Author: Donald Blake

FROM Morna

       Well, that was fun!  I think our first annual, An EnChor Christmas was the gift that we wanted to give our audience.  My thanks to all – those singers who could make it and those who tried valiantly but were unable to make it in the snow.  You were missed and we are glad you stayed safe.  Next year, the committee and I will see what we can arrange for a rainy day, rather than a snowy one!  

Below, you’ll read Cathy’s thanks to the many people who contributed to the concert’s success. I echo those thanks!  I thought our “solo” pieces were beautifully sung – especially lovely was Dormi, Dormi following on the heels of Heather’s touching reading.  All soloists and Santa did beautifully.  The committee and I will be meeting soon to discuss what are the pillars of the concert structure that should say, what needs adjusting, etc.  While it’s fresh in our minds, we’d love your input through this survey, if you have a few minutes. It’s anonymous.  And no pressure to respond if you are short of time.  We would like your responses by Thursday morning, December 22 at 9am.  Thanks!

Looking forward to seeing you all on Friday, January 6.  Meanwhile, all the best of the season.

Morna

FROM CATHY

Thank you!

A big thank you to the Christmas Concert Committee, (Hazel, Pat, Susan, Chris, Peter, and Morna) for organizing such a special concert yesterday. I think it was a perfect balance of traditional Christmas music, beautiful seasonal songs and then lots of fun at the end.  I know my friends said they would make it a part of their annual Christmas festivities!  Thank you to Bette for her lovely solo; to Heather for her beautiful reading; to Stephen, Garnet and Evelyn for an amazing rendition of Huron Carol; to Garnet and Peter for their fun Must Be Santa; to Santa for making the special trip from the North Pole and of course Morna, who makes it all possible!  Thank you also to John Smit, who moved heaven and earth to make sure we had the risers available for this concert!

After all the hard work that went into producing the concert by both the committee and the choir, I was so glad to see a very respectable number of people in the audience despite the weather.  Our first Christmas Concert was definitely a success!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Cathy

FROM STEPHEN SMITH

Could you please pass on to the membership of EnChor my grateful thanks for the lovely card and gift certificate I was given on the weekend. Both were quite unnecessary, but very thoughtful and much appreciated. (Someone clearly “has my number” regarding Moore’s bakery! Copenhagens coming up!!) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody, and I look forward to working with you all again whenever the opportunity arises.

Many thanks!

Stephen

Seasons Greetings!

          And my thanks to everyone as well.  I thought I’d add that, in case you didn’t hear, we collected a whopping $2182.00 for the Food Bank!  (I counted again, just because it was amazing…Thanks to Dave and Catherine at the FOH for paper-clipping it all into neat piles.)  Thanks also to all the FOH people for making it all happen smoothly. I will take all that, plus their jar, back to the Food Bank office

     Don and Lorna, thanks for organizing so much from home!  Your presence was felt, even though you weren’t there. 

           Meanwhile, stay warm, stay safe…(stay inside.)

Cheers,

Chris

From Morna

Concert week again!  Looking forward to our fun, new Christmas format. I’ve LINKED the cover and rep page so you can put your music in order.  It would be a good idea to write the Gerry’s Christmas Songbook page number at the end of the previous piece, as there is a lot of jumping back and forth in that book.  If any of the new pieces are still unfamiliar to you, please spend some time before Friday. I’m thinking specifically of What Sweeter Music, Dormi, Dormi, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.

A reminder that this Friday morning’s rehearsal is in the sanctuary in concert order and may go until 12:30.  We will sit for much of the rehearsal and then stand on the risers and steps after break.  If you need a stool, please bring one.

After a discussion with the board last week on how we can feel more focused before concerts, I decided to move the December 18 singer call time up to 1:45 for the 3pm concert.  This is reflected in the Google calendar. Once again, we have the East/West Hall as our green room and the chapel for lockup of valuables.

We have changed the men’s apparel for December 18 to all black with red ties.  No tuxes.  Women are in ponchos.

John Smit and the board have moved quickly and efficiently to secure us our own set of choral risers with back rail, which we will co-own with Elektra Women’s Choir.  This allows us to know we are safe in our standing arrangement, and everyone can see and be seen in concerts. As we speak, they are stored behind the scrim at PSUC. They are beautiful, strong, and in very good condition.  My thanks to John for extensive negotiation and to him and his son Joel who helped pick them up and deliver them to PSUC today.

