As far back as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. Growing up in Central Virginia, I was always in church singing in choirs - from the children’s choir, young adult to the adult choir–I passed through them all! I even dabbled in the instrumental world in school taking violin lessons and being a part of the high school orchestra. For me, music always brought a sense of peace, comfort and calmness amidst the craziness of my life.
After college, I bounced around the East Coast and did a short stint in Ohio. I moved to Philadelphia and I was looking for ways to get involved in the community. At that time, my life had taken a different path. I had moved away from the world of music and participating in opportunities to bring music to the lives of the young and old. It was when I came to a Singing City concert right before their Brazilian tour that I realized what was missing from my life: music! Sitting in First Baptist Church and listening to them sing with such passion and energy, there was a sense of calmness–something I had missed. I wanted to be a part of that, to have that feeling once again.
I am forever grateful to Singing City, its mission and the opportunity we have to positively impact the lives of those in our community. Each rehearsal challenges my thinking, continues to sharpen my musical abilities and broadens my approach to music. It has provided a new outlet for friends, for music and a fellowship that my life waslacking; and for that I am so appreciative!
Laura Randolph
I started my formal singing career when I was seven (almost two-thirds of a century ago!). We lived in an industrial town in Lancashire, in the North West of England, and about 10 miles from Liverpool. My mother enrolled me for piano lessons with a teacher who happened to be the Organist and Choirmaster of the local Parish Church. In no time I was a "treble" – a boy soprano, in a cassock and a ruffle. We looked so angelic. Little do you know! Our favorite trick was to put a drawing pin (thumb tack to you) on the next boy's seat while we stood for an anthem, and anticipate the howl when he sat down.
The next thing I remember is that my voice broke when we were rehearsing for the B minor Mass in Peterborough Cathedral. So that "first" had to wait until I settled down as a baritone a few years later.
Then choirs and choruses at Cambridge, the University of Pennsylvania and Greenwich, CT. A few years ago, I was introduced to Barbershop harmony and spent several happy years in the Bryn Mawr Mainliners chorus and a chapter quartet "Harmony Springs". A man's musical career is incomplete without those "barbershop sevenths" and the discipline of close harmony singing.
Then the call of sacred music prevailed. I enrolled in the choir at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian, of which my next-door neighbor was then President. Through her I met Singing City, and the circle was completed.
I thank Singing City for all it has given to me. New friends. New repertoire (the Schönberg Freide auf Erden, the brute beast that we hated until we realized it could be loved). New languages for singing (but the God of Music surely laughed up his sleeve when they invented Portuguese). Musical introductions (it was through a Singing City member that I first heard of Umbrian Serenades). A fantastic tour to Brazil; and some outstanding new social interactions.
Stewart Patrick
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec with a couple of stints in Toronto, Kingston, Ontario and London, England, I never thought that I would live in the United States let alone feel inclined to become a citizen. A certain, recent, Presidential election gave me the nudge I needed.
Our family of 4 moved to Ardmore in May of 1991. I refer to myself as the movee, rather the mover, since we came so that husband, James, could take a job as a pediatric neurologist. It was a long 18 months before my green card came through. Our 2 children, Aaron and Emily, thrived in the excellent public school system that we had sought out and have gone on to become teachers in public and charter schools in New York City. Daughter-in-law, AJ, who works in public health, joined the family in early 2010. I take great pride in the work that all of them are doing.
My involvement in Singing City took a circuitous route. Years ago, my friend, Lauren, invited me to attend a concert at St. Denis Church. It was impressive but at that stage, I never even considered that I could be part of that glorious sound. Fast forward a couple of years and my voice teacher urged me to join a choir. The following morning, I saw an ad in the Inquirer for Singing City auditions and the rest is history, about 14 years in length.
Singing had always been the natural thing to do. My sister, a cantor, and I were called upon at every family gathering to belt out our rendition of the classic duet, “Sisters” and to this day, given any cue, we deliver it in perfect harmony. Choral music in school led to a little money-making trio called, “Cantabile” and when I got to college in the late 60’s, singing in a band was a great way to pay the rent and enjoy the social scene. Classical music was not within my realm of experience.
So, I arrived at Singing City with a decent ear, little experience in sight reading and even less experience singing serious music. That changed quickly and every rehearsal became a voice lesson with Jeff.
I cherish the people I have met in the choir and consider many to be friends. It is a community unlike any other I have been part of. The tours to Cuba and Northern Ireland merely confirmed what I already knew – we had a bond that was unbreakable and we had the ability to bring great joy wherever we sang. Quite a gift and responsibility.
As far back as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. Growing up in Central Virginia, I was always in church singing in choirs - from the children’s choir, young adult to the adult choir–I passed through them all! I even dabbled in the instrumental world in school taking violin lessons and being a part of the high school orchestra. For me, music always brought a sense of peace, comfort and calmness amidst the craziness of my life. 
I started my formal singing career when I was seven (almost two-thirds of a century ago!). We lived in an industrial town in Lancashire, in the North West of England, and about 10 miles from Liverpool. My mother enrolled me for piano lessons with a teacher who happened to be the Organist and Choirmaster of the local Parish Church. In no time I was a "treble" – a boy soprano, in a cassock and a ruffle. We looked so angelic. Little do you know! Our favorite trick was to put a drawing pin (thumb tack to you) on the next boy's seat while we stood for an anthem, and anticipate the howl when he sat down.
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec with a couple of stints in Toronto, Kingston, Ontario and London, England, I never thought that I would live in the United States let alone feel inclined to become a citizen. A certain, recent, Presidential election gave me the nudge I needed.