What a pleasure it was to share a great day of golf and croquet on September 19^th when Friends of the Chorus gathered for the Anima Golf Social and Croquet Tournament, and all for a great cause- to benefit the Anima Young Singers Scholarship Fund.

The weather was perfect and made for a great event for 70+ eager golfers and competitive croquet players at the Maple Meadows Golf Club. Several choristers volunteered to register, greet participants and maintain order on the croquet field where competition was a little rough!

Hats Off to golfers John DeLany and Lynn Vogelsinger who won "Closest to the Pin" and to croquet champs-Robin Parfin, Tami Riley and the Geiselharts.   This new event was a hit and will likely be the start of something BIG! 

A special thanks to Mike and Jo Hickman, Encore Society Co-Chairs, who planned the Golf Social and Croquet Tournament and to the twenty business sponsors who help to underwrite the event.  With the support of many friends, we were able to raise more than $2500 for the Anima Scholarship Fund.  We greatly appreciate the contributions of so many making this "first time" event so successful!  

Together we are shaping the leaders of tomorrow and enriching community life. For more pictures click here.

SiteWorks Construction  Inc.                   

Roberto's Ristorante & Pizzeria             

The Alternative Board

Hinsdale Dental-Michael Novak, DDS.       

Backstrom Chiropractic Clinic                    

Amy Hohulin Training & Development      

Baker Hill Cleaners                                     

Hope Publishing Company    

Alan and Cathy Cohen                      

Karnes Prickett Design 

Scott and Debbie Davis                    

The Kendall Family                                   

The Dunne-Giardina Family                       

Kent Consulting Engineers                        

Glen Ellyn Homes                                       

Salon Aria

Chuck and Marilyn Hickman              

Joie and Jeff Scott

Dennis and Bonnie Clarke                         

Alphagraphics

Mike and Joanne Hickman                                                  

Kevin and Anita Flowers

Vitorio's Ristorante                                  

October is already here, but we wanted to report on exciting events just completed! September 21^st and 23^rd saw us performing our third symphonic collaboration since August 15^th, this time with Chicago Sinfonietta on Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, at Dominican University and Symphony Center.  Enthusiastic audiences hailed the performers of this much-loved work, including our own Anima young singers.  The work holds great fascination with audiences world-wide because of its rhythmic fervor, its accessible, repetitive melodic writing, and its raucous medieval texts which fully celebrate secular, earthly pleasures.  Performers and audiences alike enjoy the very human side of these ancient texts, written in the 13^th century and found in a Bavarian monastery, set to music by a 20^th century composer.

Treble, Concert, and Touring choristers and staff enjoyed a weekend retreat at the end of September at Camp Reynoldswood in Dixon, IL.  Perfect weather allowed for high spirits at rehearsals, bonding sessions, team-building, and bonfire.  This has become a cherished tradition, now in its 12^th year, if memory serves.

And now we're in rehearsal for Berlioz' Damnation of Faust with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with performances October 30^th and November 1^st.  What an extraordinary beginning we are having to our 44^th season, with memories of a lifetime for our singers.  While each of our four symphonic projects since August- two at Millennium Park and two at Symphony Center - have called for different ensembles, a handful of singers has managed to sing all four.  That's a remarkable achievement, showing enormous dedication, discipline, and love of the singing art.  Hats off!

Emily Ellsworth