Date: May 22, 2000

What a great Show! Where to start. I don't know about you, but I had a super time on Saturday. I will have a treasure chest of memories to dip into over the next several months as we move on toward our next big event -- District 2000, right here in Montreal.

I don't know what your favourite moment was, but here are a few of mine. There is Rob jumping with anticipation, just before the show started or how about the goosebumps from Harmony when the chords seemed to burst through. The Jimmy "Pierce" Webb song Didn't We was as tenderly presented as we have ever done it. We seemed to add new dynamic levels at Rob's will, or maybe we were finally recognising what he wanted from us. The whole show was a lot of fun, 4 Tonight Only and Key of Eh? did well and the audience loved our contest set.

Then there was Blue Champagne electrifying the audience and us back of the curtain? And PLATINUM turning the audience into puddles with both their humour and their extraordinary singing. What an exciting match of powerful voices, with artistry that turned us all into believers. Those guys are good! The sustained applause at the end of the show for all of us was moving, even if the curtain should have been closed.

The afterglow was excellent, with good food, more music from 4 Tonight Only, Key of Eh?, Blue Champagne, and PLATINUM and some excellent fellowship.

It is very dangerous to pick out people for recognition, but here I go anyway. Special thanks go to Bert Brossoit and Alan Kenley for their tremendous job in organizing the show. Richard Frenette, Peter Evans, Steve and Addie Wheaton, Trish Taylor, Doug and Kim Flook all deserve a special thank you as well for their super contribution to the success of the show.

People really enjoyed the entertainment, and it was FUN. Don't you just love this hobby?

And just think, it is only 54 weeks until we are back on that stage again for our show with Joker's Wild.

WANTED Coordinator/Producer for Christmas CD in the works for 2001 The Chapter Board authorised the production of a Christmas CD with the other Barbershop Choruses and quartets in the Montreal Area. This will include South Shore Saints, Sweet Adeline's West Island Chorus, and Greater Montreal Chorus and Montreal Chapter of Harmony, Inc. and their quartets. We need someone to pilot this project to fruition. This is a great opportunity for you to really make a difference. The pay is minimal, but the satisfaction will be huge! See Alan Kenley for further details.

Time for your Annual dues? Please pay NOW! Annual dues went up by $6.00 US effective with December 31, 1999 renewals. That makes our annual total $170.00 Canadian. NOTE: DISREGARD THE AMOUNT ON YOUR RENEWAL NOTICE! PLEASE if June is your renewal month, give Ray Watkins your cheque before the 15^th of the month! If you are late, there will be an additional $7.50 late payment charge.

Don't forget the easiest way to pay is in small instalments. The $14 Monthly payment hardly hurts. (Nor does the $42.00 quarterly payment.) All cheques are payable to "Island City Chorus."

Festival des Chorales (choeurmania) du Village Québécois d'Antan (Quebec village of yesteryear) takes place in Drummondville, Québec and features all kinds of choral music. We have received an invitation to participate and the Music Team has agreed. Each chorus member is entitled to bring a guest with them and it should be a fun day for all. The Village is classed as historic and plunges you into the period from 1810 to 1910, featuring 20 residences and 14 workshops. This looks like a fun event for the whole family.

We are performing there on July 15, 2000.

"You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming."

Practice is something we do at home, every day, between rehearsals!

Rehearsal is where we reinforce what we have been practising every day!