Me: "OK!"
SQ, aka Stephanie Quinn is one of my girls. We met each other freshman year of college & hung out a bit, were politely social for the next two years, and became sisters our senior year through the shared joys & struggles of putting up our thesis projects. She is a talented music & voice teacher, dancer/choreographer, actress, seamstress, quilter, sister, fiance, and dedicated friend. I Love Stephanie! The long and short of it goes like this - she and her boyfriend (now fiance) aka The Dan, were moving in together and wanted some roommate company in form of Sabrina and me.
Sabrina, aka Brina-doo, aka Doolottle MALE, is also one of my girls. We met her freshman, my sophomore, year of college and lived together for two years after that. Sabrina is my tech theater goddess, my MacGuiver. She is a boy scout, set/lighting/sound designer, the daughter of a general contractor, graphic designer, clarinetist, actress/dancer/singer, sister, lover, confidant and dear friend. I Love Sabrina!
I interviewed for, and was offered my current position at the college. I am the Secretary for the Office of Field Placement, Certification and Community Outreach in the School of Education of Manhattanville College. (try saying that one 5 times fast) We got an awesome apartment in Dumont, NJ. Hooray for an exciting move! Living on my own (like a big girl and everything!) But wait - that would mean leaving my chorus!!!!! [Personal side note: You know you're a Sweet Adeline When... you're moving away and you're more upset about leaving your chorus than leaving your boyfriend.]
Once everything was settled (as far as the job and the moving) I had to break the news to my chorus; I started with the Management Team. We were meeting at Cheryl's house in the lovely historic district of Ballston Spa. We had been going over a bunch of items, but primarily were working on the edits for our standing rules. Once we had broken into the cheese and cookies and were wrapping up, I told them that much to my dismay, I had to resign my position on the team. They were as bummed as I was, but quickly got down to the business of "what region is that?" and "what choruses are near by?" I told them that I had already starting looking and that I was going to be living/working in Region 15 and the two choruses closest to me (whom I had already sent emails to) were Golden Apple and Ramapo Valley. Then came the influx "..and they're going through a change over," "..international champions," "Renee is retiring,""..retiring the old name with her."
Me: "Renee Who? Ramapo What?" I had no idea. The Ramapo Valley Spotlight Chorus, under the direction of Ms. Renee Craig, had won international gold three times, and countless regional medals. She was the lead of The Cracker Jills, the first international champion quartet to win without the help of an outside coach, and also one of the quartets credited with changing (for the better of course) the barbershop style and standards. She directed the Coronet Club, which I came to find out was the yearly gathering of all past champions, or Queen's of Harmony.
So that was a little intimidating. But I had sent out emails to both choruses and had yet to hear back from either. I made the move in August, started the job, had a housewarming and did that settling in stuff. My Saratoga Soundtrack ladies were scheduled to have their first performance at Malta Community Day. We had "auditioned" for it over the summer. The day of the audition I was a little late getting to the venue for warm-ups because I went to the old community center instead of the new one. When I got there the gals were in full swing rehearsing the three songs we were going to sing and I jumped right into my spot on the end of the front row. (granted in a chorus our size that meant a front row of 3 people, but still) The other thing about it being such a small chorus was that we only had one tenor, aside from our director, and unfortunately she couldn't be at the audition. This meant that Nancy had to step in and sing - from Deanna's spot, back row center. "Alexis can give us the cut-offs, she knows when they are." "Alexis, move center." "She's MC-ing the song anyway." "Yea, that'll be good, Alexis can just do the cut-off's from the front, we can all see her." What?! Yes, I became a front row, three song director! Fake it till ya' make it. We were singing Overture, Curtain Lights! So in the middle I got to step out and introduce the chorus and tell some shticky jokes. Then it was on to Can You Feel the Love? For that song one of our members who knows american sign language, signed along with the lyrics - it was beautiful. And because we were auditioning for a community day, we ended with the ever so patriotic God Bless America. These were the same songs that we ended up singing at the event, though luckily Deanna was able to be there for it, so Nancy could direct. (I still got to do my MC-ing though!)
And so it was that my Saratoga Soundtrack journey came to an end. Their first performance was my last with them. A more loving and generous group of Sweet Adelines to be my first chorus home I couldn't dream of. Saratoga Soundtrack will always be my chorus at heart.
As it happened, I wasn't going to be between choruses for long. Later that week I got an email from the membership chair of Ramapo Valley/Harmony Celebrtaion, Beth Fulton. She said that she was sorry she hadn't gotten back to me sooner, the chorus was going to through an exciting new time, and that I should come to rehearsal in Ridgewood, NJ this Wednesday night. So I emailed her back and asked for directions to the rehearsal space. A new chorus adventure was about to begin.
No comments:
Post a Comment