December 2018 News

Bach Cantata December 16 Those of us currently in Chalice Choir are pretty ecstatic about singing the Bach cantata this Sunday. Rehearsing with the orchestra last night was thrilling! Those of you currently on hiatus, we sincerely invite you to come! Singers; Please be on the stage by 9:30am sharp, wearing all black. Christmas Eve Choir There will be one rehearsal for the 2018 Christmas Eve Choir,at the regular choir time: 6:45pm-8pm, next Wednesday, December 19. Director Ruth Ann Hanlin will teach you the two simple songs: Go Tell It On The Mountain, and Let There Be Peace On Earth. All are welcome to join this one-time, pick-up choir - whether you've ever been in a BUF choir or not, and whether you are a BUFster or not . . . The Christmas Eve service will be on Monday, December 24 starting at 7pm. 2019 Choirs Rehearsals resume for BUF Choirs on Wednesday, January 9. All singers, past, present and first timers are welcome to start up with us in January. BUF 2019 Choirs Performance & Repertoire calendar The repertoire and performance dates for BUF choirs, January-June, 2019 is attached (see documents on the right side of this blog) BUF Caroling Night! Saturday, December 22, 5-8 pm Begin at 5 pm with dinner in the BUF social hall ($5/person, $12/families with young children). Followed by lantern-lit caroling in the neighborhood. Wrapping up back at BUF with cocoa, cookies, and stories. Fun for all ages! For details, contact Roz at mama@mamafoo.net

November 1 News

Hi Chalice Choir, Here's the news: We're singing Portones Abiertos for the service this Sunday, practicing at 9:30am. Please be on the risers, with your music in a black binder, wearing all black, at 9:30am sharp. At 10:15am, we'll get our stoles on. Nunca antes había estado tan exitado de estar vivo! You're welcome and encouraged to sing with us even if you've missed a few rehearsals. Claro que estoy contento! Sectionals this Saturday with Ruth Ann UPSTAIRS in the flex room: 9am BASSES, 9:45am TENORS, 10:30am ALTOS 11:15am SOPRANOS And practice along with Al at: bufchoir.org Other Announcements * We're launching our holiday choir fundraiser - the Amarylis sale - after the service this Sunday, Nov 4. Flowers are $18 a pot, and you pay when ordering. The proceeds will be divided 3 ways: 1) gift to Ruth Ann Hanlin, 2) gift to Karen FitzGerald and 3) payment for Whatcom Symphony members playing in the Bach orchestra. *Andrew & Elie sing jazz at the Fireside Wine and Martini Bar, 416 W. Bakerview Rd, Bellingham (in the shopping center by Woods Coffee) this Saturday, Nov 3 at 5:30pm. * Save the date for our Holiday Retreat and Party on Saturday: December 1. Phoenix rehearses at BUF from 1:30-3pm, Chalice rehearses from 3:30-5pm, and then the pot-luck party is at the Squalicum Boathouse from 5:30-9pm. See ya, K

Practice Resources

Hi Chalice, Fun rehearsal last night! Learning Portones for November 4 and the Bach for December 16 will be our joy for the coming month. Please consider attending Ruth Ann's sectionals this Saturday at BUF as follows: 9am Basses, 9:45am Tenors, 10:30am Altos, 11:15am Sopranos Also, please consider singing along with the rehearsal tracks on Al Heezen's website: http://bufchoir.org Attached are: -Updated 2018-2019 Performance Repertoire Calendar (which you have on salmon-colored paper) -pages 12-14 of Bach #1 with the counting written in (which I was projecting last night) Happy practicing! Kevin

Ruth Ann Hanlin is leading section rehearsals this Saturday, Sept 22, at BUF in the sanctuary, to go over the parts for Somos El Barco and Portones Abiertos. If time allows, she may also touch on the Bach.  She is an enthusiastic teacher and a kind, encouraging soul. If you'd like help with any aspect of learning within the Chalice Choir, especially learning your parts, please attend.

Each section is allocated 45 minutes, starting as follows:

9am Sop

9:45am Alto

10:30am Tenor

11:15am Bass

It's Wednesday, so that means CHOIR at BUF!

Dear BUF Choir Members past, present and future,

   Congratulations to the Chalice Choir for their rendition of "We Are One" last Sunday. Special kudos to those who were making their very first appearance with the choir (or any choir, even).

    We are in the gathering, recruiting mode this month. If you've been thinking about trying choir, or even wondering about it, please just come. We are ready to welcome you. Also, we hope to see our old-timers back!  

    Tonight, I will share my vision that our coming year will be full of great art, beloved relationships and community service, and I will ask you to help articulate our highest aspirations. 

