Symphony of Hope

Player Update Page

(most recent entries on top)

 

[Friday, September 28, 2007, 9:18 PM]

DIRECTIONS!!!

Faith & Victory Church
3950 Victory Lane
Winterville, NC 28590

Dee's cellphone if you get lost: 252-814-5321

From Highway 11, turn East on Fire Tower road (near Sam's club). You will see the sign for Faith and Victory on your left across from the Boys and Girls Club. Follow the driveway onto the church property.

From Ayden:

Take Hwy 11 towards Greenville. Turn right on to FireTower Road before Pitt Community College.Turn left on to Victory Lane before the railroad tracks.

From Wilson:

Take Hwy 264 (4 lane) towards Greenville.Turn right on to W Arlington Blvd before the Pitt County Memorial Hospital. Turn right on to Memorial Drive. Turn left on to FireTower Road after Pitt Community College. Turn left on to Victory Lane before the railroad tracks.

From Bethel:

Take Hwy 11 / 13 towards Greenville. Turn left on to FireTower Road after Pitt Community College. Turn left on to Victory Lane before the railroad tracks.

From Washington NC:

Take Hwy 264 towards Greenville. Turn left on to Hwy 264 / Greenville Blvd. Turn left on to Memorial Drive at Bob Barbor Honda intersection. Turn left on to FireTower Road after Pitt Community College. Turn left on to Victory Lane before the railroad tracks.

[Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 4:45 PM]

> > >  NOTE:  October 7th rehearsal added for CHOIR ONLY at Covenant UMC, Rm. 102, 3:00 - 4:30 PM.  < < <

> > >  Also, choir rehearsal will begin at 2:00 PM on September 30th (not 2:30).  Orchestra will still begin at 2:30 PM.  Please be SHARP (time-wise, not intonation! :-)

Symphony of Hope letter for choirs 07

 

I would like to invite your choir members to join many others for a mass choir and orchestra experience to benefit cancer survivors and victims.

It has been a marvelous experience to sing "Big Choir pieces" of heartfelt dynamic praise accompanied by a symphony orchestra made up of professionals from across the state.

The proposed list is.....

    This is the Day (Christ Fellowship Choir..Bigger than Life-Integrity)

    Hallelujah Anyhow (Brooklyn Tab. "I'm Amazed" Brooklyn Tab Music/word)

    I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy (Brooklyn Tab-"Live Again"-Word)

    For Every Mountain (Christ Church Choir "He Has Been Good" Brentwood-Benson)

    Total Praise (Brooklyn Tab "high and Lifted Up- Brooklyn Tab Music/Word)

The schedule would be as follows:

    September 30th at Faith and Victory Church 2-5 PM. Choir rehearses and then joins full orchestra at end.

    October 7th at Covenant Church RM 102 3-4:30 mass choir only.

    October 12th Faith and Victory 5PM run-through with full orchestra, 8pm concert.

Please let me know if any of your members would like to join in the Symphony of Hope choir.

I will supply a demo CD and copies of music for your vocalists at the first rehearsal.

 

Jack Bircher

Covenant UMC

4000 Corey Rd.

Winterville, NC. 28590

252.355.0123

252.229.1188

 

 

[Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 1:08 AM]

Subject: Symphony of Hope update: Note from your fearless leader

Well guys… it’s after midnight Tue morning early and I am working on finding missing parts, etc.  I am not a fearless leader..  honestly I am a very scattered and fearful leader.  Every year it’s like this.  I get all keyed up about everything. As I am working at my desk, I just opened up Windows Media player and found the recordings from our last two Faith and Victory performances and hit “play”. 

Wow.

That’s all I can say.  I am sitting here in tears listening to the incredible music we have made.  Everything from Mighty Fortress to the ever present Total Praise.  We have been doing a mighty thing year after year and I am so so humbled and grateful to all of you for helping make it happen.  You guys are such wonderful musicians.  You can hear it and it’s all from your hearts. 

