Dear People,
I am still living our concert last night. Thank you SO much for taking the risk, for putting your voices out there, and for believing with me in our collective ability. You are a remarkable group, and it is a privilege to be working with you.
The ability for music to move people is evident in the reaction of our audience. I heard so many wonderful comments from colleagues, singers and family members. It is hard to take them all in at the same time, but I believe them.
Looking forward to the summer when we will do something together....perhaps a reading together of a major work...one that we can invite other choristers to sing with us. And we can even collect food just to make use of another opportunity to do some physical good for our neighbors.
Stay in contact with folks who sang with us. Let them know what is coming up in the Winter concert. We will need to pre-register from the web site in order to be properly prepared. The Poulenc Gloria is accessible to anyone over the internet (Salabert edition) and I will get the copies of the Convery To The Glory Of The Child. We will work on a performance tape....and we will all purchase rehearsal CDs for our individual parts. That will be a nice addition. Stay tuned, more later.
Stay well, keep singing, and if you have comments, please forward them to us. (And welcome to our new Board members!!)
Until then:
"A person should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." Johann Goethe
Most affectionately,
Ray
Congratulations to all, the Concert was great!
I spoke with Ed Ladouceur during the intermission and he told me he was impressed with the quality and sound Ray has managed to pull out of us. He said the pieces were difficult and we did a great job on all that he had heard.
I also spoke with Don Jenkins, after the concert, and he also echoed Ed Ladouceur.
Both men spoke highly of Ray’s ability as a director. They were impressed with the quality and the pieces chosen.
We had 250 people at the concert and a free will offering of $1500.00+. Even though we had more bodies at the Fall concert, if you look at the percentages this group gave more per person.
The survey sheets had few comments: Written as they were on the survey sheets…
Familiar at least a few. For Christmas-music that involves congregation. Some Secular music
Marvelous Singing-A Great Performance;
Always quality choral music;
I love coming to your concerts.
I am so excited about joining Soli. I have attended most of your concerts and leave with Beautiful Chills. Thank you.
Great Concert! Former member (Bill Hill);
Prefer Non-Sacred music-but I do like Gregorian chants & traditional Black Spirituals.
Thank you to those members who returned the yellow cards. I have read every one and will be compiling them and present the results at a later date.
From the Johnson’s:
Special thanks and appreciation to you all for the immediate attention and concern you gave yesterday when Irv finished our concert in such a memorable (according to Kris Olson) way. How could you not have noticed?
Also - special thanks to all who offered assistance - rides to the hospital, home, overnights, etc. Irv refused the ambulance - and weren't the ambulance and fire rescue crews great? Susan and Bob Curtis took us to Memorial and Carl Spray joined us there. Irv had CT scans, X-rays, oxygen, blood tests, and all that kind of stuff, and all results were normal. He'll check in with our doctor Monday.
Sue Schelonka - please thank your daughter again for us. She's special, too.
And to ALL Soli members - we are so fortunate to be a part of you.
Blessings always,
Irv and Joyce Johnson
Board meeting for old and new Board members, Monday, May 9. Pot luck dinner will be held in the Wesley room at 5:30 pm.
