Hi everyone,
Rehearsal Tomorrow: We will rehearse our spring repertoire up to the break. After our break (a short one!) we will sing through our winter repertoire in preparation for our performance on 2/28. So please bring both your spring and winter music next week if you plan to sing on 2/28. If you are not singing on 2/28, you will be finished with rehearsal at the break but are certainly welcome to stay and listen if you choose. Please return your music and folder if you have not already done so (Marsha and Sue R). We will not have Chamber Choir rehearsal next week in anticipation that we may need a few extra minutes at the end of the regular rehearsal to get through all of our 2/28 rep. Please stay if you can (perhaps 9:45 ish?). Thank you for your flexibility.
Road Closure: Please be aware that OWASA crews have set up detour signs for a full road closure of W. Rosemary Street from E. Main Street to Church Street. This road closure is expected to begin on Monday, February 16, and last for about two to three months.
Winter Concert Rescheduled: Our Winter concert has been rescheduled for Saturday, February 28th at First Presbyterian Church in Durham at 3 PM. Please share the enews with family and friends. The practice files are still available on the website, so please brush up on the music. We will run through the concert tomorrow night after the break.
Community Outreach Fund: Based on our concert theme, Rise Up, last semester, we chose to donate to both Arise Collective and to Sisters’ Voices. Arise Collective supports women whose lives have been impacted by their interactions with the justice system, with a mission to equip women with the tools and support they need to heal, grow and thrive, both in prison and in the communities to which they return. Sisters’ Voices is a community of girls who love to sing, with six levels of classes and ensembles for girls ages 3-18 with the core values of courage, curiosity, and connection. It is a place where young women can be known and loved and can take risks, learn, and grow. If you would like to support these organizations, please donate by placing your donation in the Inreach box at rehearsal or online at WomensVoicesChorus.org/donate. Thank you for your generosity.
Spotlight on Diversity: The Inclusion & Outreach Committee would like to take a moment to spotlight diversity and to familiarize the chorus with the DEI resources available on our website. Many of us know that February is Black History Month. This celebration began in the 1910s and 20s, when two Black intellectuals conceived of Negro History Week. The week was timed to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthdays many African Americans had already been celebrating. To honor Black History Month, the I&O Committee invites you to investigate the many resources on our website (you must be logged in as a member to access this page). If you’d like a place to start, Betty Schumacher recommends the “delightful and thought provoking” novel Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen. This book imagines “what Harriet Tubman might do, in the 21st century, to share her racial views with the American people.”
Winter Listening Party: Sue Gidwitz has graciously offered to host the listening party at her home on Saturday, March 14th in the afternoon. Stay tuned for more details. Thank you, Sue, for your hospitality.
St. Paddy’s Day singalong: This event will be hosted by us at The Glass Jug at Durham Central Park on Sunday, March 15th from 2-4PM. Volunteers from Women’s Voices Chorus will lead ~3 singalong sessions and Eileen will lead two instrumental session sets in between. We have the song sheets from two years ago and can update/ add pages as necessary. All are welcome to join. If you are interested in singing through the music in advance, Laura will host a rehearsal on Monday, March 2 at 6:45PM. If anyone would like to lead a sing-along, a sign-up sheet will be passed around at rehearsal tomorrow night. It should be a fun event – hope you can join us!
Program Ads for the Spring Program: How can I do my part to ensure we have hard copies of our concert programs each season and generate needed revenue from outside of our membership? Start talking to your favorite businesses now about supporting our organization and spreading the word about their business by placing an ad in the spring 2026 program. What kinds of businesses should I talk to? Any! Some previous examples include small businesses like restaurants, hair salons, pet kennels, and local musical organizations, as well as financial advisory firms and retirement communities. Get creative! You never know who will buy until you ask. How do I approach a business to sell an ad? It seems, well, scary…You can do it! Try starting by sharing how much you like their business. What do I tell them about WVC?
- How great WVC is, and that program ads support our mission and spread the word about local businesses.
- Each year, WVC serves more than 600 area residents with live music performances.
Then what? Share the ad form with them and ask them to submit it by April 4. If you can, send Rebecca a quick email (rebecca.bruening@gmail.com) to be on the lookout for their form. That’s it! All forms, ad copy, and money should be in by April 4. Talk to Rebecca (rebecca.bruening@gmail.com) with any questions!
Zoom: If you need to attend rehearsal via Zoom, please remember to notify Laura, your section leader and membership liaison. You can join the Zoom Rehearsals here. Meeting ID: 858 3293 4624; Password: 121074.
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night
Janet