President's Welcome

As we start the 41st season of the Brazos Valley Chorale, I can’t help but reflect on what a wonderful year we just completed. The 40th season was one for the books, and I must thank my predecessor, Jane Van Valkenburg, for the wonderful leadership she provided. Aside from the four great concerts the Chorale presented, it commissioned and performed a new work by Alice Parker, invited back and performed under the direction of 6 former directors, and welcomed back almost 50 former singers to join us during our spring concert. This may not sound like much, but believe me when I say that the work underlying those events was immense. Jane, along with Bob Fleischer, Jess Wade, and the other board members deserve great thanks for pulling this off in grand style.

Now we look forward to a new season, a "Choral Cavalcade" as Jess Wade’s message will explain, and I am excited to be given the opportunity to serve as President. While I have been involved in leadership roles in many organizations, this one is a little intimidating for me, as I still consider myself a relative newcomer to the Chorale and a novice when it comes to singing the quality and breadth of choral music performed by the Chorale. Never having had choral instruction, and not being seriously involved in choirs until I was in my 40s, I feel I am very much still learning. But, for those of you who have hesitated to audition for membership in the Chorale, there is a lesson there: if I can do it, so can you. So if you have ever had the fleeting thought that "I’d like to sing with that group some day," now is the time to do it. You would be in good company, and you would experience a lot of fun and satisfaction. Further, if you are like me, you will learn a LOT! There are many things I’ve gained through my Chorale experience that have carried over to my participation in my church choir, and even into solos or small ensembles I occasionally sing. I am actually experiencing the training I never received in my youth, and feel it has really helped me grow as a singer. So, please see the information elsewhere in this newsletter about audition times and processes, and give it a shot; it is really fairly simple.

Finally, for those in the Chorale, I look forward to working with you over the next year, and will be calling on you for help. Not only do we need your dedicated participation in rehearsals and performances, but also need your help recruiting new members, selling tickets, acquiring sponsors, encouraging donations, and identifying silent auction items. By working together we can sustain and grow the tremendous asset the Chorale has become for our community. The Choral Cavalcade is upon us; let’s enjoy it together.

Larry Lippke, President