It's amazing to look back on the many highlights this group of people has shared since its inception in 1977. We have had great adventures - such as riding camels in Jordan's Petra, singing in the exalted spaces of Salisbury Cathedral, shooting the rapids in the St. Lawrence River and gazing at calving glaciers in Glacier Bay. Yes, we LOVE to travel and sing!
We have had towering musical experiences with masterpieces such as Bach's B Minor Mass, Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem, Durufle's Requiem, Handel's Israel in Egypt , Mendelssohn's powerful Elijah! and Mozart’s sublime Requiem. We have learned to enhance such major works with innovative new formats. We sang Israel in Egypt and Elijah! in Middle Eastern costumes. Our Elijah wore a gorgeous robe and memorized his part so he could act out all the scenes, including the tragic death and resuscitation scene of the young boy. A slide show, costumed actors, and original narration presented Mozart’s entire life before we sang his Requiem. We have had the great fun and camaraderie of creating these kinds of productions while also writing, producing, and performing an original Feaste and Revels every year for 34 years.
We are not always so serious, however! Our pops concerts, sung with combos and jazz bands, are always sold out, because this group clearly knows how to entertain its audiences and sell a song! Indeed, we think that communicating with our audiences is as essential as singing in tune or achieving perfect blend.
For special events, we have cooked up all sorts of multi-media performances such as ”Patchworks,” a rollicking country music fest with a professional string band; or “Milestones,” which presented the historical events of Frederick in costumed vignettes with appropriate music; or Civil War commemorations, where we have donned 19th century clothes and sung the moving songs of that era. We joined with the Air Force Band and the Singing Sargents four days after 9/11 in a concert that reduced everyone to tears. We sing for many community groups, and travel widely to sing in great churches throughout the Middle Atlantic States.
This is a group that laughs a lot. Some of the best memories are the hilarious moments in rehearsals when our resident wits (there are many) get going with repartee that leaves us gasping for air! This is also a group that long ago committed to having all solos sung by its members. This has meant voice lessons and much hard work, but the result is that we have many skilled soloists. Their achievements as vocal artists have been awesome. For instance, we were proud to have 15 different soloists sing the four different quartets in Mozart’s Requiem in order to match their vocal qualities to the particular quartet.
This is a group that governs itself and has learned to work together creatively on its many projects. Most of all, this is a group of diverse human beings who enjoy each other immensely. They are friends, and they take care of one another through life's travails. They do this because of a fundamental need to come and make great music together, and, perhaps, an even more fundamental need to be part of a caring community. Their lives are far richer for the experience. Then we dim the lights, and our audiences are hopefully richer for what we can share with them.
Nancy Roblin