Spring 2005

Reprint from Way out West, Spring 2005 Issue

The Harborlites championship year -- we love the sound of that! -- started off on a high note. After returning from Indianapolis we postponed our celebration and jumped head-first into Christmas music. This focus came to fruition as we joined our "brothers in harmony," the Masters of Harmony, on their Christmas show at Cal State Long Beach. The two performances we did together again concluded with both choruses on stage singing several songs together, culminating in "a rousing rendition" of "The Hallelujah Chorus."

Although Harborlites was officially dark for the month of December that did not stop us from our annual Singing Christmas Cards fund-raiser and holding our holiday party. This year's party was especially festive: it was the first opportunity for us to watch our contest video...and celebratory champagne was bought for the entire chorus by our "number one fan" Jim Mundy! Thanks, Jim!

We were all back on the risers in January to begin work on the music for our first CD, scheduled to be completed by the end of summer. We'll be sure to share more information with you as we get closer to our release date.

We're also working to keep our music -- and ourselves -- in shape so we can represent Region 21 with pride in our "championship" appearances this year. We've had sessions with coaches Joni Bescos and Erin Howden. In fact, on our "mini-retreat" coaching weekend, Joni and Erin came up with an innovative coaching technique: discussing the chorus (and what we should fix) as if they were commentators on the International Competition webcast. It was so entertaining that we concluded if Joni and Erin were doing the commentary everyone would stay home just to listen! Of course, as everyone knows who has worked with those ladies, this did not keep them from working our butts off.

And back to that postponed celebration...we held our official Harborlites Championship celebration at the Atrium Hotel in Costa Mesa in mid-February. Thank you to all who attended as we performed music from our competition sets and honored our coaches -- Joni, Erin, Dale Syverson, and Jeff Baker, all of whom attended -- as well as our World Champion Director Pam Pieson. With plenty of music, friends, photos from Indianapolis, hors d'oeuvres, Harborlites history, and fellowship, the celebration was a day to remember.

Speaking of a day to remember, we wish everyone a peak performance at competition in Phoenix. May you put your best on stage and enjoy every minute. And know that we will be out in the audience cheering for all our Region 21 sisters!

In harmony,

Kathy Wright
Harborlites Chorus