After a year fraught with struggles, Parker Colorado’s community choir still gives back.
Parker Chorale, Parker CO’s community choir started their Spring 2011 season with high hopes and terrific plans. They had been chosen by Parker’s new P.A.C.E. Center as one of their Artistic Partners for the facility’s Inaugural Season. They had an exciting, diverse program of Broadway music planned for their Spring Concert.
Though the group was still new, having formed in April of 2010, they had a membership of 70 full-time members and were running in the black. Then, one week prior to their first rehearsal, tragedy struck the tightly knit, small town group. Their Artistic Director/Senior Conductor and heart and soul of the group, John J. Polinski suffered a stroke that resulted in limited mobility of the left side of his body. With no associate conductor on staff, new accompanist Jane MacQueen took over rehearsals and the group started working on music for the season. As Polinski worked through months of recovery and therapy, the group struggled on, not sure of it’s future.
After a long postponement, the hiring of an Associate Conductor, Dr. Farland Bottoms, and a tremendous amount of work by it’s members and MacQueen, the revitalized group is proud to present “Broadway! Seven Spectacular Decades” on Staurday, Nov. 5th at 7pm. The concert will be at Parker United Methodist Church and tickets are available online for $10 at www.ParkerChorale.org. The show features Boradway favorites from the past 7 decades, from “Oklahoma!” to “Wicked” and will herald Polinski’s return as he conducts 2 of the evening’s choral selections.
Even with the financial difficulties that came as the result of running a 2 performance budget on a 1 performance year, the group will be presenting a cash donation to Parker’s Ponderosa High School’s Vocal Music Program during this concert. The donation is part of the Parker Chorale Grant Program, established as part of the groups commitment to the support of music education in Douglas County.
“We are so happy to be able to do our part in the support of the arts in our schools. We know that in our troubled financial times, the arts are usually the hardest hit when it comes to budget cuts in our schools.” says Chorale Chairman and Founder, Alicia Pope.
Ponderosa’s new vocal music teacher, Bill Phalen will be accepting the donation on behalf of the school.
If you haven’t had a chance to attend one of the chorale’s past concert, do yourself a favor and purchase tickets now for the Broadway concert for only $10.
The Parker Chorale will also be part of the Grand Opening VIP Only Celebration on Friday at the PACE Center October 28, 2011 and Saturday afternoon with a teaser peek at their Broadway selections.
