Author: Donald Blake

FROM THE BOARD

As a result of information obtained from last week’s membership survey, the Board has decided to resume full in-person rehearsals on Friday, February 25th. You will shortly receive another survey requesting information that will help Morna as she plans the next rehearsal. You will be asked whether you will be attending the rehearsal in person or on Zoom. As with the rehearsals before Christmas, singers are welcome and encouraged to use Zoom if they do not yet feel comfortable attending in-person rehearsals or are feeling unwell.  We would appreciate a response by Wednesday, February 23. Note: we received responses from 75% of the choir to the most recent survey. We really need to hear from EVERYONE.

Thanks
Cathy

FROM MORNA

I’m looking forward to seeing and hearing many of you this Friday.  Be sure to complete today’s survey, which will help me plan the seating.  From week to week, if your plans change in either direction, please email me, even the night before rehearsal.

Friday’s rehearsal signals a return to 2-hour rehearsals from 10-12 with a break. Please arrive by 9:50, earlier if you have not got the new pieces of music (Here, Sweetheart Medley, Ching-a-Ring Chaw, Four Strong Winds).

Attached is the weekly rehearsal grid so you know what we are singing each week.  A reminder that this is not the order in which things are rehearsed. It just allows you to focus any personal practice on these pieces, and to know what you missed if you are away.  We are now into the leadup to the May 1 concert, so only music being included there is on the grid.  Note that a new piece called There Alway Something Sings will not be available for a few weeks. We will mail it to anyone not attending in person.

As we did for the December 5 concert, I will shortly be looking at the calendar and deciding on the minimum number of in-person rehearsals a singer would need to be present for in order to expect to sing the May 1 concert.  If you are mostly on Zoom at the moment, your steady attendance there is also a factor as we consider each person’s situation in that leadup.

My thanks to all who continue to do the chair setup. the COVID greeting table and Zoom setup.  We could not be doing this without you.

See you Friday!
Morna

MASKS AVAILABLE:  We still have some of the 3D singers’ masks available.  5 masks for $5.00.  You can pick them up at the Friday rehearsal. Check with Nancy Wolchok.

GOOD NIGHT REPERTOIRE
Heather Ireland has kindly produced a new learning aid for the Icelandic verse of “Good Night” sung with Stephen Smith’s music. The track has been uploaded to the “Current Repertoire” page on the web site.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Many thanks to all EnChor members for your patience and understanding as we try to wade through the murky waters of the Covid pandemic. Now that we have had our 2 planned group rehearsals, the question is, “What comes next?”

Dr. Bonnie Henry is due to speak this week and because there is no way of knowing what she will say, the EnChor Covid Safety Committee and the board thought that the following would be the best way forward.

1. If Dr. Henry does not announce any modifications or lifting of restrictions regarding indoor events as they pertain to our choir rehearsals we will continue with split rehearsals until that time when such restrictions are lifted or modified.
2. If Dr. Henry does make an announcement which either lifts or modifies restrictions enough that the Covid Safety Committee thinks it safe to return to rehearsing as before Christmas, EnChor will
   a. Continue with the February 18th split rehearsal. Those singers scheduled to attend the in-person rehearsal will do so, and the rest of the singers will use Zoom.
   b. Survey members to determine who would be ready to resume full rehearsals in person. 
   c. If enough people were happy to resume full rehearsals this would happen on February 25th.

We hope that you agree that the above are good options for moving forward in a safe and healthy way.
Of course Zoom will continue to be available for those who prefer that option. Thanks again to John Smit for making this all possible for us.

Finally, we respectfully ask you to continue to
a. check your health before attending any in-person rehearsal and stay home if there is any doubt.
b. ensure your mask is of the acceptable standard and fits well. Correct masks will continue to be available at rehearsals. Please refer to the Weekly Announcements of January 31 if you have questions about masks.

FROM MORNA

My thanks to the COVID committee members who are keeping our safety in mind.  This Friday, we will be meeting with the February 4th group. If you are supposed to be in that one but can’t attend, please let me know and I will open up a spot to someone else in your section. If you can’t remember what group you are in, please check the January 31st Weekly Announcement page in the Members’ area.