The risers are heavy and we will need a team of strong individuals to move them into place and put them back for dress rehearsals and concerts.  No more than 3 people are needed each time, but we don’t want to have EnChor members doing this who should not be lifting and carrying.  To that end, we’d like to create a list of people who are healthy and strong and who are willing to become part of this knowledgeable team.  John Smit is one, but we would like to know how many others there are.  If we don’t have sufficient numbers, we will get some contact info for strong, young student types who might appreciate a few hours of work for us.  This option is completely viable and approved by the board.  Please write to both me (mornaedmundson@telus.net) and John (jsmit@mail.ubc.ca) by Wednesday night if you are truly strong and willing and your doctor would approve!

This weekend, we will need people at the following times in the PSUC sanctuary for riser work. Peter Bayley and Tony will be there to advise only as they know these risers well. John will confirm teams in advance:

• Friday 9:15 – 9:45 before dress rehearsal
• Friday 12:30 – 1pm after dress rehearsal
• Sunday 1:15 – 1:45 before warmup
• Sunday 4:15 – 4:45 following concert

See you Friday.  Please make sure your section leader knows if you are not doing the gig.  This factors into my seating chart.

There are still tickets available, so do let your friends and family members know we would love to see them at this uplifting, one-hour concert, which is by donation to the food bank.  All details are here. 

Morna

An EnChor Christmas Volunteer Request

Unfortunately our wonderful Front of House Team Leader, Lorna Blake has come down with Covid and will not be able to help us out next Sunday at the concert.  In her usual very organized fashion, she has organized her helpers so all will be well.  However, she has asked for 2 or 3 more volunteers to offer to stand as spares just in case somebody else becomes ill.  Volunteers need to feel comfortable taking in tickets, handing out programs, leading people to appropriate seats and if necessary, to alternate emergency exits.

If you have an adult family member or friend who would be interested would you please let me know (cathybayley55@gmail.com) and I will pass their name on to Lorna. 

Lorna has said that her symptoms are fairly mild.  We wish her all the best and hope she is feeling better soon.

Kathaumixw Festival Update

Recently we received the disappointing news that due to limited accommodation available in Powell River, EnChor’s application for Kathaumixw could not be accepted at this time.  If you have travelled in BC over the last year, you will know that staffing in the service industry is a real struggle so we can certainly understand the challenges the festival is facing in housing everybody. We are on a waiting list, and all accepted choirs must let the festival know by January 15^th if they will be attending the festival. We should hear soon after that if we will be able to step in for another choir who had to decline their spot,  and this will still give us plenty of time to plan.  And as we are still hopeful that we will be accepted in the New Year, we ask that you continue to keep the dates July 4 to July 8 available.

Cheers

Cathy

From Morna

Thank you to everyone as you assessed the safest way to participate in our rehearsal this past Friday morning.  Your quick responses to the survey allowed Cathy and me to come up with the plan that didn’t disappoint our White Rock hosts.  It all worked out just fine.  Onward and upward!

This Friday’s rehearsal is back to usual, with the Tapestry performance following.  Thanks to Larry Burr for all the arrangements.  Following a lunch break wherever you want to eat, I would like you to walk in the door of Tapestry at Wesbrook Village (3338 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver (UBC)) around 1:45 so we can do a quick standing and sound check right at 2pm.  There is plenty of free parking beside and below Save-On Foods. The concert starts at 2:30 and lasts about 40 minutes.  Bring proof of vaccination and be prepared to check in at their lobby desk. Masks must be worn at all times.

Please bring a stool if you need one.

This is in the same place (restaurant) at Tapestry that we performed last spring.  The whole choir will not fit. Looks like we are on track to take a balanced group of about 30.

Repertoire (revised Nov 30):

1.    Pastime with Good Company
2.    Home and the Heartland
3.    Tell My Ma
4.    What Sweeter Music?
5.    Deck the Hall – SINGALONG  
6.    O Come, All Ye Faithful (Willcocks, not GCS) in F? – SINGALONG
7.    Away in a Manger
8.    Dormi, Dormi
9.    Joy to the World – SINGALONG
10.    We Three Kings – SINGALONG
11.    Have Yourself a Merry Little Xmas        
12.    We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Rutter, not GCS)

Apparel red ponchos for women / black shirt and pants for men with red tie. Please have a black mask as we will be performing masked.

For our own concert on December 18, we are looking for singers to bring beautiful poinsettias which we will use to decorate the church.  We’ll ask for a show of hands on Friday.  If you are bringing one, please don’t water it in the 24 hours before concert day.

