A lovely note

Just had to share this with you

Our Sister City Estonian event was a triumph.

Do I dare brag just a bit? I am sure you could tell how much we were appreciated. Folk were very vocal about that! The program was built around our performance of some Estonian freedom songs and they indeed were the showpiece of the afternoon.                                                                                                          

Other highlights included Martin Pereboom's brief but effective introduction to a clip of the film, "Singing Revolution" and charming Estonian fok dancers. Dr. Brian Steigler was the perfect emcee and after a brief hiccup, Estonian Ambassador to the U.S. Vaino Reinart gave warm thank you's and regards. A DVD is to be made and sent to our sister city of Tartu.

Reviews from Estonians were that we sounded like an Estonian choir. They stated they had NEVER heard an American choir attempt their challenging language and sound so "perfect". I told the cultural attache that she was very kind but I didn't belive her. She insisted, as did several other embassy officials that it was excellent. She inquired if we had ever considered singing a program in Europe? Who us? well - perhaps... The Daily Times also reported our concert.

Time and energy well spent - YES?

No rest for the weary!!!

By way of announcements: some changes even.

Remember that we changed the concert date to Sunday afternoon, 19 December 2010 - 3:00 pm. AND our first meeting on Sunday, 1:00 pm October 10, 2010 at Wicomico Presbys.

Note the change in first rehearsal also!

An EXTRA rehearsal

It probably wouldn't hurt any of us to have one more rehearsal before the Estonian extravaganza. How about TUESDAY, 7:30 Sept. 8 at the Presbyterians... and then see the previous post for the correct times on Saturday!

OK - just in and FINAL!

After uncontrolled bouncing around - this would be final. Our Estonian appearance has reached the final decisions - I hope. For reasons too numerous to mention, the recption will be held on 11 September at 2:00 in the afternoon. We will be singing in the first 30 minutes. So our day will look like this:

11:00 - rehearse at Great Hall
1:45 - return to site dressed in concert attire
2:00 - sing "Shenendoah"
2:15 - sing 2 Estonian songs: first "Mu Isamaa" and the "Ta Lendam"
2:25 - sing AMERICA MEDLEY - My Country then the Beautiful

There is presumably going to be some Estonian singers and dancers with Embassy Officials from DC and a real nice program followed by a reception. They are encouraging us to stay and mingle but we are welcome to leave anytime after we sing.

Sing for Estonia

If you would be so kind as to move the daisy over one day and note that the presentatin has been changed to Sat evening 11 September 2010.

Follows a rehearsal schedule from now until the Estonia presentation by the "Sister Cities" Committee. In attendance will be representatives of the Estonian Embassy in DC and other Estonian guests. We are also performing three American poieces. God Bless AMerica, My COuntry Tis of Thee, and Shendoah....nice arrangements I just got. I think you will enjoy it.

Rehearsals for that could be

Sunday 2:00 pm July 25

Friday 7:00 pm August 6

Saturday 10:00 am August 7
Saturday 10:00 am August 21
Saturday 11:00 AM August 28
Saturday 11:00 AM September 11 (in the Great Hall - Holloway Hall SU Campus)

6:30 pm September 11 (concert attire)

The fall concert is planned for December 12, 2010 at 3 at Wicomico Presbys and will be the Charpentier Christmas Mass with chamber ensemble. You may not know this but it is charming, French, pre-Mozart composition and delightful to listen to.

Fans of Tartu - UNITE!

For right now, as far as we know...the program to be recorded for our sister city Tartu, Estonia is on September 10, Friday evening at 7:00 in the Great Hall of Holloway on the campus of S.U.

I have ordered really neat arrangments of America the Beautiful and Shenendoah so that we can be sending them some typically American songs as well. Nothing difficult - just really beautiful. I'll set up a low key rehearsal schedule as soon as we get back from Italy (it's a high today in Naples of 74...). This is getting more exciting and apparently the entire evening is to be built around our singing, with Embassy Officials and Estonia Society representatives being invited. Get your passports renewed!!!

WSCL

Kudos to our two newest sopranos Deb Clark and Arlene White for learning a complicated piece in a short amount of time, the Benjamin Britten "Festival Te Deum" and leading the charge to a very special performance. Many, many compliments on our appearance to a capacity crowd in Asbury Church.

Songs of Praise - "a triumph"!

Sang the second of two performances of Songs of Praise. On a day that was not really fit for man nor beast out, where the clouds opened up and we were deluged with Noah-esque conditions.

Yet the crowd came anyway - surely some were kept away but a nice sized audience enjoyed our efforts. We sang very well and had a great time doing so.

Some additional dates, changes and clarifications....

Today's (Sunday 16 May 2010) call for the Princess Anne concert at St. Andrews Episcopal church is 1:45.





