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New Orleans and all that Jazz!
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Concert Chorus-St. Louis Cathedral
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Riding on the City of New Orleans to that historic city was just the first step in a fantastic tour for the Concert Chorus. Chorister Kenny Lumb said the train was way better than the plane because you could move around and visit. The Chorus was in New Orleans for the Crescent City Music Festival which has been a New Orleans Children’s Chorus staple for many years but was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina and is just now starting up again. By all accounts our choristers had an amazing time, sightseeing in the French Quarter, seeing Preservation Hall, visiting the Aquarium of the Americas, taking a swamp tour (everyone had the same response to this one “cool”!) and of course participating in a wonderful concert at St. Louis Cathedral along with seven other choirs. Gretchen Hedrick said the concert was “Amazing, and really cool to hear all of the other choruses sing”. Conductor Lauren Sklar said the cathedral, the nation’s oldest, was a beautiful and unique setting for some wonderful musical experiences. The chorus was especially honored to be part of the premiere of Bob Chilcott’s piece “This Day”, based on five poems from different cultures and religions. All in all everyone had extraordinary experiences and said they would love to do it all again!!
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Alumni News-Bret Kehoe
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Bret with girlfriend Lauren
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Being a part of the legendary Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus is something remarkable to think about. Hard work coupled with great friendships all while performing beautiful and challenging music is something that stays with you for a long time. However, being a boy in the GECC is a whole different thing. Beginning in MEC and climbing the ranks with my manly soprano voice I did what only a few boys my age would ever do. Through this, I was blessed with experiences and people I will never forget. Singing with the likes of Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Georg Solti, and off course the wonderful Emily Ellsworth, I developed discipline, professionalism, and a deep love for music that has stuck with me for all my life. The day did come for me however, when all boys must face the music and realize they just can’t hit those Alto 2 notes anymore. I had to leave the chorus, but the nearly eight years I spent in the GECC were some of the most enjoyable of my life. After 501 Hill Ave, I went on to sing at Wheaton North High School in multiple choirs as well as performing in many theatre productions. After graduating High School I went on to study at the University of Missouri-Columbia and am currently finishing up my final year of studying Communications and Spanish there. I joined their fine musical program as a part of the University Singers under the acclaimed direction of R. Paul Crabb. Singing such pieces as Verdi and Mozart’s Requiems, Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Haydn’s Creation and numerous others has only added to my appreciation for detailed music that started in the GECC. I look forward greatly to continuing in the arts as I move on past my college life. What the GECC has given me is such a blessing and I am honored to be a part of this month’s newsletter. (Bret is currently serving as an intern in the GECC office. Thank you Bret!)
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Emily Notes
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Well, it’s ALMOST still June! We had two key events this month: Concert Chorus’ super cool and very successful tour to the Crescent City Festival in New Orleans and Touring Chorus’ return to Millennium Park for a concert with the Grant Park Symphony. I offer my heartiest congratulations to all the hard working singers, staff, and chaperones of the New Orleans tour for what was clearly a very successful and rewarding experience! Choristers – you outdid yourselves in ambassadorship, friendliness, flexibility, and, of course, fine singing. Under Mrs. Sklar’s superb leadership, you really did us proud! Congratulations, one and all, for making this happen for our fine young artists. Touring Chorus also did a fine job singing Tan Dun’s Dragon and Phoenix at Millennium Park on June 20th. With their colorful tunics and beautiful singing, they were a stand-out in this contemporary, exuberant work by one of today’s hottest new composers! And now we are, incredibly, less than two weeks from our departure to South Africa! The office staff is working on a tour blog site that will capture images from the tour along the way for folks at home. Stay tuned! Happy Fourth of July to our chorus community! Emily Ellsworth
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Easy ways to Support the Chorus!
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The Chorus is now part of two organizations who support non-profit corporations, just by using their websites. Shopping Online-iGive.com donates money to the Chorus each time you purchase something through their site. Simply sign up (it is free) and choose the GECC as your charity and everytime you use their site to shop on line the Chorus will benefit. Searching Online-goodsearch.com is a search engine much like google, but again, each time you use this vehicle to search for something else the Chorus will receive a donation. Simply go onto the site and choose the GECC as your charity. If everyone who receives this newsletter switched to this search engine the dollars would add up fast!
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For more information about the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus call 630-858-2471 or visit our website at www.gechildrenschorus.org.
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