ENCHOR CHRISTMAS CARD

We have an idea that we would like to try this year, about distributing Christmas cards to our audience.  We have printed EnChor Christmas cards to be distributed at our December 18^th concert. Space is provided on the back of the card for signatures, and we would like each singer to sign at least 2 dozen cards in advance – this can be done before, during or after rehearsal this Friday (December 9^th).  Each choir member will have several cards tucked in their folder during the concert, and after the concert, we can mingle with our audience, give them a card and wish them a Merry Christmas.  Please bring your pens with you to Friday’s rehearsal.

Good news!

I am very happy to report that the board and PARC Retirement Living have come to a sponsorship agreement which will take us through to the end of the 2023-2024 season. EnChor will receive $2500 for the remaining 2022-2023 season and $5000 for the 2023-2024 season.  The sponsorship includes a number of sponsor benefits for PARC including branding as a season corporate sponsor. Also, EnChor will perform a 45-minute concert for residents of each of the three North Shore PARC residences from January to June 2023, and another 3 concerts on the North Shore from September 2023 to June 2024. These concerts will not preclude us from performing in other outreach events which EnChor enjoys doing.  We feel this is a win-win sponsorship for both organizations as we work to support health and wellness through music to an extensive and varied community.

Many thanks to John Culter who introduced EnChor to the Founder and Chairman of PARC Retirement Living, Rainer Müller. John worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help bring this sponsorship to fruition.

Cathy

FROM MORNA

Optional Gig at Canuck Place – Tuesday, November 29 early evening

This is a holiday event for Canuck Place’s top donors.

Address: Canuck Place, 1690 Matthews Avenue, Vancouver

Outdoor carolling – All welcome but not required. Friends and family can attend but need to do COVID screening (see below).

4:40pm – please arrive in time for COVID screening to check-in table in driveway.  BRING PROOF OF VACCINATION. Guests will be required to provide proof of vaccination and complete a COVID screening form upon entry. Masks will be required on the hospice grounds for all attendees aged 5+, other than when eating and drinking. Dress in your own clothes and WARMLY.  Christmas hats, antlers, etc encouraged.  Please bring your own black mask.

Repertoire: all a cappella from the green Christmas songbook including the lyrics sheets that should be tucked in the back.

We will be done by 7pm.

Note on singing at Canuck Place

Our singing location is often poorly lit. Bring a booklight if you have one.

White Rock Rehearsal/Gig

Attention everyone whose car automatically drives to PSUC on Friday mornings!  This Friday, December, our rehearsal is at White Rock Baptist Church, 1657 140 St, Surrey from 10:15am to 12:15pm. Bring your own lunch and performance attire per Sandra’s note below.  The concert is at 1 and ends at 1:45. Family members may attend. They will need to be masked.

Repertoire:
Deck the Hall                    
Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening          
The Pasture                        
She’s Like the Swallow        
Tell My Ma                      
O Come, All Ye Faithful – audience singalong (score is what we recorded)        
Joy to the World  audience singalong (from Gerry’s Christmas songbook)
And the Glory of the Lord (Handel, w piano)      
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas      
We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Rutter)      
Encore: An Irish Blessing

On December 18, we will be doing an audience singalong that is a Raffi song, Must Be Santa.  It’s call and response and will be led by Peter O’Loughlin.  If you don’t know the song, click HERE for the lyrics and HERE for a recording.  We will not be providing sheet music as it is dead easy!  Peter will introduce it this Friday in rehearsal.

An EnChor Christmas concert

Tickets for An EnChor Christmas will be available to choir members starting Thursday, December 1.  The admission to this concert is free with a donation to the Food Bank.  We are asking everybody to “register” for a ticket on-line.  At the ticket site your guests can make the donation to the Food Bank of their choice, and receive a tax receipt. There will be a provision for cash donations at the door but no receipts will be issued. We ask that you please encourage your friends and family to get their  tickets ahead of time as it is very helpful to the Front Of House team to know how many people to expect.

We are hoping that An EnChor Christmas will become an annual tradition with your friends and family and to that end, Morna and her committee have some great ideas for making this concert a very special event. 

Christmas Singalong with EnChor Choir: Our New Video

Our Christmas Singalong video is now completed, and it is wonderful! 

We will be sending out the official announcement to all the care homes on Dec 1, but the video is now openly available on YouTube for your viewing pleasure.  Please share it with your family, friends and anyone else who might enjoy it!  If you create e-Christmas cards, you can use the link enchor.ca/projects to link to the video from our website AFTER DECEMEBER 1.

