By Cecilia Nasmith

The power of music not only soothes the savage breast – it also elevates the soul and connects the community.

At least this has been the experience of Abby Zotz, choir director of the Northumberland Shout Sister! chorus, and it's an experience she wants to share.

Shout Sister! choirs have been around for more than 15 years, Zotz said, and Northumberland's was one of the early ones. The idea is to provide a forum for women who just love to sing, and the repertoire is wide-ranging.

Along with the favourite tunes everyone loves, she said, “there are some wonderful songs in the rep nobody knows, but they are so uplifting and positive.

“And that is the whole goal of this music. It's just joyous and fun – some of it with a social message, a love song here and there, some break-your-heart sort of things. But for the most part, the women walk away empowered and uplifted.

“It's the best job in the world!” Zotz declared.

Before the pandemic, the women met weekly at Cobourg's Trinity United Church for chords and camaraderie, and also organized an annual concert (usually in early June) in support of some community cause.

COVID-19 forced them to pivot. For example, this year's big effort will be a sort of virtual concert. Northumberland's Shout Sister! group is participating with many of Ontario's 25 Shout Sister! groups to record virtual choir videos and release them as one big concert.

And their weekly get-togethers have – like so much else in society – gone onto Zoom.

“It's not a perfect platform. We can't hear each other, and that breaks my heart,” Zotz said.

“We can hear each other when we talk, but singing simultaneously is not possible yet.”

Members are making the best of it for the most part, but then there are the group they call sisters-in-waiting – those women who are sitting out the pandemic and eagerly looking forward to joining their comrades in song again when it's safe to do so in a better setting.

“Zoom doesn't do it for everyone,” she sympathized.

“Some people work on Zoom all day and don't want to go on Zoom at night.”

But even if the music isn't what they would wish, the fellowship has meant a lot. Zotz recalled their recent rehearsal of a song called Something Beautiful, after which she invited members to take a moment, go to the Chat feature, and share something beautiful they look forward to enjoying when things are safer – seeing dearly missed grandkids, hugging a brother, enjoying a hockey game, sitting on a sunny beach with happy people all around.

And through the pandemic months, Zotz has been pleased to note that they are still acquiring new faces – all ages, all walks of life, all united by the music in their hearts.

New members are always welcome, she added, and it's as easy as dropping a line to members@shoutsisterchoir.ca