The Caroling Connection

Description

The Caroling Connection is a quartet of Dickensian costumed a cappella singers who sing four-part holiday songs to provide an almost magical experience to our audience, helping to make holiday memories that last a lifetime. Formed in 2016 by by Jim Goodrich, who has over 25 years experience as a professional Christmas caroler in the Chicago area, we’re trained musicians of the highest quality with experience to match that add that little something extra when you hear and see us sing. Our goal is to create an atmosphere of warmth, joy, and wonder that is a part of the holidays. The Caroling Connection has twice appeared in the National Broadcast of The Festival of Lights in Chicago, which garnered a 2017 listing in the Internet Movie Database (IMDB.com) as well as performing around the Chicagoland area and Southeastern Wisconsin.

Work Sample

The work sample is a short compilation of performances during our first year in 2016. The performances are:
- Nov. 19, 2016 - The BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival - Jingle Bells, and Carol of the Bells
- Dec. 9, 2016 - Block 37 in Chicago - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, and Away in a Manger
- Dec. 22, 2016 - ABC7's Great Light Fight Broadcast - Deck the Halls
Total run time of the work sample is 2 minutes 40 seconds and spotlights our repertoire and Dickensian garb.

The presented work sample shows a small portion of our repertoire and spotlights our period accurate costumes.

History

The Caroling Connection was founded in 2016. Jim Goodrich, our Founder and Head Voice, has been singing and performing professionally in the Chicago area for over thirty years. 2018 marked his 25th as a professional Christmas Caroler. Jim holds a Master of Arts degree in Vocal Pedagogy and has sung with the Grant Park Symphony Chorus.

In the relatively short time since its inception, The Caroling Connection has appeared in the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival on Festival Lane in 2016, 2017 & 2019. In 2017 and 2019 they were also featured on the national broadcast of the Lights Festival Parade, for which they garnered a 2017 credit for the parade on IMDB.com, The Internet Movie Database. They also appeared in Elgin's Winter Wonderland from 2017 - 2019, made possible in 2017 by an individual artist grant from the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission, and then by direct sponsorship of the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission in 2018 & 2019. These are some of the clients for whom and places where The Caroling Connection has performed:

- ABC7 Chicago
- Accesso Services
- Anselmo Lindbergh and Associates
- Block 37
- City of Elgin
- Elgin Cultural Arts Commission
- Elgin Winter Wonderland
- Kenosha Public Museum
- Kenosha HarborHoliday – International Market & Festival, including the Kenosha Civil War Museum’s Victorian Christmas
- The Magnificent Mile® Association
- Rotary One
- Service Club of Chicago
- Union League Club

Artistic Vision

The Caroling Connection strives to bring a sense of Holiday joy and wonder through carols from different eras and period costumes of the Dickensian era, a subset of the Victorian era, from approximately 1840 - 1865.