Author: Donald Blake

FROM MORNA

Basses meet at 9:30 in the library off the E/W Hall this Friday morning, March 10.  Thank you, section leaders and everyone for your commitment to having all the music well in hand.  Speaking of which, we are all experienced enough to grasp how much more enjoyable a performance is if we know exactly what is coming next!  I encourage everyone to take ownership of every note of your part by doing whatever work is necessary at home, and really make the lines sing in your voice.

This week’s repertoire: Sonnet 43, Weinachten, The Moon is Distant from the Sea, Wind Rising in the Alleys, Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron and The Summer Wind (please listen to this track several times before Friday and take note of the sassy, somewhat lazily heavy offbeat accents!)

As you have noticed, from time to time we have someone auditioning on a Friday morning to join EnChor. The Board and I have been discussing whether we should advertise in a general way for people who might be interested in joining us.  We’ve decided we won’t – we have a strong choir at the moment and good balance. Instead, I want to encourage you all to think of excellent sopranos, tenors, and basses you know who you think might enjoy singing with us, and please email me about them. Even if they are not ready to join us yet, we might want to see if they would attend the April concert to get to know us.

See you Friday morning!

Morna 

KATHAUMIXW REMINDER:

Just a gentle reminder to let me know today of any dietary restrictions you may have or if your hotel plans need to be changed.  If you now realize that you are able to join us for our tour to Powell River it’s not too late.  We would love to have as many of you as possible join us for this exciting adventure.

Sandra

ANOTHER REMINDER:

For those who are interested, our UBC Scholarship recipient has her graduate recital on Wednesday evening.

Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/2sRMjuakk?mibextid=RQdjqZ

·         Mar.8th, 7:30 PM

·         UBC School of Music, Roy Barnett Hall 

·         Free Admission 

SONNET 43

         Suzanne Finch uncovered some interesting information about Sonnet 43 in an old textbook. Click on the attachment to read it.

Elektra Women’s Choir concert – this Friday, March 10 at 7:30pm at Pacific Spirit United Church. 

Morna wants you to know about Elektra’s concert called “Humanity” this Friday. It combines beautiful choral music and photography.  Check out the short video on the website by South Hazelton-based photographer, Elizabeth Larsen, who will be in attendance.  A limited number of tickets will be available at the door or buy in advance through the Elektra website link above.

FROM MORNA

Yikes!  It’s snowing hard again… Luckily will be rain by Friday!

Don has added to the website some part-prominent rehearsal tracks for Sonnet 43 that Kathie found.  Thanks for spending some time with those.

Also, enjoy Frank Sinatra’s recording of The Summer Wind here.  As you will hear, Ron’s arrangement is based directly on these harmonies and rhythms!  Listen to all those off-beat accents!

This Friday, the tenors are meeting at 9:30 for their sectional in the library off the E/W Hall.

Repertoire is a little different from the grid: The Summer Wing, Dashing Away, Quick, We Have But a Second, Send in the Clowns, Banks of Doon, Fare Thee Well, Love, Wake the Grain, The Arrow and the Song, You Make Me Feel So Young.

Morna

FROM CATHY BAYLEY

Dear EnChor members,

Many thanks to those of you who completed the “Planning Ahead” Survey. Almost the whole choir sent in responses, so I think we have a good representation of how people feel about the issues we raised.

Masking of Choir at Rehearsals and Concerts

There was a clear consensus in the responses regarding masking.  Most people (78%) preferred that EnChor move to optional masking during rehearsals and at concerts.  The board thought this was enough people to change our masking policy to optional masking from Friday onward keeping the following in mind:

·       All members continue to monitor their health carefully and err on the side of caution if you feel ill in any way.  Please take a Covid test if you have doubts about Covid, but other illnesses should be taken into consideration as well.  Although nothing is perfect, if everybody is diligent in doing this we can rest a little easier that we have only healthy people at our rehearsals! 

