May 2000 | Out in the Mountains- 33

  

Singing to the Heavens: The Samadhi Singers

 

BY TIM EVANS

When the voices of the
Samadhi Singers begin to rise,
the first words that come to
mind are “make a joyful
noise.” It certainly explains the
name; samadhi is a
word from the
Buddhist tradition
most closely inter-
preted as “in close
union with God.”

This Burling-
ton-based chorale
has been perforrn-
ing and perfecting
their joyful noise
since 1997.
Samadhi’s incep-
tion started in
Reverend Christine
Leslie’s longing to
“sing with a spirit-
ed [or] sacred
music chorale for
friends and mem-
bers of the GLBT
community as I
had in the New
York City area.”
Chris, a recent
transplant from New Jersey,
met Bev Youree and accompa-
nist George Reynolds in the
spring of that year, and the
roots of Samadhi took hold.

That same spring, as Leslie
tells it, Lisa Rubin, Minister of
Education at the Unitarian
Church in Burlington, was get-
ting the annual GLBT
Interfaith Pride service up and

running, which had had a histo-
ry of having a pick-up choir
meet an hour before the ser-
vice.-“So those of us interested
in getting the Samadhi Singers
going,” said Chris, “joined in
the rehearsals and then during
the service announced the start

of the GLBT and Friends
singing chorale.”

Rehearsals began in July
1997, with more than 20 peo-
ple joining in. They gave their
first concert that October, dur-
ing National Coming Out
Week.

People have come and gone
over the past three years, but at
present, the group claims 35

members. “Anyone can join
the choir,” said longtime mem-
ber Peter Frechette. The
singers have continued sharp-
ening their craft despite mem-
ber turnover. “We seem to be
attracting more and more
skilled singers,” says Leslie,

“Make Safe a Place For Us,”
and “New Ecstasy.” “Because
we have such a cross~section of
people,” Frechette explained,
“we don’t sing hymns as such,

.but we do the sacred and spiri-

tual, and a lot of South African
freedom songs that are inspir-

  

Samahdi’s Sing for their RU12? Supper.

“people who read music and

have some singing experi-.

ence.”

At a recent rehearsal, the
group warmed up with breath-
ing exercises and a run through

= the musical scales. They went

on to 7 practice “These Green
Mountains” (candidate for new
state song), and then went on to
more difficult pieces _ like

ing to all of us.”

Under the benevolent guid-
ance of George Reynolds and
Chris Leslie, there was an air
of professionalism in the room,
but also an overriding sense of
fun and love of singing. This
group works hard at getting the
song just right. But there are no
prima donas here, and every-
one works together. The payoff

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is truly a joyous sound that
reaches towards the heavens.
The payoff has been obvious
to many. In just three years, the
choir has enjoyed several
exciting performance opportu-
nities. In October, they gave a
rousing performance at the
Ellen Degeneres
and Anne Heche
appearance at
UVM’s National
Coming Out
Week program.
“This was a
high point for
us that gave us
great exposure
and a great
opportunity to
let the GLBT
c o m m u n i t y
know we are
here and we are
really good,”
says Chris
Leslie.

More recent-
ly, they per-
formed at the
U n i t a r i a n
Church in
Burlington on

the night the Vermont State

photo: Max Stroud

- Supreme - Court announced its

ruling in the Baker v. State case
and at the R.U. I .2? community
dinner in April. Coming up, the
group is looking forward to a
concert planned for June 11 at
the Saint Paul’s Episcopal
Church, and a possible appear-
ance at First Night 2001. V

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