Three categories. Four hours.
Twenty-three people (not counting Rene’s daughter).
Long conference room with long table, all seats filled.
Captain Deb at the helm, to guide and referee.
No waiting your turn anymore,
At a poster with colored magic markers.
GoogleDocs spreadsheet instead,
Printed by Suzy,
Each of us with a personal copy.
And plates of chips and nuts on the table.
SINGALONGS first.
Five proposed. Need two.
Brief discussion: What is a singalong?
Audience knows it already? Audience can pick it up quickly?
Short pitch for each song: Why is it close to your heart?
Brief song-sample, played from Deb or Renee’s computer.
Fill out ballot, fold it in half, hold it up.
Runner comes by to collect.
Vivian reads. Deb tallies.
Two songs selected. Piece of cake.
NON-ENGLISH next.
Thirteen entries. Need four.
Hebrew, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Zulu, Latin, Norwegian, Portuguese.
The right balance of Old-New, Spanish-Other.
Rule clarification. One song can count for two things: Spanish and Old.
Short pitches. Brief song-samples.
Ballots collected, read, tallied.
Need a run-off.
More ballots.
Four clear winners this time.
Five-minute break (POHC definition of five).
Bathroom.
Hot chocolate.
Spontaneous a cappella groups, barbershop style.
GENERAL last.
Thirty-two entries. Need six.
So many good ones. Oh, my.
First round: Pick twelve.
Don’t forget balance: Old-New, Hard-Easy.
Ballots collected, read, tallied.
Twelfth place is a three-way tie.
Decision: Have a runoff for twelfth place, or consider only the first eleven?
Consensus: Only the first eleven.
Round-two: Pick six.
Ballots collected, read, tallied.
Six clear winners.
We’re done,
Only twenty minutes over the four hours.
No spats, no sulks, only good humor and jokes.
Three cheers for Captain Deb.
And to our host, John, for the spectacular digs.
And to the whole amazing group at the long table.
Side-shows and peripheral events:
Spontaneous singing of Oklahoma by everyone
Except the two Olgas, who never heard of it.
(Oklahoma didn’t win, though.)
Recording of Gina, Rene’s daughter,
At age six, singing You Gotta Be.
She was a good sport when her father played it.
We all applauded.
And a good time was had by all.
-Choir Singer
It has become a tradition for a member of POHC to do a post-concert write-up. It started when our Sign-up Coordinator began emailing her summaries to the other members in order to entice newer members to sign-up to sing at community concerts held early in the season. It didn’t take long for Concert Write-ups to become greatly anticipated amongst our members, so we share them here in hopes that you’ll join us at a future concert