Shir Joy Chorus begins its fall season with open rehearsals on Sun., October 1st from 5:00-7:00 pm and Mon., Oct. 9th from 7:00-9:15 pm.  The Chorus is seeking new singers, especially basses, although all parts are welcome. Regular rehearsals are usually Sunday evenings and are held at Congregation B'nai Shalom (117 E. Main St., Westborough, MA), which generously donates rehearsal space to us. For more information, visit our website www.shirjoychorus.com, facebook page or instagram; email us at ShirJoyMA@gmail.com; or come to an open rehearsal.

The rehearsal on Oct. 1st will begin with a vegetarian (dairy ok) potluck dinner (no peanuts, please!), and will include a meet and greet, section placement, and registration, to be followed by a short rehearsal.  You can observe the rehearsal or join right in with the singing.  Our director, Nan Gibbons, as well as members of the Board will be available to chat and answer questions.

Our regular rehearsals are on Sunday evenings with a few Monday evening rehearsals on three-day holiday weekends and such is the case with our second open rehearsal on October 9th.  This rehearsal will be more like our typical rehearsals. But don’t worry - there will be food during our 15-minute snack break at 8:00 pm.

Shir Joy Chorus is an adult community chorus, dedicated to learning, sharing, and performing Jewish music from the rich and varied Judaic cultures of Israel and the Jewish Diaspora. Although many temples and synagogues have choruses which sing on the holidays, we are the only year-round trans-denominational Jewish chorus in Central Massachusetts. The Chorus performs music in English, Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino, and other languages, the pronunciation of which is taught during rehearsals, so no prior knowledge is needed.  Founded in 2011, Shir Joy is an independent nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, funded by the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts, the Westborough Cultural Council and the Worcester Arts Council (members of the Massachusetts Cultural Council), and private supporters.  The chorus is non-auditioned and is open to all people regardless of ethnicity or religious background.

Shir Joy is a musical organization dedicated to raising awareness and appreciation of the breadth and beauty of Jewish culture through performances and related activities. In addition to our two annual concerts at Congregation B’nai Shalom in Westborough, the Chorus performs at other events in Worcester county, including fundraisers for the Pastoral Counseling Centers of Central Massachusetts. In September, Shir Joy is performing at Songs of Hope in Worcester (sponsored by the Black-Jewish Alliance), the annual meeting of the Jewish Federation of Massachusetts in Worcester, and Arts in Common (sponsored by the Westborough Cultural Council) at Bay State Commons in Westborough.