Preparing for the new choir season is always a time of great excitement. Just as it is a special challenge to choose a season of plays, there is a unique challenge in choosing a season of music. Our theme this year is “Home” and as we look through music from various historical periods and in a wide variety of styles, we are struck with the huge definition that emerges. The theme seems to ring true for this year and we are encouraged to explore this concept.
We thought about a patriotic theme, but the concept is more than loyalty to a particular country. We are exploring facets of our immediate families and extended families, local communities, religious connotations. We’re planning on singing at Ground Zero when we take our performance tour to New York City in May, and this deepened our vision of “home.”
We’re expecting a surge in enrollment in all four choirs this year. There have been a lot of inquiries about the choir from all ages. Our concert schedule looks like it will be fuller this year. We begin, as we have since 2000, by singing at the Little League World Series. This year we sing on August 21. We’re hoping new singers can join us for the kick-off rehearsal on August 18.
“Home”…it does conjure up a whole lot of images, doesn’t it. Hopefully, to most, it conjures up positive images. For those who do not have positive images, we hope that in our experience through the performing arts this year, that their lives can be affirmed, enriched, and empowered. Welcome home.
THOMAS PUTNAM is the Artistic Director for Hamilton-Gibson Productions. In addition to directing plays, he is occasionally seen on stage as an actor.
