The Ashland Area Chorus, which has been around for two decades, is starting again in the spring semester.

AAC was founded by Dr. Ron Blackley, Director of Choral Activities at AU.

“I formed the Ashland Area Chorus in the fall of 1998 because several area singers from the community, included some AU alumni, had suggested that I start a community-based chorus,” Blackley said. “The goal has always been, and continues to be, to sing great music well.”

The group is made up of AU faculty, staff, students and the community. There are no age restrictions, but the director, Elizabeth Slade, must approve of any singers who are younger than college age.

For AU students who participate, this counts as a ½ credit per semester, as the cost will be included in their tuition.

For high school students, the cost is $15, while it is $25 for community members.

Past experience is not needed to join AAC, but it is helpful.

“Previous choral singing and music reading ability will be helpful, though not required,” Slade said. “New members are asked to schedule an initial voicing session with the director within the first two weeks of the semester. All singers must consistently demonstrate the ability to match pitch (sing ‘on key’) and to learn and sing their individual parts successfully within the context of the group. The director reserves the right to request a meeting with individual singers to ensure that they are matching pitch and learning their parts.”

Slade explained why she wanted to be the director of ACC.

“I have loved being part of choral music-making since I was very young, and I studied music and directed a number of choirs on the East Coast before moving to Ashland in 2006,” Slade said. “I have great respect for AAC’s previous director Dr. Ron Blackley and I let him know of my interest in the position as soon as I heard that he had decided to pass the baton to a new director of AAC in 2013. I was honored to accept the position, and it has been my delight to make music with the chorus since then.”

Some major songs the group has sung are: Handel’s Messiah, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Brahms’ German Requiem, Faure’s Requiem, and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

AAC has some performances coming up in April and July.

“AAC performs regularly as part of AU choral concerts, including the annual Festival of Lights in the Chapel,” Slade said. “AAC also performs twice annually with the Ashland Symphony Orchestra, once in the spring, and once at the Pops in the Park concert celebrating the 4th of July. The summer session is directed by Dr. Ron Blackley.”

AAC’s next concert this spring will be with the Ashland University Choir and the Ashland Symphony Orchestra in the Romantic April concert April 28 at 7:30pm in Archer Auditorium.”

Rehearsals are during the school session in the Center for the Arts, Room 242, on Mondays at 7 p.m.

The next one is on Monday, Jan. 22 since there was no rehearsal on MLK Jr. Day.