·       Zoom will continue to be available at all rehearsals. Thanks to John Smit for continuing to make this valuable option available to us. 

·       The board and Morna is very aware that 78% is not the whole choir. We want to respect the wishes of all our members as much as we can so Morna is very happy to reconsider her seating plans to accommodate those who would like to be seated at the back or the wings due to this new policy.  Please contact Morna and your section leader to discuss your seating requests.

Audience Masking

98% who completed the survey thought that we should move to optional masking at our concerts as well.

Outreach Concerts, Fundraising and Social Events

More details to come on these, but there was strong support in the survey for these events. 

Cheers

Cathy

CHECK OUT THIS OFFER FROM CANADAHELPS!

The Board has decided we will not undertake any specific fundraising project for EnChor this fiscal year.  In lieu of a fundraising project we would like to share the following information about an incentive program offered by CanadaHelps.

Through CanadaHelps it is possible (and easy) to make a monthly donation.   You can begin and end monthly payments whenever you choose. 

For the entire month of March, CanadaHelps will make a one-time extra $20 donation for every new monthly gift of $20 or more made to EnChor using CanadaHelps, up to a maximum of $50,000 CAD.* 

The rules for this incentive fundraising idea are as follows:

1.     You must make at least three donations of no less than $20/month through to June 2.

2.     The first donation must be made during the month of March,

by April 1

This LINK will take you to the CanadaHelps site for EnChor donations.

BARD ON THE BEACH —  I have two flex passes available for the Bard on the Beach this summer.  They are good for any play, any date, any seat.  The season runs from late June through September.  The plays are As You LIke It, Julius Caesar, Henry V, and Goblin: Macbeth.  Tickets are $59 each.  Please see Paul Birch.

ELEKTRA WOMEN’S CHOIR CONCERT “HUMANITY” ON MARCH 10

Elektra has its next concert on Friday night, March 10 at 7:30pm at Pacific Spirit United Church.  Read all about this mixture of music and photography here!

FROM MORNA

This is the week that we rehearse in the PSUC sanctuary instead of the hall.  Altos, you will start at 9:30 with a sectional in the chapel, which is just through the doors by the organ console.  No stairs involved.  Everyone else, it’s the usual 10am start time.

Other sections, thank you for your quick rallying of the troops.  I can confirm the following sectional dates from 9:30am – 9:55am, which will take place in the library, on the far end of our regular rehearsal room.

March 3 – tenors
March 10 – basses
March 17 – sopranos

Thanks, section leaders, for stepping up to lead these extra rehearsal times.  The assignment is simply whatever repertoire your singers request, or that you feel needs some “woodshedding”.

This Friday in the sanctuary, per our grid, we are rehearsing The Moon is Distant from the Sea, Wind Rising in the Alleys, Sonnet 43, Fare Thee Well, Love, Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron (Thursday and Friday), The Summer Wind and You Make Me Feel So Young.

See you Friday!

Morna

FROM CATHY

HAPPY FAMILY DAY!

Just a reminder that our rehearsal on Friday will be in the Sanctuary.  Altos will meet earlier at 9:30 in the chapel for a sectional.

PLANNING AHEAD

The EnChor Board will soon start planning for the upcoming months and next season.  To aid in this we are asking the choir members to complete this survey to give us some information for our planning.  You will find questions regarding Masking, Outreach Concerts, Fund Raising, Social Events and Repertoire.  Please feel free to comment on these questions and add other suggestions for the Board to consider in the comment section at the end. 

It does seem like we have had a plethora of surveys lately! We appreciate everybody taking the time to complete the surveys as the board would like to ensure the opinions of all are taken into consideration. Please complete the survey by Thursday, February 23. 

Survey link:  https://forms.gle/gGaN4dHd336S6oSy7

FROM JAY BLACK

After founding Pacific Spirit Choir at West Vancouver United Church 25 years ago, Gerald van Wyck is retiring from PSC, although retaining his responsibilities at WVUC and Vancouver Community College. We are thus searching for someone to be our Music Director. 

