Garth Bishop
Song as old as rhyme. Or at least as old as Lisa Robinson-Boyer’s roots.
“Music is part of the fabric of my family,” says Robinson-Boyer, director of the Pickerington Community Chorus. “My dad was a graduate of Capital (University)… he sang in their Chapel Choir when he was a student in the 40s.”
When something is in your blood, it’s hard for it to run dry.
Robinson-Boyer embraced that truth and began her musical studies as a young child.
“My piano teacher said (when I was) 5 or 6, ‘You have perfect pitch,’ and I had no idea what that meant, but it’s come in handy,” she says. “You can sing ‘G’ for me or play a note on the piano and I could tell without looking.”
Music swept her through her tenure at Whetstone High School and into higher education. She earned her bachelor of music education degree at Otterbein University and her master in education at the University of Rio Grande.
Robinson-Boyer couldn’t keep her passion inside. She has taught elementary and middle school general music for more than 20 years at Liberty Union-Thurston Local Schools and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, respectively, and led song groups for more than 30 years. She also serves as the director of music at North Community Lutheran Church.
She settled in Pickerington in 1986.
“It’s a great community to raise kids,” Robinson-Boyer says. “It’s close enough to Columbus, so you can take advantage of cultural opportunities, but there’s still a small town flavor.”
The composition of Pickerington has aligned with Robinson-Boyer’s personal tune, the town now boasting established music departments at both high schools.
Her music and education genes carried on through her three sons, who attended Pickerington High School Central and took advantage of not only the music program, but also athletics and theater. Nathaniel, 24, is now in medical school, Andrew, 26, teaches music in northern Indiana and Matthew works at Columbus State Community College’s Delaware Campus Learning Center.
“There are outstanding music programs in the high schools, but once students graduate, there’s really nothing out there for them,” says Robinson-Boyer.
The Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department took note and, in February 2007, began forming a community singing group to build on the schools’ foundation.
Fifteen individuals, led by Emily Fisher, launched the inaugural rehearsal as Pickerington Community Chorus in May 2007 to ready for their premier performance that summer through the Giant Eagle Concert Series.
“My husband and I went to hear them and I got kind of excited and talked to the director after,” Robinson-Boyer says.
The Community Chorus was set to return to rehearsals after its summer break, allowing Robinson-Boyer to join that fall.
Robinson-Boyer had the chance to delve in further with Pickerington Community Chorus when she took over as director in spring 2009.
A love of music and voice threads the group, which has grown to 35 to 40 members who range in ages 20 to 80. The chorus’ style scales from classical to contemporary.
“Most don’t have professional training and some have never sung before,” Robinson-Boyer says. “The fellowship of the group is really important, but we also strive to do things in a musical integrity because we want to do our best.”
Since its first year, the Chorus has performed at the Violet Township Bicentennial Celebration, Lions Club Labor Day Celebration, Olde Pickerington Village Holiday, Arbor Day Celebration, Pickerington Nursing & Rehab Center, Amber Park Assisted Living Community, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Pickerington Alumni Association, a presentation with the Columbus Children’s Choir, a fundraiser in association with Barnes & Noble and in-home party shows.
Beyond the joy she gets from singing, Robinson-Boyer is fulfilled further through the chorus’ visits to assisted living facilities.
“The comments the residents make … they look forward to us being there. It’s like a ray of sunshine when we come,” she says. “It’s part of our outreach. We want to be a real community chorus.”
Aside from an expansion in membership and performance arenas, Robinson-Boyer led the chorus in establishing 501(c)(3) status in 2012, opening up opportunities to receive grants and donations. The group earned a grant from Fairfield County Foundation last year, underwriting the purchase of a portable keyboard for outdoor shows and its 2013 holiday concert that featured selections of Handel’s Messiah.
“I’d like to see them grow even stronger, not only in numbers, but on a musical basis. Some of these folks are singing things they would never envision by exposing them to things like Handel’s Messiah – a challenging piece of music,” she says.
While last year’s elaborate holiday show saw success, this year’s winter concert will be “lighter,” featuring a mix of sacred and secular carols, as Robinson-Boyer has had to ease her directing load amid a challenging 2014.
Despite being diagnosed with cancer last winter, supporting her husband with chronic leukemia and visiting her father in the hospital for heart issues, she remains hopeful – leaning on her faith and the members of the chorus.
“Were it not for taking over this group, there are a lot of very nice people I probably would’ve never met,” she says. “When I went through my diagnosis, they rallied around us. I feel really privileged to have helped get this team together. ”
Anyone interested in finding a place of belonging can join the chorus, says Robinson-Boyer. The group practices at Epiphany Lutheran Church.
“Pickerington’s a great community,” she says. “The chorus is just one more way that we can help our community shine a little bit and bring people together for a common goal. After 28 years, it’s just a good place to call home.”
The Pickerington Community Chorus holiday show Holidays In Our Town is Saturday, Dec. 6, at 4 p.m. at Epiphany Lutheran Church.
For more information about the Pickerington Community Chorus, go to www.pickeringtoncommunitychorus.com.
Tessa Dufresne is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