No matter what happens this year (missing parts, spilled drinks, folding programs at 3:00 pm on Oct 12) I know it’s going to be glorious.  Just wait until you hear Barbara Gallagher’s beautiful piece, “Dancing in the Light”,  she has written for us in honor of her mom who is a cancer survivor.  I can’t think of a more significant way to honor those loved ones we have lost and to celebrate the blessing of encouraging those who are beating the odds.  This is truly a Symphony of Hope. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do.

See you Sunday at 2:30 at Faith and Victory (what a fitting name for the place we are doing our concert this year!)

Be careful driving and if you don’t get your music before Sunday (I’m working on that) you’ll be fine.

Much love

D

 


> > >  IMPORTANT:  Instrumentalists, it is critical that you bring a music stand to Sunday's rehearsal!!! < < <


[Monday, September 24, 2007, 5:26 PM]

Hi Everyone
Rehearsal is 2:30 next Sunday Sept 30 at Faith and Victory Church off of Firetower Road in Winterville (across from Boys and Girls Club).  For those of you who haven't been there, you can't see the church from Firetower, but trust me.. it's down that road (Victory) across from the Boys and Girls Club.  We start at 2:30 sharp. 
SINGERS:
Jack Bircher is in charge of the choir which will probably meet in the choir room and I am in charge of the instrumentalists who will meet in the sanctuary.  Jack will have an update on this site for the singers and as soon as I get it, you will.  If for any reason you are singing and haven't gotten music or been to a rehearsal, you need to contact Jack Bircher at Covenant UMC and go get some music.  355-0123 or jack@connect2covenant.com .  I would call.
INSTRUMENTALISTS:
Sorry I am slow getting out music, but you'll see me this week and I'll have yours.  Some of the stuff we are doing with choir we don't have yet, but you'll have it by Sunday at rehearsal.  All choir stuff will be on a CD in your packets so you can listen before hand. 
EVERYONE:
IF you haven't registered, do so NOW.  If you need to get pictures to barbaragates1@earthlink.net do that NOW.  We will have to stop taking info and pictures after next Sunday because we are all pressed to get other things done like programs, venue prep, etc.
 
As you know, this rehearsal is primarily a readthrough with a few spots checked.  Please try and be there on time because we are pressed.  Our repertoire:
Symphony:
    Finlandia
    Nessun Dorma
    Dancing in the Light
    You Lift me Up
    The Prayer
with Choir:
    Halleluia Anyhow
    For Every Mountain
    Total Praise
    This is the Day
    I Bowed on my Knees
Thanks!!!!
D

 

[Sunday, September 16, 2007, 5:22 PM]

Hi to all

1.        Things are moving slowly but surely.  Our read-through/rehearsal will be Sept 30 (Sunday) at Faith and Victory Church.  Time:  2:30-5:00.  I want  us to get in there and get it done.  Please be early so we can start at 2:30 SHARP.  We will run the choral pieces first so we can run them with the choir at the end of the rehearsal, followed by the orchestral selections.  As soon as I have music, I will collate and get out to you probably via my Prius which because of the gas mileage is cheaper then mailing it (unless you are out of town).  I see a lot of you at rehearsals and I have buddies (ie Chris, Amanda, etc) who can also deliver music. 

2.        Please go ahead and download and print posters (available on this website) to put up at your work places, churches, etc.  Feel free to also put them up in businesses if allowed.  The more publicity we get, the better.  I would like to pack out the church. 

3.        If you haven’t done so already, please REGISTER (Performer Resources button on homepage).

4.       If you need to, get your pictures of the person you are sponsoring with info to:  barbaragates1@earthlink.net

5.       Performance is Friday, Oct 12th at 8 pm.  Our dress rehearsal is at 5:00 pm that day.  Supper as usual provided as well as a place to change.  There is of course no admission charge for the concert but tell friends and family to bring their checkbooks so they can give as they feel led.

As soon as I get things together, I’ll have on this site a rough draft of program for you to look over.

