Message to Membership – Thursday, September 30
********** SEASON OPENING PICNIC—OCTOBER 3 **********
We’re back! Our traditional season kick-off picnic will be held on October 3, from 4pm — 6pm at St James Episcopal church in West Hartford, our regular rehearsal venue, in the walled garden.
Please email Dawn Bauer at dbauer658@gmail.com to RSVP your attendance and what you will bring. Needs include traditional picnic fare, such as salads/sides and desserts. Everyone should bring a beverage (wine, seltzer, soda, iced tea, beer, etc). A variety of grinders will be provided as well as ALL paper/plastic goods. Please also bring an outdoor type chair.
I know that all are looking forward to our opening event!
From the Music Director …
Dear Hartford Chorale,
At Monday’s meeting of the Board of Governors, our 2021-2022 season was approved in full, and you will soon receive those details as well as your opportunity to sign up for all that lies ahead. Some important and uplifting points:
- We will be holding auditions for new members(all voice parts) on Monday evenings October 11, 18, and 25. This is a great opportunity to enrich the ranks, and I hope that all current members will contact at least one person that might be a good candidate for the cause. Information will soon be on our webpage. This is a wonderful way to make a difference in the life of the Chorale.
- The response has been positive to the proposed October 30 live, in-person singing of excerpts from Messiah, an effort at replicating (as best as possible, outdoors and with masks), what it is we “do” every Monday night. More information to follow.
- November’s programming includes three conclave-type events that will serve as previews to the music-making that lies ahead. November 1 will be a fresh look at Messiah(bring your scores!), and November 8 and 15 a deep-dive on the music for our 50th anniversary season concert in the spring. It is our intention to have all of those scores available for you at these November events.
- Finally, and closest at hand, is our start-up picnic Sunday, October 3, at St. James’s Church. How wonderful it would be to have a throng present (safely so, outdoors on the parish lawn). Do let Dawn Bauer know right away if you are coming and what you might bring. (Deviled eggs, anyone?)
All best,
Rick
Richardcoffey10801@gmail.com
From the Board President …
Dear Hartford Chorale,
The board of governors met for its first full board meeting of the year this past Monday! We welcomed Beth Flynn and Diane Link to our board, approved the revised (and enhanced) season and voted our October 30 Messiah outdoor sing a go! Given all the exciting events starting very soon, it’s hard to imagine that the reopening committee met less than four short weeks ago. My sincere thanks go to the board, committee chairs, volunteers, and to you for your agility in responding to the ever-shifting ground beneath us. I feel confident that we will have a successful year and make the most of every opportunity to keep our art form thriving and our community together.
Speaking of community, it is full speed ahead on new member auditions! We’ve all seen the Maestro’s note…. let’s go out and bring in the best and the brightest into our world! Our marketing functions led by Fred Baker are at the ready to spread the news far and wide. Please keep an eye out for announcements on our website, social media and in the Hartford Courant.
Speaking of website! The marketing committee has a wonderful surprise for you. Take a look at our new website!! This project has been an audacious aspiration ever since I became president. The website subcommittee led by Joanne Huelsman, under Fred Baker’s marketing committee has worked hard for a very long time to bring us a web presence worthy of a principal symphonic chorus. Please join me in thanking Joanne and her team for all this tireless and intense work.
In the meantime, you have two to-do’s on your list.
Thank you to all who responded to our Messiah survey. For those who didn’t and would like to sing on October 30, please register using this link. Since the Maestro needs to place us, we will need you to pre-register.
Don’t forget to RSVP Dawn Bauer (dbauer658@gmail.com) with your attendance for the picnic. The social committee is planning a wonderful picnic for us but all working remotely. Let us help them by providing a confirmation of our attendance and what we will bring by Friday, October 1. I have sent in my RSVP and I can’t wait to see you all in just three days!
Have a wonderful rest of your week and I very much look forward to seeing you all on Sunday!
Lalitha
President, Board of Governors
president@hartfordchorale.org
2021-2022 Season Schedule as of September 30, 2021
Since the decision of the Reopening Committee to postpone Messiah, the leadership of the Chorale, the Music Director and the Assistant Music Director have been working diligently to revise the season. The good news is that we still have our complete season, but with a slightly changed calendar of events. The revised calendar is attached.
Messiah has been rescheduled to March 24, 2022. Rehearsals will begin February 7. The concert will still be in the Belding Theater and accompanied by the Hartford Symphony. Our other two concert dates have not changed. To get our voices in prime condition for rehearsals, Assistant Music Director Jack Pott will be leading in-person vocal workshops the last three Mondays in January. The Conclaves, normally scheduled for January, have been moved back to November. These will be in-person at St. James’s Church. We expect to have the 50 th Anniversary Concert music available for distribution. No live singing is planned for the Conclaves, but we will have an opportunity to hear recordings of much of the 50 th Anniversary Concert music. An in-person singing event has been added to the fall schedule on October 30. This will be an outdoor event in Walnut Hill Park, New Britain. Our kick-off of our 50 Th Anniversary will take place on March 19, 2022, with a morning alumni sing-in and an evening celebration at the Pond House in Elizabeth Park, Hartford.
Additional details for the October 30 in-person singing event, the Conclaves, vocal workshops and the 50 th Anniversary celebration on March 19 will be included in future Message to Members. The Board of Governors has approved this revised season. We appreciate the patience of the membership as we have had to make these changes so late. The full membership packet with commitment letter will be mailed out shortly.
Ed Below
Vice President
Artistic Programming
Attachments
- Commitment Form and Member Profile. This year, we have added the option of filling out your form online. Please follow the link here should you prefer to use the online form.
- Membership Handbook.
- Rehearsal schedule.