June 14, 2012|By Janene Holzberg, Special to The Baltimore Sun
Requirements for membership are relatively few: You don't have to read music (learning CDs are supplied), but you do have to able to carry a tune. Members are encouraged to perform duets or solos but aren't required to do so.
The stress-free environment is one of the group's trademarks, said Rehr, who also serves as a coordinator and assistant director for the group. She recently moved from Gaithersburg to Ellicott City with her husband to end her long commute to the group's Thursday rehearsals and twice-monthly events.
"We've been in other singing groups where competing and winning are everything, and that's not for us," she said. "The ShowTime Singers sing purely for the love of singing, and we are always seeking new members to join us as well as new outlets in which to perform."
Nancy Yee, a pianist and ShowTime Singers fan and volunteer, has seen the group perform numerous times over the past nine years.
"They are in it for the joy of music," she said, "and I absorb the energy in the room and it feels good."
As a fellow musician and behind-the-scenes volunteer, the Columbia resident has an educated perspective on the energy the singers pour into preparing for their performances.
"The spirit of the individuals shows they are having a good time," Yee said, "and leaders make sure participants are where they want to be musically, and where they can be."
Johnson said the camaraderie among the singers is so special that they socialize during their summer break from performing in July and August.
"We like each other," she said. "And we've gotten back more than we've given, and that is truly a precious gift."
