June 29, 2005
Dear Choir,
If you have been with the Concert Singers for any length
of time, you know that around this time of year, I write an annual letter that
looks back on the previous season and provides information about the year
ahead. As I sit to write this year, I can’t think of a more exciting time in
the history of this wonderful organization.
We just completed what I believe was our most successful
year. We did three marvelous programs that were diverse in style, outstanding
in artistic quality and financially successful. We established an annual
tradition in Cary with Holiday Pops, developed a wonderful partnership with
Triangle Wind Ensemble and sang in two superb new venues at Westwood Baptist
and St. Paul’s Episcopal. We had two sell-out performances and gained notice
across the southeast with our work using period instruments. Our financial
status continues to improve in grant support, ad sales and contributions. It is
truly an exciting time as we enter our 15th anniversary season!
Our plans for the 2005-2006 season are our most ambitious
ever. We will present eight concert events that will feature performances by
the symphonic choir, chamber choir, Cary Choral Artists and Cary Voices
Unlimited. The season includes a new collaboration with the music department at
East Carolina University that will include the Chatham Baroque Trio, a
nationally known period instrument ensemble from Pittsburgh, PA with
performances in Cary and at ECU. We will also be presenting a concert of “World
Music” featuring a percussion ensemble that includes steel drums, a
collaboration with Triangle Wind Ensemble for our first ever series performance
at Regency Park, a concert fundraiser in February featuring our professional
singers, a performance of two fabulous masses by Palestrina (a cappella)
and Haydn (with orchestra), a repeat of Holiday Pops, a second holiday concert
by the chamber choir and a concert in June by Cary Voices Unlimited that will
feature Broadway tunes and music by The Beatles.
For those interested in small ensembles, please see the
attached sheet describing the requirements for membership. A few things have
changed since last year. Chamber choir membership requires being active in the
symphonic choir and priority will go to those who participated last year. Once
I determine who is returning from last year, we will publish what openings are
available to new voices. Cary Voices Unlimited will be a bit smaller than
previous years and they will do less memorized music than they have in the
past. Some of the music will also be more complex, with six parts or more and
there will be more a cappella music than in the past. Because of these changes, we will have an
open audition for CVU membership on Monday, August 22nd. This
audition will not require any preparation. We will hear singers in groups of
three per section over the course of the evening and determine what the best
ensemble combinations are. I am very hopeful that those who have previously
done CVU events will come to this session on August 22nd. Cary
Choral Artists will be by invitation as it has been in the past. I will be
contacting our professional singers about possibilities in both the October 8th
concert and the February 11th gala.
I thought I would close with an update on my work at ECU.
The faculty was very pleased with the high quality of the concert (yes, I
received an “A”) and I have completed the requirements for a Master of Music
Degree in Choral Conducting performance. I want to extend my deepest thanks to
you for your dedication and outstanding work in helping me achieve this goal. I
will be continuing at ECU for one more year in a very limited capacity to add a
second major to my MM degree in Orchestral Conducting to compliment my work in
the Choral area. I am doing independent study work this summer and will go to
ECU on Fridays to participate as Assistant Conductor of the ECU Symphony
Orchestra. This wasn’t something that I planned on doing, but when the
opportunity presented itself I found the chance for orchestral podium time to
be too good to pass up.
In closing, I want to extend my deepest thanks to Diane
Villwock for her outstanding leadership as President this past year and to
David Lindquist for his usual excellent leadership as Executive Director. I
would also like to thank the entire Board (Karen Davis, Phil Ferski, Bob
Johnson, Barb Klimala, Meredith Larson, Bob Macdonald, Debra Morris, Jan Mott,
Ken Scott, Rick Wiles, and Brian Wong) for their
work in making ours such a well-run organization.
Our first rehearsal will be on September 12th, which is the first Monday after Labor Day. I look forward to seeing you all for another fabulous year of music making!
Sincerely,
Larry