After I got off on at Bedford Park Blvd on the #4 train I was approached by Lexi (a new alto in the choir), and we've been waiting about 20 minutes for the #10 bus going to Henry Hudson Pkwy. It was a really long ride and we have to go pass more than about 7 stops. We were confused about which way to the nursing home after we got off at the right stop, but then we asked a nice friendly helpful guy where the Shervier Nursing Home is and gave us the right directions, and off we went.
Once we arrived we ask the security in the front desk if this was the right building where we were suppose to perform. It was and he gave a short direction to where the performance is, which is at the auditorium in the basement.
Before we arrived there Lexi and I already heard wonderful voices coming from the members who already arrived and Nancy (soprano 2) and Robert (bass) told us where to put our bags and coats. The microphone was quite powerful that they don't have to step into the mic to speak. We can hear them loud and clear. Lexi and I were about 15 min late, but it doesn't matter. There are some songs the choir hasn't done yet that we need to rehearse. Already in the mood, a male audience member in the wheelchair loved our voices and started dancing and acted as a conductor. It felt great watching him do so.
Larry began introducing the choir as he introduced "Siyahamba" afterwards. Not really a sing-a-long as it suppose to be and there was no space to walk on stage but the audience loved it anyways. The next song we sung was "Imagine" in which Alex introduced. Brian did the intro for "This Land is Your Land" and he also help us out by telling the audience to sing along, in which they all did! Next, we sang "Aquarius..." in which Deb introduced, then we did "Peace Salaam Shalom". Barbara did the intro for that. We also sang "Die Gedanken Sind Frei (pronounced Dee Guh-don-ken Sind Fry) introduced by Howard.Then Noella introduced "Love Train/Put a Little Love in Your Heart" and we sound great, in fact we sound great on all songs that we did.
I, Wilfred introduced "Down By The Riverside" and once again, Brian told the audience to sing along and also clap as well and they all did.When the "...shake hands around the world..." lyrics came up, most of us including myself went to the audience and shook hands with as many people as we could, several members saying "May peace be with you" while shaking hands as audience very well responded with "Thank you" or "And also with you." Nancy introduced "Feeling Groovy" with only a few choir members tried but it became tongue-twisting to them singing the lyrics "Ba ba dee ah ba doo..."
Few just made up their own doo wop lyrics as I heard but of course, we don't care. We just enjoyed singing and the audience, who didn't catch that nor did they cared seem to love it. Then we did "New York, New York" in which Robert introduced thinking it was the last song, which it wasn't, but we'll take that and use the next song as an encore song. Anyhow the whole audience sang along and the male audience member in the wheelchair who I spoke about before loved what we sang so much that he danced in most of the songs and was singing, yes including this one. The last song we did (or encore) was "Give Us Hope" and Rene was the last person to introduce that one. The audience enjoyed the whole performance with a big applause and the same audience member (wheelchair), told us to take a bow in which we have done. Thanks to Brian (tenor) for his help in making the audience feel good, as well as playing his guitar and playing the tambourine, although it kinda hurt my ears (lol). Well that's all the story I have right now. Keep practicing, be well and enjoy your week. See you all Thursday. -Wilfred, Peace of Heart Tenor Section Leader
It has become a tradition for a member of POHC to do a post-concert write-up. It started when our Sign-up Coordinator began emailing her summaries to the other members in order to entice newer members to sign-up to sing at community concerts held early in the season. It didn't take long for Concert Write-ups to become greatly anticipated amongst our members, so we share them here in hopes that you'll join us at a future concert.