News from the WUM District

From: George Pecor
Date: Sat, 7 May 2005 22:01:11 EDT
Subject: WUM Sing

     The weekend of April 29th & 30th brought the six choruses of the Wisconsin Upper Michigan District for their annual District Sing. The Forsyth Singers of Gwinn, MI. at Gwinn High School, hosted this year's event.

     Friday night, members of visiting choruses had to split up their groups to be able to visit a concert by the Marquette Male Chorus at the Marquette Masonic hall and the 75 year Anniversary concert of the Negaunee Male Chorus, our districts oldest chorus. Both concerts held some surprises but were enjoyed by all.

     At the Negaunee Concert, the music was divided into nine segments with one segment for their chosen scholarship winner plus another with a young group called Voices in Motion performing a Decade Medley of music from the 1970's, 80's and 90's.

     The Negaunee Chorus itself did six sections with headings called Opening, Primordial Mist, Down to the River, Dedicated to Those We Love, Decade Dance and Reflections on Freedom. Their Gospel Group called Strictly Gospel, a 20-year tradition within the chorus, did two sets named Strictly Gospel and Spirit Lifting.

     The audience was treated to our normal starts plus The Lost Chord, River in Judea, Wade in the Water, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, Nessum Dorma, Mood Indigo, Without a Song, Route 66, Sixteen Tons, Unchained Melody, The Great Pretender, Reach Out, I'll Be There, Who Are the Brave and An American Salute. Gospel offerings were Jericho, I Heard It First on the Radio, Soon and Very Soon, Long Black Train and You Raise Me Up. This coupled with the scholarship solo and Voices in Motions selections of Bridge Over Troubled Water, Steam Heat, Footloose and Climbin' Up the Mountain made for a strong, entertaining evening. I wish I had been able to attend the Afterglow. They even brought back Mary Trolla and Mary Margaret Reichel, two past directors to share in their 75th celebration.

     Those attending the Marquette concert at the Masonic Lodge were much more subdued and more like a traditional concert than a major celebration.

     Saturday provided a whole day beginning with the annual district meeting which be covered under separate cover when Steve Butz, secretary/treasurer files his report. There were three main issues decided, an increase in the district scholarship to $750, given to a chosen candidate of the host chorus, the new itinerary for future sings as follows: 2006 Negaunee 2007 Marquette 2008 Milwaukee 2009 Rhinelander 2010 Munising and 2011 back to Gwinn, and a preliminary notice to upgrade the district by-laws. The mass numbers for the 2006 Sing hosted by Negaunee were picked by the directors developed around a central theme "Music of America" with one selection using actual music on stage. This program will also be covered under a separate page.

     The annual district sing began with the National Anthem and Salutation followed by three mass numbers Just A Closer Walk With Thee, River In Judea, and I Sing A Song For America. Changing tradition, the Forsyth Singers of Gwinn began the solo numbers with Let There Be Music, My Lord And I And Luck Be A Lady. The Marquette Chorus followed with The Pasture, America Our Heritage and I Believe while Negaunee sang The Lost Chord, You Raise Me Up, and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Before the Intermission, The Gwinn High School Barbershop Quartet with the Scholarship Winner, Emily Stazzinski closed with Lida Rose.

     After Intermission, the Nicolet Chorus from Rhinelander performed In The Still Of The Night, Halls Of Ivy and Tribute to the Everly Brothers. Next Milwaukee followed with Bring Him Home, Russian Picnic and The Beer "Can" Tata. Musing closed the solo section with Man Of La Mancha, Till The Stars Fall From The Sky and Mister Cellophane (with Razzle Dazzle). An additional treat was the Gwinn High School Mostly Men who entertained us with MY Heart's In The Highlands and Softly, As I Leave You. Three mass numbers closed the concert Wade In The Water, Unchained Melody and Battle Hymn Of The Republic.

     The afterglow followed with a delicious home style meal and a continuation of singing and frivolity.

George
Submitted by George Pecor
WUM Field Editor