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| November 29, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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By NATALIE JOHNSON
nataZie@'~na,~oncounty.com
A group of Mason County
singers had the time of their
lives in New York last week-
end, and made history while
they were at it.
The Anna's Bay Chorale
traveled to New York to sing
in both the annual Lincoln
Center performance of G.F.
Handel's "Messiah" on Nov.
25 and to open for the Radio
City Music Hall Christmas
Spectacular on Thanksgiv-
ing.
"It was pretty amazing. It
could not have gone any bet-
ter," said Matthew Blegen,
the director of the Anna's Bay
Chorale.
At the end of its perfor-
mance at Avery Fisher Hall
at Lincoln Center, the group
received an 8-minute stand-
ing ovation, invitations to re-
turn, and a review from the
New York Times calling the
performance "ravishing."
Members of the choir, and
family members traveling
with them, flew out of Sea-
Tac International Airport on
two red-eye flights on Nov.
21, bound for the Big Apple,
and the biggest concerts of
any of their musical careers
so far.
They touched down in
New York at about 7:30 a.m.
on Thanksgiving Day, and
were more or less homeless,
as Blegen said, until they
could check into their hotel
at 3 p.m. The group spent the
time exploring the town and
watching the Macy's Thanks-
giving Day Parade.
After getting settled,
about two-thirds of the group
traveled to Radio City Music
Hall to open for The Rock-
ettes, an almost 90-year-old
dance group which is based
in the theater, at their an-
nual Christmas Spectacular.
A few days before depart-
ing, several choir members
emailed Blegen to ask what
the group's plans for Thanks-
giving dinner were. The day
before the group departed for
New York, Blegen ~aid there
were few places where so
large a group could eat.
"Almost everyone in the
choir is going out to Thanks-
giving dinner at a renais-
sance-themed diner because
it's the only place within
walking distance that was
open," he said.
The choir spent all of Fri-
day and Saturday practicing
for the Lincoln Center per-
formance, but still had time
to check out shows on Broad-
way, and explore the city.
For Blegen, who grew up
in New York, the trip was not
so much a chance to explore,
but a chance to go home.
Members of the Anna's Bay Chorale recently performed at the Lincoln Center in New York.
Members of Anna's Bay Chorale pose by the
Lincoln Center's sign before the group
performs there. From left, the students are
Ronnie Penn, Rachel Manning, Clayton Mott,
Jillian Micas, Erica Wilson, Morgan Wiktorec,
Wanda Tweed, Courteny Mills, Hana Tweed and
Lyda DelBosque.
On Sunday morning, the the "Messiah" concert, and
group had its first rehears- that night, they, along with
al with a full orchestra for the five other participating
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choirs, performed at Lincoln After the Lincoln Center"When does Mason County
Center. performance, the choraleget singled out for the quality
After a black-tie gala with got a standing ovation, and of its performing arts?" he
all of the performers on Sun- Blegen said concert organiz- asked.
day night, the group packed ers told him the Anna's Bay Blegen, who is currently
their bags and came .home group was the most profes- working on a doctorate in
Monday morning, sional choir at the concert, musical conducting at the
Bringing 70 members, theand would be welcomed back University of Washington,
Anna's Bay Chorale was the any time. said his time in Seattle is also
largest choir at the perfor- A film crew from KBTC helping Anna's Bay getrecog-
mance. The chorale sang the Public Television out of Ta- nition beyond Mason County.
entire concert, rather than coma has been following the "Our community is getting
half of it, as is traditional in choir through their practices a huge spotlight at UW," he
the annual Lincoln Center and their performances, said. "Every single professor
performance. The documentary will fo-I have is holding up Anna's
"We're the only group ever cus on how the choir wasBay as an example, which I
in history singing the whole formed, and its road to New wasn't counting on."
concert," Blegen said. York, in addition to its mis- The Anna's Bay Chorale
Of the choir's 70 members, sion to use music to build has several local performanc-
18 are under 21, and many of community, Blegen said. es of Handel's "Messiah" com-
them are still in high school, "I want people outside of ing up this December.
he said. Mason County to get a better The chorale will perform
"It's been amazing the sense of how diverse and vi- highlights of "Messiah" at
transformation (of the choir) brant this community is," he noon Saturday at the Capitol
over the last two years," he said. Rotunda in Olympia.
said. "Four years ago it was The road to the concert The chorale, together with
pretty much a retired group." wasn't easy, Blegen said. The the South Shore Chamber
Blegen said he c&ldn't be group had to raise $140,000 Orchestra, plan to perform
happier with how the choir's to attend t~o concert, and a "Messiah~. at 7 p.m. on Dec.
youngest members, students few weeks before the trip, a 7 at the Shelton Performing
from Shelton High School, choir member died. Arts Center at Shelton High
performed at the concert, However, no matter how School; at 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at the
calling them "wonderful." difficult the road to New York Minneart Center for the Per-
"Their professionalism was, the chorale made it, and forming Arts in Olympia; and
was just off the charts," he gave Mason County a goodat 4 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Shel-
said. name on a national stage, ton Performing Arts Center.
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Shelton-Mason County Journal- Thursday, NOv. 29, 2012 - Page A-5