I’ve ordered some new pieces for the May concert, which you will get when the dust settles on who is attending in person.  Thank you to John Culter for mailing to those who will choose to stay online.

This week, the repertoire will be: The Seal Lullaby, Tu Voz, Ave Verum Corpus, Good Night, Te Lucis Ante Terminum, Young at Heart (for memorization).

Morna

SEAL LULLABY BACK STORY: by Eric Whitacre

I first heard this story when I attended a concert at the Orpheum in October 2012. It was Whitacre’s first visit to Vancouver where he conducted the Vancouver Chamber Choir in a concert of his music. [Stephen Smith was the pianist!] –Don Blake

In the spring of 2004 I was lucky enough to have my show Paradise Lost: Shadows and Wings presented at the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop. The workshop is the brainchild of legendary composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), and his insights about the creative process were profoundly helpful. He became a great mentor and friend to the show and, I am honored to say, to me personally. Soon after the workshop I received a call from a major film studio. Stephen had recommended me to them and they wanted to know if I might be interested in writing music for an animated feature. I was incredibly excited, said yes, and took the meeting.

The creative executives with whom I met explained that the studio heads had always wanted to make an epic adventure, a classic animated film based on Kipling’s The White Seal. I have always loved animation (the early Disney films; Looney Tunes; everything Pixar makes) and I couldn’t believe that I might get a chance to work in that grand tradition on such great material.

I didn’t hear anything from them for weeks and weeks, and I began to despair. Did they hate it? Was it too melodically complex? Did they even listen to it? Finally, I called them, begging to know the reason that they had rejected my tender little song. “Oh,” said the exec, “we decided to make Kung Fu Panda instead.”

So I didn’t do anything with it, just sang it to my baby son every night to get him to go to sleep. (Success rate: less than 50%.)

FROM MORNA

What a joy to have 25 of you singing to me last Friday.  I’m looking forward to seeing the other in-person group this Friday. And to those at home, know that we see you and are glad you are there.  (Except that I forgot to look at the chat as promised…  sigh!).  

You know who you are coming in person on Friday.  The list was in last week’s email and can also be viewed in the “Weekly Announcements” section of the website.  We will rehearse All Suddenly the Wind, Ave Verum Corpus, Away from the Roll of the Sea, Sure on this Shining Night, Good Night (3rd verse only, starting measure 60), and You Make Me Feel So Young.  We will aim to memorize Away from the Roll of the Sea over the next few months.  No pressure on that front yet.

As promised, the COVID Committee will make a recommendation to the board after Friday for the weeks ahead. We are likely to take things in short chunks of time for now, still working toward a May 1 concert.

Have a good week!
Morna

FROM THE LIBRARIAN

Since it seems likely  that Morna is not going to send us in the direction of Christmas music any time soon, it would be helpful to collect our green Christmas books.  For those of you appearing live over the next two weeks, could you please bring them along to rehearsal and we’ll return them to storage.  For those on the Zoom track, let’s wait for a bit to see how things develop.

It seems that there are some holes in our distribution of Te Lucis Ante Terminum.  I’ll have some extra copies for next week.  If you would like to reserve one, please let me know.  And let me know if there is anything else you need from the current rep.

Thanks,

John Culter

 FROM MORNA

First of all, a big thanks from all of us to Bob Keyes for his presentation on Friday that allowed each of us to think about our risks in terms of rehearsing together in person.  It was very helpful! Thanks to all of you for responding to the survey that followed.  I’m happy to report that we have two viable and well-balanced groups for the two Fridays.  All details below.  If you are not there in person, we will look forward to seeing you on Zoom.  COVID safety protocols are described below.

Repertoire for this Friday, Feb 4 will be: Te Lucis Ante Terminum, All Through the Night, Good Night, Young at Heart (for memorization from letter E to the end!), The Seal Lullaby.  Please note that part specific recordings for All Through the Night, Good Night and Young at Heart are on the website. We will go from 10am – 11:30 for these hybrid rehearsals.

Here’s how I have divided you into two equal groups.  Please arrive a few minutes early so we can start on time.

