WomenRIsing Lifts Spirits

Sunday afternoon's weather was dreary, but WomenRIsing, an a cappella ensemble performing at Barrington Library, made everyone’s mood a whole lot lighter and brighter.

“I’m glad it wasn’t a great day because then you might have been outside doing some gardening,” joked chorus director Nancy Rosenberg.

WomenRIsing’s mission is “to utilize the strength and spirit of music to inspire, educate and empower women and the larger community,” said Rosenberg.

Their song themes revolve around freedom, love, friendship, justice, social consciousness, political oppression, acceptance and truth.

During the afernoon show, the chorus performed a dozen or so songs, including "On Children," "A Question of Tempo," "Wanting Memories," "Keep on Moving Forward Joanne," two Beatles’ songs, "Blackbird" and "Because, "Daylight Again," "Down the Road," "Weep O' Mine Eyes," "Ten and Nine," and "How Can I Keep From Singing."

Rosenberg, who has been directing and singing in WomenRIsing for five years, wrote the song “Joanne” for chorus member Joanne Friday. 

“When Joanne speaks, you hear what you need to hear,” said Rosenberg.

Towards the end of the show, the audience was invited to participate in learning a new song.  Rosenberg divided the audience into three parts, instructing each section what to sing. 

The result was a three-part round of "Tue, Tue," a Ghana folk song which you can hear WomenRIsing performing on their web site. (There is a sound bite down at the very bottom of the page to click on.)

 If you’d like to learn more about this very talented group of women, check out where they’re performing next, or find out how you can audition to become a member of the group, visit WomenRIsingChorus.org.