first? All right, we're going to sing. Deck the Halls. Deck the halls. Let's do it.
Henkel Espach
Tis the season to be jolly FA la la la la la la la la la Don we now are gay apparel La la la la la la la la la Throw the ancient yuletide carols La la la la la la la la la See the blazing you before us La la la la la la la la Strike the harp and jo Allah La la la la la Follow me in merry measure Alla la la la la la la la While I can of you thy treasure La la la la la la la la la Fastest La la la la la la la la la la Hail the new year, lads and la la la la la Sing we joyous all together La la la la la la la la la he lit up the wind and weather La la la la la la la la.
Alison Stewart
So exciting. Now, before we go get any further, I want everybody to go up to the microphone, tell me your name, where you live in the city and which mic are we going to use? Hey, Luke, point me to the right mic for folks to talk to. That one. That one. All right, Go. Sir, Ma'am. Hi, my name is Lauren Silber. I live in the West Village and.
Katie Fitzgerald
I've been in the choir for 22 years. Initially, I joined the choir because it.
Alison Stewart
Was four blocks from my house, and I knew I would get myself there with no excuses.
Katie Fitzgerald
But I love to sing, especially in a group.
Alison Stewart
It's just a magical experience that can't be duplicated. All right, next.
Diane Patterson
Hi. My name is Diane Patterson. I've been with the group for 11 years. I live in Brooklyn, New York.
Henkel Espach
Yay.
Diane Patterson
And I just love to sing. That's my Woosah. That's my. When I'm having a rough day, I sing. And music is just wonderful.
Alison Stewart
All right, next.
Diane Patterson
Hi, I'm Katherine Schoonover. I like the two previous speakers, AM and alto. You're hearing the alto section. I live in the West Village near Lauren, and I love to sing. I discovered it fairly recently, although I've been in the choir now 11 years, so I guess not that recently. It does something to you. It gives you a wonderful feeling, puts you in a great state mentally, and there's a real community, and our choir is a family.
Alison Stewart
Thank you very much. Who's next? Hey, Alison.
Diane Patterson
I'm Justin Beck.
Henkel Espach
I've sung bass in the West Village Chorale for 11 years.
Diane Patterson
I live up in Washington Heights.
Henkel Espach
I'm a professional singer. But aside from that, I'd love to sing because it revives the soul.
Alison Stewart
Love it. Thank you so much.
Diane Patterson
Hi, I'm Jack. I live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and I love to sing with the choir because I just love making music with others, and I love being in community with them every week.
Alison Stewart
Terrific. Okay, who's next?
Diane Patterson
Hi.
John Hertzman
Hi. My name is John Herzfeld, and I live in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. And I've always loved music. First rock and roll and then classical. And what singing does for me is to allow me to actually be part of making music and not just listening to it. And also, you get to meet a lot of interesting people.
Alison Stewart
Good job. Who's next?
Diane Patterson
Hi, I'm John Onderdonk.
Alison Stewart
I live in the West Village.
Diane Patterson
I've been with the choir for 23 years, and I sing because it just. It just makes me happy.
Alison Stewart
And Tuesday, a night where, when we.
Diane Patterson
Have our rehearsals are, is usually my.
Alison Stewart
Happiest night of the week. I love it.
Diane Patterson
My name is Joe Hayden. I'm a tenor. I've been with the group since 2018. I love music of all sorts, and I love this group in particular for the community and for the sort of cooperative spirit.
Alison Stewart
Nice to meet you.
Diane Patterson
I'm Liam McNamara. I'm a tenor. I've been with the Chorale for about eight years now. I actually hail from New Jersey.
Alison Stewart
Woo.
Diane Patterson
And what I love about music is just the ability to create something beautiful with other people and just escape from whatever else is going on.
Alison Stewart
Hello, I'm Sandra Ward, a soprano. I live in Greenwich Village. I joined in 2018, and I was a dancer first, so singing is a different form of expression. And singing with a group is wonderful. It's good for mind, body, and spirit. And I recognize this lady.
Katie Fitzgerald
Hi, my name is Katie Fitzgerald. I am part of the small but mighty Westchester Contingen of the West Village Chorale. I've been with the group since 2012, and I've always loved singing. And what I love about singing with choirs is that there is so much you can do as a group of 12, 20, or 60 that you can't do by yourself. And it's a wonderful community. And I've met many dear friends through the group.
