Information for Chatham Chorale Members

Chatham Chorale Inc.
P.O. Box 1111
West Dennis, MA 02670

1-888-556-2707
www.chathamchorale.org

Marjorie Bennett Morley and Dr. E. Robert Harned founded the Chatham Chorale in 1970. The original singers were from the Harwich and Chatham Congregational churches, with Olive Cahoon as accompanist. "Jerry" Morley directed the chorale for 17 years, during which membership grew, with singers coming from as far as Wellfleet and Buzzards Bay.

In 1977 the Chatham Chorale Chamber Singers was formed in order to perform repertory suitable for locations smaller than those required for the full chorus. The group was composed of 22 auditioned voices from the larger Chorale. Today, there are 28 members.

Jerry Morley, co-founder, attended Boston University's College of Music and continued with graduate work at Hofstra University.

Margaret Bossi joined the Chorale in 1985 as co-director and became director when Jerry Morley retired at the end of 1987. Maggie is a graduate of Smith College and holds a master's degree from Brandeis University. Maggie is currently choral director at the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School in Orleans and at Dennis Union Church.

In 1986 Donald Enos, a native Cape Codder with a master's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music became the Chorale's accompanist. He is the organist at the South Dennis Congregational Church and the founder (1974) and director of the Meeting House Chamber Music Festival. He is also the pianist of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra.

The Chorale has performed with a variety of instrumental ensembles of every size. Many Chorale concerts are accompanied by a freelance orchestra of players from on and off Cape Cod. The Chorale has also performed with the New Bedford Symphony and has sung several times with the Cape Cod Symphony, including its annual Cape Holiday Pops concerts. For a few years the Chorale had its own orchestra, the Cape Sinfonietta, led by Russell Patterson, former director of the Kansas City Symphony and the Kansas City Opera. Maggie's creative programming has led the Chorale to sing with a great variety and size ensembles, ranging from the traditional orchestra to swing band and even a concertina!

PERFORMANCES

The Chatham Chorale and the Chatham Chorale Chamber Singers perform four or five formal concerts each year as a subscription series. There are usually two performances of each concert, one on a Saturday evening and one on the following Sunday afternoon.

During recent years the Chorale has performed in a more varied number of venues which have been more widely spread (as is our audience) from Sandwich to Wellfleet. The Chorale often performs in collaboration with other musical or arts groups.

The Chamber Singers generally perform in one or two of the subscription concerts. They are also engaged to perform in various venues around the Cape, including summer concerts, both indoors and out, and concerts at area nursing homes and senior residence facilities. All such activities provide community outreach and community service, and many result in additional revenue for the Chorale.

AUDITIONS

New members audition with the Director at designated times during the first few weeks of each semester. They audition with a pre-recorded quartet, filling in their part (as in Music Minus One). Recordings and music are supplied well in advance of the auditions.

The entire chorus is auditioned approximately every three years. Any member who misses a full season of concerts may be asked to re-audition. The number of singers needed for each section may vary according to concert location and requirements of the musical work.

REHEARSALS

Chorale rehearsals begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. and end at 10:00 p.m. An extra rehearsal or section rehearsal on a weekend or other weeknight may sometimes be needed as well. Special rehearsals may be offered for those who feel they need more practice.

Because rehearsal time is always at a premium in preparing for a concert, members are requested to confine socializing and miscellaneous commentary to before and after rehearsal or during the break.

Rehearsals during the week before a concert consist of one or two "dress" rehearsals, which include soloists and instrumentalists (no, you don't have to don concert wear!) These rehearsals are mandatory. In cases of severe or dangerous weather conditions, the President or membership chair will use e-mail and a telephone chair to inform the members if a rehearsal has been canceled. Singers will know by 6:30 p.m. of Thursday rehearsals and one hour before any other rehearsals.

ATTENDANCE

Section leaders take attendance at every rehearsal. If you must be late or leave early, you are asked to inform your section leader ahead of time. Repeated tardiness will be noted and may be counted as an absence.

If you leave a rehearsal early without previously informing your section leader, you may be counted as absent unless you are taken ill. Singers may not miss more than two rehearsals each concert period. These may NOT include dress rehearsals except under extreme circumstances, cleared by the director.

CONCERT PROTOCOL

Concert Dress

Women - Floor-length black skirt, long-sleeved black top (preferably jewel neckline), black hose, black shoes, pearl necklace. NO perfume!
Men - Black tuxedos, white dress shirts, black bow ties, black shoes and socks. NO after-shave lotion!

Special Concert Dress

Holiday Pops concerts with the Symphony - red bow tie and cummerbund for the men. Summer dress may be less formal and dictated by circumstances of the concert.

Music Folders

At concerts all music must be contained in black music folders, which may be purchased or borrowed from the Librarian.

