A message from the Board of Directors of the Northumberland Orchestra and Choir
With a great deal of pleasure, the Selection Committee has moved forward with the arrangements to select our new Choral Director. From a pool of some 14 remarkable candidates, we have a slate of 3 finalists!
As promised, the final selection must involve the choir members, and so we are happy to announce that the 3 candidates have agreed to consecutive dates in September, where they will lead the choir members through a 45-minute rehearsal period. While we recognize that the earlier Zoom conversations with the candidates were influential, the ability to meet and interact with each candidate in a rehearsal setting should allow the members to respect the fact that these candidates are so eager and interested in working with the NOC choir, and, to truly evaluate the candidates on a personal basis.
Each candidate will lead the choir through a warmup, followed by an interactive review and rehearsal of two pieces, one chosen by the organization and one chosen by the candidate. After each candidate finishes with the choir, those attending will be provided with the opportunity to provide their feedback in writing, and these responses will be collected and collated.
We are also pleased to advise that Elizabeth Wisnicki (yes, Elizabeth and Tim got married!) will attend as choir accompanist.
The scheduled dates are September 7, 8, and 9, 2021, from 6:45 pm to 8:00 pm each day, and the auditions will be held at Trinity United Church in Cobourg. We are asking fully vaccinated choir members, or those choir members who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, to pre-register by visiting the For Members section and following the available links.
To use Trinity United, we are required to provide a written safety plan, and to adhere to the church’s safety protocols. The full safety protocol, electronic pre-screening instructions, as well as a “people flow” for the period we are inside the church property will be provided to those choosing to attend the auditions, as well as posted in the For Members section.
Brief notes on the process include:
- pre-screening electronically each day (For Members),
- a check in desk at the main door,
- masks to be always worn,
- a hard start time of 7:00 pm, at which time the outside doors will be locked,
- and, washroom use limited to those within the church.
The Selection Committee is also researching the bulk purchase of singing masks to be made available to members, and further details will be forthcoming. For those of you who also sing with other choirs, and already have a singing mask, please feel free to bring that mask with you.
We hope that this step forward leaves you hopeful and excited to start again. We are also scheduling our 2021 AGM for September 23, starting at 6:30 pm, via Zoom (AGM info available here). The graphic above was a symbol of the last 18 months, and all of us have grown to detest the term “unprecedented times”. So perhaps we can agree on “temporary hiatus”, and look forward to beginning to, once again…” make great music in a beautiful place”!!!