The West Bay Chorale held their “Love Changes Everything” chorale performance at the Edgewood Congregational Church in Cranston on May 20. Their featured selections included Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes along with various Broadway love songs from well-known productions such as “Les Misérables,” “Wicked,” “The Sound of Music” and “Rent.”

Under the direction of Eric W. Van Devort, who was appointed director of the West Bay Chorale in June 2017, “Love Changes Everything” had approximately 80 guests in the audience. Van Devort is an accomplished conductor and pianist and he recently served as the Music Director at Mathewson Street Church in Providence, Rhode Island. A native of Ohio, he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Kent State University and completed advanced coursework in Choral Conducting from Case Western Reserve University.

The West Bay Chorale began its life as the Warwick Ecumenical Choir in 1979. Prominent members of local churches got together to begin the effort. Membership grew, and the first name change occurred when the choir became the Warwick Civic Chorale. As part of the Warwick Consortium of the Arts, the Chorale sang for many civic events. It received its first grant from the “Arts in the Park” program. When members of the Chorale began coming from all over the West Bay, the name was changed to again reflect new scope within the group. The Chorale was incorporated in the State of Rhode Island in 1995 and received IRS 501(c)(3) status in 1996.

They will be performing at the Ecumenical Service for the Gaspee Days on June 9 and then for the first time they will be performing at the Wickford Art Festival on July.