Concert time

River Singers put on a concert yesterday afternoon for the first time since December 2019 - 2 1/2 years! It was smaller than our former concerts, and everyone - singers and audience - was masked and vaccinated. We held it in a very well-ventilated place with four air purifiers running. But it was still very satisfying to be singing for a live audience, and we also live-streamed it, and we had people watching from all over the world. So that was cool! I think Ellen and I both felt good doing it, and felt good about the concert itself. Kathy Bullock was a guest leader, and she met with us two evenings esrlier this week to rehearse four songs that she brought to the repertoire. One of them, composed just a month ago, celebrated Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. I had a very brief solo in one, and Ellen and I each had a duet in another. So there's life in the old dog yet! We did get the unfortunate news today that one of our choral members tested positive for COVID late last night after the concert. She tested negative beforehand, but then felt a little sick later and tested again with a different result. We'll hope all our protocols protected everyone. John and Cynthia were there - way in the back in front of an open window, so I doubt that they were at all at risk. When we got home I got a text from Margaret, Jerome's daughter, that he was in the hospital. He was once again in a lot of pain, and experiencing dizziness and faintness. It turns out that he had been taking a lot of ibuprofin on an emoty stomach, and had developed an ulcer. When I got the message, he was about to be taken to Concord, NH to a hospital where they could do more sophisticated pain management, so I went right down, and got there five minutes before the EMTs came in with a stretcher to load him into an ambulance and take him to Concord. I had a chance to just talk a minute and say a prayer with him. I was glad for that much.

Rehearsing before the concert

Our song circle before we go upstairs - I usually lead There Are Angels Hov'ring 'Round

Waiting for the chorus to come in - I'm on a stool at the far left. We are in the Westminster-West Congregational Church.

Singing our first number - One More Time. These images are from our live stream. ******************************************* You can see the whole concert at https://www.facebook.com/events/528622072048995/?ref=newsfeed.