Dearest Israelites, Prophets of Baal, People of Queen Jezebel, but --basically at the end of the day-- Truly Inspiring Angels~
I write this to you on Monday, May 10, 2010, the day I could finally find some time to sit down and write you a proper "thank you" for what has been a life-transforming experience. This Elijah "experience," as I have been referring to it as, has truly been a dream come true. "Why, you may ask?" Well, in case you have forgotten in just a week's time, here was the scene:
On May 2, 2010, the chorus, soloists, and orchestra, eager to perform Mendelssohn's "Elijah," found themselves to be at their finest; the beautiful, newly-built theater in Middletown, Connecticut was packed to the rafters; and when the performance was over, a sense of community and ONEness between performer and listener alike was palpable in the air!
Sounds pretty picture-perfect, doesn't it? Well, it was....
I could never adequately express in words the deep appreciation and sense of fulfillment I have experienced because of you, dear chorus, soloists, instrumentalists -- in short, friends. By all counts, our Elijah was a profound success. As I look out into the faces of our chorus every week from the podium, I witness and am mindful of the enthusiasm and contribution that each of you make to our organization and community. Your perpetual kindness and thoughtfulness inspires me more than you could know, and serves as a great joy in my life.
It was an honor for the GMC to have been joined by our friends from the wonderful Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus, The First Congregational Church Choir in Cheshire, and The United Girls' Choir. On behalf of the GMC, I thank all of you who prepared the music on your own and drove the extra miles to join us for a rewarding rehearsal process with smiles on your faces and happiness in your hearts. It was a pleasure to be in your company for as many rehearsals as we were fortunate to share in with each other. A special thank you to Mark Singleton and Sheri Pellerin from ECSC, Rebecca Rosenbaum from UGC, as well as Jane Bower and Megan Stephan from Cheshire, for being chief communicators and planners for Elijah. Without their contributions, determination, and eagerness to share in this project, our production would not have realized its full potential.
The response from so many of you, as well as from those in the audience, has been absolutely overwhelming. Here are some of the comments I received this past week:
...First and most importantly, Elijah was a transporting experience. Thank you for the invitation to participate. And thank the Middletown Chorale for being so welcoming and friendly. I can't stop talking about the whole experience and will not forget it.
...Elijah is still with me. The sacred impulsion was so strong in your interpretation that I can honestly say I heard the work for the very first time.
...Wow!!! What can I say? This concert was just incredible -- From walking out to the risers and seeing the completely full theater, to hearing the wonderful orchestra and soloists, to singing with such a large chorus, it was an unforgettable experience. Everyone I talked to raved about what an incredible performance this was. A friend in the audience said that the chorus was engaged in everything going on, so kudos to Sheila in training us well.
...I just wanted to let you know that I thought the GMC's concert on Sunday afternoon was fantastic. What an impressive, professional, wonderful event. It was a very enjoyable and impressive afternoon. I hope you are all very happy with the fruits of your labors.
...Wow! Congratulations on a great performance. My mom, who attended, was a singer and had done Elijah before and had sung the soprano solos. She was thrilled to hear it again. I asked her, "When you moved into Middletown in the 50's did you ever imagine you'd ever hear this in a hall like this in town?" Her reply was, "Never in a million years." Thank you for contributing in a major way to Middletown's emergence as an arts community. There were many young people in the audience. Imagine what they are dreaming tonight about what they might do when they grow up. This is how it all starts.
...The GMC soloists and the ensemble were amazing, really good, congratulations!
...I had no idea how effective the staging would be – it gave so much more meaning to the music and storyline – well done!
...The concert was so well organized! From signage to seat assignments, from grants to gifts, this was an enormous undertaking.
Lastly, in the words of ECSC Director, Mark Singleton, ...GMC, TUTTI BRAVI! You warmed many hearts and stirred many souls. Thank you for the outstanding concert that you provided for our community. I was honored to be part of the chorus and entire experience. What a hall and treasure you have in Middletown! May your music and chorus continue to grow and prosper. The soloists were simply outstanding -- Is there anyone better for the role of Elijah than Paul Fletcher? I think not. He WAS Elijah.
From your initial salvos "Help, Lord!" -- which literally pierced my heart with its emotive potency -- to the final resounding strains of "Amen," you never once let down your energy or dramatic commitment to the characters that you were playing or to the music. The consistency in your singing throughout the entire oratorio was so superb, that I felt as though the performance could have been broadcast live on the airwaves!
Our greatest achievement, in which we should take great pride, was the fact that we used the music to its loftiest purpose. Our combined efforts joined with Mendelssohn's music brought together a community of people. We experienced Elijah as ONE and were all transformed for the better. It was transcendent.
On a personal note: Preparing and conducting Elijah has been an enormous honor and privilege--one I will hold dear to my heart forever. I thank each of you for contributing to the GMC and specifically to this project in countless ways so that we could all share in one great experience together. This is one of the great privileges of being a musician, and for this, I am eternally grateful.
With deep appreciation and thanksgiving,
~Joe
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