February 4

Sopranos
1.    Ann Busay – 1 T
2.    Bette Cosar – 1 T
3.    Suzanne Finch – 2 T
4.    Gail Hauschka – 1 T
5.    Patricia Hodgins – 1 T
6.    Lori Jamison – 2 M
7.    Sonya Wheelhouse – 2 M
Altos
 1.    Leslie Bauming – 1 M
2.    Marnie Carter – 1 M
3.    Barbara Cave – 1 M
4.    Aldyen Donnelly – 2 B
5.    Heather Ireland – 2 B
6.    Hazel Mackie – 2 B
7.    Nancy Wolchok – 2 B
Tenors
1.    Donald Blake – 2 T
2.    Bob Keyes – 1 T
3.    Deborah Keyes – 2 T
4.    Ron Smail – 1 T
5.    John Smit – 2 M
 Basses
 1.    Ted Cragg – 1 M
2.    John Culter – 1 M
3.    Tony Davies – 2 B
4.    Brian Gibson – 2 B
5.    Don Harder – 1 B
6.    Garnet Wolchok – 2 B
 

February 11

Sopranos
1.    Margaret Barry – 1 T
2.    Dorothy Chiasson – 1 T
3.    Evelyn Creaser-Rumley – 2 M
4.    Kathryn Nicholson – 2 T
5.    Sandra Phillips – 2 T
6.    Rosemary Ramsay – 1 T
Altos
1.    Cathy Bayley – 2 B
2.    Maggie Burr – 1 M
3.    Jan Kidnie – 2 B
5.    Kathie Marteinsson – 1 M
6.    Chris Sallis – 2 B
7.    Trish Smith – 1 M
8.    Gale Walker – 2 B
Tenors
1.    Mark MacDonald – 2 M
2.    Richard McMahon – 2 M
3.    Ron Smail – 1 T
4.    John Smit – 2 M
5.    Graeme Stager – 1 T
Basses
1.    Peter Bayley – 2 B
2.    Jay Black – 1 B
3.    Roy Campbell – 1 M
4.    Ted Chiasson – 1 M
5.    Peter O’Loughlin – 2 B
6.    Kyosti Sutela – 1 M

Whether on screen or in person, I’m looking forward to seeing you this Friday. Morna

ENCHOR SAFETY PROTOCOLS

The EnChor Safety Committee and the board thank you all very much for adhering to the following safety protocols for our in-person rehearsals.

1. All Covid protocols followed in the fall will be applicable to the upcoming February rehearsals.
   a. Rehearsal seating will be with social distancing, and this will be encouraged at break time as well.
   b. Singers are asked to please do a Health Self-Assessment before every rehearsal and stay home if there is any doubt.
   c. Windows and doors will be open as much as possible to help with ventilation.
   d. Hand sanitizer will be available at the door before every rehearsal.
2. New Protocols
   BOOSTER SHOTS
   A booster shot is now required to attend our in-person rehearsals.

• Vaccination status will be noted at each singer’s first rehearsal. Each singer will be asked to sign a sheet which gives Enchor authority to keep a record of your vaccine status so that you do not have to produce it each time.
• There are 3 possible ways we ask you to provide us with your vaccination status.

1. Singers are encouraged to download the BC Services App on your phone as your booster shot will have been automatically added to your other 2 vaccinations.
2. Alternatively, go to https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/proof and download the federal proof of vaccination, which includes information about all Covid vaccinations including the booster shot.
3. What if I don’t have either of these?
   i. The Public Health Order states that all people participating in an inside event must have their vaccine QR code scanned by an approved scanner. This unfortunately does not show that you have had the booster shot, just that you are vaccinated.
   ii. Therefore, please bring your current BC QR code (paper copy or photo on your phone will work fine). BUT You will also need to bring the card you received when you had your booster shot.

REVISED MASK POLICY

• Please, no cloth masks at rehearsals.
• Please wear medical grade 3 ply surgical mask ASTM class 2 or 3, KN94 or KN95 type masks, or the blue, black, and black singers’ masks EnChor previously provided that are also ASTM approved. 
• Poor mask fit of any type (i.e., gaps at nose, chin sides) seriously reduces any mask effectiveness.
• Please check your mask fits well, try to fix or ask Barry or another COVID committee member to assist you. The following video links will also be helpful in fitting your mask correctly. 
    https://youtu.be/hrUvYlHMmUw?t=49 
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzTAZDsNBe0

**** These seem like a lot of rules!! But we continue to try to keep all EnChor singers as safe as possible during these very trying times. If you have questions about any of these protocols, please don’t hesitate to contact Cathy Bayley at 604-816-4670.

