Join us for a unique riverside concert & Sing-along with Music of the Baroque!
Last year, 145 of you joined us and did we ever have fun.
We also got noticed! Music of the Baroque wants us back, so they’ve made an AMAZING TICKET OFFER for all Sounds Good Choir Sing-along participants from Music of the Baroque:
TWO FREE TICKETS to ANY Music of the Baroque
PERFORMANCE THIS SEASON at the Harris Theater!
PLUS
The first 30 participants to arrive will receive a FREE, limited-edition Sounds Good Choir T-shirt*
*This T-shirt can also be purchased in advance for $15 when you register for the event. Details below and on RSVP form. Note: The T-shirts in our Zazzle store are regularly $25.38. We’re only able to offer this new, limited-edition shirt at the discounted price of $15 until midnight on August 30. You can only order one T-shirt when registering for the event. If you need more, please go ahead and use the RSVP link to register and then use this link to purchase additional T-shirts (up to six).
Add your voice to the fun; come Sing-along with us!
Still on the fence? These photos give you a peek at the fun,
taken by one of our singers, Teel Miller.
Concert & “Hallelujah” Chorus Sing-along
Date & Time Wednesday, September 9.
Please arrive between 6:15 and 6:50 pm. For more detailed timeline, see schedule below.
Location Chicago’s Riverwalk. Enter at the ADA-accessible entrance to Chicago’s Riverwalk on the southwest side of the Clark Street Bridge, at the corner of Clark and Wacker Drive. We will be sitting in the middle of the bleacher area close to this entrance. Sounds Good Choir volunteers will greet you and show you where to sit. Look for signs with the Sounds Good Choir logo on them.
Seating We want to sit together in one large group, so please arrive as promptly possible. We’ll have a block of seats reserved in the bleachers close to the Clark St. Bridge, right in front of where the boat with the MOB Chorus and Orchestra will dock for the Hallelujah Sing-along. But it is a first-come, first-seated situation, and we may not be able to hold the block of seats past 7.
What to wear We want to stand out from the crowd and show our numbers, so if you can, please wear one of the new, limited-edition 2026 Sounds Good Choir T-shirts OR a basic white T-shirt or blouse OR any Sounds Good Choir apparel. If you would like one of the new, limited-edition shirts (and don’t anticipate being among the first 30 to arrive or are particular about the fit), you can order one in advance for $15 when registering for the event.
GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If you’ve ever wanted to sing under world-renowned conductor Jane Glover’s baton, here’s your chance!
Additional information about the evening
Music & Lyrics We will provide sheet music and hand it out at the event. Click here to download Two different versions (these are also available to download from our website).
Inclement Weather
Music of the Baroque will be monitoring the weather forecast on September 8 and 9 in case of bad weather. If they are unable to proceed as planned with the Chicago Water Music & Hallelujah Chorus Sing-along, we will not participate and we will notify you the day of the event via email. We will also post information on Facebook.
Please click RSVP so we can estimate how many seats to reserve. Schedule, program and more info below that.
Schedule
(Timing and locations are subject to change depending on river traffic)
7:15 pm Dame Jane Glover and the musicians travel past us from the Riverwalk East End towards Merchandise Mart; the program will be repeated as the boat moves along the river.
7:20 pm Entire program is performed at Merchandise Mart (about 20 minutes): Handel’s “Water Music,” “Music for the Royal Fireworks” and opening of Vivaldi’s ”Gloria.”
No Sing-along at Merchandise Mart.
7:45 pm Boat turns around and goes back to LaSalle and Clark Street, south side along Riverwalk, stopping to reprise the program by the Clark St. bridge.
8:10 Community Sing-along to Handel’s “Hallelujah” Chorus (sung (two to three times, approximately 6-8 minutes).
8:20 pm Evening officially concludes as boat returns to Riverwalk East End.
Program Notes
Handel’s “Water Music”
As its name suggests, the “Water Music” was, in fact, written to be performed on the water, commissioned by King George I to accompany a grand royal jaunt up the River Thames in the summer of 1717. Part of the magic of the evening with Music of the Baroque will be hearing the music playing as the boat approaches and moves away and then returns, recreating for you what listeners on the Thames would have experienced more than 300 years ago!
Program
(approximately 20 minutes)
Handel
Water Music Suite No. 1
Allegro
Bourrée
Hornpipe
Choruses from Theodora
“Queen of Summer”
“Venus Laughing”
Hornpipe
Water Music Suite No. 2
Rigaudon
[Rigaudon II]
Vivaldi
Gloria: Opening Chorus
Handel
Music for the Royal Fireworks
Minuet II—Minuet I
La Réjouissance
Messiah: “Hallelujah” Chorus
Practice Tracks and Libretto for “Hallelujah” Chorus
Practice Tracks
Please join everyone at Sounds Good Choir for this very special event. Without a doubt, you will…
- Enjoy gorgeous music performed by world-class musicians
- Have a ball singing along to Handel’s “Hallelujah” Chorus
- Marvel at the beautiful architecture of Chicago reflected in the river
- Score 2 free tickets to any upcoming MOB concert this season at the Harris Theater.
And best of all, you’ll be doing it with all of your friends at Sounds Good Choir!
Our 2025 Sing-Along:
About Sounds Good Choir
Sounds Good Choir is the nation’s second largest choral organization for older adults where they can find joy, purpose, and well-being through music in our two, audition-free choral programs.
Sounds Good
Warm, supportive community-based choirs of adults “55 and better” who love to sing with others, socialize, and have fun… without having to audition! Our professional conductors and pianists, make the 90-minute rehearsals a breeze. Singers learn new music, challenge themselves without worrying about competition, and enjoy performing a free concert at the end of the 15-week session.
Good Memories
A fun, upbeat choral program for people with memory loss and their care partners to enjoy singing music together. We don’t label anyone, and no formal diagnosis is required. Our professional conductors and pianists, along with friendly, trained volunteer singers who assist as needed, make the 90-minute sessions fun and engaging. Anyone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia who can attend the structured weekly rehearsals and wants to make great music and new friends!