A full description of the position is on our web site at https://pacificspiritchoir.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PSC-Music-Director-Job-Description.pdf. Comments, questions, and applications may be sent to search@pacificspiritchoir.com. 

Regards,

Jay. 

FROM MORNA

Please continue to sing lightly every day, and look at your EnChor music in anticipation of Friday’s rehearsal. Per the grid, repertoire will be: The Moon is Distant from the Sea, Quick We Have But a Second, Send in the Clowns, The Arrow and the Song, Weinachten, Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron, and Wake the Grain.

One of the most challenging pieces this term is Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron, as we sing different music for every one of seven days of the week mentioned, and it goes by fast. With the tenor line on the middle of five staves, this is also challenging reading.  I’m going to work backwards through the week, starting this week with Sunday (measure 121) and then Saturday (measure 101). If you have time to make sure you are confident from 101 to the end, that would be appreciated.

In terms of memorizing Quick, We Have But a Second, I have analyzed it and there are six stanzas of the poem and only three short musical phrases that take place in order A,B,C,A,B,C.  Not that I’m saying this is simple to memorize!  It’s a bit like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. A good way to start would be reading the text in rhythm and making sense of it as a story.  Note that sopranos and altos don’t get all of the words in the B phrases (“Grasp” and “Shame”).

Quick! We have but a second,
Fill ’round the cup while you may:
For Time, the churl, hath beckon’d 
And we must away, away!

Grasp the pleasure that’s flying,
For Oh! Not Orpheus’ strain
Could keep sweet hours from dying
Or charm them to life again.

Then quick!…

See the glass how it flushes,
Like some young Hebe’s lip,
And half meets thine and blushes
That thou should delay to sip.

Shame, oh shame unto thee
If e’er thou see that day
When a cup or lip shall woo thee,
And turn untouch’d away.

Then quick!…

Have a good week and see you Friday.

Morna

FROM CATHY

Thanks to everybody who completed the quick survey regarding Good Friday and Wednesday Outreach Concerts.

Good Friday Rehearsal

Because we have our Spring Concert on April 16^th, we have scheduled a rehearsal on Good Friday for 10:00am to 12:00pm. 

Wednesday Outreach Concerts

Wednesday’s will rarely be our first choice for an Outreach Concert, but sometimes some facilities can only accommodate us on certain days. It appears that most of us are available on Wednesdays, especially if we know the date well in advance.  Larry Burr will now be contacting PARC to get the exact date they would like us and we will get that out as soon as possible.

Many thanks to Sandra Phillips and Kathie Marteinsson for organizing our trip to Powell River and the Kathaumixw Festival. An exciting time for us!

Click HERE for their report. It contains a link to a survey regarding your participation in Kathaumixw. Please respond to the survey ASAP and no later than noon on Thursday, February 16.

Thanks

Cathy

From Morna

As you will read below, we got the happy news since Friday that there is room for us at Kathaumixw in Powell River, which runs July 4-8 this summer.  I’m particularly happy that it happened this year because I feel we are singing better than ever.  Short, relatively straightforward trips like this give us time to build community within our group as well as sharing our music and hearing other fine choirs.  The people running this festival are wonderful and they are happy to have been able to make room for us when another Vancouver-based choir couldn’t come. Per Cathy’s message below, more info to come shortly.

This Friday, per the grid, we will rehearse Wind Rising in the Alley, Sonnet 43, Send in the Clowns, The Banks of Doon, The Summer Wind, You Make Me Feel So Young, and Quick, We Have But a Second. A friendly reminder that we are working to (soon) be able to sing You Make Me Feel So Young from memory.  See you then!

Morna

EXCITING NEWS!

