I'm getting excited, as usual, for the start of the new choir season. This year, this time, I'm even more excited. We have some new stuff planned, besides the new music to learn.
First of all, we're going to participate in a Holiday Market! People have been talking about promoting our concerts so that the seats are as full as they were in the past. One reason for the lower attendance is that we used to have 60 members and a waiting list. Since COVID, we've dropped down to around 40. So, we don't have as many family and friends tickets to sell. Some of us older members have family who are less excited about our concerts after having heard them for decades. So, promoting choir membership is also something we're talking about. We need more low voices (men would be nice), as we have lots of good music with tenor and bass parts. And, younger members too are needed. Some of us older members are super-energetic and have more time in our retirement, but others have lost some strength and stamina. Some of our members have 'graduated' to Donna's seniors' choir in Newmarket that meets during the day. Our table at the market will promote the concert primarily, but also membership. How do we attract younger people and how do we attract men/people with low voices? Put your thinking caps on, and if you have good ideas, let us know, or maybe we can form a Promotions Team?
For the market, we can get crafty! I want to have things with a musical theme that we can sell as a fundraiser. Each thing can have a sticker to promote the choir. If you donate your time and the stuff you make, we can use the funds we raise for more promotional activities. I've bought some wooden tree ornaments and little wooden music notes to paint and I have a few other ideas. I'll host a craft night at my house. What ideas do you have? I know that we are a talented bunch, with lots of hidden talents.
Secondly, we're going to try to be more social. It's always wonderful when choir friends get together to attend an event outside of choir. We've gone to movies, shows, and recently had a "pub choir" night. I'm going to suggest we go to the next Choir Revolution night at Market Brewing in Newmarket on October 21st. The one-night choir experience is fun and carefree, and includes alcohol and snacks to purchase. I'd like us to have flyers to give out to promote the choir there. That experience is very different from our choir experience, and it's $25 for one night, while ours is $100 for a year (approximately 20 Tuesday rehearsals plus two shows and several seniors performances: that works out to less than $5) What we have is more than a singing experience; it's a community, an opportunity to belong to something bigger, with different levels of commitment, more than a one-nighter.
I hope to see the YRCC do more extra-curricular activities! There is also an opportunity to go to the theatre. A group of us went to Theatre Aurora last year to see a musical revue and loved it. We discovered that Donna is connect to Theatre Aurora, and this year she's in a play, Over the River and Through the Woods. We should go! It's the same weekend as our market, but wouldn't that be fun and a lovely reward for our work? I see that they have another musical revue there too, September 18-26, "Yesterday Once More", hits from the 60's and 70's. That should be a good one! Years ago we had a group go to see an opera at the movie theatre. That was so interesting! We also went to a sing-along version of a movie. There is stuff going on in Newmarket and Aurora all the time that some of us might be interested in doing. When we add dinner to one of these things, it's even better. We learn so much about each other and see how much we have in common! Maybe someone would like to lead a Social Events Team?
I hope you are as excited as I am, and are ready for new challenges and lots of fun! The binders are ready, full of good music for us to sing. September 8th is our first night back. Can hardly wait!
Hey, if you just want to come and sing on Tuesdays to escape "reality" for a while, that's fine too! Singing together every Tuesday is the best and most important thing about the YRCC.
 |
| Here's a link |
No comments:
Post a Comment