Jazz Parade for Democracy Interview with The  Charlottesville Women's Choir's Kelly Ceppa (11/17/2025)

Dan Doernberg: We're here on Monday, November 17, 2025 and I've got Kelly Ceppa, who is the co-leader of the Charlottesville Women's Choir. They performed in the "Jazz Parade for Democracy" on November 1. So that's now a couple of weeks you've had to process things; why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about the choir and what songs you’ve performed at the parade.

[0:24] Kelly: So the Charlottesville Women’s Choir is a community singing group that started in Charlottesville in 1984; it's been around a long time. One of our goals is to have a community of people who are interested in singing about the things that we are concerned about. So we have always been singing about peace and justice and equality, the environment, gay rights, women's rights… that is our medium for expressing our support for those subjects. Always has been. And so, there was no deciding to be a part of this, we were just a natural selection. And of course, we were happy to have this outlet to participate in.

Charlottesville Women's Choir performing at the “Jazz Parade for Democracy” (Photo by Rebecca George Photography, used with permission)

[1:15] So we led three songs, and we sang with another singing group [Ed.—Wonderground Singers] three songs that they led, and they sang with us. The songs that we led were Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around. That song is what we call a “zipper song”, where you can add in whatever it is that you're protesting about. Of course, we had lots of topics to add into that song that we're trying to keep on the forefront.

[1:42] And then This Is What Democracy Looks Like. The whole parade was a demonstration of what democracy looks like. The thing that I was most impressed about with this parade is that the organizers conceived this idea, and there were many parts; there was a jazz band, there were two singing groups, there were a bunch of actors who were enacting the play that was happening as the parade progressed. And nobody practiced together; each person practiced their own. And on the day of the event, we came together, and it just went off smoothly.

[2:21] I was so impressed at how well it turned out. There was a lot of engagement, a lot of people came to watch, and a lot of positive response. And this is what democracy looks like. Everybody does their part, everybody supports the whole. And you know, not that it came off perfectly… we're all humans… but it certainly came off well enough that it did not look like there were errors. And I was really impressed with the organization and the people who conceived and made this thing happen. So… great leaders.

Dan: Yeah, it was an impressive group of leaders, and I was not one of them; talented, energetic people were willing to spend hundreds of hours pulling it off. Were you nervous about “We never rehearsed as a group?”

Kelly: No.

Dan: Yeah, that's what other people are saying too. I didn't realize that until I talked to Isabel and [she] said, “No, we just never really had a rehearsal.” Whoa.

[3:18] Kelly: The only part we were doing is what we do all the time; these are songs that have been in our repertoire for 40 years. So no, there's nothing for us to be nervous about.

Our last song was We've Got The Power, which, clearly we had the power that day [Ed.—laughing]. And it's to remind us that we do have the power. We have the power to create democracy. So, no, it was great. We all very much enjoyed participating and exercising our First Amendment rights to speak our mind.

Dan: You guys did a good job of that, you really did. Have you ever done anything like this?

[3:56] Kelly Of the level of theatrical production that this is, no. We have a concert that's a benefit for a local charity, and we do have some songs usually that have a theatrical element to them, but nothing this elaborate. It was just a pleasure. Everyone from the choir who participated had nothing but glowing things to say about it. So I hope we do it again, because it was…

[4:23] Dan: Well, you know, we're doing it again next week; I don't know if they called you. No, no, I was kidding [Ed.—laughing]. Everyone I've talked to [is saying] “Let's do something like this again.”

Kelly: Now we've practiced so we could certainly do it again.

Dan: The day of, I think everyone was really feeling positive energy: “This was great, this was fun.” The people on the Mall all seemed to have a good time and think this was really cool… In the two weeks since, have you had any other thoughts about the experience?

[4:50] Kelly: You know, it just reminds me why I love Charlottesville. You know, there are all these elements that come together and create community, even these groups that haven't before interacted. The John D'earth collection of musicians was fabulous. John is my neighbor; I saw him more Saturday at the parade than I see him in my neighborhood, but [Ed.—he] taught my son music, and … Charlottesville retains that kind of small town culture, even though we've grown to quite a size. And it just reminds me why I love Charlottesville, why it's my home.

[5:30] Dan: He had about 45 musicians, and a bunch of them were jazz band kids that he tutors or volunteers with. So we had African drummers, we had middle schoolers on trumpet… it was just a pretty broad range of people.

Kelly: Fantastic. I have to say.

Dan: Yeah, it was a lot of fun.

Well Kelly, thank you so much for the time, and thank you and the whole choir for participating, and we will definitely try and find an excuse to do this again.

Kelly: Thanks for writing about it and promoting it.

Dan: Have a good rest of the day. Thanks again.

DMU Timestamp: December 17, 2025 02:57

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