EnChor has been accepted for the Kathaumixw Festival!  (July 4^th to July 8^th, Powell River)

This weekend Morna heard from festival organizers that EnChor will be offered a place in the Kathaumixw Festival this summer!   We had a very positive response from choir members when we asked last fall who might be interested in attending this festival. Our plan is to try to get as much information as possible this week from the festival and give you that information on Friday.  This will be mainly about costs and options for transportation.  We will then be sending out a survey on February 13 to see who would still like to go, to see if we have balanced sections, etc.  More to come!

SHORT SURVEY! IMPORTANT INFORMATION NEEDED!

I have attached a link to a very short survey which I would appreciate you respond to by Thursday, February 8 regarding availability on Good Friday and possible Wednesday outreach concerts. Thanks for responding by Thursday, February 8. https://forms.gle/8UVK7p5a3DSMJTro6

https://forms.gle/8UVK7p5a3DSMJTro6

Cathy

Practice Tracks & pdfs for Current Repertoire

Practice tracks for all our current repertoire are now available in the Members’ area. These include part specific tracks for Summer Wind prepared by Ron Smail.

I’ve also scanned the scores for all our current repertoire into pdf files for use by anyone using a tablet with Forscore or a similar app. Click HERE to access my Google Drive where you can download the scores. Just locate a score, then “right-click” and select Download. That’s how it works on a PC. I presume Apple offers something similar for downloads.

Don Blake

Facemask update

Dear EnChoristers.

The black KN95 masks have been ordered and should be delivered in the next couple of weeks. Because I will be away, Nancy has generously agreed to take delivery and distribute them once they arrive. Please be sure to send your payment to Nancy as soon as possible. The cost is $16.90 per package of 10.

Paul

Vancouver Youth Choir Gala

As announced in an earlier Weekly Announcement, the VYC has offered to reserve a table for EnChor members and partners for its Gala on February 26. If you are going, please let Don Blake know (dblake@telus.net) so that he can put you in touch with each other.

Special Offer from Vancouver New Music

This February Vancouver New Music and DanceHouse will be presenting Broken Chord by South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma and composer Thuthuka Sibisi. The work, telling the story of the African Native Choir (1891-93), features a single dancer and four vocal soloists from South Africa, and an a capella chorus made up of members of the Vancouver Chamber Choir.

We would like to offer a discount to Vancouver’s choir community for this upcoming presentation and invite you to share this offer with Elektra Women’s Choir and EnChor members and patrons (maximum 2 tickets per order, available while quantities last): 

Use offer code CHOIR10 to receive 10% off tickets for the opening night of Broken Chord on Thursday February 23.

Thanks for sharing–we look forward to seeing you at the theatre!

From Morna

Looking forward to Friday’s rehearsal.  Pick up new music from the table on your way in.  We will be singing The Moon is Distant from the Sea, the final piece of the puzzle for the April concert. Per the grid circulated previously, we are also singing Wake the Grain, Weinachten, The Arrow and the Song, Fare Thee Well, Love, Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron, and The Summer Wind.  Thank you to Ron for donating that new arrangement, custom made for us!

My thanks to Don Blake for providing listening links to much of our repertoire.

Outreach gigs are coming in a few months!  As you know, only a subset of the choir is needed at each. More information is coming shortly.  I look forward to working with you through your section leaders to put together balanced groups at each. 

I know hearing me in rehearsal is a struggle for some of you, despite the light amplification of my headset mic.  I want to make sure rehearsal is enjoyable for all. If you would like to be moved to a more central location in the seating plan, please reach out to me in confidence.

See you Friday!

Morna

From Paul Guiton

 A reminder that the deadline for ordering the black KN95 masks is Friday, February 3rd.

The intent of this is to save shipping costs on individual orders. (BTW, I am not trying to promote these masks, at all; simply facilitating a possible need for EnChor members.)

I will have sample sizes available at the rehearsal and will be able to take your orders in person, then. I will stay for about 15 minutes after rehearsal for this. After that, I will be sending the collective order in. Delivery should be +/- two weeks later.

