Yvonne Orlich

Our 2022 Spring Concert was only our second since 2019, and we were all anxious to give it our best, as we had missed so much during the pandemic. Every one of us was ready to sing our hearts out—to release all the anxiety and frustration we all experienced in the months we had been silenced. The closer the concert date, the more excited we got. It is difficult to express to those who do not sing with us how high the anticipation was.

On March 17, we were greeted by another enthusiastic audience, and that served to heighten our excitement. So, we gave it our all! We sang melancholy numbers like “On the Mira,” a nostalgic song about hometown memories; “Take Me Out to Ballgame,” which carried special significance, as the 2022 baseball season was finally back on track; “The Preacher and the Bear,” a fun, toe-tapping tale of a preacher begging for the Lord to save him and not the bear that was about to attack (it ends well); and, finally, our closing number, “The Awakening.” This song was a true expression of how we all felt. The lyrics tell of dreaming a dark dream, a dream of a world where there is no song, no bells ringing, where songs “withered and died,” “a silent dream.” Silent, like the world we lived in through the pandemic. But we awoke from that silent, dark dream, and a new day began. There would again be joy. And the plea to free our spirits to sing was answered. “Awake! Awake! Let music live!”

And music lives again, and we are thrilled to be back from the dark, silent dream—to be doing what we love—singing. And it is our hope that we were able to convey to the audience the depth and emotion of our joy in singing again and sharing it with all of you.

In closing, we deviated from the program to lavish some overdue and well-deserved praise upon our director Cris Evans. When asked what we like best about singing with the chorale, many, many of us said it is more than just singing. It is what Cris brings to us; her selfless sharing of her musical talents and her ability to draw out our emotions and be able to project them to you, the audience. She is a priceless gem, and we couldn’t be happier or prouder that she is with the Sun Lakes Chorale. President Kit Carlton spoke of these things as she presented Cris with a lovely bouquet—a very small token of our appreciation for all that Cris means to us at the Sun Lakes Chorale.

We will break now over the summer, but we will be back in September to pick up again and prepare for the 2022 Christmas program. Have a healthy, happy, and safe summer wherever you are. We’ll see you in December. Let music live!