 |
| The Goode Time Carolers toast the season |
Christmas time is here. And, as the Lee Mendelson song lyric
to the Vince Guaraldi tune aptly states, there are carols everywhere. Quartets
and larger vocal ensembles dressed in Dickensian garb might be found in malls
and restaurants, on street corners, at private parties, and almost anywhere
else. They favor their audiences with
traditional carols – sometimes with fractured or prescription lyrics written to
suit some unique occasion. They might sing jazz or pop arrangements of the
usual holiday fare. And some of the groups offer added entertainment,
incorporating bell ringing, choreography, skits and then some. What unifies the
family of Dickens Caroling groups at large is their care in rehearsal and
preparation. The fun they provide their audiences is serious business to them.
A few southern California caroling ensembles were kind enough
to take a tiny break from their busy schedules to share their thoughts about
what makes an excellent Dickens caroler. Here are their comments.
 |
| The Goode Time Carolers |
A good caroler should know the music well and smile during
performance. A great caroler/quartet
will have the repertoire memorized and give a STELLAR performance each and
every time...! Thats just what professional Carolers do... :-) – Tony Duran, The Goode Time Carolers, www.goodetimecarolers.com
A good Dickens caroler needs to remember that she/he isn't
singing Carmen or Rigoletto. They're in
an ensemble, and the purpose of the ensemble is to provide a moment of warmth
in the holiday rush. The combination of
the look and the sound of the carolers should, if done right, trigger a memory
for the audience that freezes time, if only for a moment, and helps them to
feel a bit of the spirit of the season.
– Jim Raycroft, Singers Elite Christmas Carolers, www.singerselite.com
Modesty reigns in these next comments from two quality
ensembles.
We may not know EVERY Christmas song, but we LOOK MAHvelous! – Yoland Ochoa, The Dickens Holiday Carolers, www.dickensholidaycarolers.org
 |
| The Dickens Holiday Carolers |
Carolers need to remain pleasant even in horrible
conditions. Always smiling and spreading
good cheer. A good caroler looks like they are singing in extremely loud
rooms. Nobody really cares if you are
making music as long as you LOOK like a happy singing caroler!!! – Leanna Brand, Director, A Little Dickens
Carolers, www.carolers.com
And, of course, you’ve gotta have miles and miles of heart.
A Dickens Christmas Caroler must embody the SPIRIT of
CHRISTMAS while being an outstanding musician and performer. They must have a
good heart and believe in the message they are communicating. Only then can we
touch the hearts of our listeners help create those special memories that will
last a lifetime. As carolers, we want to be engaging not intrusive. If one of
these components is missing we are missing the mark and not doing our job of
bringing the magic of Christmas to others through song. – Tisha Bellantuoni, Owner and Founder, The
Lil’ Dickens Carolers, www.thelildickenscarolers.com
And, from one of the singers…
Happy caroling!