If you are ordering via e-mail. please be sure to specify:

1. The number of packages of 10 masks you want
2. The size – Small, Medium or Large.

Payment of $16.90 per package of 10, should be made to EnChor via treasurer

Cheers…Paul Guiton

 From John Smit

We are at the time to review Zoom rehearsals.  I am still quite willing to setup for zoom connections, even for one person.  But I think we are at the point that the default will be no zoom setup unless I am contacted prior to the rehearsal. Email me (johnkenneth.smit@ubc.ca)  ideally, at least one day advance warning would be helpful.  One hour before is too late. Cheers, John

From Cathy Bayley

I thought you would be interested to read letters received by Nancy, from Daniel Galpin, the Senior Director, Awards, UBC and Brittany Huynh the student who received this year’s EnChor Scholarship. They are wonderful letters of appreciation and it is gratifying to know our scholarship really does make a difference!

Cathy

…..Our students are instrumental in helping to achieve a brighter future. They have the ideas, the drive, and the talent to make a difference; but, they cannot do this alone. Your support helps UBC students reach their greatest potential. Your generosity provides the much-needed encouragement, validation, and financial support to help them thrive. Thank you for being an important part of the community that every student needs to succeed here at UBC…..

Daniel Galpin

Senior Director, Awards

UBC

Dear Mrs. Nancy C. Wolchok

As a recipient of the EnChor Graduate Scholarship in Choral Conducting, I would like to express

my gratitude for your generosity. I feel truly honored to have received this scholarship.

I am originally from Edmonton, Alberta and I came to UBC initially to pursue a Master of Education in Music Education. Although. in my heart I had always known I wanted to pursue   choral conducting. I didn’t believe in myself enough to actually apply to the program, but by my surprise the director of Choral Conducting at UBC reached out to me and offered me a spot in the program. This opportunity completely changed my life and now I am in my last year of a Master of Music in Choral Conducting. My classmates have been discussing planning a trip in February to attend the ACDA Conference in Cincinnati. This trip would cost a little over $1000, and as a student that receives no financial assistance from my family I thought I  would not be able to afford it. I come from immigrant parents, so like them I have to work on my own to support my education and living costs. Thanks to your generosity, I can now attend the conference which will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to develop as a choral conductor. For that I am so grateful. Following my Masters, I hope to find work with community  choirs, and once I’ve paid off my student loans I would love to apply for a DMA in Choral Conducting. I believe scholarships like this can be so impactful on students and their quality of education.

Thank you again, Mrs. Wolchok for your generosity and support! It means the world to me.

Brittany Huynh

From Nancy Wolchok

WEIHNACHTEN (Christmas)

In German and then the English Translation

Frohlocket, ihr Völker auf Erden, und preiset Gott!

Der Heiland ist erschienen, denn der Herr verheißen.

Er hat seine Gerechtigkeit der Welt offenbaret.

Halleluja!

Rejoice, ye people on earth, and praise the Lord!

The Saviour has appeared, whom the Lord has promised.

He has manifested his justice to the world.

Hallelujah!

From Morna

I’m enjoying introducing all this new repertoire. I have prepared a weekly rehearsal grid, in which you can see what to practice in preparation for the rehearsal or on your own if you are going to be absent. To view it click on “Rehearsal Schedule” on the Mermbers’ home page. The grid does not indicate rehearsal order, but it is in concert order!  The single most important thing you can do to be a strong member of EnChor is to be consistently on top of your music – knowing what is coming in the next bar and next line, treating yourself to the luxury of singing well and musically because your brain is free to look ahead in the score and look up at me.

Don Blake is uploading recordings for many of our pieces on the Singers’ section of the website for those who like to sing along or just listen.  This includes the recording we did on Friday of You Make Me Feel So Young. Note that, while that piece is in the rehearsal grid, we will not be spending any Friday time checking memorization of it.  Please do whatever work is necessary for you to be ready for that by the beginning of April.