Alison Stewart
Hi, I'm Suzanne Hartman. I live right here in the Village where I've lived for the past 47 years. I started singing with choirs when I was three years old, but I've only been with the Chorale for the past two years. Singing gives me joy, and also learning new music helps my brain to grow, and I really love it like that.
Katie Fitzgerald
And finally, Hi, my name is Yamin Zhao. I'm from Chelsea. It's my first ever season with the Chorale. I'm a soprano, and I love singing because it's brings me joy as well.
Alison Stewart
Okay. And, sir, you have to give your name. Sir, my name is Henkel Espach, and it's my honor to be guest conducting with them here. I've been sort of part of the Chorale as their family for the past three years. And for me, I'm not much of a singer out by myself, but I love to bring people together and make music together as a community.
John Hertzman
So that's the fun part for me.
Alison Stewart
And you are a snazzy dresser. Well, thank you. That's why I say, Katie, I wanted to ask you the Greenwich Village caroling walk, it's 50th anniversary. It's happening Sunday at 2. What do you have planned?
Katie Fitzgerald
So we're actually starting from a different location than usual. This year. We'll be at Our lady of Pompeii Church at the corner of Carmine and Bleecker. We have members of our group sign up as volunteers. We typically have two group leaders. We'll take out a group of, I guess, 15 to 20 singers.
Diane Patterson
Yeah, about 15 to 20 singers.
Katie Fitzgerald
Yeah. And, you know, it's basically we have a caroling book that we give everyone for, you know, for the walk. And it's kind of open call. It's, you know, whatever songs people want to sing as we're walking, everything from O Holy Night to Frosty and Rudolph. And, you know, it's less about making a beautiful sound and more about making a joyful noise. So, you know, we have people who sing and we have people who just like to sing carols. And it's always a great time.
Diane Patterson
It's a wonderful time of the year. And it's kind of our one of our community services that we do. And I cut my teeth on the Carolyn Walk 11 years ago. Okay. So, yeah, it brings the neighborhood joy and we enjoy doing it.
Alison Stewart
All right. Let's hear more from the West Village Chorale. I'm going to take it away and let you decide what's next.
Diane Patterson
Night of Silence, Night of Silence. And we're going to combine that with.
Katie Fitzgerald
Silent Nights and the author on the Night of Silence carol. It's words and music by Daniel Kantor.
Henkel Espach
Voice in the distance calling the night on which you speak of the light, gentle whisper, softness of sa Lord Christ the Savior is.
Alison Stewart
That's members of the West Village Chorale. They'll be here to perform some holiday carols ahead of their 50th annual Greenwich Villain Caroling Walk on Sunday at 2pm it's free and open to the public. We'll have more after the break. This is WNYC Studios is supported by GiveWell. When you make a big purchase, say a car or a new mattress, how do you make sure that you're making the right choice? GiveWell provides an independent resource for a different kind of purchase. A donation. Over 100,000 donors have used GiveWell to donate. First time using GiveWell. When you go to givewell.org and pick podcast and enter WNYC at checkout, you can have your donation matched up to $100 before the end of the year or as long as matching funds last.
Diane Patterson
The first time college student Hisham Awatani was shot, it was with a rubber bullet at a protest back home in the West Bank. The next time he was shot, it was on a quiet street in Vermont and the bullet was real. I'm Kirite. Join me on the next Notes from America as we wrap up our series on a young Palestinian man, a survivor of violence and trauma whose recovery depends on how he defines what it means to be home. Listen wherever you get your podcast.
Alison Stewart
All of it. You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart, the members of the West Village Chorale, they're right here, right in studio, performing some holiday carols for us ahead of their 50th annual Greenwich Village Carolling Walk. It's this Sunday at 2pm it's free, it's open to the public. Their winter concert is December 20th at 7:30. Diane, what do we know about the history of the Caroling Walk?
Diane Patterson
Well, I'm going to pass the baton to John Hertzman.
John Hertzman
John Historian yes, the Caroling Walk was an off. Our group began in 71 and a few years after that from the Church of St. Luke in the Fields. And a few years after that, they launched the Caroling Walk as a way of giving an annual Christmas gift to the Village, the neighborhood that surrounds us. It's basically bringing Christmas music to the streets. Not just the background music in every story you walk into, but real, live people, friendly people walk up and join us spontaneously. We've moved many people to tears on the street, literally. But mostly these days, they hold up their cameras and record us. But I was also up here to introduce our next piece, though. That's why I'm standing at the mic.
