What you always wanted to know about CAMP Rehoboth Chorus

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is a 90-member community choral group that reflects CAMP Rehoboth’s vision to “Create a More Positive Rehoboth” by reaching out to all parts of the community through the power of song.  

What kind of music does it perform?

Performances are more “good times for everyone events” than are more traditional concerts. The Chorus’s aim is to create a fun, shared experience for both singers and audiences.

Each year, the concert has a theme.  For example, recent themes included Come Fly with Me, showcasing music from around the world, such as “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” Toto’s “Africa,” Slumdog Millionaire’s “Jai Ho,” and “It’s a Wonderful World”; and Broadway Our Way, featuring some of the most beloved music from The Sound of Music, Hello Dolly, Carousel, West Side Story, South Pacific, and more. 

The 2018 theme is Can't Stop the Beat!, a celebration of song that includes blues, rock & roll, and jazz. The program will include such sentimental favorites as “With A Song in My Heart” and “One of Those Songs,” contemporary tunes like “Listen to the Music” and “Piano Man,” Broadway show-stoppers like “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera, and Leonard Cohen’s always popular “Hallelujah.”

When and where will the full Chorus perform Can’t Stop the Beat?

Friday and Saturday evening, February 9 and 10 at 7 pm, and Sunday afternoon, February 11 at 3 pm at Epworth Methodist Church in Rehoboth. An additional concert will be held on April 8 at 3 pm at Sussex Academy in Georgetown.

What are the criteria for membership?

A love of singing and willingness to spend individual time preparing for the group rehearsal. There are no formal auditions to become a member. The ability to read music is a plus but is not required.

What is the cost of membership?

Members pay an annual fee of $60 to cover the costs of music and related expenses.

When does the chorus rehearse?

Mondays, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach. Rehearsals generally begin in September and continue until the annual concert during the second weekend in February. More rehearsals for an additional performance in the spring are held as needed.

Who leads the Chorus?

The multi-talented Musical and Artistic Director is Doug Yetter, who co-founded Clear Space Theatre Company and has excelled in the entertainment business for 40 years as a director, composer, actor, conductor, arranger and theater owner.

The accompanist, David Zipse, has been called a virtuoso by leading music critics. He has conducted and produced many musical productions and is a popular performer at regional restaurants, clubs, the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and many other events.

The Production Assistants, Barry Bugg and Larry Rosen, manage the sound and lighting, work with the Musical and Artistic Director to stage performances and the Logistics Committee to prepare concert venues for performances; coordinate any costuming for concerts; and direct any staging required for choral, solo, or specialty numbers.

Administration of the chorus is by a Leadership Committee, consisting of chorus members elected every two years.

How does the Chorus reach out to the community?

In addition to the winter and spring concerts, a smaller group of chorus members perform free outreach concerts at local senior centers, senior living facilities, and local events such as the annual World AIDS Day Walk and the CAMP Rehoboth Block Party.  It also performs at special events such as a Delmarva Public Radio Holiday Market, and Senator Carper’s Toys for Tots party.

Do membership fees support the Chorus?

No. The Chorus has received a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The grant is given to help enhance performance and extend outreach efforts to those in underserved areas in Delaware.

In addition, the chorus relies on sponsorships, concert program ads, and other donations.