All-women choir's performances are a lark

EAST COUNTY — Sopranos and altos harmonized together to perform “Feliz Navidad” and other holiday tunes Dec. 11, at Bird Key Yacht Club. The group sang in front of a backdrop of colorfully wrapped gifts and Christmas trees covered in glittery gold ornaments and strings of white lights.

For the 10th year, members of the University Park Women’s Club Park Larks singing group will visit venues around the East County, including assisted-living facilities, wearing their signature black blouses and pants with red scarves nestled around their necks.

Barbara Staton has served as the choir’s director since 2003, when she and Emmy Walsh put the group together.

“I remember if as if it were yesterday,” Staton said.

The women agreed there needed to be an outlet for women in University Park to showcase their vocal talents.

“We figured there are all these other groups and clubs, why not have one for singing?” Staton said. “It all started in Emmy Walsh’s living room. We didn’t even have an accompanist; it was just the bare bones.”

The 14-member group includes Gia Havener, music director at Peace Presbyterian Church. Havener plays the piano for the ladies and writes songs for them to intersperse in their repertoire of Broadway hits and classics.

Although members have joined and left the group during the 10 years of its existence, a few, such as Staton and Walsh, are veterans.

About half of the members are snowbirds who leave to head north during the group’s off-season — May to September — including the newest singer of the group, Susan Gordon.

Captivated by Sarasota five years ago, Gordon, a Rochester, N.Y., native, decided to spend her summers in New England and head south for the winter.

She now owns a home in University Park Country Club — a qualification to be a member of the Larks and the University Park Women’s Club.

A former interior designer, Gordon enjoys being retired, and the laid-back, easygoing nature of the choir, she said.

Although she doesn’t share group seniority with Staton and Havener, Gordon shares similarities with the two women — they all have backgrounds in music.

Hoping to make a career out of singing, Gordon was a musicology major at Smith College. Somewhere along the line, however, it took a back seat to other interests. But, she always loved to belt out tunes, even if just for fun.

The women practice once a week during season; they enjoy bringing their own singing styles to the songs they perform. The members work alongside Havener to create arrangements that showcase their singing abilities.

The ladies have two singing seasons — January to April and October to December — with more than six shows a season that the public, not just those who live in University Park, is invited to attend for free.
In March, the Park Larks will join forces with two other local singing groups whose members, too, live in and represent the communities for which their groups are named — The Glenridge Harmonaires and The Landoliers.

Although the Lark ladies are dedicated to their performances, they still laugh at themselves and have fun together.

“We’re ordinary gals who just enjoy singing,” group member Louise Dianna said. “We’re light-hearted and don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

For more information on the Park Larks, visit universityparkwomensclub.com.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].