The Psychic Network

Hmm....let me see...wait, no the signal isn't quite clear.

Please state your name and your birthdate. Speak them directly into the computer screen (what? this doesn't make sense to you? c'mon, just work with me here)

Ah....that must have been the trick. Now it is all being revealed.

I see you, loyal supporters and past audience members of Voices Rising, coming home from work this past week, checking your mail. You say "Hey, there's a letter here from Voices Rising! Love that logo! Gosh! I wonder what it is?". I'm right so far, aren't I? Amazing, isn't it? Let's go on.

I see you opening the letter and reading it carefully. I hear you saying "Wow, they're going to GALA. That is so cool!" (we think so too--we are SO in sync, you and us). I hear you saying "That sounds so wonderfull, so energizing, such a great opportunity for the women of Voices Rising!" (okay, it might not be EXACTLY what you said, but it's close and you know it). You think, "wow, this was a lot of work getting this mailing out*, I know their mailing list is sizeable...this must be really important to them!"

But wait. Don't stop reading now. This is the best part.

I see you taking out your checkbook, saying "What's twenty dollars to me? I spent that at one dinner last week" Or better yet, "What's fifty dollars to me, when it can really help someone?" Or better yet, "Heck, let's make it an even $100!". I see you putting the check in the nifty self addressed envelope you received, putting a stamp on it, and sending it to Voices Rising (or maybe you logged on and made your donation on our website, I can't quite tell).

You feel wonderful about yourself, you're so generous. You feel part of something bigger than you in helping as many singers as possible to attend GALA. You feel connected with Voices Rising, so much so that you run to your stereo or your mp3 player, put on our CD, "Songs of Wisdom" (or if you don't have one, you're thinking that you sure wish you did and you promise yourself to go to www.voicesrising.org TODAY and purchase one). You sit back and bask in the beautiful music.

I'm right, aren't I? Dead on. I knew it.

Keep checkin' that GALAmeter...your donation is going to show up there anytime now!

*Yes, it WAS a lot of work. But with Voices Rising, a lot of work means....PARTY! Here's us stuffing those very envelopes that you received. See that envelope? That was yours!


Note to those readers who are not (yet) on our mailing list and so did not get one of these special letters. Have no fear. You can still get in on the fun. You can visit our website at http://www.voicesrising.org and make a donation online. Better yet, you can add your name and address to our mailing list so that next time around, you won't feel so all alone (awww)!

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Highlights of three GALA Festivals

In 2000 GALA was in San Jose, California. I remember standing back stage getting ready for our set and standing not three feet away from me Holly Near was talking to Linda Tillery. Wow! A special treat was that friends of mine from the Bay area came to hear us sing. I have friends and relatives all over the country that can’t make it to our regular concerts so performing in other cities and having them attend is very special.

In 2004 GALA was in Montreal. My partner, who doesn’t sing with VR, came along and we made a vacation out of this trip. Montreal is a great vacation spot! The most memorable part of this GALA was singing the International premiere of IF I GIVE YOUR NAME, an award winning song written by Pat Humphries and Sandy Opatow and arranged by our own Leora Zimmer. This moving song brings to light the fate of undocumented workers killed at the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. An emotional subject that received a standing ovation, no praise is sweeter than those of your peers who appreciate your efforts.
We rocked!

I look forward to Miami in 2008 and know I’ll have some great memories. My in-laws live in Miami. They will be coming to our set and I’m very excited to have them hear us sing “live” for the first time.

GALA is an extraordinary opportunity to be a part of something bigger that ourselves every four years. Music is the thread that connects us. The diversity of our repertoires, choruses and styles weave the tapestry that makes the rich and rewarding connective experience that is choral music exhibited at GALA.

Aimee, Alto 2

Aimee is a lower A2 who has sung with Voices Rising since its inception. She is VERY glad when GALA and the yearly International Calligraphy Conference are not the same week (like this year) as lettering and the related arts are her other passion.

Exhilaration

I'm finishing up my second year with Voices Rising, and have never been to GALA. I'm really excited to be a part of this. In my younger more athletic years, a softball team I was playing with went to the NAGAAA (North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance) World Series. So on one hand I think I have some sense of what it is going to be like to be at GALA, but on the other I think I have no idea what to expect - which is a good thing. I just want to try to take in as much as I can. I'm hoping that the schedule works out so that i can participate in the Women's Festival Chorus -- the experience of singing with large groups can be so exhilarating!

Julie R, Alto 1

Julie, currently in her fourth concert season with Voices Rising, has been singing in choruses since junior high school and has sung in large groups, small groups, chamber groups, mixed groups, and women's groups. She joined Voices Rising because of its strong connection to the LGBT community and says she has thoroughly enjoyed being a member.

A New Member Speaks

I feel so lucky that I joined Voices Rising this season, just in time to go to GALA! Not only will we be able to bond through this shared experience as a chorus and sing in a beautiful venue, but we'll be able to get to know countless other chorus members from around the country (and the world!) and hear them perform. I'm bummed it's only every four years, because I can't wait to go!

Deirdre W, Alto 1

Deirdre has been singing (solo and in groups, both choral and a cappella) since she was very young. She has also done quite a bit of theatre (musical and otherwise) and is thrilled to be singing once again in venues other than her shower, after a brief hiatus to create a small human being*

*aforementioned small human being
Voices Rising audition scheduled for January 2027 (or so)

You Never Know

You truly never know who may be interested in the GALA festival! I was
schmoozing one morning in ASL with a Deaf train-commute buddy, and the
conversation turned to vacation plans. As soon as I mentioned GALA, he
wanted to know which city it's in this time -- turns out he's a fan of
the BGMC and their wonderful interpreter, and he loves the fact that
it'll be in Miami! Who knows which people we all may bump into there?
San Jose was wonderful, and so was Montreal; I am truly looking
forward to Miami.

Kimberley S, Alto 1

Kim, one of the founding members of Voices Rising, is married to
Soprano I Rebecca, another founding member. She is an enthusiastic
polyglot who enjoys all the languages Voices Rising gets to sing, and
is now busy improving her grasp of American Sign Language.

Check it out. This is where we will be performing in Miami. So cool (so big!)!

Blog Update

It's been awhile since the blog has been updated--sorry about that!

In the meantime, much has happened, and our preparation for GALA continues. We are now up to 21 voices strong going to sing in Miami, and hoping to hit a nice round 25! Leora is beginning to think about our repertoire, and we've begun to make our lodging reservations, so this is starting to get real (and exciting!).

Voices Rising members who were at prior GALA festivals keep us all excited with their stories and memories, and we're all really looking forward to it.

If you haven't heard about or don't know what GALA is about, you should check out the film entitled "Why We Sing", which was on PBS earlier this year. It's wonderful and so inspirational. We have shown it to the chorus, and circulated a copy or two around among members. We highly recommend it. Check out the links section--I've put in info about how to find out more about the film.

From here on in, it is our hope that posts and updates will continue, but will represent the multitude of voices that comprise Voices Rising. Members will write about their impressions, their experiences, their thoughts, their excitement, their preparation. We hope that in reading so many different people's perspectives, you will feel what it is like to be a member of this community, getting ready for GALA!

Check back soon for the first two Voices Rising member installments!