Ron Smail has been kind enough to arrange another jazz standard for us, The Summer Wind, made popular in 1966 by Frank Sinatra.  We’ll be handing it out and reading it on Friday.  Thank you, Ron! With that, I believe you will have all spring rep in your folder. Thank you, John, for your cheerful and strong work as librarian.

Please make sure our next big concert, Sunday, April 16 at 3:00pm is in your calendar.  The Dress Rehearsal (attendance mandatory for all singing this gig) is on Friday, April 14 from 10am – 12:30pm in the PSUC sanctuary.  I have also updated our Google calendar (enchor.ca/members/calendar)  to extend Friday, March 31 to 12:30 (in the East/West Hall as usual).  Because of Good Friday, April 7, there is currently a 2-week gap between our last 2 rehearsals.

When you are next talking to one of our board members, thank them for their many extra hours of service to manage everything that goes on behind the scenes in this wonderful choir.  

See you Friday!

Morna

From Cathy Bayley

Membership Fees:

It has been brought to the attention of the board that clarifying the Membership Fee Payment

guidelines would be helpful. The main thing to remember is that when you join the choir there

is an expectation that you will pay the full $350 annually, either all at one time in September or

in two payments in September and January. The full fee of $350 is expected even if you know

you will be missing part of a season.

The following is a slight revision of our current guidelines and will be posted on our website and

in our Singers Manual.

The annual EnChor membership fee is $350 for the year, for the period September

to June. It is expected that each member will pay the full fee for the year to remain

a member in good standing; this applies equally to those who might plan to be

away from the choir for part of that year. Fees may be paid in September in a

single payment, either by cheque or by e-transfer.  It is possible for members to

split the payment for the fees and pay half ($175) in September and the other half

($175) in January.  Under extenuating circumstances financial adjustments may be

considered.

From the Vancouver Youth Choir

You are cordially invited to VYC’s 10th Anniversary Fundraising Gala on Sunday, February 26th from 6:30 – 9:30pm.  The evening will be hosted by our distinguished MC Christopher Gaze! Come and partake of delicious hors d’oeuvres from Kate @atyourtable.ca, an open bar for wine and Bomber Brewing beer, participate in an exciting silent auction and listen to a sneak peek of VYC Senior’s Istanbul repertoire for the World Symposium of Choral Music. This event has it all! Early bird pricing of $150 per ticket ends on February 6th, so get your tickets soon.  We will be sure to reserve a seated table for Enchor members to optimize comfortable socializing.  Please email Katherine (katherine@vancouveryouthchoir.org) with any questions.  

From Morna

My gosh, we have a lot of new repertoire right now in this choir!  You don’t have every single piece yet, but very soon.  We do have a decent stretch of time between now and April 16th, but I encourage you to make note of difficult passages and to find time to look at them on your own.  This will work well with my “sing lightly every day” advice. Click HERE for the list showing everything you will eventually have in your folders this term.

Eat your Wheaties! This Friday, we will sing Afton Water, Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron, Young at Heart, Wind Rising in the Alleys, and two you will receive on arrival: Sonnet 43 and Weinachten.

Thank you, Cathy and the board, for continuing to investigate our COVID protocol options, conducting surveys, making nuanced decisions, and keeping us all in the loop.

See you Friday!

Morna

Dear EnChor Members

Thank you for your responses to the recent masking survey. You can see from the chart below that a total of 54% of us indicated that we would be most comfortable if masking was still required during singing.  Based on this survey, and that we are still in flu and cold season, with uncertainties surrounding Covid variants, the board has made the decision to require all singers to continue to mask while actually singing.  Masks may be removed at other times in the East/West Hall.  Please note that the church is asking that we continue to wear masks while in the hallways and washrooms.  Click HERE for a chart showing the results of the survey.

The board does appreciate that many of us are ready to make our own decisions regarding masking, but as we continue to take into consideration the health and safety of all our members, we thank you for your understanding in this.  Another survey is planned for March as we continue to monitor the wishes of all EnChor singers. 