Thanks especially to Morna, Don, John, Valerie, Shannon, Grant, Ken, Roy and to all our singers, for your contributions to this very special representation of EnChor.

Cheers,

Kathie

Apparel for December Gigs:

Canuck Place:  Wear warm festive attire.  This is an outside event.  Santa hats, reindeer ears, red or green scarves etc!

White Rock and Tapestry:

Women: colourful silk tops, black pants, hose and shoes, gold earrings.
Men: Black shirts with red tie, blank pants, shoes and socks.

EnChor Christmas Concert:

Women: colourful silk top etc. as above.

Men: tuxedos

 LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT?  Why not purchase one of the stylish EnChor tote bags for your nearest and dearest? Only ten bags left!  (Please contact Nancy Wolchok at alderwols@shaw.ca, to purchase this one-of-a-kind Christmas gift for just $25.00)

FROM MORNA

Thank you for a lovely concert yesterday. I hope friends and family enjoyed being with us.  Wasn’t the Lord Byng choir exceptional?  I really think we sang the pieces in the second half of the concert fueled with inspiration from them.  Thanks to everyone who made things run well.  Cathy has a long list of folks deserving of recognition below.  For my part, I especially want to thank Evelyn for her beautiful and committed playing, and every one of you for your focused and musical singing.

And now we are on to the four rehearsals leading up to “An EnChor Christmas” on December 18th.  Thank you, John, for distributing the music we need, in addition to the pieces we recorded six weeks ago.  Please continue to bring all repertoire to all rehearsals, as we have the White Rock performance on December 2 and Tapestry on December 9 which will be a mixture of Christmas and non-Christmas repertoire.  If you haven’t already, please correspond with your section leader about which of our three (Nov 29 Canuck Place is the third) you are personally planning to sing in.

Repertoire for this Friday will be the five “new” Christmas pieces: What Sweeter Music?, And the Glory of the Lord, Stopping by Woods, Dormi Dormi, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas (newly-distributed Rutter version).

We are close to finalizing the Care Home Christmas Video.  I think it is a fabulous gift to the community – positive, colourful, musical, and friendly. Thank you again, Ken and Roy, for your playing.

See you Friday!

Morna

What a concert!

It was a wonderful afternoon of music yesterday as EnChor presented our first concert of the 2022-2023 season.  The students were utterly amazing and “us older folk” were pretty good as well! 

As with any concert, there are so many people that work to make sure it all comes together.  Please help me thank:

John Smit:  for picking up and returning the risers to the Richmond Orchestra and Chorus even though he wasn’t even able to participate in the concert!

Don Blake:  for looking after all the posters, programs and general publicity for the concert

Jay Black:  for ensuring our website was ready to take ticket orders and for setting up the PA system.

Lorna Blake: for looking after Front of House

Don Harder:  for recording the concert

Chris Sallis:  for looking after getting the “thank you” bouquets.

Tony Davies: for providing  percussion

Hoot, Ted and Don: for providing the brass for Pastime with Good Company

Evelyn:  for her truly beautiful violin accompaniment in Take This Thread

Stephen Smith: for his always wonderful accompaniments and his beautiful arrangement  of Song for A Winter’s Night

All the people who helped to set up and strike the risers, both on Friday and Sunday

All the people who helped to set up the chairs, even climbing up to the Choir Room to ensure we had enough to sit on.

And of course last, but definitely NOT least, Morna, who made it all possible by leading us to be the best that we can be. 

The only trouble with singling out people to thank, is often someone is inevitably forgotten.  If this is you, I sincerely apologize and please let me know.

Looking forward to our next concert!

Cathy

From Morna

Our concert weekend is here!  I am looking forward to sharing our music with our friends and family.

On Friday morning, November 18, we will be in the PSUC sanctuary starting at 10, singing the first half of the rehearsal from the congregational seats, then moving to standing in position on the steps.  I will give breaks within this for sitting down, but I do need us to sing everything at least once through (famous last words!) in the real standing arrangement.  If you need a stool, please don’t be shy to bring and use one.  Our rehearsal goes to 12:30pm.  Following that, I have a few auditions for spots in the Christmas concert.

Please put your music in concert order before Friday at 10. There are 10 pieces:

Love is Love is Love is Love 
Home and the Heartland 
She’s Like the Swallow 
Tell My Ma
EnChor will sit in reserved seats at this point

(Lord Byng Chamber Choir – 3 pieces) 
(Song for a Winter’s Night  – piano solo)
EnChor back up / students sit

Take This Thread
The Pasture 
Moon River (audience singalong)
Soli Deo Gloria
Students join us
Pastime with Good Company 
Love is Love is Love is Love (reprise)

Apparel for the November 20 concert is blue dresses and tuxes.