ZOOM REHEARSALS – COMMUNICATION
For those who are rehearsing at home on Zoom, you need to know that Morna (or others in the hall) cannot hear questions and comments from the people on Zoom.  If you have a question for Morna, you can type it in the chat, and she will try to check the chatline periodically.  Obviously, you will not get an instant response, but Morna will do her best to answer any questions that arise.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Probably many of you have been wondering about EnChor’s next steps in the weeks to come in regards to in-person rehearsals. At the board meeting this morning the following was decided upon.

1. Starting February 4th, until at least February 18th, larger groups of up to 25 people will rehearse each week.
   a. A survey will be sent out this Friday to determine who would like to be included in one or more of these larger groups.
   b. There is no expectation that everyone will want to participate in person. Zoom will always be available for those who feel more comfortable rehearsing at home.
   c. Once people have indicated their interest Morna will create the groups in an effort to make them as balanced as possible. The number of groups created will also be determined by the number of people who sign.
   d. The Covid situation will be reassessed on February 18th to determine what our next steps will be after that.
2. All Covid protocols followed in the fall will be applicable to these rehearsals.
   a. Rehearsal seating will be with social distancing and this will be encouraged at break time as well.
   b. Singers will be asked to do a Health Self-Assessment before every rehearsal and stay home if there is any doubt.
   c. Windows and doors will be open as much as possible to help with ventilation.
   d. Hand sanitizer will be available at the door before every rehearsal.
3. New Protocols
   a. Booster Shots
   i. A booster shot is now required to attend our in-person rehearsals. Vaccination status will be noted at each singer’s first rehearsal. Singers are encouraged to download the Canada Proof of Vaccination on to their BC Services App as your booster shot should be automatically added to your other 2 vaccinations. The card you received when you had your booster shot will also be accepted.
   b. Masks
   i. Cloth masks alone will no longer be allowed at in-person rehearsals. Recent research (more information to come) has shown that N95, KN95 and medical grade masks (e.g. 3 ply surgical masks, singers masks many of us bought before Christmas) are the best masks for singers to use and these will be required starting February 4th.

We all have our own comfort level when dealing with Covid. The board hopes that by offering both Zoom and the opportunity to rehearse in person, that all singers will find an option that helps them remain connected to the choir.

Cheers
Cathy

FROM MORNA

Looking forward to Friday’s rehearsal, at which we will have Pat, Evelyn, Barb, Gale, John S, Ron, Jay, and Peter O in person and everyone else on Zoom.

Repertoire will be:

• Arise, My Love
• Tu Sangre en la mia
• Away from the Roll of the Sea
• Danny Boy
• Young at Heart
• You Make Me Feel So Young. Evelyn will be there with her violin for the two jazz pieces.

See you Friday morning!
Morna

ENCHOR PHOTO SHOOT
Photos taken during the Fall 2021 photoshoot are now available for download. Our contract with the photographer allowed us to purchase the large group photos plus 30 candid shots from the hundred or so images he took. The Website Committee spent hours picking out the best ones. Click HERE to access the photos. If you right-click your mouse over a given picture, you should see a download option. Click the option to save the image to your computer. Please contact Don Blake if you have a problem.

FROM TONY PODLECKI

Tony Podlecki, EnChor bass emeritus and renowned Latin scholar, has produced this translation of Te Lucis Ante Terminum that is better than the one in our score.

Before daylight fades, we implore you, Creator of the universe, in accordance with your clemency, to be our Leader and Guardian.

May dreams and frightening nighttime fantasies go far away. Hold back our Enemy so that our bodies may not be defiled.

Protect us, most loving Father, and Son only-begotten, who reign as the Father’s equal, together with the Holy Spirit Comforter for all ages to come.

Weekly Announcement
January 17, 2022

From Morna

Friday was a success!  Thank you to everyone who was there on Zoom, and to our “in house” choir of Pat, Evelyn, Barb, Gale, Ron, John S, Jay, and Peter O.  This week is a different group, and they know who they are.

