Key of Sea Choral closes out season with uplifting message

Longboat Key
Neighbors

Wearing their iconic scarlet scarves and black clothes, Key of Sea choir members recently brought some extra cheer to community members with their upbeat tunes.

Members held their final two shows of the season, entertaining audiences at St. Armands Key Lutheran Church on March 26 and the Player's Club on March 27.

They began with a musical introduction, singing they were happy to be "bringing music and cheer, song by song."

These final two performances held special meaning for the group, as several members are also part of the church choir, and the club has facilitated its practices.

The choir has a longstanding presence in the Longboat Key area, regularly delighting listeners since 2001 with beloved tunes from the ballpark all the way to where the hills are alive with the sound of music.

Members have overcome the challenges of losing members amid the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2024 storm recovery many residents still face. But the choral remains undeterred, drawing strength and joy from one another's companionship.

Rear: Carol Whitfield Matthews, Sue Rinaldo, Jeanette Reeves, Margaret Chirgwin, Kathy Mosak, Lynda Menuez; Front: Judie Lutsky, Renate Krakauer, Marilyn Bobrin, Jane Goodman and Jo Bellezza; Not Pictured: Sue Nusbaum, Laura Berger and Carol Larsen — Rear: Director Carol Whitfield Matthews, Sue Rinaldo, Jeanette Reeves, Margaret Chirgwin, Kathy Mosak, Lynda Menuez; Front: Judie Lutsky, Renate Krakauer, Marilyn Bobrin, Jane Goodman and Jo Bellezza; Not Pictured: Sue Nusbaum, Laura Berger and Carol Larsen

Judie Lutsky, one of the founding members of the Key of Sea choir, still sings with the group every season. One of her favorites is the medley of Dick Van Dyke's "Put On a Happy Face" and "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" from the Broadway hit "Annie."

"We like to build the setlist around happy songs of togetherness that bring people a smile," she said, which they did with an earlier performance at Plymouth Harbor's senior living facilities.

"They were just so enthralled while they sang," she said. "It was wonderful."

The choir endeavors to make the show interactive, encouraging attendees to sing along with "Do-Re-Mi" and other catchy songs.

The choir holds weekly meetings during the first months of the year, then holds its performances throughout March for residents in area nursing homes and condominiums, as well as other venues.

Anyone interested in joining the group when it restarts next January can email goodman@oakland.edu.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.