     See you tonight!  Newcomers arrive around 6:30 to get a folder, other please be seated with your folders by 6:45pm

    See ya,

    Kevin

Chalice Choir Announcements, May 30, 2018

Sunday, June 3

Please arrive wearing all black, and be on the risers at the times given below

9:00           WE practices Lullabye 

9:30           CC practices Gate, Water, Rock, Bawo & Seal

10:00           PE practices Goodbye Then (w/ Beth), Benediction

10:15              get stoles

10:30              Service begins (Order of Service attached)

                       

Wed, June 6 

No choir because of the RE 2018-2019 Themes Launch and Future Visioning Event

(Some information in today’s Mid-Week Update and much more coming on Sunday)

CHOIR MEMBERS PLEASE COME! There will be ways for you to help in RE AND do choir.

Weds, June 13 

6pm     End of 17-18 year choir party at BUF in social hall.

Potluck dinner (just choir and choir guests, this is NOT a Community Night Dinner)

More info tonight from choir committee

Thursday Evenings, May 31, June 7 & 14

The Juneteenth celebration on June 16 (see below) will feature a Gospel Choir. They're looking for some additional singers for the event. Rehearsals are held at 7:30pm on Thursday evenings between now and then at the First Congregational Church on Cornwall.

For more info please ask Cat McIntyre

Saturday, June 16, 7:00 PM

Juneteenth Celebration, Bellingham

Maritime Heritage Park, 500 W Holly St, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA

Bring your food and blanket for this community picnic! Gather around music, speakers, step dance, a food vendor TBD, to come and party with us from Black Lives Matter Bellingham to patriotically celebrate our intertwined liberation.

Sun, July 15

Umbrella team performs for Pride Parade

(Info coming soon about practices)

July 21, 22 

Saturday evening Mandela 100^th Tribute concert & Sunday Service

(Chalice Choir members invited to sing “Bawo” on Saturday night concert)

Women's Ensemble sings for Mother's Day

Here's a photo of the BUF Women's Ensemble singing Everything Possible for the Mother's Day service put on by the men's group and youth group.

If you'd like to sing Eric Whitacre's haunting beautiful The Seal Lullaby at the choir finale on June 3, then please join us upstairs at 8:10 p.m. the next three Wednesdays.

Dear BUF Choir people --

Women's Ensemble has been struggling along lately with just seven members.  Somehow we always manage to pull it off and have a nice performance, but it would be so much easier with a few more singers.

We will be starting a new song this Wednesday (March 14) to be performed on Sunday, April 15.  It's an easy round by our own Carrie Koehnline called Hands Fall Open.

We'll also be getting a head start on our song for May 13, which is Eric Whitacre's The Seal Lullaby.  This song is a bit more challenging, but we should be just fine with the extra weeks for practice, and, hopefully, a few more singers.

So, if these dates work for you, please come and join us Wednesday night after Chalice Choir rehearsal upstairs in the Flex Room.  That's 8:10 p.m.  All female voices invited.

-- Karen

Feb 2, 2108

Hi Chalice,

It’s such fun rehearsing with y’all!  Here are the dates we announced on Wednesday:

*Sat, Feb 3 (and following Saturdays)   Ruth Ann leading sectionals in the BUF sanctuary

       9:30am Sops, 10:15am Altos, 11am Tenors, 11:45am Basses

*Weds, Feb 7    Kevin in Montana, directing a choir festival and presenting at Glacier UU

Melanie, RuthAnn, Karen and Geoff lead the rehearsal, working on these songs:   

Bawo Thixo,   Behold How Good &  My God Is A Rock.

If you will be absent, please still contact me in advance by text or email.

*Sat, Feb 10   Laura Love concert at BUF     

Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm,  $15/22/25 Brown Paper tickets or at door

*Sunday, Feb 18   Choir hosts coffee hour, contact Cindy P-H and Carol Smith to help

*Sat, Feb 24, 2-4pm   Carrie Koehnline’s birthday party – all invited, especially choir!

*Sun, Feb 25  Interfaith Choir Festival 1:30 Rehearsal  3:30 Concert, Congregational Church

Chalice: Bawo Thixo, Phoenix: Man in Mirror, Mass Choir: Come to the Music & Behold How Good

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Here is the address to send cards to Bonnie DeVera’s son and daughter Matthew and Amy

3228 Iowa Dr, Bellingham, WA 98229

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Here’s the quote by John Rutter: 

Choral music is not one of life's frills. It's something that goes to the very heart of our humanity, and our souls.  When we sing we express our souls in song, and when we get together with a group of other singers, we become more than the sum of our individual parts.  All these people pouring out their hearts and souls in perfect harmony, is an emblem for what we need in this world, when so much of the world is at odds with itself.  To express ourselves as human beings living in harmony, in symbolic terms, is a lesson for our times and for all times.”  

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Sing on!

Kevin    (406) 858-0142   kevin@buf.org