SATB calls itself “a different kind of choir” and exemplifies this through its charity work and familial atmosphere.
The choir, ranging in ages from 26 to around 70, is a community group that gets together with the goal of sharing their talent and uplifting charitable causes in the area.
“We are quite special because we're kind of a family and we really have an incredibly good time singing together,” Metra Peterson, the music director at SATB, said. “On top of that, we are a civic organization, which means before every concert we choose some sort of other nonprofit organization and we theme our concert around that organization.”
SATB is a mixed soprano, alto, tenor, and bass choir working with many different genres of music, Peterson said.
“We do pop music, we do jazz,“ Peterson said. “You name a genre we do it. We look under all sorts of ‘choir rocks’ looking for music.”
The organization consists of people in many different types of jobs and backgrounds.
“I have university professors, school teachers, entrepreneurs, nurses and just the whole gamut; lots of different people that love to sing together,” Peterson said
The group gets together not only to sing, but to raise money and garner attention for social justice and charitable groups in the area.
“It's pretty much just a concert that's geared toward that particular organization,” Chelsa Morahan, a member of The Post publishing board and a member of SATB, said. “Then we partner with that organization and they do a little talk during the concert, you know, to expand knowledge of things like that.”
The profits from the bi-annual concerts go to the charity of choice, with part going to ARTS/West for allowing SATB to use their space and a small cut is taken to pay for the music.
Their upcoming concert will be performed in June and will be in support of PRISM, a group for LGBT identifying youth to have a safe space where they can relax, do art and express themselves. The concert will coincide with PRISM’s art show as well.
This year’s theme will coincide with PRISM’s goals of self-acceptance.
“All of our music will be gender appropriate and it will be about positiveness, liking yourself, and hope,” Peterson said.
For previous concerts, SATB has supported organizations like the John Glenn Space Park at Hocking Hills.
The choir began after Peterson, a middle school music teacher in Meigs county, lost her choir class due to a scheduling change at the school.
“I was really sad that I didn't have a choir to conduct and so my dad said ‘Well, why don't we start our own choir?’” Peterson said. “My daughter was living in Chicago at the time and she told me about a choir that did what we are doing now, and so we thought that was a great idea.”
The group is more than just a choir and a civic organization to many of its members, including Peterson’s daughter.
“I'm the daughter of the founder,” Morahan said. “I was actually in a choir when I was living in Chicago that did something very similar. That's kind of where mom got the idea and then she just blossomed it in a different way. It’s being part of a family. Honestly, it's such a great group of people and we have a lot of fun together and we enjoy making music together.”
Many members emphasize feeling a sense of family, like SATB member Danielle Bridges, who felt a sense of belonging after moving from Arkansas to Ohio after college.
“Having this group of people that make music and weird jokes with every week was kind of always the highlight of my week,” Bridges said. “I never had an older brother and I was like having like 20 older brothers.”
The group practices at ARTS/West, a space that they are able to use for free.
“We're very thankful for ARTS/West that they allow us to do this. So I mean, if we had to pay for all the space and all the times and you know, all that sort of thing. Yeah, we wouldn't be able to do what we do.” Peterson said.
The group practices Tuesdays at 5 p.m. and is currently accepting new members.
