Last January, Evanston Folk Choir co-founder and professional musician Kaitlin Foley excitedly wrote in her journal that 37 people had signed up to join the newly established group.
One year later, that number has nearly tripled. More than 100 Evanston residents have since joined the choir, gathering weekly to sing together.
The idea for the folk choir grew out of conversations between Foley and her music colleague and friend, Stephanie Gregoire (Bienen M.A., Doctorate ’25). Foley said the pair envisioned a space that was “as fun, inclusive and low-key as possible” for people who want a community.
“In the world today, the joy we find in raising our voices together for a positive experience is extremely powerful,” Gregoire said. “So much of what’s happening can feel really solitary. To have that community together is the biggest thing for me.”
Because folk music is often defined as “music of the people,” Foley said she and Gregoire place a strong emphasis on accessibility. The folk choir is open to singers of all abilities and experience levels, requires no auditions and teaches music entirely by ear.
Celeste Cifala Roy, the owner of Everybody Move, Inc. and a trained singer and dancer, has been a member of the choir since 2025. She said the oral tradition of folk music removes the pressures often associated with choral singing.
“I’ve been in other choirs where learning the repertoire felt stressful,” Cifala Roy said. “But this is just so much fun. There’s no stress at all.”
In keeping with folk tradition, Foley said, many of the songs the choir learns are protest songs. The group has performed at several social justice events, including an anti-ICE rally in January and the Evanston Folk Festival.
“The expression through voice is something I didn’t realize I was craving,” said Paul Steinbrecher, a retired architect who has been a member since the choir’s inception. “When there’s so much discontent in the world, raising our voices together is an amazing thing to be able to do.”
Steinbrecher, who had never sung prior to joining the choir, cited Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” as a particularly impactful song the group has performed. While many of the songs are rooted in difficult histories, Steinbrecher said they also “speak truth to power in a really positive, ennobling way.”
For Foley and Gregoire, the choir ultimately represents something larger than music; it is a reminder of collective responsibility and belonging.
“Choir is this really important concept that I think we’ve lost a little in our society,” Foley said. “I am one small part of something much bigger than me. And my involvement, or disinvolvement, changes it. The choir isn’t the same with 89 members as it is with 90. It sounds different. It becomes something you could never create on your own.”
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