Our story

Women from all over Athens, gathering on Thursday afternoons to make music together since 2001.

Meridian Women’s Chorus was organized to develop the choral skills of women, to give members the chance to create music with peers, and to offer quality performances of women’s choral music to the community of Northeast Georgia.

That purpose has not changed since the first rehearsal. What has changed is who stands in front of us, what we sing, and how many of us there are.

The chorus first came together under Jill Crandall in 2001, who gathered women from all over Athens to make music together. The first concert followed in 2002, and the group achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2003.

Every December since, the annual Tapestry concert has been part of the Athens holiday season — a free program of holiday favorites shared with other beloved area ensembles, among them the Athens Recorder Ensemble, choral groups from Oconee High School, handbell ensembles, and assorted duets and trios. Each spring the chorus takes on a different theme, which over the years has ranged from 1960s pop to opera.

Five directors

Who has led us

Each director left the chorus sounding a little different from how they found it.

  1. 2001

    Jill Crandall gathers singers from across Athens. The first concert follows in 2002; 501(c)(3) status arrives in 2003.

  2. 2011

    Jon Arnold becomes artistic director and introduces the chorus to more classical Western choral music. The women still love to sing his arrangement of Gustav Holst’s “In the Bleak Midwinter.”

  3. 2017

    Meg Granum takes over as Jon moves on. She keeps building the classical repertoire while making room for lighter fare — musical theatre favorites, John Denver.

  4. 2019

    Mark Woodcock arrives. He and the chorus manage exactly one concert together before COVID-19 shuts Athens down in March 2020. Some activity continues online, but it is a hard stretch for choral groups everywhere.

  5. 2022

    Stacie Court, a local voice instructor and choral director, is hired in the summer. She and the Executive Committee are working to bring the chorus back to the forefront of Athens choral music.

At the piano

The accompanists

Meridian has benefited greatly from a number of very talented accompanists over the years. Amanda Mazzaferro has been with us since 2019.

Accompanist Years
Jonathan Klein2003
Nancy Riley2005–2008, 2009
Katrina Gabbitas2008–2009, 2010–2012
Benjamin Pozo2012
Rebecca Bonas2013
Kristin Humbard2013–2018
Amanda Mazzaferro2019–present
The chorus performing at a Holiday Tapestry concert.

The Holiday Tapestry concert has been part of the Athens holiday season since the chorus began.

Come and sing with us

There is no audition. If you have wondered whether you could sing with a chorus again, this is the one to try.

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