GRC Teacher, John Lawwill, Takes on the Christmas Spirit with the Winchester Chorale Choir
Nothing can better define a person than the passions that fuel them. The drive to create, practice, and perform is a vital characteristic in keeping the arts alive and thriving. This drive is especially evident in GRC drama teacher, John Lawwill.
Mr.Lawwill is currently an active member of the Winchester Chorale, which is led by director Jim Cowan. This is a seasonal choir welcome to all members of the community. This choir hosts a group of about 60 passionate people, all ranging in their musical ability.
Groups like the Winchester Chorale are imperative in promoting the arts and allowing a place for all people to participate and grow as a singer. Without communal opportunities, we would see a massive decline in the accessibility of choirs, especially in adult age groups.
Mr. Lawwill was invited to join the Winchester Chorale three years ago, which soon became a vessel in which to use his musical education differently.
As a drama teacher at GRC, Lawwill’s talents are often used in the background, whether it is teaching vocal-based students, or assisting with the school musicals. This choir allows him to take his vocal ability and shine as an artist under the bright lights of a stage.
It is the insurmountable amount of passion Lawwill expresses that makes choirs like the Winchester Chorale a success.
“It is really cliché, but there’s a reason things are cliché,” he says. “Singing is a form of communication that moves me more than anything else ever moves me. Non-verbal communication is a passion of mine and it shows through the most when it comes to music. If you would have visited some of the early Intro to Theatre classes I teach, you would have observed a lesson on why and how non-verbal communication is paramount to performers.”
The Winchester Chorale has been preparing for its Christmas concert, Good News, Great Joy, with director Jim Cowan since early September. After months of practice, the choir will perform on Friday, Dec. 1, and Sunday, Dec. 3, at First Baptist Church.
The Chorale invites everyone to come enjoy their performance and start off the Christmas season with a bang. The annual concert offers free admission, but donations are welcome.
Having programs like the Winchester Chorale are the most effective way to promote a balanced and inclusive community. Mr. Lawwill describes this choir as a chance to create something beautiful, challenge himself, and connect with others who have similar interests.
By joining people who share the same emotional connection to singing, the Winchester Chorale is able to create an impactful performance that will further contribute to the beauty of our town.
“It may not be immediately noticeable, but contributing things that are beautiful to any community creates cohesion and connectedness among its members,” says Mr. Lawwill. “In other places like the large cities of Europe, beauty is a large part of their tourism. People are drawn to that sense of awe and wonder that beauty brings with it. I would like to think the Winchester Chorale affects the community in a similar manner.”
As an eager member of the choir, Mr. Lawwill is able to take that talent and practice and apply it to the many other aspects of his life that involve singing. He has been involved in multiple productions at Leeds Center for the Arts as both a cast member and a volunteer. He has also started the preparation for GRC’s production of Anything Goes, which debuts in the spring. All of these events are taken to another level because of Mr. Lawwill’s dedication to the arts, which can be seen in his performance in the Winchester Chorale.
In order to keep the arts alive, everyone must play a part, one very easy way to do that is by supporting the Winchester Chorale.
With fun seasonal music and the joy created by passionate members, the Chorale will give a beautiful performance, free to all.
Multiple GRC alumni are participating in the choir, making the concert Good News, Great Joy the perfect opportunity to support and promote our school spirit.
With the support of the arts and people like Mr.Lawwill, we can create a beautiful, prosperous community for all.
