Sisterhood develops through singing
“I promise to always know my words to all Sisterhood songs. I will always be seeking new sisters to bring into the hood … and when in doubt, I will at least la la in tune.”
This pledge, taken from their current production, sums up the essence of the Lake Country Chorus, an a cappella women’s vocal group chartered in White Bear Lake.
The Lake Country Chorus is a member of Sweet Adelines International, a “worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance,” according to Lake Country Chorus Director Sandy Bergersen.
The Lake Country Chorus has grown from 10 members in 1968 to 33 members now, said Helen Vulu, president of Lake Country Chorus.
In that time, there have only been three directors of the Lake Country Chorus. Bergersen has been directing Lake Country Chorus for 23 years. She is responsible for preparing the chorus for the numerous shows and competitions that take place throughout the year. Her passion for music is evident in the way chorus members talk about her.
“I can’t begin to tell you what an excellent director we have. We are so blessed to have Sandy. Her voice is totally delightful, she has a great ear and she is always teaching us,” said Annette Kisser, a chorus member from Circle Pines.
One of the goals of the Lake Country Chorus is to get involved in the community. Whether it’s through singing at nursing homes, large productions or fundraising, the Lake Country Chorus seeks to bring joy to the community through singing.
For the past four years, the chorus has run the Dippin’ Dots booth at Marketfest in downtown White Bear Lake and the milk booth at the State Fair. Kisser said, “The Dippin’ Dots booth was fun. There were times there was a slight lull, so we burst into song and drew a crowd.” The funds are used to pay for coaches, costumes and hotel rooms during regional competitions.
What sets the Lake Country Chorus apart is the diversity of its members. Some chorus members have been with the chorus for many years, while others have only recently joined.
“It’s all ages, all walks of life,” said chorus member Lynda Lysne of White Bear Lake. Lysne’s two sisters and niece are all members of the chorus.
“You find a really incredible group of women who are strong and talented and from all different backgrounds. It’s a great way to meet people … you have an instant 30 to 40 friends,” said chorus member Nina Bohrad of Shoreview.
“The chorus members are just great. We’re like one big family. We all support each other and learn from each other,” said chorus member Shirley Peltier of White Bear Lake.
For many of the members, the chorus is a place they can go to put their cares behind them.
“It’s a way to get your creative energies out. You don’t have a lot of opportunity for that when you’re working and taking care of your families,” Bohrad said. “It’s really important for everyone to have some way to be creative.”
One of the things chorus members value the most is friendships they’ve made through the chorus. Chorus member Marlene Hoffman of Hugo loves singing, but what makes it even better is that she’s singing with her sisters, niece and friends. “My favorite part is the wonderful friendships I’ve made through the years,” Hoffman said.
“You go there to meet your friends and to be with your friends,” said Becky Bracht, a chorus member from Forest Lake. “There’s always something going on, and it’s basically an open invitation. Everyone can go to parties, like birthday parties or when someone has a baby or a grandchild. That’s what I like most about the chorus itself. If something happened, I know I can count on them.”
The Lake Country Chorus’ current production, a musical comedy called, “Secrets of the La La Sisterhood (Sequins are a Girl’s Best Friend),” is a reflection of their own chorus and sisterhood. The musical comedy, written by a group of chorus members, revolves around the La La Sisterhood, an organization that prides itself on its singing and friendship.
When the town council approves a proposal for the First Annual Sequin Ball, the La La Sisterhood gets to work planning and preparing for the celebration. The play includes music of all kinds, comedy and dancing, as well as a guest appearance by FRIENDS, a vocal group consisting of eight married couples.
The comedic nature of their current production has allowed chorus members to inject their own personalities into their roles.
“I think any time you play a character you put your own personality into it,” Bracht said. Bracht plays an undercover police chief. Even her costume choices reflect her personality: “In the middle of rehearsal, I realized I had another costume change, so I ran in back and took everything I had and put it on,” she said. The result had all of the chorus members in laughter.
While the chorus puts on at least one larger production each year, the real joy for most members comes from singing in nursing homes. Hoffman finds that nursing homes are “probably not your most appreciative audience when it comes to vocal ability, but you bring the most joy to them. We can sing to them and they tap their toes and sing along. It’s very rewarding to see their faces and the joy we bring to them.”
Lysne agrees. “You can go into a nursing home and sing to a face, whether you know it personally or not, and see joy and happiness. We know we’ve done something when we’ve left,” Lysne said.
“Once we were singing Christmas music and some of the songs we were singing were from the ’40s. One of the nurses came up and said to us, ‘You will never know how much of an impact you have made. There’s a resident here who has not spoken for several years.’ But when we sang those songs that were familiar to her, she sang along with us,” Lysne said. “There’s something in the international language of music that is certainly therapeutic. When we’re done we think, ‘Man, we’re glad we did this.’”
“I love to give, and I think singing is a wonderful gift you can give people. It’s a good feeling to give and to know that someone really enjoys it,” Peltier said.
