About Us

Background

Our name is derived from a Judy Grahn poem that reads, in part, a common woman is as common as a common loaf of bread . . . and will rise. The Chorus began in the early 1980s as a feminist chorus and has evolved into a woman-positive choral community that celebrates all life styles and gender identities. We are, now as then, committed to musical excellence and social change and perform music that showcases the integrity and inherent worth of each of us. We celebrate our heroes, reflect on the personal and political struggles of women and the disenfranchised, and honor creation, creativity, and song. Since 1983, our performances have instilled our audiences with pride, resolve, empathy, and appreciation—while, yes, filling the room with goose bumps.

Our repertoire includes

Fred Small’s Everything Possible
Jamie Anderson’s Family of Friends
Holly Near’s (I'm a Gray-Haired Woman and I’m) Coming into My Years
David Maddux’s Lesbian Second Date Moving Service
Ysaye Barnwell’s On Children
Dean Johnson’s Strong, Beautiful Women
Ruth Huber’s Voice of Conscience (for Barbara Jordan)
The Diva-Award winning How Do I Love Thee?
Daniel E. Gawthrop’s Sing Me to Heaven

Entertain. Inspire. Enlighten. Engage. Enrich. Enjoy. It’s amazing that, through music and the act of singing, so much can be accomplished, for our audience and our performers. Some chorus members are formally trained musicians with extensive performance experience, but most of us are self-taught singers. All of us love musical expression and come together to bring our talent, commitment, and enthusiasm to the task of mastering the foundation of the music we perform: melodies, rhythms, and lyrics.

Mission

The Common Woman Chorus’s mission is to

Sing empowering music that highlights the diversity and strength of women’s lives and experiences
Share with and educate the community through music
Develop and refine individual and group musical skills through regular rehearsal and performance
Encourage and support discussion, friendship, leadership, and the open exchange of beliefs with each other through regular check-ins, social gatherings, discussions, and rehearsals
Network with other likeminded choruses, and support such networks, societies, and organizations.

Milestones

In 2003 we proudly joined the Triangle Gay Men’s Chorus in the overwhelmingly successful Love, Love, Love Valentine’s concert. This was our first performance at the BTI Center for the Performing Arts’s Meymandi Hall (in Raleigh, North Carolina).

In 2003, the Chorus celebrated 20 years of feminist music-making with our Heroes Concert. This was as a true celebration of women whose love, creativity, bravery, and strength continue to inspire us all. This multimedia event featured visual presentations of unforgettable women and a nostalgic look back at chorus milestones.

In 2004, the Chorus returned to Meymandi Hall to perform the North Carolina premiere of Diane Benjamin’s Where I Live: A Breast Cancer Oratorio as part of our Raising Our Voices, A Breast Cancer Benefit. This powerful composition for women’s voices includes strings, percussion, and narration based on the writings of breast cancer survivors. Nationally recognized NC State University’s women’s basketball coach Kay Yow served as honorary chair of the event, and Guest Host ABC-11 Eyewitness News Anchor Angela Hampton joined the Chorus for this event. Thanks to a grant from the Southern Arts Federation, composer Diane Benjamin was on hand for the concert and also participated in special events at nearby Meredith College. This benefit concert raised over $9,000 for the Breast Cancer Resource Directory of North Carolina.

In 2005, the Chorus presented Love and Marriage, a celebration of marriage equality. Local religious leaders from the NC Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality read the Declaraton of Faith that they had recently presented to the NC General Assembly and Pastor Wanda Floyd of Imani Metropolitan Community Church performed a same-sex commitment ceremony as part of the festivities. The concert was following by a raucous wedding reception complete with wedding cake and champagne. By popular demand, the Chorus presented a reprise performance of this event in 2006.

In 2006, the Chorus kept the Triangle in stitches with Menopause: A Menstrual Show. By popular demand, the Chorus presented a reprise performance of this event in 2007.

In 2007, the Chorus reflected on war, national and international calls for justice, and key anniversaries in the fight for racial equality in our The World as One: Embracing Justice and Peace concert.

In 2008, the Chorus will celebrate yet another milestone: 25 years of community, women, and song, at our Divine Secrets of the La-La Sisterhood! concert and celebratory reception, where we will sell our first-ever commemorative CD. Please join us!

Performance

The Chorus has opened for, among others,

Castlebury and Dupress
Cris Williamson
Fred Small
Holly Near

and has performed for

Artspace
The Battered Women’s Shelter of Durham
C.A.S.A.
The Crape Myrtle Festival
Festival for the Eno
Habitat for Humanity
The Human Rights Campaign Fund
Imani MCC
National Abortion Rights Action League
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
NC Pride Festival
The NC TriangleAffiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
Rape Crisis Center of Durham
Triangle Hospice
War Resisters League

Community

In partnership with the Ruby Slipper Dance Asylum, the Chorus has hosted dances for the progressive community in support of Lovers in Exile, a non-profit group supporting gay and lesbian couples caught in the inequalities of the US’s current immigration policies. We continue to host Valentine dances as performance commitments allow.

Leaders

Artistic Director: Cindy Bizzell
Accompanist: Lorna Collingridge
Board: Kristen Stinnett - President
Michelle Reader - Vice-President
Laura Wrightson - Secretary
Sarah Karakitsos - Treasurer
Lea Cordova
Caroline Kearns
Mary Plyler
Lisa Shupp
Julia Storm
Annette Vinding
Angela Williams
Past Directors: Eleanor Sableski (1983–2000)
Past Accompanists: Abbie Modjeska; Gail Hafley