[EastValleyChoraleMaillist] Great Concert...and some info about the coming year.

[Cochran, Bruce-P56993]

Hello Chorale,

Hope this day finds you well.  Thanks for a wonderful concert this past
Tuesday at Mesa Regal.  I was very pleased with the concert...you
sounded great...you looked great....the orchestra did a fine job...and
we had an enthusiastic, appreciative audience. I didn't get a specific
count, but my guess would be close to 500 people.  We had a generous
offering of $760 (including selling 8 cds).   Thank you all for your
enthusiasm, cooperation, smiles, talent, and all-round 'wonderful-ness'.
It's a privilege and pleasure to work with you.  

I heard many positive comments from the audience after the concert, and
from members of the Mesa Regal choir at their rehearsal yesterday.  One
lady in the Mesa Regal choir told me that her husband said it was the
best Christmas concert he'd ever attended.  Some of their favorites:
Some Children See Him, Silent Night, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,  and
Light Your Christmas.

Thanks goes to Larry on the bass guitar and acoustic guitar..his playing
adds a lot. Neal and Denise did a terrific job on all kinds of
percussion...it really added much to the concert..."Light Your
Christmas" was exceptionally nice. The talent and experience of Bekah
Jones (1st violin) and Don Willey (string bass) provided leadership to
help the orchestra be effective and sound quite good. (Bekah's beginning
to seem like 'part of the family.')  

And of course, Barb (and Amy) were wonderful on the piano. Barb's
enthusiasm and skill consistently enable the chorale to learn the music
quickly and perform it well...don't take her for granted.   I was proud
of all the soloists and happy about the entire evening.
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For those of you who tend to be 'fiscally-minded', the expenses
associated with Tuesday's concert break down as follows:

Expenses:
1) Choir music:   16 Songs *  (music for 60 singers) + $1.40/copy =
$1,344  (We already had 9 songs from previous years, but I had to buy
some additional copies for those 9 songs,  to have enough for everyone)
so the final cost for new music for this year's concert = $800
2) Orchestrations for the songs (i.e. the music that the orchestra
plays): 11 songs * $70/song + $250 to have Glenn Pickett write the
orchestration for Joy to the World/Glory to God.  Total = $1,020
3) Orchestra members: Total of $1,320.  For the string players who came
to two 2-hour rehearsals, and one performance, we payed $120; For some
of the orchestra who had to miss some of the rehearsals, we payed a
little less...depending on how many rehearsal they could make. (Note:
Last spring when we had an orchestra for the joint-concert, there was
only one rehearsal with orchestra (and singers), and it was a bit
rougher during rehearsal and performance. This year we had a 2-hour
rehearsal with strings/piano only as well as our choir+orchestra
rehearsal....the result was much more satisfying...and less stressful.)
Expense Grand total: $3,140.  (not counting expenses for printing
programs, duplication of orchestra parts, etc)

Income:
1) You may recall that I was awarded $900 from my work for a patent. I
donated that to help cover the cost of the orchestra. Pray I'll be more
creative :)
2) I receive a $200/month honorarium for directing the Mesa Regal
choir...I donate all that to chorale.  --> $400 for November and
December.
3) Our offering was $760 (including the sale of 8 cd's)
Income Total = $2,060
(Note: I'm not trying to brag about donations, etc, but you need to know
that the money for a concert with an orchestra has to come from
somewhere.)

Therefore, this year's Christmas concert costs us approximately $1,080
(Primarly covered by offerings from other concerts, dues, and some other
donations)  Personally, I think it was worth every bit of that!

For a  concert with orchestra, the cost will typically be approximately
$3000. So, any time we want to have concerts with orchestra, we have to
come up with this amount of money to make it happen.

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Some good things to look forward to:

1) Several folks have contacted me about singing with us after
Christmas. Pray that they will follow through...it's easy to have second
thoughts and "back-out." I'm pretty sure that some of these singers will
actually join us.

2) Joint concert with Mesa Regal RV Park choir in early March...last
year we had 100 singers and an orchestra. We have a joint-rehearsal with
both choirs on Tuesday, January 23rd..at Mesa Regal.   I'd like to have
an orchestra for this year's concert, but we'll have to consider the
expenses, etc.  I'd appreciate any feedback from you about this.  Do you
think it's worth it? Ideas about raising the money ???

3) Concert at Friendship village (next to Dessert Banner Hospital)
Tuesday, Feb 20th 7:00 PM. We'll probably plan to meet at Marie
Callendar's after the concert. That was lots of fun last year.

4) We have some great new songs to learn this winter/spring. I think you
will really enjoy this music.

5) Next rehearsal:  Tuesday January 9th, 2007    (NOT Jan 2nd).  Please
bring your Christmas music with you so we can put it away.  Enjoy your
Christmas/New Year holiday time.

6) Next concert(s): Sunday afternoon, Jan 7th  (I'll remind you again
later). Most of you should have the music.


I hope your Christmas is meaningful and enjoyable. I'm looking forward
to a great new year with you all.  Thanks for sharing your lives, your
talents, your enthusiasm, and your happy faces with me!  You're the
best!

Merry Christmas, 
(I suppose that based on the idea that "Merry" orignally meant 'strong'
or 'mighty', I'm wishing you a Mighty Christmas!)

Bruce




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