Thanks Cathy

REMINDER FROM THE TREASURER:  

    For those who chose to pay their membership fees in two instalments, the second payment ($175.00) is now due.  Payment may be made by e-transfer to EnChor Choir at alderwols@shaw.ca  or by cheque payable to EnChor Choir.  If you’re unsure whether or not you still owe money for fees, please email me or speak to me at rehearsal.   Thank you, Nancy

From Chris Sallis

Our very own Barry Honda is performing at the Deep Cove Coffee House on Friday, January 20th.  His jazz group includes Don Kellett, Susan Vigneux & Libor Machala.  He’ll be in excellent company; following his performance will be none other than Bill Coon & Oliver Gannon.  An evening not to be missed!

Time:  Doors open: 7:00pm, Warm-up acts: 7:30pm, Feature act: 9pm

Location:  Mount Seymour United Church, 1200 Parkgate Ave., North Vancouver

Admission: $15 cash – includes delicious baked goodies, dark roast coffee, teas and cold drinks (Youth: $5 / children & musicians: free)

Cheers,

Chris

From Morna

Looking forward to seeing you all again this Friday as we dive into more music for our April concert.  We will also be handing in lots of music, so please arrive early if you can. Thank you to John C, our fearless librarian!

Morna

Masking Survey January 2023

Dear Enchor members,

The EnChor board has committed to continue to monitor the comfort level of our singers regarding masking. Please complete this short survey by Wednesday, January 11, 2023. This will help the Board determine masking policies based not only on the results but within the context of any resurgence of new variants or change in provincial health recommendations. Also, please note that EnChor must comply with the wishes of Pacific Spirit United Church regarding masking, as well as any other venue at which we sing. Another survey will be conducted mid to late March. 

https://forms.gle/ppuNBVGTu3a4LutU8

Cathy

From the Librarian
We’ll have some new music coming over the next several weeks.  In the meantime, we would like to collect the following:

1. For the Beauty of the Earth
2. Home and the Heartland
3. Pastime with Good Company
4. The Pasture
5. Tell My Ma
6. We Rise Again
7. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen

and finally, all Christmas music, including Glory of the Lord, our Christmas books and everything else. Please staple loose sheets.

That will leave us with these four:

1. An Irish Blessing
2. She’s Like the Swallow
3. Soli Deo Gloria
4. Take this Thread

along with the two new pieces we handed out on Friday.

Thanks very much.

John

Reminder From the Treasurer

    For those who chose to pay their membership fees in two instalments, the second payment ($175.00) is now due.  Payment may be made by e-transfer to EnChor Choir at alderwols@shaw.ca  or by cheque payable to EnChor Choir.

Thank you.

Nancy

Message received by Chris Sallis from the Foodbank

I just saw the generous donation you made on behalf of EnChor Choir to help the food bank and wanted to reach out personally to thank you.

Times have been tough lately – we’ve all felt it. Your support will help meet the most basic of needs for people when they would have otherwise gone hungry, giving them a much-needed kindness at a difficult time in their lives. 

Again, a huge thanks to everyone at EnChor Choir who made this donation possible. People will get to eat in the coming months because of what you did – such a simple act with the power to make such big changes. 

With deepest gratitude, 

Milo Dron
Philanthropy Officer

From Morna

Happy New Year to all!  I am looking forward to getting started again this Friday, January 6th at the usual place and time.  Please bring all the music you have, as we will sing some old and some new rep.  We will be welcoming a potential new soprano, Mary Yarwood, who will audition following rehearsal.

Please remember to let your section leader know any time you are not coming to rehearsal.  It helps me with the seating chart if I know this in advance.  If you are feeling under the weather in any way, please don’t attend in person.

Cheers!

Morna

From John Smit

I plan to set up Zoom for a couple weeks and see what the uptake is. The future for Zoom partly hinges on what we do about masking policy in the new year.