The Choir Cryer
All Souls Church
June 8, 2010
Dear Choir,
Thank you all for a wonderful year. I appreciate your appearance Thursday after Thursday, and Sunday after Sunday, and your willingness and ability to provide musical sustenance for the congregation on an ongoing basis, in a beautiful way. That's the "meat & potatoes." Then there were the high-calorie desserts of this choir year: Poulenc's Gloria, the Nine Lessons and Carols, Amahl and the Night Visitors, the Martin Luther King Jr. Service, the Talent Show, and the special emphasis this past year on gospel music and spirituals. I do think we're improving all the time, and I look forward to more of same.
Anthems: I anticipate, with pleasure, redoing Ubi Caritas by Durufle in the fall, and encountering Greater Love Hath No Man by Ireland and Lux Arumque by Whitacre. My current thinking is to skip a year of doing an extended work so that we can tackle these heavier-duty anthems. Here are some dates for your calendar:
Mon., July 26, Kneisel Hall concert, meetinghouse, 7 p.m., no admission charge
Sun., Sept. 12, Men's Choir (rehearse on Thursday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.)
Sun., Sept. 19, Sr. Choir (rehearse on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.)
Sun., Sept. 19, first Youth Choir rehearsal
Summer music will be provided by some of our own soloists, instrumentalists, small-groups-if-I-can-get-them-organized, and invited guests. I get four Sundays off as well. Thank you to those of you who provide these summer offerings, and bravo to those of you who plug away individually with me, tapping out rhythms, improving your singing skills, and of course, confronting performance angst. If you are a choir member and yearn to take part in a small group or would like some extra help with singing, please make sure I know it--I certainly don't mean to leave anyone out.
Organ hymnal, etc.: Thank you again for the much-needed hymnal for the organ! This new one is a ring binder rather than a spiral-type binding, so that if a page tears away, it can be replaced. As you know, an organ hymnal is necessary because it stays open on the music desk, while the regular ones snap shut at the most inopportune times. I've read and re-read all your comments on the card that you gave me, and I appreciate them all, just as I appreciate you all. Each person brings something important to the group that goes far beyond a singing voice. May you all be safe and well this summer.
Pax,
Kay