Alison Stewart
All right, introduce for us.
John Hertzman
Please tell us our next number is a spiritual. It's a great example of how the Christmas spirit has been manifest throughout American history in a variety of cultural settings. We owe a debt to Vera Hall Ward, a house worker in Tuscaloosa. Sorry, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. My Alabama relatives would not approve of my mispronouncing Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for recording this song in 1950 as part of the Ethnic Folkways Library Project. Here is what month was Jesus born in?
Henkel Espach
What month was Jesus born in? Born in the year what month was Jesus born in the year January, February, July, September, October and November it was the 25th day of December, Lord, it was the last month in the year he was born in an automation.
Katie Fitzgerald
He.
Henkel Espach
Was born in an unstall manger Born in the last month Month in the year of January no, no, no, no February no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no April, May or June Was it July, July, August, September, October and November it was the 25th day of December Lord, it was the last I'm talking about Mary's baby Born in the last month in the year Was it January, February, March? No, no, no, no, no, no July, August, September, October and November it was the 25th day of December Lord, it was the last month it's in the last month in the last month in the year.
Alison Stewart
That'S members of The West Village Corral. We got the. Somebody called in and said, this is the best segment, the most New York City segment I've heard today. I just wanted to call in and say thank you. So thank you. Let's talk about the annual holiday concert taking place Saturday, December 20th at 7:30pm the theme of this year's concert is Dwell in Unity. How did you decide on that theme?
Katie Fitzgerald
So our artistic director, Colin Britt, had, I guess, the idea for Themes of Unity. There's a lot going on in the world right now that is about disunity and disharmony. And he found settings of the 133rd Psalm, which is, behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. So we have a couple of different settings in Hebrew and English of that Psalm. And they, along with some pieces relating to principles from Kwanzaa, Umoja and Ujima, which is unity and collective, I guess, collective work and economic cooperation. And those pieces are all sort of bookending. Another piece that we are proud to present, the New York premiere of I Believe, which is sort of a reimagining of the Ceremony of Carols by a composer named Maggie Burke. And that piece is called this Holy Hour. It's sort of reworkings of some traditional carols and some new poetry, which is really gorgeous.
Alison Stewart
Diane, tell us about the venue you perform in.
Diane Patterson
Oh, my goodness. Judson Memorial. What a wonderful space. The acoustics are wonderful. We sound great. Definitely, definitely have to come. The church has been there for a minute. I have attended some of the services there, and it's wonderful. The singing is wonderful. The church is wonderful and we love to perform there. That's our home.
Katie Fitzgerald
Yeah. The building is actually a historic building, a historic landmark designed by Stanford White. So the space itself is gorgeous and the acoustic is 1892. Yes. It's been a very important part of the arts community for a long time.
Diane Patterson
Yeah, It's a hub in the West Village there.
John Hertzman
And Hank, always music director.
Diane Patterson
Yes, yes.
Alison Stewart
All right, we're going to hear another tune. What are we going to hear?
Diane Patterson
Silver bells oh, so good.
Henkel Espach
In the hens of healing of Christmas Children laughing People passing leading smile after smile and on every street corner growing silver bells Silver bells, silver bell, silver bells this Christmas time in the city Ring a lingering Ring a ling Ring a link Hear them ring, hear them ring soon it will be Christmas Day Stranger street lights even stoplights we can bright red and green as the sharpers rush home with their treasures Hear the snow crushed See the kings march Is the Santos being seen and above all this castle you hear your ear Silver bells, silver bells, silver bells, silver bells here's Christmas time in the city Ring a ring a lingo Ring a ling, ring a ling Hear them ring, hear them ring soon it will be Christmas Day soon it will be Christmas Day Christmas Day.
Alison Stewart
That is the West Village Chorale. Katie, I'm gonna have you come up to the mic real quick because folks are like, oh, I don't know where to go. I don't know when to hear them. I want you to explain. Everybody get your pencils out now. Where can they go for the caroling? When can they go for the choir? The hol spiel.
