Windham Chamber Singers Honor Richard Nickerson at Final Concert

The Windham Chamber Singers celebrated the legacy of Richard Nickerson during their annual American Family Holiday concert on March 15, 2024. This event marked Nickerson’s final performance as choir director after nearly four decades of leadership. Since founding the group in 1988, he has guided the choir to remarkable achievements, including performances at Carnegie Hall, appearances on The Today Show, and a memorable performance for former President Bill Clinton at the White House.

The American Family Holiday concert, affectionately known as AmFam, has been a staple for the choir, with its inaugural show held in 2001. The concert draws inspiration from Nickerson’s earlier work during a sabbatical in Kansas City, where he participated in “An American Family Christmas.” The event transitioned to its current venue, the 900-seat auditorium of Windham High School, in 2004, with the first celebrity guest, Jodi Benson, performing in 2005.

This year’s concert opened with a poignant short film featuring Nickerson reflecting on the choir’s journey. The Chamber Singers then illuminated the auditorium, entering with imitation candles and performing an original piece composed by Daniel Strange. A Windham native and professor at the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music, Strange has a longstanding relationship with the choir, having performed with them since the age of nine. He shared with the audience that he has participated in AmFam for 21 of his 42 years, highlighting the event’s significance in his life.

In a heartfelt tribute, Strange composed an original song titled “You’re Just Getting Started” for Nickerson’s farewell. He aimed for the piece to celebrate the memories created over the years rather than evoke sadness. The title was inspired by a text exchange with Nickerson about Strange’s upcoming endeavors as a Yamaha artist. “This is a way of saying thank you for everyone who’s experienced this with us,” Strange stated.

As is tradition, the concert featured a special guest performer from Broadway. This year, Norm Lewis, a Tony-nominated actor renowned for being the first African-American to play the role of “Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway, graced the stage. Lewis, a familiar face at AmFam, chose to return specifically for Nickerson’s final concert. He performed notable songs from Broadway classics such as “The Sound of Music,” “The Wiz,” and “Les Misérables,” sharing how his experience in high school choir revealed his singing talent.

The evening was hosted by Kim Block, an Emmy-winning broadcast reporter who has anchored for WGME TV for 40 years. Block reminisced about her memories with the concert over the past two decades, referring to it as “joytional.” She shared anecdotes from students who had worked with Nickerson, including reflections on how performing with Lewis at this final concert felt like coming full circle.

As the show progressed, Block gathered children from the audience for a reading of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” a cherished AmFam tradition. This year, in honor of Nickerson, the team decided to return to the original story, marking a nostalgic moment in the concert’s history.

The grand finale featured the annual performance of “O Holy Night,” where the Chamber Singers were joined by several generations of alumni, creating a powerful atmosphere. Following this emotional climax, Nickerson took the stage one last time. He recounted memories from his first day at Windham High School and humorously noted that he would break his tradition of modeling behavior for students by taking a selfie with the audience and the Chamber Singers.

After the concert, Nickerson expressed his gratitude for the experience and confirmed his plans to continue as the artistic director of the Maine Music Society. He has not yet selected a successor, leaving a notable legacy for the future of the Windham Chamber Singers. As the evening concluded, it was clear that Nickerson’s impact on the choir and the community will be felt for years to come.