“We’re here to make sure everyone has a good time, to entertain people. That’s basically what we’re all about,” said chorus member Mary Ann Karrick of Vadnais Heights. “One of the goals is to encourage women to join, of course, to promote the barbershop harmony. Harmonize the world, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
This pledge, taken from their current production, sums up the essence of the Lake Country Chorus, an a cappella women’s vocal group chartered in White Bear Lake.
The Lake Country Chorus is a member of Sweet Adelines International, a “worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance,” according to Lake Country Chorus Director Sandy Bergersen.
The Lake Country Chorus has grown from 10 members in 1968 to 33 members now, said Helen Vulu, president of Lake Country Chorus.
In that time, there have only been three directors of the Lake Country Chorus. Bergersen has been directing Lake Country Chorus for 23 years. She is responsible for preparing the chorus for the numerous shows and competitions that take place throughout the year. Her passion for music is evident in the way chorus members talk about her.
“I can’t begin to tell you what an excellent director we have. We are so blessed to have Sandy. Her voice is totally delightful, she has a great ear and she is always teaching us,” said Annette Kisser, a chorus member from Circle Pines.
One of the goals of the Lake Country Chorus is to get involved in the community. Whether it’s through singing at nursing homes, large productions or fundraising, the Lake Country Chorus seeks to bring joy to the community through singing.
For the past four years, the chorus has run the Dippin’ Dots booth at Marketfest in downtown White Bear Lake and the milk booth at the State Fair. Kisser said, “The Dippin’ Dots booth was fun. There were times there was a slight lull, so we burst into song and drew a crowd.” The funds are used to pay for coaches, costumes and hotel rooms during regional competitions.
What sets the Lake Country Chorus apart is the diversity of its members. Some chorus members have been with the chorus for many years, while others have only recently joined.
“It’s all ages, all walks of life,” said chorus member Lynda Lysne of White Bear Lake. Lysne’s two sisters and niece are all members of the chorus.
“You find a really incredible group of women who are strong and talented and from all different backgrounds. It’s a great way to meet people … you have an instant 30 to 40 friends,” said chorus member Nina Bohrad of Shoreview.
“The chorus members are just great. We’re like one big family. We all support each other and learn from each other,” said chorus member Shirley Peltier of White Bear Lake.
For many of the members, the chorus is a place they can go to put their cares behind them.
“It’s a way to get your creative energies out. You don’t have a lot of opportunity for that when you’re working and taking care of your families,” Bohrad said. “It’s really important for everyone to have some way to be creative.”
One of the things chorus members value the most is friendships they’ve made through the chorus. Chorus member Marlene Hoffman of Hugo loves singing, but what makes it even better is that she’s singing with her sisters, niece and friends. “My favorite part is the wonderful friendships I’ve made through the years,” Hoffman said.
“You go there to meet your friends and to be with your friends,” said Becky Bracht, a chorus member from Forest Lake. “There’s always something going on, and it’s basically an open invitation. Everyone can go to parties, like birthday parties or when someone has a baby or a grandchild. That’s what I like most about the chorus itself. If something happened, I know I can count on them.”
The Lake Country Chorus’ current production, a musical comedy called, “Secrets of the La La Sisterhood (Sequins are a Girl’s Best Friend),” is a reflection of their own chorus and sisterhood. The musical comedy, written by a group of chorus members, revolves around the La La Sisterhood, an organization that prides itself on its singing and friendship.
When the town council approves a proposal for the First Annual Sequin Ball, the La La Sisterhood gets to work planning and preparing for the celebration. The play includes music of all kinds, comedy and dancing, as well as a guest appearance by FRIENDS, a vocal group consisting of eight married couples.
The comedic nature of their current production has allowed chorus members to inject their own personalities into their roles.
“I think any time you play a character you put your own personality into it,” Bracht said. Bracht plays an undercover police chief. Even her costume choices reflect her personality: “In the middle of rehearsal, I realized I had another costume change, so I ran in back and took everything I had and put it on,” she said. The result had all of the chorus members in laughter.
While the chorus puts on at least one larger production each year, the real joy for most members comes from singing in nursing homes. Hoffman finds that nursing homes are “probably not your most appreciative audience when it comes to vocal ability, but you bring the most joy to them. We can sing to them and they tap their toes and sing along. It’s very rewarding to see their faces and the joy we bring to them.”
Lysne agrees. “You can go into a nursing home and sing to a face, whether you know it personally or not, and see joy and happiness. We know we’ve done something when we’ve left,” Lysne said.
“Once we were singing Christmas music and some of the songs we were singing were from the ’40s. One of the nurses came up and said to us, ‘You will never know how much of an impact you have made. There’s a resident here who has not spoken for several years.’ But when we sang those songs that were familiar to her, she sang along with us,” Lysne said. “There’s something in the international language of music that is certainly therapeutic. When we’re done we think, ‘Man, we’re glad we did this.’”
“I love to give, and I think singing is a wonderful gift you can give people. It’s a good feeling to give and to know that someone really enjoys it,” Peltier said.
“We’re here to make sure everyone has a good time, to entertain people. That’s basically what we’re all about,” said chorus member Mary Ann Karrick of Vadnais Heights. “One of the goals is to encourage women to join, of course, to promote the barbershop harmony. Harmonize the world, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
