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May, 2004	Lapeer County Concert Choir Newsletter Summer 2004 Up-Date
	Greetings

Louis Canter's last Concert Was A Success

We have just concluded our Spring Concert Series where we performed the Durufle Requiem at three different churches.

This was also Louis Canter's last time that he will direct us. Louis has taken more responsibilities at his Church and was unable to continue as our director.

He has been our director for the last four years and with his help we have performed many challenging and interesting programs.

Louis joined us in the fall of 2000 where we performed the "Christmas Oratorio by Camille Saint- Saens." Our Spring 2001 concert was "Mass in G by Franz Schubert."
Chrismas 2001 was very challenging as Louis was writing the final portions of his "Christmas Gloria" while we were still rehearsing other parts of it.
In 2002 Louis directed us in performance of "The Nelson Mass" and "Handel's Messiah."
In 2003 we performed the "Chichester Psalms" (in Hebrew) and "Antonio Vivaldi's Gloria."

The Lapeer County Concert Choir appreciates Louis Canter being our director the last four years!

At our last performance of the Durufle, Louis received a clock
as parting gift of appreciation from the Choir

New Director for the Concert Choir

Welcome Dr. David Pickett

A search for a new director was conducted this spring and we would like to welcome Dr. David Picket as our new director in the fall 2004-2005 season.

He was born in Yorkshire, England. His family later moved to London, where he studied piano, organ and composition. He graduated in Electronic Engineering (BSc, The City University, 1968) and Music (BMus, London University, 1975). Dr Hans Heimler supervised his PhD thesis, at the University of Surrey.

Between 1983 and 1999, David Pickett was Professor of Music and Director of Recording Arts at the Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, teaching sound recording and producing many CDs with international artists, mostly of contemporary music. For five years he was conductor of the prize-winning Bloomington Brass Band, and for eight years Music Director of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. From 1985 to 1997, he was Music Director of the Carmel Symphony Orchestra, Indiana.

He is currently Music Director of the St. Clair County Community College Symphonic Band.

One of the reasons that David wanted to be our director was that "he wanted to direct the kind of choral music we were performing."

At our recent Board Meeting David Picket told us he is considering "Handle's Messiah" for our 2004 Christmas Concert. He also mentioned doing some Renaissance period music in the future.

The Lapeer County Concert Choir has a very exciting future in store for us.

Change in Board Members

by Bill Schnute

Some Very Momentous Years on the Choir Board of Directors

Judy Judd, our choir president, after 14 years on the job has decided to move on to different musical career opportunities, and we now have a new president, Maxine Kilbourn.

Maxine is a recently retired science teacher from the North Branch School System.


Judy Judd	Maxine Kilbourn

We have had some very important changes to the choir under Judy Judd's direction.

Before 1990 the choir was run mainly by the director. At that time we did not have elected board members to help or organize the choir. The organization funtioned like most church choirs or other groups. The directors and accompanist were volunteer positions during this time.

Judy helped develop the first choir board in the early 1990's and became president in 1993.

Bill Schnute and Anne Roszczewski joined the choir board in the mid 1990's.

We now have four elected board members and many other members who attend the meetings and help us.

Some of the important changes in the last 10 years are:

A regular contributors program was developed.
Pay for director and accompanist was established.
Concert dress was changed - men in tuxedoes, women in uniform blouses and dresses.
Grants were sometimes obtained from the 4 County Foundation and Michigan Council for Art.
Newsletters, posters and website developed.
More frequent use of instrumentalists.
Choir "Mission Statement" was developed.
The name of the choir was changed from the "Imlay City Community Choir" to the "Lapeer County Concert Choir."

All of these changes have made the choir into an organized group with purpose and direction, allowing us to:
“Provide quality choral experiences and educational opportunities to the community"
(our mission statement).

The Choir thanks Judy Judd for all her hard work and for Maxine Kilbourn to lead us into the future.

President (Newly Elected) - Maxine Kilbourne, Total overview of the choir, runs contributors program, meetings, works on grants.

(810) 688-2143

Vice President (Re-Elected) - Bill Schnute - Member of Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church in Dryden, works with promotion issues, operates our website and prints our newsletters and programs.

(810) 796-3253

Treasurer (Re-Elected) - Rev. Joyce Johnston - Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Brown City, has a background in finances and auditing and has taken over the job of treasurer.

(810) 346-3885

Secretary (Re-Elected) - Anne Roszczewski - Member of Dryden United Methodist, keeps records of all meetings and choir activities.

(810) 796-796-3676

Members at Large - are un-elected board members who attend the meetings and help us with many issues. Anyone may join us at any time - we need all the help we can get.

Members who have helped us: Dave Wigton, Tom Burch, Betty Smith, John Everett, Andy & Martha Haller and Carl & Brenda Hardies.

Contact Information

phone: 810-796-2344

web: http://www.orgsites.com/mi/concert-choir