Over the last three years, Bill Wallace has nurtured a dream. Attending the Winter Concert at our alma mater, Piscataway High School, during his daughter's years here, he has longed to sing the Hallelujah Chorus as an alumnus
(as we did back in the day). Tonight, in his daughter's Senior year, that dream was realized. Last winter, he spearheaded a campaign to "Bring Back the Hallelujah Chorus" to Piscataway. In the year long process he underwent to garner support from alumni to come back and sing, he did more than restore Handel's piece to the Winter Concert. He renewed old friendships, made new connections and helped many of us who are products of
Piscataway's music program recall a very special memory from our youth. Even though there are only a half dozen of us pictured above, there were close to 2 dozen alumni from across the span of time who joined the Concert Choir for their final numbers, "Still, Still, Still" (its the newest alumni piece) and the "Hallelujah Chorus". From the looks of it on Facebook, there were a number who are geographically challenged but were singing with us in spirit. The students did a great job throughout the evening
and singing Handel for the first time, but it was especially gratifying to hear how impressed they were by the alumni voices who helped bring the concert to a satisfying finish.
And in good form we went out to celebrate the fact that we pulled it off! We let Bill and a few others take time to be with their families, but Duane Hand was happy to be the rooster in the hen house (we were joined by his wife and their photographer daughter Skylar) as we spent the rest of the evening remembering past choir directors, plays, performances, and other shenanigans of our youth. Thanks, Bill, for putting this evening together and all the memories associated with it!
Over the last three years, Bill Wallace has nurtured a dream. Attending the Winter Concert at our alma mater, Piscataway High School, during his daughter's years here, he has longed to sing the Hallelujah Chorus as an alumnus (as we did back in the day). Tonight, in his daughter's Senior year, that dream was realized. Last winter, he spearheaded a campaign to "Bring Back the Hallelujah Chorus" to Piscataway. In the year long process he underwent to garner support from alumni to come back and sing, he did more than restore Handel's piece to the Winter Concert. He renewed old friendships, made new connections and helped many of us who are products of Piscataway's music program recall a very special memory from our youth. Even though there are only a half dozen of us pictured above, there were close to 2 dozen alumni from across the span of time who joined the Concert Choir for their final numbers, "Still, Still, Still" (its the newest alumni piece) and the "Hallelujah Chorus". From the looks of it on Facebook, there were a number who are geographically challenged but were singing with us in spirit. The students did a great job throughout the evening and singing Handel for the first time, but it was especially gratifying to hear how impressed they were by the alumni voices who helped bring the concert to a satisfying finish.
And in good form we went out to celebrate the fact that we pulled it off! We let Bill and a few others take time to be with their families, but Duane Hand was happy to be the rooster in the hen house (we were joined by his wife and their photographer daughter Skylar) as we spent the rest of the evening remembering past choir directors, plays, performances, and other shenanigans of our youth. Thanks, Bill, for putting this evening together and all the memories associated with it!
1 comment:
that's awesome. what fun!
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