On Sunday after the warmup with the Lord Byng choir and before we open the doors to the audience, we are going to quickly don Christmas antlers, hats, etc and get a lighthearted photo to be used as part of the December 18 Christmas concert.  Please bring any such getup that you can put on quickly.  THANKS! All will be made clear soon.  Does someone have a spouse/friend who could take the photo?  Best cell camera is probably fine.

We have agreed to some Christmas carolling gigs. Details will be made clear, but please have a look at your calendar this week:

• Tuesday, November 29 early evening at Canuck Place
• Friday, Dec 9 2:30pm at Tapestry at UBC

Please keep letting people know about Sunday’s concert.  We all want to sing to a good crowd.

See you Friday!  

Morna

CANUCK PLACE CHILDREN’S HOSPICE EVENT: Tuesday, November 29^th, 5:00 to 7:00pm

EnChor has been invited again to participate in the Christmas lighting event at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (1690 Matthews  Avenue, Vancouver). For those of you new to the choir, this is an outdoor event (dress warmly!!) at which we sing Christmas carols on the front steps of the house, a capella. It appears that we will be required to provide proof of vaccination and complete a COVID screening form upon entry. Masks will be required on the hospice grounds for all attendees aged 5+, other than when eating and drinking. This event will really help you get into the holiday spirit so please mark your calendars now.  More details to come.

SURVEY RESULTS

Many thanks to those of you who were able to respond to our mini-survey.  Here are the results  (57 responders) and the policies the board has chosen to implement until the end of the year. 

1.  Windows and ventilation: 

• 10% of those responding wanted the windows to remain open as we have had them over the last year or so. 
• 49% said we should close them to make the temperature more comfortable, and 40% said they would attend rehearsals whether or not the windows remained open. 

*****Thus the decision was made to close many of the windows while keeping some open to provide ventilation.

2.  Masking when not singing: 

• 54.4% said we should only need to mask when singing. 
• 26.3% said we should be masked from the time one entered the rehearsal hall proper
• 19.3% said we should be masked from the time one entered the building.
• A majority of people thought it was only necessary to mask when singing, but a combined total of 45% thought we should be masked more than that. 
• At this time the board did not feel there was sufficient support to mask only when singing.  A reasonable compromise seems to be option #2 as it provides accommodation for those who would not feel safe in a space where people are not masked (we wear masks at all times, but only in the rehearsal hall proper), as well as for those who want to be mask-free when not singing (i.e. we can be maskless in any other spaces: hallways, front lobby, outside etc.).   

****Thus the decision was made to require masking at all times inside the rehearsal hall proper. Masks will be optional outside the rehearsal hall before and after the rehearsal and during the break but it is recommended that people consider wearing masks in tight spaces like the washrooms.  

3. Audience masking:

• 66.7% said audience masking should be voluntary with 33.3% saying it should continue to be mandatory for the November and December concerts.
• This is a clear majority of people who think we should move to voluntary audience masking. However, on reflection, this was probably not the right time to ask this question.  The board heard  from members that tickets have already been bought with the understanding that the audience would have to be masked.  Also, at the Christmas concert we are hoping that the audience will choose to sing along with the choir in many of the songs.  Therefore, with so many people singing,  it was thought that voluntary masking would not be a good idea at this concert either. Finally, after we sent out the survey, new recommendations encouraging people to mask indoors came from Dr. Theresa Tam, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada. 

****Thus the decision was made to continue to require audience masking until the end of the year at least. 

At this point you may be tempted to ask, “Why did we have the survey anyway?” These decisions have not been easy. But as one survey responder said, “I favour general caution” and as this has been the philosophy of the board all along as we deal with health and safety issues the board has chosen to continue in the same vein until the end of the year.  As mentioned before we look forward to reviewing these policies early in the new year.

Cathy

Vancouver Bach Choir  trip in 1987 to England and Wales.

If you were on this trip and would like a digitized copy of the concert we did at the BBC Hall in Wales, send me an email and I’ll send you the link.

This concert was taped off the radio (Choral Concert) by my husband and I just re-found the tape and had it digitized.

Concert features Bruce Pullan as soloist in Five Mystical Songs; Porgy and Bess medley ( Bruce Kelly, soloist);  Songs from the Newfoundland Outports ( Somers); and others.