The repertoire for Friday will be:

• All Suddenly the Wind
• Earth Song
• Tu Voz
• Te Lucis Ante Terminum
• Sure on this Shining Night
• An Irish Blessing

Please check now if you can find the two of those that we were not rehearsing in late fall and reach out to John Culter if you don’t have something. Copies of All Suddenly the Wind and Te Lucis Ante Terminum were attached to the weekly email or can be downloaded by clicking on the links above.

See you Friday.  Again, we will go from 10 – 11:30.  Special thanks to John Smit for the technology that makes this all possible.

Morna

From Cathy

Many thanks to Morna, Ken and all the singers who volunteered to be part of the small groups on our Friday morning rehearsals. I know Peter and I found it so much better having Morna and Ken in the same room and being able to hear other voices. Special thanks to Morna for coming up with yet another idea to help us all stay engaged and singing with this choir we all love.
You may be wondering what our next steps will be. The EnChor Covid Safety Committee will be paying close attention to what Dr. Henry decides on to do on January 18th when the current restrictions which particularly affect EnChor will be either removed or extended. The committee will bring a recommendation to the board meeting on Monday, January 24th and we will let you know as soon as possible the outcome of those discussions.

Cheers
Cathy

From the treasurer
 
Thanks to those who have sent in payment for the second half of their membership fees.  This is a reminder for those who have not yet paid the remainder of the fees. The second portion is now due.  
($ 175.00).   This amount can be paid by e-transfer to EnChor Choir, alderwols@shaw.ca (no password necessary) or by mailing a cheque made out to EnChor Choir to:  Nancy Wolchok, 25030 21B Ave., Langley, BC. V4W 2R5
 
Thanks in advance for your attention to this.

From Morna

I am thrilled with our new website and was sorry to miss the unveiling Zoom last weekend – I was in some meetings.  Kudos to all involved.

This Friday, we begin the format described last week.  Ken and I will be at PSUC and most of you will be at home.  I have had a dozen or so volunteers step forward to come and sing, so we are all organized for the next three weeks with a balanced octet in the room.  If you emailed me to volunteer and did not hear from me today, please re-send me your message.

This Friday, we will sing music that is already in your folders, although not rehearsed in recent months. We will cover, in this order:

Ave Verum Corpus
Away from the Roll of the Sea
All Through the Night
The Seal Lullaby
You Make Me Feel So Young

See you at 10!  Because of the Zoom format, we’ll go just for 90 minutes or thereabouts.

Cheers!
Morna

Some Special “Thank You’s”

Friday saw the unveiling of EnChor’s brand new website. People who were able to attend the Zoom link had nothing but very positive comments to make about our new look. They liked the website’s fresh, clean appearance and its great functionality. Many thanks to Kathie Marteinsson, Jay Black and Don Blake for the hours of work they put into pouring over the old site for material, working with the designer, checking that links worked and editing copy, to name just a few tasks needed to create the new site. And many thanks also to Jay and Don who have volunteered to learn how to administer and maintain the website and ensure it is always up to date.

New EnChor members may not know that actually Don Blake has been keeping EnChor members up to date for years. Many years ago, Don created our previous website which gave the website committee a strong starting point on which to build the new website. Besides maintaining the old website, Don also edits and puts together the EnChor Newsletter. He creates those wonderful posters for our concerts and sends out the Weekly Announcements and other information we all need to know. Don served on the EnChor board for years as our Communications Director and although he is no longer on the board he continues to do this important job for the choir. Sometimes words seem inadequate, but Don, on behalf of every member of EnChor, we appreciate and thank you for all you have done and continue to do for EnChor!

Cheers
Cathy

From the treasurer

Happy New Year, everyone!  This is a reminder for those who paid only half the membership fees in the fall.  The second portion of the fees is now due.  ($ 175.00).   This amount can be paid by e-transfer to EnChor Choir, alderwols@shaw.ca (no password necessary) or by mailing a cheque made out to EnChor Choir to:  Nancy Wolchok, 25030 21B Ave., Langley, BC. V4W 2R5

Thanks in advance for your attention to this.

Hope to see you all in person, sooner rather than later!  See you on Zoom this month.

Nancy