After over 15 years of participation It is hard to believe but my time in the choir is actually coming to an end. This photo was taken after the retirement program from April 21st was over. There were a lot of people there!
Here are family members that came to the retirement program. It was so nice to have Aunt Rose there with two of her daughters along Dad, Ruth, and our children and grandchildren who are in town. Thanks to Quentin who took this photo.
Since that time we have just finished a recording with Bryn Terfel for Deutsche Gramophone Records, and all the retirees were invited to ‘stay on’ and participate in this event, which was nothing less than totally amazing! See the blog entries from members about this experience
beginning here. (Each successive page has a new number at the end, up to 7.) Some retirees have also been asked to participate in the Central States Tour of the choir. I was not asked to participate in the tour at first but was pleased to be asked later on when they had a cancellation. This means that I will also be going with the choir to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan in June. My last day of participation in Music and the Spoken Word will be June 23rd. It has been a wonderful treat to associate with the choice people who comprise the members of the choir and orchestra. They have always been very kind and helpful, among the best people I know. They are, as it is said, ‘the salt of the earth’ and come from many backgrounds. Although I know many people in the Orchestra we seldom get a chance to even say hello to them except for the few minutes between the run-through Sunday morning and the live broadcast itself. Even then we are all trying to take a quick break and get ready so there isn’t time for much fraternizing then. This has been an amazing and uplifting experience, and a great opportunity to share my testimony of the gospel to others including my own family.
Mark, Dad, Neil, and Mike together after a recent Music and the Spoken Word Broadcast. Dad joined the choir back in 1947 and still loves to hear their live performances.
It has been so fun in recent years to have two brothers participating, Mark in the choir, and more recently Neil in the Orchestra. (Mark and I were roommates on the 2003 tour right after he joined the choir.) Dad and Mom were both members the choir when they were married 64 years ago so participation in the choir has always been a part of our lives, right from the very beginning of our family. Here we are together in the balcony after a recent performance, as taken by the choir’s photographer. I want to get in the orchestra if I can, and will be pursuing this during the summer to be more ready for that possibility in the fall.