Katie Fitzgerald
Sure. So the caroling walk is this Sunday, December 15th. It starts at 2:00. We are operating out of Our lady of Pompeii Church in Manhattan. It's at the corner of Bleecker and Carmine streets. We're going to be in Father Demo hall, which is sort of right on the corner there by the. There's like an outdoor. Like some outdoor vendors. And we will, you know, we'll gather there, we'll assign people to different groups, and we will sort of spider out. John Anderdonk has designed all of our routes this year. So we will sort of spider out along the different paths in the neighborhood and. Yeah, and we'll wind up back, you know, back at the church at the end, although people sometimes join along the way and then sort of peel off, you know, as we go, and then the performance. So our performance is next Friday, December 20, at 7:30pm at Judson Memorial Church, which is right at the bottom of Washington Square Park. The address is 55 Washington Square South. Performance starts at 7:30. I think we'll probably open the house about 7:00.
Diane Patterson
7:00.
Katie Fitzgerald
We've got advanced tickets available via our website, which is westvillagecoral.org and if there are tickets left day of the show, we'll have some at the door. But we've been lucky. The last few holiday concerts have. Have sold out. We're not sold. We're not sold out yet. And. Yeah, so we hope to see everybody there.
Alison Stewart
All right, got it in one space. Thank you so much.
Katie Fitzgerald
Diane.
Alison Stewart
What is the practice, the rehearsal schedule like for you guys?
Diane Patterson
We practice once a week on Tuesday night at Judson at 7pm from 7pm to 9:45. When we're doing a. When we get closer to that concert, we go to 10. I just want to say we also have auditions. We will be hosting auditions on January 7th, just go to our web. Go to the website and there's a space there for auditions. And you just click that on and you can email us and we'll see it. And I personally will schedule you to come thing.
Alison Stewart
When someone is thinking, well, I don't have this skill level to audition, make a pitch, say, yeah, you do. Yeah, you have the skill level.
Diane Patterson
Yeah.
Alison Stewart
I'm dress guessing.
Diane Patterson
We kind of leave that to Dr. Britt. Okay. And as he sees fit, he's wonderful at getting voices that marry in with the ones that he already has.
Alison Stewart
Right.
Diane Patterson
So it's wonderful. Yeah.
Alison Stewart
So it's not just the holiday concerts you have. Right. You have concert scheduled for 2025. Pop on up.
Katie Fitzgerald
So we've got. We usually do three concerts a year. Typically, you know, December is a holiday concert. And then we do concerts in March and then usually like late May or early June. Our March concert this year, the title is Requiem. We are juxtaposing the Gabrielle Fore Requiem, which is a piece that choral singers and audiences love. We have an orchestra coming. We're juxtaposing that with a piece by a composer named Joel Thompson, who's a living composer. The piece is called the Seven Last Words of the Unarmed, and it literally sets the last words of black men who were killed by law enforcement. So it's going to be a very. It's going to be a very powerful, powerful juxtaposition. And then our May concert, which is it? May. Yeah, I'm forgetting the dates. Our May concert, the title is Transatlantic. And it's basically songs from kind of both sides of the Atlantic. Because we are preparing for a trip to Spain and Portugal in July, so there will be some tie ins there.
Alison Stewart
Let's hear a couple more tracks from the West Village corral. Let's take a listen.
Henkel Espach
Joy to the world the Lord is come Let earth receive a king Let every heart prepare in rules and heaven and nature see Nature see Heaven Heaven and nature see Joy to the earth the Savior reigns Let all their songs implore what fields and floods up stills and place Repeat the sounding Repeat the sounding joy Rejoice, Repeat, repeat the sounding joy Heroes the world with truth and grace and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love and wondrous wonders of his love.
Alison Stewart
Okay, I'm gonna ask you to sing one more so I can take more pictures and more audio. Are you ready? I think we have time for one more song. I just got a note that says.
Katie Fitzgerald
Get your butt back in the seat.
Henkel Espach
Nowhere, nowhere Lord is the king of his w to see for a king wondering.
Summary of WNYC's "All Of It" Podcast Episode: "50 Years of the Greenwich Village Caroling Walk"
Release Date: December 13, 2024
Introduction
In this heartfelt episode of WNYC's "All Of It," host Alison Stewart explores the rich tradition of the Greenwich Village Caroling Walk, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The episode spotlights the West Village Chorale, their role in the community, and the upcoming events that continue to foster a sense of togetherness through music.
1. The West Village Chorale: Voices of the Community
Alison Stewart begins by introducing the West Village Chorale, a cornerstone of the Greenwich Village community for over two decades. The Chorale's members share their personal motivations for singing, highlighting the group's role in their lives.
