Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Purple Pickled Peas
It’s Thursday evening at 6:30. Harmonious voices rise from the choir room at the south campus of Granby Congregational Church. Choir members stretch the day’s kinks out and warm up with scales. Preparatory exercises include the tricky “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Purple Pickled Peas,” repeated at speed repetitively on ascending notes. Then the work begins: learning one’s part, applying dynamics and marking those important rests.
As of this writing, 23 choristers, 10 men and 13 women, sing at Sunday services from September to early June. Members of Granby Congregation Church recognize the excellence of their choir and they express it. The specially prepared five selections sung at the recent Palm Sunday Service received an unusual response—a standing ovation. Laura Murach is the inspirational driving force behind this group’s excellent music-making.
Laura Murach, organist and choir director of Granby Congregational Church
Murach has lived in North Granby for 25 years. She and husband, Bryan, have a son, Chris, who is a choir member. He graduated from Castleton University in Castleton, Vt. and teaches at a magnet school in Farmington. Daughter Katie graduates from Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I. this month.
After graduating from Simsbury High School, Murach attended Ithaca College in Ithaca, N.Y. where she earned a bachelors in music degree. She has been employed by LIMRA, a trade association supporting the insurance and financial services industry, for 37 years as a research director.
Her first musical position was as a choir director and accompanist for Prospect United Methodist Church in Bristol. In 2003 she became accompanist at what was then known as First Congregational Church in North Granby.
In addition, for 13 years, she is the accompanist for Tapestry Singers. Tapestry is based at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tariffville. Their annual concert is imminent: on May 2 and 3.
Asked how she decides which selections the choir will sing, Murach explains, “I review the Sunday Bible readings ahead of time and chose music that relates to a key phrase, word or concept in the reading. I also have to think about the voices who are going to be there any particular Sunday.” Members indicate when they will be absent in a datebook kept in the choir room. Murach adds, “For example, if several sopranos will be absent, I need to choose music with a lower voice range.”
How does Murach handle a full-time job, the positions of organist, choir director and accompanist, and all that goes with being a parent as well as supporting her own parents? “I am super organized,” she says, “and I have a fabulous husband who is exceptionally supportive.” She adds, “I do all this because I enjoy it. I only do what I enjoy, what I’m passionate about.”
Reasons to consider joining a choir
Research supports the link between singing and health benefits. One finding is that the act of singing stimulates the vagus nerve in the throat, a nerve which helps regulate heart rate, digestion and stress reduction. Also, singing can lower cortisol (a stress hormone) and boost immunoglobulin A, an antibody that improves immune function. Common sense corroborates the positive fact that singing in a choir or any other kind of musical group reduces loneliness by fostering social bonds.
In addition to health benefits, consider these advantages: You always have a guaranteed seat in a packed church; the collection plate is not passed to the choir section; you can nod off during the sermon; and the pastor won’t see; and it’s the best way to see who is sitting in the back pews without turning around.
Choir practice is every Thursday evening at 6:30 from September through early June. If you are interested in joining (or attending a rehearsal just to see what it’s like), please contact Laura Murach at office@granbycongregationalchurch.org
You might not always hit the right note but you can make a joyful noise.