Message to Membership, May 5, 2022

From the Music Director …

Dear Hartford Chorale,

Thank you for your ongoing fervor for all that we are achieving and all that we hope to achieve. Every rehearsal is a benchmark to our goal of rendering magnificently the music that is in our minds, hands, and hearts. The rehearsal for Monday, May 9, will focus significantly on the Perkins piece, but we will also revisit the Tyler and Barnett pieces, as they received short-shrift last rehearsal, and also the Dennard, which we did not rehearse at all. Do remember that we will be singing that piece by memory, per “consent approval” at our first rehearsal of it. 🙂

Attached is a concert-logistics document which merits careful consideration and note-taking therefrom.

Please continue to be wise in your social interactions these next days and weeks. Strength and health are necessary to see us through to embracing and delivering all that lies ahead.

All best,

Rick

From the Board President …

Dear Hartford Chorale,

I was taking a first look at our program book. It looks wonderful, and the energy and enthusiasm leaps off every page. Many thanks to Kris Fallon for all the hard work getting this beautiful souvenir together for us. The marketing team led by Fred Baker is full speed ahead on social media. They will begin “boosting” social media posts this week. Please be sure to share our posts when you see them on your feed.

I was thrilled to see the Maestro’s stand and sit cues. It has been too long, and the thought of being on the Bushnell stage is incredible. After more than two years, we can finally do what we love to do. Please do take good care of yourselves. Stay safe and healthy. We are almost there!

Until I see you on Monday, have wonderful week and weekend.

Lalitha

UPDATED Message from the COVID Safety Committee (formerly Reopening Committee)

Thank you to everyone for conscientiously wearing masks during rehearsals. Due to increases in cases due to the highly contagious subvariant BA.2, please see below our current guidelines.

  • Masking for rehearsals will continue.
  • The Committee strongly recommends that all Chorale members wear the KN95 mask (or equivalent) because it gives the greatest protection against the movement of pathogens.
  • KN95 masks are widely available at a low cost, but if you do not have access to one, the Chorale will have a small supply available at the next rehearsal.
  • A decision has not yet been made about requiring masks for the concert on May 20. However, if masks are required for the concert, all members must wear a black mask.

PLEASE NOTE!! Zoom streaming of rehearsals will continue through Monday, May 9th for members who are sick or are not feeling well. As a reminder, being physically absent from rehearsals, even if watching via Zoom, is considered one of the two allowable absences permitted for this concert. During production week, starting May 16, all members who are “COVID-free” must be physically present for rehearsals.

They are:

  • Monday, May 16 – 7:00 pm – 9:45 pm at St. James’s Church
  • Wednesday, May 18 – 6:45 pm placement for 7:00 pm rehearsal in Mortensen Hall
  • Thursday, May 19 – 6:45 pm placement for 7:00 pm dress rehearsal in Mortensen Hall
  • Friday, May 20 – 6:30 pm warm up for 8:00 pm performance (Autorino Great Hall and Mortensen Hall)

From the Media Coordinator …

Dear Chorale,

Here is the Zoom link for the Monday, May 9th rehearsal.

Hartford Chorale is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Hartford Chorale Rehearsal Zoom

Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83910415884?pwd=Syt4empsWjdCUElHTDRhRFkzSGYxUT09

Meeting ID: 839 1041 5884

Passcode: 478543

One tap mobile

+13017158592,,83910415884#,,,,*478543# US (Washington DC)

+13126266799,,83910415884#,,,,*478543# US (Chicago)

 

From the Librarians …

Do you plan to sing the Beethoven 9th? Have you picked up a score from the librarians? You have one more chance this next Monday, May 9th. We will not be handing out Beethoven scores during the 50th Anniversary concert production week. The edit masters are posted on the Members page of the Chorale website, and the password is Chorale21.

From the Office …

Reminder: Women Chorale Members: A few of you were asking about concert attire. Please contact our wonderful costumer, Mary Ann Haar, with questions. Her email is laylockcottage@gmail.com. This would also be a good time to bring out your concert attire for a post pandemic audit! The link to purchasing our concert attire can be found here.

We are actively looking for interns (high school juniors and seniors, and college students) to sing in the B9 concert. If you know of anyone, please reach out to Russ Hammond, our intern chief, at internships@hartfordchorale.org.

Message from Susan Porta’s daughter

As you know, my mother, and chorale member, Susan Porta, passed away on December 2nd. God, she loved the Chorale. She was so proud of being a part of it. A memorial service for her will be held on Saturday, May 7th at 11:00 am in the Memorial Garden at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford. I live in Pennsylvania, so contacting people who knew her is a bit of a challenge. Please feel free to share my email address (debby.merino@gmail.com) or phone number (570.401.3774) if you have any questions. Thank you bringing such joy to my mother when she was alive.

