Letter: Carols of the Belles

The Long Beach Choral Belles are members of the California Women’s Chorus, Inc (CWC), which now numbers over 300 in their 11 choruses. Originating in Bellflower as part of the PTA Mothersingers, they joined the CWC in 1965 and became known as the Choral Belles. Under the direction of Barbara Neal-Peebles, the chorus performs throughout the year in Southern California. Barbara spent 13 years as director of Choral Belles, took some time off to raise two daughters and then returned to direct again. The Choral Belles are a small but mighty chorus of 14, not including the director and the accompanist Alicia Adams. Together with 150-plus CWC members throughout California, they will travel to Santa Ana for the Southern area rehearsal. The area rehearsal will be held at the Church of the Foothills, 19211 Dodge Ave. in Santa Ana on March 14 and will begin at 8am with hospitality. By 8:45am, everyone is expected to be in their seats and ready to sing. Guest director Rob Blaney will be ready for the downbeat, and guest accompanist Christine Lecce will be ready at the piano. Rehearsal will continue until 1pm, and the singers will have an opportunity to greet their old friends, meet new ones and best of all, join each other in music. Auditions for soloists will be held after rehearsal.
CWC members throughout California have been rehearsing this music in their individual choruses in preparation for their combined performance at the annual CWC concert Sounds of the Season on April 26 at 2pm at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, 100 The City Drive in Orange. No stranger to CWC concerts, the Long Beach Choral Belles have hosted three concerts in the past: 1987, 1996 and 2005.
Three scholarships will be awarded to vocal-music students who will perform at the concert also. The Choral Belles donate directly to the host group yearly for scholarships in addition to selling scholarship fundraiser tickets to members of their community. Proceeds from their performances are directed to the vocal scholarship funds also. The
Choral Belles are responsible for distributing the scholarship fundraiser tickets to all CWC choruses and collecting their donations.
Long Beach Choral Belles…encourage any woman who likes to sing to join them at rehearsals every Thursday, 9:30am to 11:30am, at the Lakewood Village Community Church, 4919 Centralia. Contact Dolly Berry [at] (626) 962-5780 or dollybee70@msn.com .
Arlene Massimino
Long Beach Choral Belles