Did you sing in high school or college choir? Do you miss the thrill of singing with
a large choir? Or maybe you always wanted to be in a choir, but time just
wouldn’t permit. Now is the time to join the Lakewood Area Choral Society
(LACS). LACS, over 100 voices strong, is under the direction of Dr. Robert C.
Oster. The choir was formed in January of 1986 to provide adults from, in, and
around the Lakewood School District (Lake Odessa, MI) with an opportunity to
sing in a large, semi-professional chorus. Currently, the Choral Society boasts a
roster of amateur singers representing twenty-one communities and twenty-five
zip codes in western and mid-Michigan. The performers range in age from their
20’s to over 80 and represent various and diverse occupations. You could
become one of the newest members in the choir’s 34th season.
Membership is open to anyone with choral experience who loves to sing and who
is willing to be dedicated and committed to the LACS family. This year the choir
is seeking new altos, tenors, and basses. On Monday, March 11, prospective
new members may attend a Get-to-Know-Us, No-Commitment Rehearsal at 7
p.m. at Lakewood High School, 7223 Velte Rd, Lake Odessa, MI 48849. Use the
south entrance, the main doors by the auditorium, and proceed to the choir room.
Detailed information regarding the choral society’s operation and voice interview
specifics will be given following the Get-To-Know-Us, No Commitment
Rehearsal. After the initial rehearsal, those interested in becoming members will
have a voice interview to check range and experience. Voice interviews for altos
will take place on March 18, and for tenors and basses on March 25 from 6:00-
6:50 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 239 E North St, Hastings. After the voice
interviews, prospective new members will be invited to sit in on that evening’s
sectional rehearsal. Once that is successfully completed, payment of the annual
dues will make membership official. Potential new members will be welcomed
and receive a folder of music to be rehearsed. To assist you in experiencing the
music and camaraderie of LACS, new members will be assigned a mentor who
will guide them through the first season. Prospective new members are asked to
contact LACS executive assistant, Joanie Oster, before attending the first
rehearsal via email lacsmusic@gmail.com or phone 269.967.7246.
The Choral Society’s season runs from March through December each year.
Rehearsals, both full and sectional, are normally held on Monday nights from
7:00-9:00 p.m. making the commitment for singers two to three rehearsals a
month. Rehearsals are kept to a minimum in July and August. Concerts
generally begin in late April and conclude with the Christmas concert in
December.
This year’s concert schedule opens with a performance at Trinity Lutheran
Church in Grand Rapids on May 5. In June, members of LACS will embark on a
performance tour to St. Louis, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee. LACS will

perform a sacred music concert September 22 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Chapel in Monroe, Michigan. The season will conclude in December with a
concert at a yet to be determined location. In addition, an October 6 solo concert
by the Lakewood Area Acapella Choir (LAAC) at Grace Lutheran in Hastings is
also planned.
New members joining this year would be eligible to join the choir on a 7-day
concert tour to St. Louis and Nashville in June 2019. The trip includes visits to
the Gateway Arch, Missouri Botanical Gardens, Grand Old Opry, Country Music
Hall of Fame, the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson’s Home), and much more. Trip
members will also have two cruises, including a lunch cruise on the General
Jackson Showboat. While the tour performance schedule is not completely set,
the group will be performing at a Saturday evening mass at the Cathedral
Basilica of St. Louis.
The mission of the choral society is to provide for its members an atmosphere
that promotes learning and enjoyment of choral music and to provide for our
audiences superior performances of choral music. As a member of LACS you
will experience that joy of singing you once knew or always wanted to
experience. Further information about becoming a new member is available at
lacsmusic.org. Click on “Who We Are” and complete the online form under
“Joining LACS.” If you would like further information, please email Joanie Oster,
Executive Assistant, at lacsmusic@gmail.com or phone 269-967-7246. Hope to
see you at Lakewood High School on March 11!