2009-2010 Keene Chorale Newsletter

Please click the link below to download and read the Chorale’s 2009-2010 newsletter in PDF format (requires the free Adobe Acrobat reader to view):

2009-2010 Keene Chorale Newsletter

Excerpts from the Newsletter:

Jane Hanson, Keene Chorale Musical Director

Dear Chorale Singers,

I hope that all of you are enjoying a lovely summer! I want to applaud all those who participated in the Keene Chorale’s 30th Anniversary Beethoven concert. The audience was enthusiastic and full of praise for the performance, but I think that the biggest treat was being on stage for it. That was first-rate music-making, and I was delighted to be up there with you!

This year is going to be exciting! We will be branching out into some thrilling new repertoire. This fall will be filled with quality music from many traditions and places, as we gear up for Christmakwanzukkah! We will present a smorgasbord of stirring and joyful holiday music for Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and the Winter Solstice.

In the Spring, the Keene Chorale will present “Basking In The Footlights: A musical tour through the Golden Age of Broadway.” This program will feature choruses from the best Broadway musicals of the last century, with a particular focus on the “Golden Age”: the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Mark your calendar – you won’t want to miss the fun!

You know how much fun it is (and how rewarding it is) to sing in the Keene Chorale! It is up to you to keep the Keene Chorale strong and growing! Spread the word! Please bring at least two new people to the first rehearsal on September 8. Perhaps you have a friend who loves to sing, but isn’t sure whether they want to join a choir. Let them know that they can try it out! And what about that co-worker who keeps singing at her desk, the guy who whistles as he walks down the street, or the relative who is always humming a tune? Be sure to think ahead and invite people to sing with us!

Enjoy the rest of the summer! Can’t wait to see you all in September and hear your beautiful voices!

Best regards,
Jane Hanson, Director, Keene Chorale

From the Keene Chorale President

What a terrific 30th season the Chorale had! Louise Slayton, one of our charter members, graciously served as President; we presented the lush harmonies of a French Christmas (who could forget the monumental ice storm just two days before the concert?); and we capped off the season with our production of Beethoven’s Mass in C and The Choral Fantasy. If you haven’t heard the CD of the Beethoven concert, a wonderful experience awaits you. Our upcoming season promises to be equally exciting: first we will perform a winter celebration of multicultural music and for the spring concert we will present the best of American musical theater.

This year’s board of directors is composed of a wonderful mix of long time Chorale members and people who are newer to the group. This should result in a healthy respect for the customs and traditions of the last 30 years and also allow for new ideas to keep the group vital and thriving. All have great energy and an abiding commitment to the Keene Chorale. We continue to explore creative ways to increase revenue without expecting our members to wholly
support productions of the highest possible caliber.

Last September when we walked into the first rehearsal, Jane asked us if the last thing we sang was, “….Brother Sun,” the final words of the Missa Gaia. Please don’t let “Götter gunst,” the final words of The Choral Fantasy, be the last notes you sing until September 8!

See you at rehearsal then.

All the best,
Gail Malitas