Lauren Silber [03:27]:
"I've been in the choir for 22 years. Initially, I joined the choir because it was four blocks from my house, and I knew I would get myself there with no excuses. But I love to sing, especially in a group."
Diane Patterson [03:56]:
"I just love to sing. When I'm having a rough day, I sing. And music is just wonderful."
Justin Beck [04:44]:
"I'm a professional singer. But aside from that, I'd love to sing because it revives the soul."
These testimonials underscore the Chorale's significance as a source of joy, community, and personal fulfillment for its members.
2. Celebrating 50 Years: The Greenwich Village Caroling Walk
The episode centers around the 50th Annual Greenwich Village Caroling Walk, a beloved tradition that brings holiday cheer to the streets of Greenwich Village.
Katie explains that this year's walk will start from a new location, adding a fresh twist to the longstanding event. The walk is designed to be inclusive, allowing participants to sing a variety of songs—from classic carols like "O Holy Night" to festive tunes like "Frosty the Snowman."
The Caroling Walk emphasizes community spirit and the joy of collective singing, making it a cherished annual event.
3. Holiday Concert: "Dwell in Unity"
In addition to the Caroling Walk, the Chorale is preparing for their holiday concert, "Dwell in Unity," scheduled for Friday, December 20th at 7:30 PM at Judson Memorial Church.
The concert aims to promote unity and collective harmony through a selection of spiritually and culturally significant pieces. Highlights include:
The concert also features elements inspired by Kwanzaa principles such as Umoja (unity) and Ujima (collective work and economic cooperation), reinforcing the theme of togetherness.
4. History of the Caroling Walk
John Hertzman provides a succinct history of the Caroling Walk, tracing its origins back to 1971.
He emphasizes the emotional impact of the walk on both participants and listeners, noting how it brings genuine joy and often moves people to tears.
5. Musical Performances: Spreading Holiday Cheer
The episode features live performances by the West Village Chorale, showcasing their harmonious renditions of beloved holiday songs. Highlights include:
"Deck the Halls" [01:52]
A lively and spirited rendition that sets the festive tone for the episode.
"Silver Bells" [21:22]:
A classic that captures the essence of Christmas in the city.
These performances not only entertain but also exemplify the Chorale's ability to unify voices in celebration.
6. Rehearsals and Joining the Chorale
Alison Stewart discusses the Chorale's rehearsal schedule and opportunities for new members to join.
Diane Patterson [25:46]:
"We will be hosting auditions on January 7th... you can email us and we'll see it. And I personally will schedule you to come."
Alison Stewart [26:24]:
"When someone is thinking, well, I don't have this skill level to audition, make a pitch, say, yeah, you do."
Diane Patterson [26:32]:
"We kind of leave that to Dr. Britt. Okay. And as he sees fit, he's wonderful at getting voices that marry in with the ones that he already has."
The Chorale encourages aspiring singers of all skill levels to audition, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute to the harmonious collective.
7. Future Concerts and Plans
Katie Fitzgerald outlines the Chorale's plans for the upcoming year, highlighting their commitment to diverse and meaningful performances.
March Concert: Requiem [26:57]:
Featuring Gabrielle Fore's "Requiem" alongside Joel Thompson's "Seven Last Words of the Unarmed," a poignant piece that sets the final words of black men killed by law enforcement.
May Concert: Transatlantic [27:16]:
A collection of songs from both sides of the Atlantic, aligning with the Chorale's upcoming trip to Spain and Portugal in July.
These events demonstrate the Chorale's dedication to addressing contemporary issues through music and fostering cross-cultural connections.
Conclusion
Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by reiterating the details of the Caroling Walk and the holiday concert, encouraging listeners to participate and attend.
The episode effectively captures the essence of the Greenwich Village Caroling Walk and the West Village Chorale's role in sustaining community spirit through music. Listeners are left with a sense of belonging and an invitation to join in the festive celebrations.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
Lauren Silber [03:27]:
"But I love to sing, especially in a group."
Diane Patterson [03:56]:
"When I'm having a rough day, I sing. And music is just wonderful."
John Hertzman [15:32]:
"It's basically bringing Christmas music to the streets with real, live people."
Katie Fitzgerald [08:43]:
"It's less about making a beautiful sound and more about making a joyful noise."
Diane Patterson [25:46]:
"We have auditions... you can email us and we'll see it."
Key Takeaways
This episode serves as a celebration of cultural tradition, community engagement, and the unifying power of music in New York City's vibrant landscape.