CCCC Reunion

From third grade to ninth grade I sang in the Central California Children's Choir.  I worked my way up from singing with Cynthia Salmonson in Intermediate Choir to singing with Valerie Quiring in Advanced Choir.  Then finally I got to sing with Valerie Quiring in the Concert Choir when I was in seventh grade.  This was the best of the best.  It was such a treat to sing with Valerie and Concert Choir had the coolest performing opportunities.  Sadly I only sang with Valerie for one year before she decided to take a break from conducting to devote more time to her two young daughters.  It was heartbreaking for all of us when she left. 

I can look back and credit numerous formative experiences to my time singing in CCCC.  We practiced and practiced to perform exquisite and beautiful music.  I don't say it was beautiful to toot my own horn, but to express how meaningful it was to work so hard to produce truly beautiful results.  Valerie taught us a true love of music and singing.  CCCC helped me develop the foundation of my artistic expression.  CCCC gave me an opportunity to perform in the touring Broadway production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  I should also mention that I formed lasting friendships with three amazing girls through CCCC.

Ten years later, several of us CCCC girls wanted to get together and sing with Valerie.  We planned a reunion in Fresno this summer in the format of the retreats that we had each time we started new repertoire.  We sang Friday night and all day Saturday to prepare a concert for our family and friends.  All the music we performed was from our old repertoire--favorites that we were happy to sing again.  Most of the pieces came back quite easily from our memory.  Perhaps we performed them too often in the past.  The first time we sang through Psalm 100 and Thompson's Alleluia, I had chills.  It was marvelous. 

I realized in the weeks leading up to the reunion and reminiscing with choir friends that I needed to be a part of something like that again.  I needed to perform in a musical group.  I needed to produce beautiful music.  So I auditioned for two chorales in the DC area.  Last week I started rehearsing with the National Philharmonic Chorale.  I am overjoyed to regularly study music again.  My spirit needs this kind of fulfillment. 

Here are a few pictures from the reunion. 

All of us who could make it to the renion from the years when Valerie was director.  Valerie is standing next to me on the far left. 

The Carlsons, Roubiceks and Robin--all of our parents are neighbors now. 

The fab four--class of '04.  Like I said, three amazing girls.  We all went to high school together and performed there too.  It all started with CCCC...

This picture includes a couple more high school friends who came to our performance.  

beck