Our musical progam will be:

Finlandia (Sibelius)

Nessun Dorma (Puccini)

Dancing into the Light (written specifically for us by NC composer and Julliard Graduate Barbara Gallagher in honor of her mom who is a cancer survivor!  Barbara will be playing the piano part with us)

The Prayer Sager/arr: Ladd (Our “tribute” section featuring Duke Ladd on piano playing in honor of fellow musician Jimmy Aycock who is  presently taking treatments for Non-Hotchkins Lymphoma at Johns Hopkins in MD)

This is the Day

Hallelujah Anyhow

For Every Mountain

Total Praise

Any questions:  call or email me: 252-746-8300.

fiddledee@aol.com

Should be a killer concert this year as always thanks to you guys and our arranger/composers.  I am pumped up now.

Love to all

Your brave and fearless leader

D

 

 

[Sunday, August 26, 2007, 9:15 PM]

 

IMPORTANT!!!!

UPDATE for the 2007 concert

  

Hi everyone!

 

The rehearsal date is Sept 30th at Faith and Victory Church.  Time will probably be like last year… starting at 2 pm or so and ending by 5 pm.

 

The performance is on Oct 12th at Faith and Victory Church.  Same as last year with us meeting about 5 pm for a dress followed by dinner and then the 8 pm concert.

 

Please go to the homepage of Symphony of Hope NOW

www.symphonyofhope.com

and click on the “Performer Resources” button.   When you get there, please click on the “Performer Registration” button and fill out the form and submit it.  That way I can make sure all my data is correct and updated. 

Do this even if you think I have everything correct.

 

Also, if you have any pictures, etc for the tribute, send them to:

Barbaragates1@earthlink.net

Jpeg files are best for the pictures.

 

I will try to get music out early.  Not sure if this is possible, but I’ll try.  We are doing the Sibelius Finlandia again and we will have a new piece (not too difficult) that is being composed for us by Barbara Gallagher from Wilmington in honor of her mom who is a cancer survivor!  Barbara is a graduate of Julliard and studied under Vincent Persichetti. 

Our tribute will feature Duke Ladd also of Wilmington, whose father was a cancer survivor, on piano.  He will play his arrangement of “The Prayer”  with the orchestra. 

 

If you know of anyone who may like to play with us that I haven’t contacted, let me know.

Any questions?

: )

Dee

 

 

Note:  Below are last year's entries which, while not necessarily definitive

         relative to the 2007 event, might still prove generally informative.

 

 

[Sunday, October 15, 2006 10:44 PM]

 

This is the week!
We will meet to do a dress at 5:30 on Friday.  The singers will come in at 6:30.  Hopefully things will run smoothly and by 7:00 we can all eat and get dressed. 
Please bring a stand and don't forget your music.
Please check the program which will be downloadable from the website soon and make CERTAIN your name and the names of your honorees are correct.  * means they are survivors or presently fighting cancer and + means they are cancer victims.
Also on the website you can check out examples of the tribute slides.
IF you haven't gotten your info into barbaragates1@earthlink.net .... you are almost too late.  If you have gotten the nasty earthlink message in return for your email to Barbara, don't fear.. it just ends up in her spam folder and she checks that regularly. 
Black.  Men.. dark suits.
I think that's all for now...
keep checking in!
d

 

 

[Friday, October 13, 2006 4:19 PM]

 

The following are two examples of typical slides contained in the tribute presentation.  We're not asking you to create the slide, just to provide the information.  Besides a photo, you should provide a range of years for those deceased and a couple of bullet items about the person and/or their interests.  This information should be meaningful but brief and easy to quickly read and understand because, due to the number of slides, each one can only be displayed for a few seconds, so paragraphs or long statements only detract from the audience's ability to contemplate your loved one while their slide is being shown.  If you would like to include a clip art or two as illustration (as shown), please add them to your email.  We can try to find some for you but we cannot guarantee anything at this late date.  There is an abundance of free clipart images on the Internet.  

 

Again, please send your scanned photos and any clip art to barbaragates1@earthlink.net ..... veeeerrrrrry soooooonnnnn!!!!!!

 

  

 

 

[Thursday, October 12, 2006 10:43 AM]

Hello!
 
