by Blake Herzog | Photography courtesy of Positively A Cappella
Irene Zimmer says Positively A Cappella is more than a name, it’s an attitude.
The vocal performance group adopted the moniker last year to represent the “rebirth” of the almost 60-year-old Song of the Pines Chorus following the challenges of the pandemic, which ground in-person performances and rehearsals to a halt.
“The faith and strength of a core of women with an even stronger desire to keep the music alive is why we are now Positively A Cappella,” she says.
Chartered with Sweet Adelines International since 1963, the ensemble has more than a dozen female singers — office and hospital workers, moms, retirees and others. They are out to recruit more as the choir rebuilds on its foundation within the international organization, which strives to elevate women singers through education, performance and competition.
Zimmer, Positively A Cappella’s team coordinator for 2022-23, says the singers were proud to perform at the Club at Prescott Lakes for a 4th of July celebration and are looking forward to joining other entertainers at the Prescott Festival of Trees in November. The group anticipates more performances in the coming months at a variety of venues.
As Song of the Pines, the group was a fixture at the Hassayampa Hotel for Acker Night, the Gingerbread Village, the World’s Oldest Rodeo® and numerous churches, senior centers and clubs around Prescott. The group also is a six-time Division A gold medalist for Sweet Adelines’ Region 21, competed internationally in 2014 and is scheduled to compete again next year in Albuquerque.
With a new director in Dan Ryan, a 45-year veteran of performing and music education, the revitalized group is moving forward, Zimmer says: “He has breathed new life into our organization with his extensive knowledge and knack for teaching the barbershop style of a cappella singing.”
Anyone who would like to learn more about joining Positively A Cappella or booking a performance can contact the group through its website, www.positivelyacappella.org, and can also visit during their weekly rehearsals Thursdays at The Monday Club, 1306 Stetson Road in Prescott.