Trish Smith 

Trishsmith955@outlook.com

From Morna

I had a great retreat over the weekend, including catching up with the wonderful Josh Rist, the young composer of Here, which we sang last season.  Click HERE for a photo.  Yes, he is 6’4″ tall!  Our retreat Presenter was an incredible choral leader named Jason Max Ferdinand.  If you heard about the performances of the Aeolians at the ACDA 2019 conference or the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers at Podium in Toronto in May 2022, you’ll know why we all considered ourselves so lucky to have time with him.

This Thursday, November 10, a small group of us are meeting in the parking lot of Lord Byng Secondary School (3939 W 16th Ave, Vancouver) at 4:25pm sharp.  The Lord Byng choir rehearses in building B which is apparently hard to find, so we will all go in together.  If you are planning to come, please write to me (mornaedmundson@telus.net) before Thursday lunch to let me know to watch for you in the parking lot.  If you arrive late, text me at 604-454-8000.  We will be a small group meeting with the school choir – perfectly acceptable – bringing greetings on behalf of all of EnChor. Music is the round and Pastime with Good Company.

I am convening a small group to brainstorm about the look and feel of our December 18 Christmas concert.  My intention is to have this become an EnChor “signature” event that will have some recurring elements – carol singalongs, performers from within the choir, decor?, etc.  What do we want those to be?  What can audience members expect to experience each time? How do we make those things happen? Thanks in advance to Chris Sallis and Peter O’Loughlin for stepping up to this already.  We could have up to 2 more people join us.  Email me if you are interested.  I hope we can meet no later than a week from now.

This Friday, November 11, is Remembrance Day, and a reminder that our rehearsal has been adjusted to run 1:30pm – 3:30pm in the usual place. Following rehearsal, I will hear some of the auditions for the soloists/small groups in the December 18 concert. Even if you have emailed me in the past to sign up for a date/time, please pop me a quick note.  I will want to let our pianist know if she is needed for these.

Repertoire for this Friday is Love is Love is Love is Love, She’s Like the Swallow, Tell My Ma, Take this Thread, The Pasture, Soli Deo Gloria, and Pastime with Good Company.

See you then!

Morna

PS. An Elektra singer is in the semifinals of The Great Canadian Baking Show. She’s Lauren – just 21 years old. Cheer for her if you are watching the show!

FROM CATHY BAYLEY

Dear Fellow EnChor Members,

The board has been grappling for some time with what the choir’s next steps should be in view of the fact that Covid is still with us.  At the beginning, and through much of Covid, it was fairly straight forward what best practises should be, but this is no longer the case.  Opinions have differed on the Covid Safety Committee and amongst the board.  And as members approach board members with their concerns we see these differing opinions reflected in the membership.  The board has listened carefully to these concerns and has created a plan of action for the next couple of months.  We recognize that this action plan will not make everybody happy. However, with only 6 more rehearsals and 3 concerts this fall, we hope you will appreciate that the board feels the need to move forward cautiously while keeping the well-being of our singers foremost in mind. 

Step 1:   Continue mandatory masking for all singers during rehearsals and the concerts. The board recognizes that masking is not only very uncomfortable for some, but also makes it more difficult to sing as well as you want to.  However, we did feel we were not yet at the point when we could go to voluntary masking.

Step 2:   Send out a mini survey this week (see link below) to determine people’s comfort levels with:

• Voluntary audience masking starting at the November concert.
• Windows in the rehearsal hall adjusted so that people, especially in the back row, are not so cold,
• Masking not being required before and after rehearsals and at rehearsal break times. In other words you would only be required to wear your mask when you are actually singing.

SURVEY LINK:  https://forms.gle/thFFgUe94s6dAfhr7

Step 3:  Send out a more comprehensive survey in January 2023 to obtain a more thorough understanding of members’ opinions about the various issues surrounding our Covid policies. Use this information to help formulate future plans.

The board welcomes any comments on this action plan and any further thougthts you have.

Cheers

Cathy

FROM DON BLAKE

I have a created an “Event” on Facebook for our November concert. If you are on Facebook, please click the following link. It should open a Facebook page with a button labelled “Invite”. If you click on that a list of your friends will appear. Just click beside the name of those you wish to “invite” to the concert.

Link to Events Page

(20+) Home and the Heartland | Facebook

FROM THE BC CHORAL FEDERATION

The newsletter for Lifelong Singers is available HERE.

From Morna

There is a lot to read here.  Thank you for taking the time and actions requested.

