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Watch out for Chicago Mothers Choir!

September 24, 2015

Chicago Mothers Choir (Korea Times Chicago)

By The Korea Times Chicago staff

The 60 mothers who show up to Chicago church for choir practice two hours every Tuesday don’t want to be called ahjummas.

Call them the Singing Mothers of the Chicago Mothers Choir — some have the roughened hands of immigrants, some have grandchildren, and all are tough as steel. And come Oct. 4, they plan to harmonize as one inside North Shore Center for the Performing Arts.

Eleven women started the amateur choir in 2012 and watched membership balloon.

Tuesday is practice day, but it’s also a chance for the mothers to socialize — in many ways, the choir’s become a reminder to live young.

“I’ve found my own voice doing choir,” said Kim Ji-young, a member. “In one word, this is a fun place. It gives my life development and change.”

Chicago Mothers Choir during Tuesday practice inside Glenview Korean Church (Korea Times Chicago)

With an average age of 65 to 70, the oldest member being 84 years old, the choir is out to show the irrelevance of age when it comes to singing, said Shin Choon-ja, choir head.

“The choir’s performances serve as a reminder to families and locals that their proud, aged mothers have taken on a challenge,” Shin said. “I hope the warmth of music, carrying the mothers’ love, makes for a good evening.”

Conductor Park Geun-bae, who also oversees the mothers’ other half — the Chicago Fathers Choir — said the concert is in its third annual year.

Members have been practicing for the occasion for a year now, he said.

“I hope many people come to receive the gift of the mothers choir’s harmony,” Park said.