Readthrough went very well.. Thank you!!!!!
I will have a rough draft of the program ready hopefully by the beginning of next week.  Get your info for the tribute (if you have any) to Barbara at barbaragates1@earthlink.net 
Please note that if you get one of those earthlink messages saying your mail didn't go through?  According to Ba, it did.. it just ends up in her spam folder which she checks daily.
 
Also!!!!!
BIG NEWS
We are not going to do the dress at 5:00 pm.  We are going to do the dress at 5:30 for the orchestra.  The choir will join us at 6:30.  That will give people more time to get home from work.  If I can run the string stuff first (winds enter quietly please) that would be great.  I will have a program and rehearsal order ready for you probalby Monday.
 
Dee!!!

 

 

[Thursday, September 28, 2006 12:57 AM]

 

Hello everyone.

 
Things are still the same:
readthrough Sun Oct 8th 2:30-5:00
Please be early, bring pencil and stand.  The only thing provided will be chairs.
We are going to have space issues so come early so we can set up please.
Rehearsal is at Oakmont.. directions are on:
www.symphonyofhope.com
Simply download the flyer so you can print it out and put it up in your church or place of business and the directions to the church are on there.
Concert is Oct 20th at 8 with a dress at 5 with dinner and time to change as with the years before. 
I have had some serious issues getting music out and I am sorry. The music is easy as usual.. easy enough that the reading should go smoothly and you'll have time to look over any tricky places before the dress.  I am going to try my darndest to get it out by Saturday so you should have it early next week.  Look for it please.
Get your info into Barbara NOW NOW NOW NOW
barbaragates1@earthlink.net
for the tribute.. that info is:  the cancer survivor/victim you are playing in honor/memory of.  If deceased, birth and death years.  Also of course the complete name of the person and a nice pic that tells something about that person.
I think that is all...
I am going to try to keep your player updates at:
http://symphonyofhope.com/update   [the web page that you are currently reading]
Thanks!!!
feel free to call or email with any questions.. also doublecheck my info... my brain goes whacko sometimes with everything that's going on.
Love to all
d
 

[Thursday, September 14, 2006 3:29 AM]

Hello Everyone!
From now on, I am going to put all updates on the website:
www.symphonyofhope.com/update   [the web page that you are currently reading]
We haven't done it yet, but it should be done by this weekend. Also on website are flyers you can print off to put up at your day jobs and schools.  Also on the website are sponsorship forms if you know someone who isn't playing who would like to be a sponsor and do it in memory of a cancer victim or survivor.
 
Readthrough:  Oct 8th 2:30 pm.  Please be at Oakmont church early enough so we can figure out how we are going to get everyone in this tight space.  Bring a stand.. in this case, wire stands might be better for space.  Hope to get er done in no more than a couple of hrs. BRING PENCILS!   I would LOVE to start the rehearsal at 2:30 so try and come early.  I do understand we have some out of town people (ie Raleigh and beyond) who are not going to be able to make the readthrough.. I will try not to panic.
 
Music will go out next week.  We are waiting on the advertising cards so you can have some to give out.  With the music will be a CD so you can hear the pieces (most of them anyway).  Easy stuff. 
 
Concert is Oct 20th with a 5:00 call for final dress with the choir then dinner (Bear Rock yummy) and time to change.  Concert is at 8:00.  It's gonna be GREAT this year.
 
I think I have everyone's correct mailing address.. let's hope so.. I may send out an excel sheet (does everyone have excel?) so you can double check info to make sure it's right before I do the big mail. 
 
Also, remember!!!!
You need to get me the name(s) of people that you are playing in honor/memory of....
AND
Please get pictures and names to Barbara for the tribute.
barbaragates1@earthlink.net
Scan pics as jpegs.
 
This is a little sad, but we have had several people that we were playing honor of who passed this last year.  If that is the case with someone, we need to update that. My friend June Hall McDermott who I performed in honor of last year died of inflammatory breast cancer last month. 
 
Anyway, we are doing a great thing here.  I am excited and am sure it will be a wonderful event this year!
 
Thanks!
Dee