Woburn Choir Celebrates Unique Milestone

In 1963, the nation was falling in love with the Beatles and the Beach Boys, writing letters that cost a 5 cent stamp to send, and watching Andy Griffith if they had a TV. A gallon of gas cost $0.30, and a dozen eggs would set you back $0.55. It was also the year that a group of local performers came together to create a legacy, Mishawum Choral Society.

Now, in 2026, the chorus is marking an interesting coincidence.
Born in ’63, MCS turns 63.

In the language of milestone birthdays, it is sometimes called a platinum birthday—when a person’s age matches the last two digits of their birth year. Others refer to it as a Beddian birthday, named for New York City firefighter Bobby Beddia, who first noted the mathematical coincidence. Whatever the name, the milestone is striking: a chorus born in 1963 now singing in its 63rd year.

For more than six decades, Mishawum Choral Society has brought together people with a shared love of music. Based in Woburn and drawing members from communities throughout Middlesex and Essex counties, the adult community choir has continued a simple tradition: people gathering week after week to sing.

Mishawum Choral Society was founded in 1963 by approximately 20 to 30 singers from area choirs who came together to establish a concert chorus under the leadership of the late Rodney Mansfield. The group’s first concert followed in 1964, launching a tradition that has continued ever since, including digitally supported performances in 2020 during the COVID pandemic.

From those early rehearsals to today, singers have come and gone, but the organization’s spirit has remained consistent. Members continue to come from towns across Middlesex and Essex counties, creating a choir that reflects a broad and varied community united by music. Today, it remains rooted in the same purpose that inspired its founding: to enjoy choral music and share it with audiences.

Musical styles have changed, sometimes questionably, technology has transformed listening habits, and generations of singers have passed through the ensemble. Yet the weekly rehearsal remains familiar: singers take their places, folders open, the accompanist begins at the piano, the director raises his hands, and individual voices become one.

Today, Mishawum Choral Society is directed by Brian Gilbertie, with Sarah Lafontaine as accompanist. The group rehearses Tuesday evenings at Woburn Memorial High School and presents concerts in December and May, as well as singing at the Woburn Tree Lighting.

Its repertoire spans classical works, pops, folk, jazz, and Broadway selections. Under Gilbertie’s direction and Lafontaine’s accompaniment, the chorus aims to present music that is engaging, challenging, and performed by a group that enjoys singing together. Longtime supporters often note that audiences leave wanting more.

Trying to describe the community behind the choir is a challenge. If you were to ask the members why they sing, you will find a wide range of answers.

Some have lifelong musical backgrounds; others return to choral singing after years away. For some, Mishawum is the only group they have ever sung with. Many are drawn to the challenge of learning new music, while others value the friendships and sense of community that develop over time.

Members come from different towns, professions, generations, and musical backgrounds. For a couple of hours each week, those differences matter far less than entrances, cutoffs, and watching the director.

There is work involved in preparing a concert. Songs must be learned, rhythms counted, and voices matched, but there is also laughter.
That combination of music and community has sustained Mishawum for more than six decades.

Live choral performance also offers something that recordings cannot: music created in real time by people from the community, for the community, with each concert shaped by months of rehearsal and shared listening.

Today, Mishawum presents its Winter Holiday and Spring concerts at the Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church in Winchester, chosen for its acoustics and support of the arts.

Longevity for a community organization is never automatic.

Mishawum Choral Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by member dues, ticket sales, and sponsors. Like many community arts groups, its continued success depends on ongoing participation from singers, audiences, and the broader community.

Each generation inherits something built by those who came before it and helps carry it forward.

The chorus founded in 1963 continues to provide a place for people to make music together, and its story is still being written.

There Is Always Room for Another Voice.
While honoring its history, Mishawum remains a living community choir, and new singers are always welcome.

There are no auditions, and no extensive musical training is required. Some members are experienced musicians; others are returning to organized singing after years away, some only ever sang in the shower.

The choir welcomes adult singers in all voice parts who are interested in making music and joining a long-standing community tradition.

Mishawum’s 2026–27 season begins Tuesday, September 8, with rehearsals from 7 to 9 p.m. at Woburn Memorial High School. September rehearsals are open, allowing prospective members to attend and sing without immediate commitment.

Whether someone comes to sing, attends a concert, supports the organization, or simply discovers a 63-year-old community chorus in Woburn for the first time, Mishawum continues to build on the foundation it began in 1963.

Sixty-three years ago, a group of people decided to sing together, and they haven’t stopped.

For more information about Mishawum Choral Society, its upcoming season and performances, visit www.mishawumchoral.org.