Deportment

1. Be punctual for call times of dress rehearsals and concerts.
2. Hold music at your side in the hand away from the audience when entering and leaving the stage.
3. Look pleasant and alert, but do not communicate with individuals in the audience.
4. Communicate with the audience through the Director. Keep eyes on the Director at all times.
5. Enter onto the stage, sit, stand and leave the stage at prearranged signals given by the Stage Manager.

THE ORGANIZATION

The Chatham Chorale bylaws provide that the business, property and affairs of the Chorale be managed by a Board of Directors made up of nine to fifteen members, one of whom shall be the Music Director. The Board usually meets the second Tuesday of each month to conduct the business of the Chorale.

Board members are elected for two-year terms by the membership at the Annual Meeting. Board members whose terms are expiring may be either re-elected or replaced. The Board President appoints a Nominating Committee, which is responsible for submitting a list of nominees to fill vacancies on the Board. Nominations from the floor are also permitted. The Annual Meeting is held in June. The new Board elects Board officers at its first meeting.

The Board's Personnel Committee creates policy regarding Chorale staff (salary, benefits and such) and projected needs for additional support staff.

Chorale members are welcome to attend Board meetings. They are also encouraged to support the organization by attending and voting at the Annual Meeting, and by volunteering for various task groups and committee work. Members of the Chorale can request Board minutes which can be sent via e-mail or regular mail for those without computers.

MEMBERSHIP

Singers become members of the Chatham Chorale when they sign up for their first concert, pass the audition, and pay the annual membership fee, which can be paid in one or two installments.

The membership fee may include a rehearsal CD and will include use of rented and Chorale-owned music. Singers may purchase their own music when it is available.

The Chorale has a policy of reducing or waiving fees for anyone unable to pay. Those singers should bring their requests to the Membership Committee Chair or the President.

MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

1. To be on time for all rehearsals and concerts.
2. To mark rental music in soft pencil, NOT ink or highlighter.
3. To go over "rough spots" between rehearsals.
4. To promote Chorale concerts by:
• Letting friends know about our concerts.
• Distributing/displaying our printed publicity.
• Selling tickets (4 is minimum) to each Chorale concert.
5. To sell citrus fruit, the most important (lucrative) fund-raising activity of the Chorale!
6. To work on a committee, task force, or individual project, which are vital parts of Chorale life.

COMMITTEES AND TASK GROUPS

The life and spirit of the Chatham Chorale depends on the involvement and commitment of its members. To that end, the Chorale offers many opportunities for members to share talents and skills that go beyond their wonderful voices. Working together in these efforts not only increases our effectiveness as an organization, but also adds to the pleasure of our singing together and the high quality of our performances.

The variety of things to be done suggests that there is some task or involvement that matches the talents and insights of each of our varied members.

STANDING COMMITTEES

The reader should refer to the organizational chart for an overview of the many tasks that are performed by standing committees. For the most part, chairs of these committees sit on the Board. The work of these committees is ongoing and ranges from major responsibilities to lesser, but critical roles.

TASK FORCES

The separate list of groups at the bottom of the centerfold indicates projects and tasks that largely have a beginning and an end.

Examples in more detail follow:

"House Operation" utilizes volunteers to sell tickets, CD's, food and musical memorabilia, and to usher for each concert.

Ticket Committee members have a sizeable job made easier by the number of singers who volunteer.

Mailing List and Mailings is both an ongoing job, as well as a big job done in short spurts, when brochures and newsletters need to be mass addressed and mailed.

Concert Set-up/Tear down is a rigorous job made easier when many individual members and partners volunteer to pick up equipment from storage, transport it to the concert site, set it all up and then reverse the process after the applause.

Communications-talented members can find opportunities in many places on the chart, including producing internal and external newsletters, concert publicity, programs and brochures, advertising and the like.

Computer literate members can help on the task force which will improve and expand our Chorale Web Site.

CHORALE TRADITIONS

The Annual Banquet is held in late winter/early spring. It is a wonderful affair held in a large hall somewhere mid-Cape. All Chorale members and their partners or guests are invited, as are Chorale volunteers and friends. Fabulous hors d'oeuvres, gourmet food, fine wine, delightful dining decor, spectacular desserts, AND superb entertainment are offered to all who attend.

Open Annual Messiah Sing in December is sponsored by the Chorale. Proceeds are donated to a designated charity, such as the Noah Shelter in Hyannis.

30-Concert Pins are awarded to Chorale members who have - you guessed it - sung 30 concerts with the Chorale.

CHORALE SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS

The Chorale's commitment to musical training and education, particularly choral music, is demonstrated by providing financial assistance to music students of many ages. The Board appointed Scholarship Committee is responsible for searching out and selecting the recipients of these scholarships.

The Chorale offers an annual $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior who plans to pursue an education in music. The award is usually presented at the final concert in the spring. The Chorale also presents prize book awards to an outstanding choral musician in each of the Cape's public high schools.

An annual scholarship of $750 is available to Chorale members and their families for the study of voice or conducting. Applications are accepted and announced during each fall season.