Other dates are as follows:
Saturday, 22 May 2010 - 12:30 pm - Preparation for concert and Tartu
Sunday, 23 May 2010 - 2:15 pm      - Warm up for concert at 3:00
Saturday, 29 May 2010 - 9:30 am     - Te Deum and Tartu rehearsal
Saturday, 5 June 2010 - 10:00 am      - Te Deum and Tartu rehearsal
  WSCL- Asbury Church  6:45 pm    - 7:30 concert

Many thanks to Arlene White for joining us for the Te Deum at Asbury in Beth's abscence. We are hoping we can talk her into joining us permanently in the fall!

Sister Cities

Salisbury has TWO international sister cities. In 1933 we entered into a relationship with our name sake, Salisbury, Wiltshire in England. Since 1999 we have added the the second largest city of Estonia, Tartu, a university town of 100,000. Many of our members in the SCS toured the United Kingdom in 1998 with the Chesapeake Chorale and sang in the Salisbury Cathedral where we were greeted by the Mayoress.

Lately, more interest in our relationship with Tartu has surfaced, particularly in light of the wonderful film "The Singing Revolution".  The Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council in cooperation with representatives from Salisbury University have expressed a desire to video a group of Salisbury singers doing the anthems used in "The Singing Revolution" as a gift from here. We were asked to lead that effort. We have gotten a recording and some basic notes to the songs and will begin learning it after our concerts are out of the way. The notes are easy - the language is not.

Because Estonia has been under the influence - actually occupied - by neighboring countries, both Finnish and Sweedish factor into their culture and language. Estonia was under Russian domnation for a number of years in the twentieth century.

I feel like this unique project will be very exciting for you and an opportunity to participate in something a bit out of the ordinary. I am not completely sure of the time frame but I would like to learn the songs and record it over the course of the summer. For scheduling purposes, I will pin folks down to dates ASAP.

THEIR Bad!!!!

well well well...who knew? My original information concerning the WSCL concert was correct - and this IS the final word. The Celebration of Music is June 5, 2010 - Saturday evening 7:30 at Asbury Church. Guess their website is wrong.

Allrighty now - here is a fairly healthy "MY BAD"!!! I had the date of WSCL wrong! Believe it or not, it is the weekend of May 30, 2010 Sunday evening at 7:30 pm. That is 2 out of 3 that I got wrong. Hope we can still sing Britten "Te Deum" for them.

OK - It's official

Our run out concert will be back at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Princess Anne - a most lovely venue and the time will bge 3:00 pm. Sunday. 16 May 2010. Please take note - we are down to our last 3 rehearsals : THIS Sunday, and the next two Saturdays. I love this music and cannot wait to perform it.

Any ideas about what we should sing next year?

Semester Rehearsal Schedule

First couple of rehearsals have been fun - it's so good to be back at it. 

And here is the schedule.

14 March – rehearsal 1:30

20 March – rehearsal 11:00

27 March – rehearsal 4:00

2 April – rehearsal 7:00

10 April – rehearsal 9:30

24 April – rehearsal 4:00

25 April – rehearsal 1:30

2 May – rehearsal 1:30

8 May – rehearsal 9:30

15 May – rehearsal 9:30

16 May – run out concert TBA

22 May – brush up rehearsal 9:30

23 May – 2:30 for3:00 concert Wicomico Presby

Ready to go?

Our first rehearsal will in fact be SUNDAY, 28 Feb 2010 at 1:30 at Wicomico Presbyterian. I have gathered most of the repertoire and it promises to be a great and varied program; violin accompanaiment and piano and organ duet, classics and some new anthems. I hope you enjoy it all.

The official Salisbury Concert date will be Sunday, May 23rd with an on the road date of 16th May. I will let you know the location later. I will have a complete rehearsal schedule on Sunday. Looking forward to making some more beautiful music together.

The Beginnings

It all began in 2004 as Sundays at Chipman.

Notice our beloved Beth Royal and Susan Pryor.

Walt was sick that day.

Spring concert

Are we looking at a tentative May 16 date. Still checking possible conflicts and a second concert.
The theme could be "Praise". Sacred anthems of Praise Like Saint Saens "Praise Ye the Lord of Hosts" from the Chritmas Oratorio and the Britten "Te Deum" one of my favorites. Any ideas or suggestions?

Start up date for rehearsals will be late February. Watch for updates!

Messiah with orchestra 2008

at Wicomico Presbyterian - 2007

A Little dark but at least everyone is in it!

Following the Princess Anne Concert...

Afterglow at Peakey's in Princess Anne...FUN! 

Salisbury Chamber Singers Wicomico Presbyterian Church 2006

Once again - stage right..sorry Aleta, Leigh Ann

Poplar Hill Mansion - December 2007

St Andrews Episcopal - 3 January 2010 Princess Anne, MD

"I'll Be Home" now minus Linda, and Dot again!

Wicomico Presbyterian Church - 13 December 2009

"I'll Be Home" - minus stage right and left DRAT: Sorry Aleta, Elaine, Dot, Betty and Bill

Welcome to our new SCS Information Page

Recently, I had sent out email to announce a rehearsal time change and it didn't completely work...and then I saw this choir information web page and thought, "What a great idea!" This way we can exchange information any time, night or day. You can leave comments or ask questions by simply joining the page as a follower.          
       Ready?
             Let's go.