Review: SUMMER SING at Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center

The Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida held its third annual Summer Sing last night and 90 singers partied like it was 1846. In the span of two and a half hours, they sight read, spot rehearsed, and performed selected movements of Mendelssohn's Elijah oratorio.

In this educational and community outreach event, members of the Chorale mingle with singers from other sometimes rival groups such as the Fort Myers Symphonic Mastersingers and Bion Cantorum as well as gated community and church choirs. It's also a music making opportunity for those who can't commit to weekly rehearsals of such groups.

Changing the venue to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center allowed for a small audience for the first time to witness the condensed process of putting a concert together.

The primary soloist for the evening was Miami-based Graham Fandrei in the title role. His strong baritone voice made him a believable prophet.

The other soloists were soprano Victoria Woodcock, mezzo-soprano Arienne Cannock, and tenor Jonathan McCann, all current students or alumni of Florida Gulf Coast University where the Chorale's artistic director and conductor for the event Dr. Trent Brown is the head of choral studies.

The Symphonic Chorale begins its seventh season on September 12. Auditions are now being scheduled for new members. For more information, visit SymphonicChorale.org or call 239.560.5695.