SURVEY BELOW. Please read and respond.
FROM MORNA
What a satisfying sing on Sunday afternoon for our concert, The Earth Adorned. Thank you for your focus and beautiful singing. And to everyone who also helped in non-musical ways (risers, front of house, etc). I look forward to hearing what your friends and family thought when we reconvene this Tuesday, May 6.
CALENDAR DATES (oops)
Sorry for wrong numbers on 2 of the upcoming Tuesdays. Our rehearsals are: May 6, 13, 20, 27
VSO DAY OF MUSIC
Our focus in May is the 30-minute concert at the VSO Day of Music on Saturday, May 24. I will have the repertoire up in the calendar soon, but bring all your music to all rehearsals anyway, as there will be time for one last sing-through of many things.
Details of our busy afternoon on May 24 downtown are now in the calendar. In addition to the Day of Music concert, we are taking new, formal choir photos immediately following. Here’s the schedule for the day. You will want to pay for parking through to at least 5pm.
- 2:15pm – already dressed in your choir apparel, if possible, enter Christ Church Cathedral by the 690 Burrard Street door and get your VSO-DOM ID badge. Wait downstairs in the large hall. Be aware that there will be a concert going on upstairs.
- 2:30pm – we will be directed upstairs (there is an elevator) for our brief sound check.
- 3:00pm – 3:30pm – FREE PUBLIC CONCERT
- 3:50pm – exit the Cathedral via upstairs or down and meet at the 690 Burrard Street door. We will be instructed as to the exact location of the photo shoot (outdoors at the Cathedral). It will be helpful to have a few friends and spouses with us to hold purses and fend off the public.
- 4pm – 4:45pm – photo shoot
- latest 5pm release time
TONY DAVIES’ CELEBRATION OF LIFE
Tony’s Celebration of Life is set for Saturday, May 31 from 2-5pm at Quilchena Golf Club in Richmond. All members of EnChor are invited but not required. As choral singing was so important in Tony’s life, Jane Fernyhough, Tony’s partner, is working with Brigid Coult, conductor of the Richmond Chorus, with which Tony sang for many years, to plan a short choral set to be sung by members of both us and RC. I am included in that conversation. The singing will likely take place around 3pm. As I have an Elektra concert at 4pm, I will – very sadly – not be available, but Brigid could conduct an EnChor solo piece and RC would then do the same. If we find we don’t have a balanced/sufficient group from EnChor coming, both choirs will sing only straightforward rep together (The Seal Lullaby is one under consideration) and we will have time to work on this music on Tuesday mornings. The plan is to have a joint pre-event rehearsal under Brigid’s direction at 1pm on May 31 in a nearby church venue.
I know that many of you have tickets for the 4pm Elektra concert the same day at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver. I have cleared it with Bea Orbegoso, Elektra’s Managing Director, that EnChor and Richmond Chorus members who would like to either get a refund or switch their May 31 tickets to the 3pm South Surrey performance on Sunday, May 25 may do so. Email Bea at managingdirector@elektra.ca with your ticket order number and your name, and explaining whether you want to switch or get a refund. The deadline to request any changes is Friday, May 16.
To help us with music planning, please complete this short survey in the next day or two about attending Tony’s service..
Morna
EnChor Birthdays
Birthdays! You either love em’ or hate em’! At the May 6 rehearsal Deborah Mehes, Barry Honda and Cathy B. will be coming around asking for your birthdays – including the year you were born. We are doing this so that as EnChor singers reach a significant birthday (80, 85, 90, etc) we can make sure this special milestone is acknowledged by the choir in some way. Of course, if you would prefer not to share your birthday that is fine too. Just let Barry, Deborah or Cathy know when we approach you.
Sunshine Person – Would you be interested?
The Board also thought that in conjunction with celebrating special birthdays, we should reinstate a Sunshine person. This person would keep track of the birthdays, and when a significant one came along they would work with the board to decide how best to honour it. They also would be the ‘go-to’ person in the choir for those of us who hear about a fellow choir member being ill, losing a loved one, or otherwise in distress. Of course some of us prefer to keep such issues private, but the choir would like people to know we are thinking of them, if they are comfortable with that.
On the flip side, the Sunshine Person would also send out congratulations to an EnChor Member for whom something extra special as occurred (maybe a 50th Wedding Anniversary?).
If you would be willing to take this service on for the choir or would simply like more information please contact Cathy Bayley at cathybayley55@gmail.com.
Cathy
More from Cathy
Many of you probably read the NYTs and have seen this already. But just in case I thought I’d share it as I think it really speaks to EnChor’s philosophy.
Cathy
SAVE THE DATE!
Enchor’s Year End Social
June 7TH, 2025
11:00am to…. “as long as you want to stay”
Home of Nancy and Garnet Wolchok
25030-21B Ave., Langley
Many thanks to Nancy and Garnet who have again offered their home for EnChor’s Year End Social.
Please bring your own lunch. There will be an assortment of non-alcoholic drinks available but if you prefer a different beverage please bring your own. An assortment of sweets will also be available for dessert.
Please also bring your own plates, eating utensils and drink glasses for easier cleanup.
AND DON’T FORGET YOUR BATHING SUIT AND SUNSCREEN!!
Helpful Links and Special Dates (details in calendar)
Saturday, May 24 VSO Day of Music, Christ Church CathedralTuesday, May 27 last regular rehearsal of 24/25 season
Saturday, June 7 social event chez Wolchok