UND staff and faculty choir raises voices and spirits
UND’s new community choir, led by Melanie Popejoy, brings staff and faculty together to share laughter and song
Every Thursday afternoon, laughter and music spill out of the Memorial Union Ballroom as a group of UND faculty and staff come together for a purpose that’s harmonious in more ways than one.
They’re rehearsing for Hawks in Harmony, a community choir composed of UND staff and faculty members. The idea came from vice provost for Faculty Affairs Randi Tanglen, who was a part of a similar program while working at another institution. When she suggested the idea to Brad Rundquist, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, he knew exactly who could bring this idea to life: associate director of choral activities Melanie Popejoy.
Bringing community together in song
Popejoy has dedicated her career to connecting people through music. For more than 20 years, she has directed the Grand Cities Children’s Choir, an ensemble of young singers ranging from third to ninth grade, alongside directing choirs at UND. When Rundquist shared the idea of starting a community choir at UND, she was immediately interested.
“I think Brad came right to my office after his meeting with Randi, and before he could get all the words out, I said, ‘yes, yes, yes and yes,’” Popejoy recalled.
And, the UND community seems to have an appetite for making music. While organizers initially estimated 50 participants, more than 90 people from across campus joined Hawks in Harmony. The choir includes members with varying levels of musical experience, from music faculty with years of experience to complete beginners. Popejoy, with her background in education, welcomed the diversity of skill levels.
“I believe that we are all innately musical in some way, and sometimes we just haven’t had the opportunity to have those gifts honed or heard,” she said. “I’m a people-first person, and I believe in meeting people where they’re at. The music is the tool I’m using to help people be and do whatever it is they need.”
The choir met weekly from late September to mid-November, rehearsing arrangements of “Here Comes the Sun” and “Wonderful Christmastime.” Their efforts culminated in a final performance at the Department of Music’s Winter WUNDerland concert last Saturday. The group’s popularity is growing, with invitations to perform at banquets and other campus events.
While Popejoy credits UND’s “very musical community and campus” for the choir’s success, her reputation for fostering connections through music also has played a significant role.
This reputation was a key factor for Chelsea Larson, chief business officer for the College of Education & Human Development, when deciding to join Hawks in Harmony. Despite having no prior singing experience, Larson knew Popejoy through her daughter, who had participated in the Grand Cities Children’s Choir.
“As soon as I learned that Melanie Popejoy was the director, I thought, ‘If ever I’m going to sing in a choir, it’s going to be with Melanie Popejoy,’” Larson said. “When I asked my daughter if I should join, she said, ‘Mom, if you don’t sing with Melanie Popejoy, you’ll have life regrets,’” she added with a laugh.
Although Larson had played the flute in school, singing in front of an audience was a new challenge. Though she was initially apprehensive about performing in front of large crowds at UND football games and the Winter WUNDerland concert, she soon found rehearsals were a much-needed break from her busy work week.
“It’s not so much the performances that make this special — it’s the break it gives us in our days,” Larson said. “Singing with colleagues is so different from everything else I do during the week. It’s something I’ve started to look forward to and didn’t realize I needed.”
Community choir brings harmony in song and in spirit
At their recent performance on the Memorial Union Social Stairs, Popejoy similarly referred to rehearsals as a form of “therapy” for choir members. Carly Flaagan, associate teaching professor of Music Therapy and choir member, agreed, explaining that there’s scientific evidence supporting the psychological and physiological benefits of singing in groups.
Flaagan, a UND alumna who returned to teach in the Department of Music’s relaunched Music Therapy program, noted that group singing releases “feel-good” chemicals such as oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin. Research from organizations such as Tenovus Cancer Care and the Royal College of Music in London has even shown that singing can boost immunity by increasing T cell counts.
Flaagan, who sang with Popejoy while she was in the Grand Cities Children’s Choir, was excited to work with the director again. And, as she was returning to UND after working as a music therapist in Colorado for a number of years, she thought Hawks in Harmony would be the perfect way to reacclimate to campus.
“Singing in a choir helps create a sense of connection,” Flaagan said. “When we’re going about our days, I think a lot of us are out of sync with others. But in a choir, everyone has listen to each other and match each other’s tempos, all working toward a shared goal. I think group-oriented things like making music are a great way to connect with people.”
For her part, Popejoy emphasized that music serves as a tool for community building and camaraderie.
“It’s about using music in healthful ways — taking a break in our day to make music together, building bridges across our campus community, and meeting people we might not have known before,” she said. “Music is such a good way to bring everyone into a room, collaborate and create something beautiful. That’s really our purpose.”
While the choir is taking a break for the holidays, Popejoy shared that they plan to start rehearsing again early in the spring semester. Those interested in joining can fill out the registration form on the group’s official webpage or reach out to Popejoy for more details.
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