What a good day together on Friday.  And the time with Kari Turunen was simply transformative.  Here are my notes from our recap discussion:

• think, let, pray, which is “think about what needs to happen, let it happen, pray that it was good” (credit to Oren Brown book Discover Your Voice)
• have energy like an actor
• oblong vowels
• direct more energy to the air than to muscles
• the hair-lifting gesture
• the bass section is the truth
• sing like you did when you were 22 years old
• keep the sound going like a tumble dryer
• keep “oo” vowels pure and without “ee” inside them
• mind over matter
• sing re and sol high
• basses finding their brighter sound through energized speech
• for posture not being stooped: finger on nose, move head back to stand tall, remove finger
• be loose; sing resonantly with no strain

And here’s a lovely email I received from Kari the next day: 

Hi Morna,

First of all, my congratulations for the existence and your stewardship of EnChor. It certainly has lots of social relevance, but even more I love that it can sing so well – I get the feeling that these people can continue to have a meaningful personal dialogue with (choral) art. No one is underestimating their ability and that is a great gift. Well done, Morna!

Secondly, I really enjoyed the session. There are some facets of acquired skill you don’t use that much when working with professional singers and I enjoyed having to think in a different way and having to dig into some old tricks of the trade. It’s a lovely group of people and I certainly would not mind working with the choir again. I’m really glad you picked up on my central theme: awareness. I also think the singers responded really well to that demand – it shows their mind is still very supple and I truly respect that.

This coming Friday, we will rehearse through without a break as I have to leave for the airport at 11:45am.  I’m off to an annual conductor’ retreat weekend in Oregon.  First time back since 2019!

Rep will be: Moon River (please review your notes in the SATB version, not everyone sang the harmony in our singalong video), The Pasture, Take This Thread (please read carefully the divisi instructions reiterated at the bottom of my message here), Tell My Ma, Soli Deo Gloria, and Love is Love is Love is Love (memorized). Please take a few minutes to read the introductory notes to Take This Thread.

Here are my instructions for the divisi in Take This Thread.  I have simply cut and pasted what was in the weekly email in early September. Please ensure your score is marked properly:

Divisi is pretty obvious, but there are a few places with 3-way splits, so please mark your score (“Top, Middle, Bottom” per the attached chart)

• sopranos and altos: 23, 26, 27, 32, 33, 58
• tenors and basses: 33

Wherever there are 3 notes for women or men, this Top/Middle/Bottom applies only to moments with 3 notes.  If it goes back to, for example, S and A only in the same bar, make the switch mid-bar. 

See you Friday!

Morna

From John Smit

Link to Kari Turunen session:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/nGWycBv-BW2HponktRpLvdI8PghwEyYOMc-E35qo6qYuSyHCcFZ-n6InvaiNOd_9.Se24d1rbD4Q84o2D

Passcode: YMwn@r8z
The main session starts at minute 7.

From Morna

Looking forward to having some extra learning and social time together at the Fall Retreat this Friday.  We had some confusion about the start time, but I can confirm now that it is 10am.  Dress comfortably. Bring all your music, your “main course” for lunch, a cold drink if you want one, and all your dishes, cutlery, coffee mug, etc.  Thanks to everyone who is facilitating the other food and hot drinks for this day.

If you have time between now and Friday to listen to “Take This Thread” a few times, that would be great. Also Pat’s pronunciation track. Thanks! Our guest clinician for one hour in the afternoon will be Kari Turunen, Artistic Director of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, https://kariturunen.com/about/

Looking ahead to the November 10, 4:30-5:00pm visit to the rehearsal of the Lord Byng Chamber Choir, this is not a mandatory rehearsal, and I would like to stress that we only need to send a representative contingent of the choir.  The purpose is both to get a feel for how the two massed choir pieces will go (Pastime with Good Company conducted by Lisa Lan and Love is Love is Love is Love conducted by me) and have a brief, informal meet and greet. If you live any distance away from the West Side of Vancouver, I don’t expect you to come!  If you live in Vancouver proper and are able to make it, that would be great.  Please let your section leader know either way.

See you Friday!

From Cathy

Retreat: Friday, October 28 10:00am to 3:00  Please note last week’s announcement said we are starting at 9:30 but it is definitely a 10:00am start!

Just a reminder of the EnChor Retreat this Friday from 10:00am to 3:00.  Please bring your own “main course” and cold liquid refreshment. Fruit and vegetable platters will be provided, along with goodies, coffee and tea. Please also remember to bring your own plate, cutlery, napkin, and mug. 

