That is 130 hours, as I write, until Legacy Choir takes the stage for a once in a lifetime concert, live, right here in River City. Eighteen months ago, this week seemed it would be another lifetime, at least, in coming. It's GOOD! making someone else's dream come true!
This guy here, Mr. Don Cowan, claims to be 79 years old, officially, as of tomorrow. I sincerely believe he is fudging low, because he had to be at least late middle age when I first walked into his choir room back in 1964. Yet, by his math, he only has 17 years on me!
How many here remember being an outsider, entering into sophomorehood, the no man's land of high school? Second week in I heard an S.H. Rider High School A Capella Choir for the first time; and when I say, heard, I'm talking heart and soul grab hold and don't let go gut wrenching kinda heard that borders on a spiritual experience. I heard the Voice of God, children.
Looking back on it now, that 1965 choir wasn't all that good. I mean, really, these guys had only two weeks together! Sure, there were some great, experienced senior voices in there, but you also had all those rookie juniors who may have had a mixed choir with Old Honker Face, the Father of Our Alma Mater, at best. Before the school year ended, of course, the 1965 choir would take its rightful place on the roll of 32 Greatest Choir Evers.
Before the performance ended I had learned you had to be at least a junior and pass an audition/screening with Mr. Cowan himself to even be considered for membership in this choir. Membership? Making it into the a capella choir was nearer an adoption into a whole 'nother family, but it would be a good year or better before I would find out firsthand. Before that day ended, I dropped out of French class to join the fiery furnace that was mixed choir!
Those years with Cowan may not have been the best three of my life--so far--but I guaran-damn-tee the last two as a tenor with the 1966 and '67 Rider A Capella Choirs are solidly in the top five.
How many here remember being an outsider, entering into sophomorehood, the no man's land of high school? Second week in I heard an S.H. Rider High School A Capella Choir for the first time; and when I say, heard, I'm talking heart and soul grab hold and don't let go gut wrenching kinda heard that borders on a spiritual experience. I heard the Voice of God, children.
Looking back on it now, that 1965 choir wasn't all that good. I mean, really, these guys had only two weeks together! Sure, there were some great, experienced senior voices in there, but you also had all those rookie juniors who may have had a mixed choir with Old Honker Face, the Father of Our Alma Mater, at best. Before the school year ended, of course, the 1965 choir would take its rightful place on the roll of 32 Greatest Choir Evers.
Before the performance ended I had learned you had to be at least a junior and pass an audition/screening with Mr. Cowan himself to even be considered for membership in this choir. Membership? Making it into the a capella choir was nearer an adoption into a whole 'nother family, but it would be a good year or better before I would find out firsthand. Before that day ended, I dropped out of French class to join the fiery furnace that was mixed choir!
Those years with Cowan may not have been the best three of my life--so far--but I guaran-damn-tee the last two as a tenor with the 1966 and '67 Rider A Capella Choirs are solidly in the top five.
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