10.22.05
I saw the Alumni Choir
My older brother is in the Daniel McIntyre Alumini Choir. He asked our mother if she wanted to attend a performance they were giving at Knox church. Barry Anderson is the choir master for Knox as well, and both choirs combined together for this thang.
My mother need a date. Well, a ride. So she asked if I would take her. I was extremely reluctant, as I’m not into choirs. I’ve really only enjoyed one choral performance in my life, and that was at a Ukrainian Catholic funeral. They had an awesome choir, and the priest sang most of his service with them. It was amazing. Anyway, I’m not usually into choirs, but this was my Mom. She asks, I deliver.
This was actually dinner theatre. The choir sang, and also served the food. The food was unspectacular, basic roast beef, mashed potatoes type stuff. Dessert was pie and ice cream. The crowd was extremely old. Everyone there was likely serving in that war, or waiting at home for a loved one to return. I have *never* seen more white hair in one place in my whole life. I was the youngest person in the audience, but there were a few younger than me in the choir.
If you’ve heard the choir in school, this was pretty much the same. I guess Barry’s style hasn’t changed so much. The theme was in honour of the year of the Veteran. They basically sung war songs, songs about the war, or were popular during war time. The best part of the evening was the emcee, Phillip Thompson (probably about a dozen years older than us) from the Alumni choir. He gave historical information about every song they performed. An example was the song Li Li Marlene. It was actually a german song, sung by german troops. Allied troops heard it, and it became popular with them, especially after an English translation was recorded by Marlene Dietrich. I find it interesting that despite being on opposing sides, a song can cross over and transcend the boundaries of war.
Most of the other songs were much more well known by our generation. They even sang a war protest song, one tin soldier. I found it was actually out of place with everything else they sang, and with the predominantly 80 ish crowd.
I listened during the song histories, and amused myself by studied the various characters in the choir during the less interesting parts. There was the very young redheaded fellow with the Romulan Senator hair cut; the gaggle of school marms with the over powering vibrato’d voices; the extremely giddy fellow who either took happy pills, or was just sooo tickled to be performing; and there was Fidel Castro (ok, that was my brother, they were in army clothing, and my brother looked like you know who from cuba). For the most part, it was a trip down memory lane for the audience. Many of them sang along. My mother enjoyed herself, which was the main thing.