A Reminder:  November 11^th rehearsal

Rehearsal will be at PUSC, in the East/West Hall from 1:30 to 3:30pm

Kathaumixw Festival in Powell River: July 4 to 8, 2023

We are very excited to let you know that, based on the number of positive survey responses received last spring,  the board has decided to go ahead with an application to the Kathaumixw Festival next summer – in the competitive category!  The choir has the funds to cover some of the costs and to that end we passed a motion today to cover each person’s registration cost of $225.  We also hope to be able to cover some of the transportation costs, but the details on this have yet to be worked out.  We are looking into the cost of hiring a bus and we know that some people will probably want to carpool or take their own car.  So more to come on that later. Probably, (but still in discussion)  each person will have to pay their own hotel accommodation and meal costs.  The Kathaumixw festival has given us these figures as guides only for accommodation, meals and gratuities. (per person, per night, for 5 nights)

Single person$165.00 to $265.00

2 per room$125.00 to $175.00

4 per room$120.00 to $135.00

As more details on the costs become available we will pass this information on to you.  Eventually we will send out a survey in which we will ask you to commit to attending, and find out more information about your transportation needs.

I have not attended a Kathaumixw Festival before but from all accounts it is a week filled with amazing music, interesting people, social events and so much more.  For more information please go to https://www.kathaumixw.org/

Masking at Rehearsals and Concerts

There continues to be much discussion about masking of singers and our audience at the board meetings.  Opinions have differed as to whether or not we need to do this.  However, the board has accepted the recommendation of the Covid Safety Committee that we proceed with an abundance of caution and continue masking of both singers and audience, keeping in mind the demographics of our choir and the desire to be as inclusive as possible.  This policy will continue to be regularly reviewed.

Cathy

From Jay Black

Gerry van Wyck’s Pacific Spirit Choir is marking Remembrance Day with a performance of ‘The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace’ by celebrated British composer Karl Jenkins. It looks back at the horrors of war with great drama and pathos, taking us on a spiritual journey which ends with the hope for a future without conflict. Come and experience this stirring work, performed with a live orchestra, on Sunday 6 November, 2pm at West Vancouver United Church.

Book tickets online now at pacificspiritchoir.com.

(Hazel Mackie and I both sing with PSC.)

From Morna

Five Fridays until the concert on November 20. My goal – which I am feeling is totally doable – is that we walk on stage prepared, confident, and able to enjoy the moment. Thanks for looking at your music between Fridays.  Don’t forget that Don has put several audio tracks up for our benefit.

Tickets for the concert are now on sale at.  All tickets are $25 with people 18 and under free. Click HERE to access the ticket purchase website.

Please memorize Love is Love is Love is Love – just the first three phrases/lines.  I will clarify the roadmap in due course.

This Friday we will rehearse the following, thinking particularly of being ready for Kari Turunen to work with us on the afternoon of October 28: Pastime with Good Company, Take This Thread, Home and the Heartland, Soli Deo Gloria, and She’s Like the Swallow.

The optional rehearsal on our two massed choir pieces for November is on Thursday, November 10 from 4:30 – 5:00 pm near UBC.  Please let your section leader know if you are planning to attend.

See you Friday!

Morna

From Cathy

Many thanks to all of you who were able to stay behind after the rehearsal on Friday for the AGM. This is such an important meeting for any organization so it was wonderful we had so many people there.

I’d like to thank again Pete Chamberlain, Aldyen Donnelly, and Suzanne Finch for their service on the board and to the choir.  They will no longer be on the board, but I know they will continue helping out wherever and whenever needed.  Their knowledge and experience with EnChor will be a real asset.

I’d also like to welcome Jay Black, Kathryn Nicholson and Peter O’Loughlin to the board. Along with Barry Honda, Val Geddes, Chris Sallis, Kathie Marteinsson, John Smit and Nancy Wolchok EnChor is fortunate to have yet another strong team of board members.

Your executive for this year will be

President: Cathy Bayley

Vice President: John Smit

Treasurer: Nancy Wolchok

Secretary: Chris Sallis

Please do not hesitate to contact me or any board member with any concerns you have regarding EnChor.  Our email addresses and phone numbers can be found on the members’ page on the EnChor website.

Finally, one more reminder about the EnChor retreat on October 28^th from 9:30am to 3:00pm. 

We ask you to bring your own “main course” for lunch and EnChor will provide some vegetable and fruit platters, dessert goodies and tea and coffee.

We also ask you to bring your own plate, cutlery, mug and cold beverage if desired.

Here’s to another year of wonderful music making!

Cathy

Cathybayley55@gmail.com

604-816-4670