Valley Soul Returns: Community, Harmony, and Purpose in Song

The Valley is alive with music once again. On Tuesday evening, about 50 residents (including me!) gathered for the first of six rehearsals of Valley Soul, the region’s volunteer gospel choir. Over the next several weeks, voices from across Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, Shelton, Oxford, Beacon Falls, and Naugatuck will come together to prepare for the annual concert on December 9 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Seymour.

A Choir with a Mission

Valley Soul began as a way to unite the community through the power of music. Organized with support from Griffin Health and led by Angela Clemmons, a seasoned performer and vocal director, the project blends gospel, soul, and holiday music in an inclusive, joyful atmosphere.

Unlike professional ensembles, Valley Soul is open to anyone—no auditions required. Participants learn by ear, with guide tracks provided, making it easy for singers of all levels to contribute. The result is something bigger than individual voices: a full-bodied, uplifting sound that reflects the spirit of the Valley.

Beyond music, Valley Soul has a purpose. The modest $25 registration fee and donations collected at the concert benefit TEAM, Inc., the Valley’s community action agency supporting local families. The choir is also underwritten by the President’s Fund at Griffin Hospital, underscoring its role as a gift of gratitude to the community.

Coming Back to the Choir

For some singers, this is their first Valley Soul season. For others—like me—it’s a return. I sang in the inaugural choir years ago, and this season marks my first time back.

As someone who sang in concert choir all four years of high school but now only sings at home or the occasional karaoke night, I felt both rusty and exhilarated. But what struck me most was how quickly strangers became companions in song. Within just a couple of hours, we sounded like a true choir.

I knew a handful of people already, but when parts were assigned, I found myself sitting next to new friends. That, in many ways, is the essence of Valley Soul: connection through harmony.

Looking Ahead

The six rehearsals will build toward the free community concert on December 9, open to all. More than just a performance, it’s a night designed to lift spirits, celebrate togetherness, and raise funds for TEAM’s work in the Valley.

Valley Soul is a reminder that music has the power to bridge divides. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned singer or someone dusting off their vocal cords for the first time in years—what matters is showing up, joining in, and letting your voice add to the whole.

This December, as Valley Soul takes the stage, it won’t just be a choir that the audience hears. It will be the sound of community—resilient, joyful, and in harmony.

Rehearsal Update 10/8/25

Our second Valley Soul rehearsal was a big one — we tackled the three hardest songs in our setlist! 🎶

To help us prepare, we’ve received practice tracks through Dropbox (or CDs for those who prefer) featuring Angela Clemmons singing each vocal part. As a soprano, I now have tracks with Angela’s voice guiding the soprano line for all nine songs — a huge help when practicing at home.

Next week we’ll have a break, and when we return in two weeks, we’re expected to jump right in and sing all nine songs straight through. The excitement (and challenge!) is definitely building.

Rehearsal Update 11/5/2025

I had to miss a couple of rehearsals — one for a prior commitment and another thanks to a stubborn fall cold. November seems to be the season for that!

This week’s practice went really well and, as always, was a lot of fun. Still, I think we all felt that familiar mix of joy and challenge — realizing just how much we’ll need to practice before the next session.

For me personally, part of the challenge is that gospel music feels very different from the kind of choral singing I was trained in. My background is more in traditional concert and chamber choir, where every note, vowel, and breath is carefully placed and precise. Gospel, on the other hand, invites freedom. It’s less about perfection and more about expression.

Instead of focusing on blending into a single, polished sound all the time, gospel singers are encouraged to pour their hearts into the music and to feel the rhythm, to slide between notes, to fall off a phrase, and to let emotion guide the voice. It’s raw, real, and deeply connected to spirit and community. Learning to let go of precision and lean into passion has been both humbling and liberating — and I think that’s what makes Valley Soul so special.

I also noticed something wonderful this year. The choir feels more diverse than it did in the very first season back in 2016. Looking around the room, I saw people of different ages, backgrounds, and races all singing together. That mix of voices and experiences makes the choir feel more reflective of The Valley itself. It's a community made up of many different people, each adding their own story and sound. It reminds us that harmony isn’t just a musical term; it’s what happens when we come together.

Rehearsal Update 12/3/2025

After a short break for Thanksgiving and missing one rehearsal in between, this week brought us to a big milestone: our final rehearsal before the December 9 concert.

For the first time, we ran through every song with the full band (minus the drummer). Until now, rehearsals had been led by our pianist, Collin, so hearing the music filled out with additional instrumentation was energizing. It made everything feel real in a new way.

After each song, we clapped for ourselves. Not politely. Joyfully! The kind of applause that says we did that.

Somewhere in the middle of all that clapping, it became clear to me: we are going to have a great time on that stage even if no one else shows up. Of course, we hope the community comes out to support us. But the joy, connection, and fun are already there.

And that might be the most “Valley Soul” thing of all.

Concert Recap 12/9/2025

On the evening of the concert, singers arrived around 5:00 p.m. for our first full run-through with the entire band. Having only one hour with the band seemed a bit nerve-racking, but it worked! We sang through each piece, at least in part, to confirm cues, tighten transitions, and warm up our voices.

Then came the practical reality: finding our places on stage. It was a tight fit, but we made it work. After revisiting a few tricky sections, we exited the stage and watched as the doors opened to a growing crowd of guests who had already been gathering, some since 5:00. By 6:00 p.m., the entry space was full, and when the concert began at 6:30, the house was packed.

Looking out from the stage, it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and just as many neighbors I hadn’t met yet. That mix felt very "Valley."

Pat Charmel, CEO of Griffin Health and Griffin Hospital, opened the evening with welcoming remarks before handing things off to our director, Angela Clemmons. Pat then took a seat in the front row, where I could see him smiling throughout the entire performance. My own family came out as well, which made the night feel even more meaningful.

The concert ran from about 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, which was definitely a late one for the handful of young children in attendance, but the energy never dipped. The joy in the room carried us all through.

After the final song, many of us gathered downstairs, where Griffin Hospital’s culinary department had prepared trays of festive desserts and coffee. It was a chance to unwind, reconnect, and reflect on what we had just shared together.

Overall, it was a truly great evening. I’m grateful I participated, grateful for the people I met, and grateful for a community that continues to show up for music, for each other, and for the shared spirit that Valley Soul represents.

Watch a portion of the show in the video below. This portion includes the last four songs we perfomed.

He is here
I Shall Wear A Crown
Some Children See Him
Joy To The World

Photos from the 2025 Valley Soul concert: https://griffinhealth.smugmug.com/2025-Valley-Soul