- The Kent Singers -

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ATTENTION ALL FORMER KENT SINGERS!

   The Kent Singers will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the group soon, and as part of that the current singers would like to reconstruct and document its history.

   Probably every former singer in the group has a little bit of that history stored in the attic, or in the drawer with old music, or on a shelf by the piano.  It may be old programs, or press clippings, or annotated music, or reviews of performances.  We are especially interested in photographs, or personal notes about the activities of the group while you were a member.

   We, the current singers, would very much like to collect that history, that documentation, and preserve it. We would appreciate any contributions of relevant material -- preferably the originals, but copies if you want to hold on to the originals.  

   You may call David Hopkins at 860-354-9258, or Susan Mullins at 860-354-7310, or get in touch with any of the current singers whom you may know, to speak with us about this effort.

   We shall be receiving materials at:  Kent Singers, PO Box 774, Kent, CT 06757.

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A Brief History of the Kent Singers

The Kent Singers first performed in December 1973 before an audience in Kent, CT, which has remained the group's "home" ever since.  Members come from as far as Sharon to the north, Sherman to the south, and Pauling, NY, to the west;  the majority are residents of Kent, South Kent and immediately surrounding towns.

This amateur group has maintained a high standard of excellence in the performance of the classical choral repertoire.  Significant performances have included Bach's St. Matthew Passion conducted by Jon Lafleur in 1992;  Vivaldi's Gloria;  the commissioning and first performance of Epitaphos by American composer Gerald Near; and the presentation of Handel's Messiah with the Fanfare Consort in the manner the work was first performed in the eighteenth century.

The Kent Singers typically performs five concerts annually -- two in the December holiday season and three in the spring.  The group's main performance venue is St. Andrew's Church in Kent, a setting which enhances the clean sound of the Singers.   To reach a wider audience, the Singers are now performing in other towns in addition, including Sharon, Sherman, Bridgewater and New Preston.

In 2008 the group decided to take advantage of the skill and experience of its core members and go a cappella and self-directed.   The new format has been a great success -- singing without accompaniment or a conductor has brought out the best in us.   To increase the repertoire we have now begun to include accompanied works on the program also.