Debby Merino

From the Marketing Committee …

Ticket Sales and Attendance:

We continue to make progress selling concert tickets. Please reach out to all of your friends and family to purchase tickets to our wonderful concert. To ensure maximum ticket sales and attendance, we need your help. What I’m asking from you is multi-faceted:

  1. Please complete this Group Sales Contact form with the names and contact information of groups (Senior Living Communities, Performance Arts schools, Church Choirs, Social groups or Clubs, etc.) that would be interested in purchasing tickets using our Group Sales discounts.

2. Group Sales discounts are:

    • 10 – 24 tickets receive a 15% discount (plus fees)
    • 25 or more tickets receive a 25% discount (plus fees)
  • Group tickets do not need to be purchased in a single section of Mortenson Hall, but
  • Group Sales tickets do need to be ordered at the same time in order to receive the discount.
  1. We are also offering tickets to high school and college students for $10.00 plus a $4.00 fee ($14.00) with a valid, current student id.
  2. Send us the name and contact information of any local newspapers in your area so we can provide them press announcements.

Let’s sell this concert out!

Thank you for all that you are doing for Hartford Chorale.

Fred Baker

Marketing Chair

#KEEPTHESONGSTRONG

Reminder about section and personal ads in the 50th Anniversary concert program:

Personal Ads

These 1/8-page ads are a bargain at $50 and no art is required. Just send your text to royaldutchkris@gmail.com. It’s a great way to remember a loved one or to offer congratulations to the Chorale and to Rick on completing 50 and 17 years, respectively. We have been given a couple days grace by the printer but please email your ad text to royaldutchkris@gmail.com by noon on Friday.

Section Ads

It’s also not too late to make a monetary contribution to support your section’s program ad. Last week, the basses were the big spenders, with sopranos and altos neck and neck and tenors bringing up the rear. The envelopes will be on the back table at Monday’s rehearsal – please contribute if you can. We also need suggestions for what the ad will say – again, to meet our print deadline, please email your suggestions to royaldutchkris@gmail.com by noon on Friday.

From the Golf/Auction Committee …

Save the date on Monday, June 27, for our biggest fundraising event of the year – The Annual Hartford Chorale Classic Golf Tournament and Online Auction! Please see the attached flyer.

  • The Tournament will be played at Blackledge Country Club in Hebron, CT.
  • Scramble Format.
  • Registration at 9:00 AM and Shotgun start at 10:00AM.
  • Price – $125 per player, lunch included.
  • After golf – join us for a Happy Hour where we can brag about our scores and take part in a Teacup raffle. Follow the link below to register your foursome.

 Sign up to play in the Hartford Chorale Golf Tournament HERE!!!

 Online Auction starts June 13th. More details to follow.

SPONSORS – Do you know or support a local business owner? Ask them if they would like a bit more exposure by sponsoring a Tee Box or a hole for our upcoming tournament. There is still time; please contact Joan Hultquist (jbhultquist@comcast.net), for more information.

AUCTION ITEMS TO DONATE – Do you have something you’d like to donate, or can you create a themed gift package or basket? Please contact Dawn Bauer (dbauer658@gmail.com)

From our Friends …

The Music Series at South Church welcomes the Kaoru Watanabe Taiko Center Professional Ensemble on Sunday, May 15, at 4:00 pm, South Church, 90 Main Street in New Britain. Based at Wesleyan University, the Center preserves, teaches and promotes various styles of Japanese contemporary and traditional music, with a focus on the shinobue bamboo flutes and Japanese percussion, including the taiko drum. Their mission includes fostering a community of practitioners, scholars and admirers of Japanese performing arts. Come hear this innovative ensemble representing the best of the art form! A free-will donation will be accepted.

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The Waterbury Symphony Orchestra’s MasterWorks Series presents Opera’s Greatest Hits on Sunday, May 15th, at Naugatuck Valley Community College. WSO has invited students from Yale School of Music’s Opera Department to perform some of opera’s most beloved selections from La Bohéme, Rigoletto, and Samson et Dalila. There is a 2:00 pm lecture preceding the 3:00 pm performance. Ticket information can be found at www.waterburysymphony.org. Be sure to enter the code “CSOF” at checkout for a 15% discount!

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Farmington Valley Chorale, under the direction of Artistic Director Ellen Gilson Voth, celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a concert at The Bushnell’s Belding Theater on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at 7:00 pm. The program will include Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with pianist Anchie Donn, and recent works by Jake Runestad, Colin Britt and Dr. Voth. Chorale is accompanied by Stephen Scarlato on piano and professional orchestra. Tickets range from $25 – $35 and are available at bushnell.org.