Ames women’s chorus Good Company celebrates 30 years with ‘Winter Song’ concert

In his 31st season as director, Steven Hoifeldt has expertly curated a dynamic and diverse selection of songs for Good Company's holiday program.

Good Company is an Ames-based women’s choral ensemble with membership by audition. The group will present “Winter Song: A Festive Holiday Concert” at 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Andrews Church, 209 Colorado Ave.

Hoifeldt founded the women's group 30 years ago when a few Ames Choral Society members asked him to start the group. Hoifeldt is now in his 42nd season as Ames Choral Society director.

“It was a mission to perform high-quality music that was written for treble choirs, and especially for treble, women’s choirs,” Hoifeldt said.

He especially looks for music written for women by female composers, which is challenging in older music.

“Most of the music before the middle of the 19th century was written for male choirs,” Hoifeldt said.

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It was unusual for women to sing in public because they were expected to focus on domestic tasks and childrearing.

Johannes Brahms, the 19th-century composer, was asked to direct a women’s choir. When he didn’t find much music written for treble voices, he began to compose for women, Hoifeldt explained.

Empowering women

There’s been an uptick in music composed by women in the past 80 years.

“I look not just for treble choir music for our group, but we try to perform music by women composers,” he said.

Sunday’s concert will include songs composed by Sarah Quartel from Canada and 17th-century Italian composer Chiara Cozzolani.

The concert’s title song, “Winter Song,” is co-composed by Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles, who is well-known for her work with the musical “Waitress.”

Good Company’s concert will be accompanied by an eclectic mix of piano, a string quartet, trumpets, a trombone, saxophones, bongos and tambourine.

Recently retired ISU Music Department professor Jonathan Sturm will play violin on two selections.

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“It’s a different kind of concert. It has a good variety,” Hoifeldt said. “I try to find things that are interesting and sometimes challenging for the women singing in the group. And I always hope that people in the audience will come away liking something or discovering something.”

Tickets are $15 from Good Company members in person or online at goodcompanysings.com. Children ages 12 and under may attend the concert at no cost.

Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Good Company women's chorus to perform 'Winter Song' concert Sunday