Eight voices, a wide variety of instuments, and an eagerness to venture into any musical realm- that's The Doorway Singers. For more than five years, the Singers have drawn from among the very best of Tidewater musicians to compile a repertoire with astonishing appeal. What might you hear when The Doorway Singers are in town?
Picture a london street corner in late December, 1870. Carollers in frock coats and top hats, bonnets and muffs fill the frost air with the sound of traditional British carols. The Holly and the Ivy, Wassail, The Coventry Carol and others in lovely harmonies and brimming with the holiday spirit. (Available on compact disc and cassette.)
A whimsical trip back to the 14th century, with the lusty music of a medieval feast. Oh, Good Ale, they sing. Courtly manners slightly tested as the ladies and cavaliers exchange gentle teasing in The Keys of Canterbury and Queen Elinor. All will be well, though, in the gentle strains of I Sowed the Seeds of Love and the poignant, traditional Greensleeves.
Ante-bellum Virginia. Candlelight and good manners. Gentile flirtations behind fluttering fans and the familiar sounds of Stephen Foster and traditional tunes. I Dream of Jeannie and Love's Old Sweet Song, with a leavening of humor in There's a Hole in My Bucket and The Little Bisque Doll.
It's always a ceilidh or Saint Patrick's Day when the entertaining tunes of Scotland and Ireland resound. Whiskey in the Jar side by side with Bonnie Glen Shee, Mary's Wedding and the slightly ribald Maids, When You're Young... Swirls of tartan, the swing of the kilt, and maybe even a bagpipe!
Blackbeard the Pirate was killed in 1718, right? Why then, a generation later, would four ne'er-do-wells want to find his famous drinking cup? Why are they consistently outsmarted by young colonial women? Songs of the sea (Blow the Man Down, Drunken Sailor, Oh You New York Girls), of the land (Twiddles, The Water is Wide) and much more!
New in 1996! Unrest sweeps the British colonies, as the old political order is challenged. Amid it all, colonial Virginians struggle to build a democracy that can address the pressing social problems of the day. Did a young George Washington really sponsor legislation that would control pig farms? A town meeting in a tavern, and period music a-plenty.
1996 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Robert Burns, Scotland's poet laureate. In a lifetime that did not last four decades, Burns penned poetry and songs that are as vibrant and fresh today as when they first were written. Ae Fond Kiss, John Anderson my Jo, Comin' Thro' the Rye, My Love She's but a Lassie Yet and more. There's a universal and timeless appeal to A Man's a Man For A' That and the chorus known 'round the world, Auld Lang Syne.
First performed in 1995, the Singers perform Yuletide music from around the world. When did you last hear Les Anges dans nos Campagnes in French? Or Alegria, Alegria, Alegria in Spanish. Add new sparkle to the holiday season with Kling, Glockchen, Kling in German, The Kalanta of the New Year in Greek, or the poignant medley of Minuit, Chretiens, and Still, Still, Still.
Individual Performers
The Doorway Singers are made up of performers representing the best in Tidewater musical talent. In addition to their capabilities as an ensemble, individual members of the Doorway Singers perform in these areas:
Classical Music
Piano and organ for weddings, receptions and soirees
Solo vocalists (male and female)
Hammered and Lap Dulcimers
Acoustic, Folk, Country, Children's and Popular Music
Guitar
Banjo
Mandolin
Hammered and Lap Dulcimers
Penny whistle and recorders
Keyboards
The Unusual and Unique
Highland Bagpipes (performed in full military dress)
Bodhran
Vocal music in German, French, and Spanish
(757) 463-6341
Custom Entertainment Programs
In addition to the standard programs in repertoire, The Doorway Singers have designed specific programs when requested. Among them have been...
Wedding Music - Choral music adds a distinctive flair to weddings. The Doorway Singers have presented such numbers as renditions of Bach's Sheep May Safely Graze, Pachelbel's Canon of Praise (a vocal arrangement of the classic Canon in D), Ave Maria (in English, Latin or German!), The Prayer of Saint Francis, The Wedding Song, What A Wonderful World/This is My Father's House and others.
Oktoberfest! - Military Reunions seem a bit more special when those things which made an overseas tour unique are recreated. The Doorway Singers crafted a unique program of songs in German for these groups, and have been called on to perform the same numbers in an Oktoberfest setting. Folk standards such as Muss i Denn, In Muenchen Steht ein Hofbrauhaus, Mein Hut der Hat Drei Echen and more modern numbers such as Reinhard Mey's Ueber den Wolken and Gute Nacht, Freunde are unique offerings, and have provided a very spicial touch to these getherings. Ein Prosit der Gemutlichkeit!
National Anthems/Opening Ceremonies - The Doorway Singers presented a variety of songs during the opening ceremonies to the Virginia State Games. The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful and other patriotic numbers were presented in the multi-voice harmonies that are the Doorway Singers' hallmark.
Liberty Call, Liberty Call! - The Doorway Singers perform a medley of classic songs of the 40's and 50's, the nostalgia of years gone by, featuring songs by artists such as: The Andrew Sisters, Vera Lynn, Spike Jones, The Ink Spots, Glenn Miller and the Dorseys, and so much more! The perfect entertainment for military reunions.
What else can we do?
The Doorway Singers pride themselves on having the musical flexibility to respond to almost any request. Folk music or light classics, country or popular, English or any variety of other languages...we're ready to craft a program specific to the wants of our friends. Let us show you what we can do!
The Doorway Singers
3045 Silver Maple Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23452-6771
(757) 463-6341
Click
to hear
"Good King Wenceslas".
