Singing the Blues...! Community Chorus of EP & More

Retired East Providence High School Choral Director, Richard (Dick) Fairbanks is a longtime favorite in East Providence with a rich musical background. Fairbanks was the original director and member of the first East Providence Community Chorus and led the group from 1962 to 1972. For some 30 years Fairbanks also taught singing and music appreciation at the high school on Pawtucket avenue. At the time, the high school's 1200 seat professional auditorium - complete with a full theatrical stage and projection booth - was the envy of other schools across the nation. When the high school opened in 1952, the now defunct Providence Journal 'Rhode Islander' weekly, referred to EPHS as "the showplace of the Northeast." Dick Fairbanks has since long retired and EPHS is now glaringly showing the scars from many years of neglect. In fact, rumors persist that either the state or the fire marshal have come close to ordering the closure of the school.

About a year ago the budget commission which controls every aspect of city government, advised the school committee to revise its' building use policy. The commission felt that any group seeking to rent a school or field, should pay a fee which not only covers all expenses, but also makes a profit. The former school committee unanimously passed a new policy which set new rates and restrictions on facility usage by the public. The 15 page policy sets different rates for various school buildings and grounds. The policy also sets a "per participant" rate, along with a base facility fee, utilities, custodian, police and fire coverage, etc.

One city group that has been impacted greatly with these new fees is the all volunteer 'Community ChoruS of East Providence'. "On August 1, 2012, the chorus reserved EPHS for a dress rehearsal November 30th, December 1 &2 for performances. In addition to the rental fee, the chorus would be responsible to pay additionally for maintenance, and technical support. We are also required to have police and fire supervision," said chorus member and the group's vice-president, Sandra Medeiros. "We wanted to stay at EPHS; many of our members went to school there and belonged to the choral groups. But it would have cost us well over $2,000.00 to rent the auditorium. Our board of directors decided to rent Seekonk High School instead at less than half the cost for East Providence," Medeiros continued. "Our budget couldn't handle this expense and we were forced to seek alternative performance locations," she said.

The new fee for the high school auditorium is $85. per hour, plus the custodial fee at a 4 hour shift minimum. Groups also have to pay for utility usage and minimum shifts for police and fire officials at their contractual wages. Currently all rehearsals and practice for the community chorus are held in the basement of Saint Martha’s Church on Pawtucket Avenue in East Providence. "There have been many problems over the last several years in finding a location to accommodate such a larger group. Father David Green has been wonderful to our chorus and has allowed us to make his church our home base for rehearsing," added Medeiros.

Richard Fairbanks lives now in Plymouth, Massachusetts. While choral director at EPHS, Fairbanks directed many memorable Holiday and spring concerts. He also helped many of his students to participate in all-state competitions and to travel to Europe and perform. This year he was invited back to perform with the "new" community chorus of East Providence. "It is because of his love for music and his dedication to his craft that the Chorus invited him to return to the stage to conduct his signature piece, El Yivneh Hagalil, The Song of Galilee, said an excited Medeiros. Fairbanks' return to the East Providence stage (via Seekonk, HS) was a big hit according to chorus members. Fairbanks once again was in his glory conducting a Holiday concert with an energized choir full of "new and old faces". Fairbanks also brought back a popular tradition that he did every year at the high school during the December holiday concert. Just before his 'signature' final song - El Yivneh Hagalil, Fairbanks would invite all former student choraleers, meistersingers and crimson boys to the stage. He did so once again during this 2012 concert. To the delight of the large crowd, many former students joined the ChoruS of East Providence and sang their hearts out.

The current version of the community chorus was founded in August of 2007 by Sandra Medeiros and Maureen Conroy. Conroy, the group's president, and Medeiros invite anyone to join. The Chorus has over 90 members and is a non audition choral group of sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses. " To join the Chorus, you must attend open sing, which is offered two times per year - once in the Fall and again after the new year. You can join the open sing and pay the annual dues of $75. for the two semesters. The dues include two seasons of music (Holiday and spring) for the year and two practice cd’s for each season," added Medeiros.

What does the future hold for the ChoruS of East Providence. Medeiros, a 1972 EPHS graduate, is excited for the group's future. "There are many wonderful goals that are currently being explored for the ChoruS of East Providence to perform, partner, and collaborate within the city," according to Medeiros. Currently the chorus is very busy. They perform at Saint Martha’s Heritage Days, Rose Larisa Park Summer Concert, Weaver Public Library Summer music series, Louff Carousel tree lighting and sing the National Anthem for the Pawtucket Red Sox.

This holiday season ticket sales were not as good as projected. Many believe that it could have been because the Chorus of East Providence organization was performing in Seekonk. The group hopes to return to East Providence for its' major concerts, especially the well-received holiday concert. "The ChoruS prefers to entertain in East Providence,"said Medeiros. "As the group began we did perform several concerts at Martin and Riverside Middle Schools. Both venues are small for the concerts. Many elderly people attend our concerts and both middle schools have poor parking issues as well as poor light in the evening. (middle school rental fees have increased also). We have performed at several churches and the ChoruS itself is too large for most church alters,"continued Medeiros. Ward 3 councilman, Assistant Mayor Tom Rose has taken up the charge to complain about the high fees being charged to the community chorus and area youth sports groups. Rose recently told the council that "many sports groups have provided our city with things like scoreboards and field dugouts, etc." In fact the chorus group has also helped out. "A few years ago we were scheduled to perform at Martin Middle School and the stage lighting was broken during our holiday performance. The ChoruS assisted financially to help the Principal fund the repairs to insure appropriate lighting for the spring performance. The ChoruS was very eager to assist the school department at the time," said Medeiros. "The ChoruS is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate its members and the public about music and choral singing while fostering an appreciation of music for all. Our hope is to be an organization that will enhance the cultural life of this community. The ChoruS welcomes the assistance by the city officials to remedy a performance venue," continued Medeiros. "If we price these groups out of renting at all, we could actually lose money and not make as much in rentals as we did under the old fee structure," added Assistant Mayor Rose. "These people are already paying taxes," added ward 2 school committee member Tony Ferreira in addressing the city council on this issue. "Now we want them to pay again in the form of fees," he added. "Tell the budget commission to leave our kids alone!"

The leaders of the community chorus are: President Maureen Conroy, Vice President Sandra Medeiros, Treasurer Olivia Howard, Secretary Judith Antonio. Board Members include: Patrica Abbatomarco, Phil Abbatomarco, Bill Boyes, Kristin Conroy, Andy Duehring, Kathy Leonard, William Simpson and Susan Spaulding. The musical director is Beth Armstrong and the accompanist is Victoria Lambrozo.

Although this is about the plight of East Providence's highly touted community chorus and various civic groups who are being priced out of using city facilities, it is also about the return visit of a cultural icon to the big "stage" in East Providence. "Yes there are many singers who have been inspired by Richard Fairbanks and his love for choral singing. Perhaps this is why the ChoruS is at full capacity with its singers. It was so good to see so many of Dick Fairbanks former students in the audience to see the master in action once again," Medeiros added. Except, for now, that big stage is in another city, another state.