Vol. 19, No. 3 Summer 2020
From the Music Director
Welcome to the final newsletter of our twenty-fifth anniversary season, a year that saw the world turn upside down. We send our deepest condolences to those who have lost a loved one or friend to Covid. To those whose lives have been affected by the virus in so many different ways, we wish you healing and peace.

For the FCCC, we lost three months of music making, including performances with the Manchester Symphony, the Fairfield Holocaust Commemoration, our Spring Concert at Carnegie Hall and our Chamber Singers tour to France and Belgium for the World Choir Games. We empathize with our seniors, who missed out on many high school rites-of-passage and a joyous conclusion to their FCCC experience. Some of our seniors have literally spent half of their lives in the FCCC (our Choral Scholars)!

However, as we did on Wednesday, September 12, 2001, we would not let this recent historic event stop us. We have been busy keeping our choristers connected over the past few months. After suspending our rehearsals on March 10, the music staff made our first rehearsal recording on March 11, including all of the voice parts to our Carnegie Hall world-premiere piece, Breaking Dawn by Rob Hugh with lyrics by FCCC chorister Anika Amann.

Later in March we started planning our big virtual choir video project. We dedicated the video,
           “To all the front-line health care workers and first responders who have truly been
           our Bridge Over Troubled Water . To all the families that are suffering and have lost loved ones.”

We recorded throughout April and the exciting final product was completed on May 6. Please see our website, YouTube, Facebook or Instagram to watch the video. The links are below.

Thanks in large part to the leadership of seniors Emily Hoffman and Lila Nulf (the Chamber Singers President and Vice President), we began to hold rehearsal/meetings on Zoom in early April. The agendas for these events mainly consisted of short rehearsals (15 - 30 minutes) followed by social introductions, personal quarantine updates, awards (perfect attendance, five-year pins, Choral Scholar Awards), games (Kahoot, Scattergories, scavenger hunt, etc.), guest artists (conductor/cellist Eric Jacobsen, folk singer Aoife O’Donovan, Broadway leading stars Michelle Mallardi and Ivan Rutherford, 2015 American Idol winner Nick Fradiani and his guitarist, Nick Abraham, the TikTok family band SM6, Micky Dolenz from the Monkees!), student solo/duet performances (live or recorded), a celebration for Donna Beatty and so much more!

We held auditions throughout June and I am thrilled to announce that we have reached 98% of our usual capacity. Thank you to those who recommended the FCCC to a friend!! There is more good news! The Carnegie Hall concert and the France/Belgium tour were not canceled, merely postponed. Our 2021 Spring Concert is now scheduled to take place at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 2:00 PM. Since we did not get to perform the “Best of the FCCC” program that was voted on by our choristers, parents and friends, we will plan to perform nearly all of the repertoire that was originally planned, from Bridge Over Troubled Water and I’m Goin’ Up a Yonder to the Biebl Ave Maria , and so many others. The France/Belgium tour for the Chamber Singers will take place from July 5 - 13, 2021!

We are committed to upholding our mission to provide outstanding musical and educational experiences which “foster the personal, musical and social growth of each child, promoting self-esteem and self-discipline.” We understand that the opening of our 2020 - 2021 season may be affected, but we will plan to begin our season as usual on the first Wednesday after Labor Day (Sept. 9). If that is not possible, we will plan to start our season with Zoom rehearsals 4 - 6 weeks prior to our first in-person rehearsal. We will be able to cover much of our curriculum virtually, which will allow more time for singing great repertoire when we are together. We are always challenged in our limited rehearsal time to deeply cover all aspects of vocal technique, choral technique, music literacy and the logistical aspects of group dynamics, as well as the actual music for all of our concerts.

The complete calendar for our 2020 - 2021 season is below. For the FCCC Winter Concert on December 6 at the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport, we are planning for new seasonal pieces, music by Beethoven in honor of his 250 th birthday and a celebration of women composers in honor of the 100 th anniversary of the 19 th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote. Our annual Broadway review concert will take place at the Klein on Saturday, February 6. Our medleys this year will be My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns and Jersey Boys !

The FCCC Mission Statement includes the following: “The FCCC believes not only that all people can sing, but that all people need to sing, and we are committed to promoting singing throughout our culture.” As we begin our next twenty-five years, we look forward to making beautiful music again with our staff and choristers as soon as possible!

Have a great summer!
Jon Noyes
Chorister Profiles - FCCC Seniors!

We bid a fond farewell to an outstanding class of graduating seniors. Best wishes to Emily Hoffman, Lila Nulf, Anna Wilder, Lilly Merchant, Graciela Kennally-Presslaff, Marisa Bisagna, Gabrielle Johnston, Dayo Garritano, Danielle Wilklow, Jessica Pallas, Sophie Lipset, Caroline Taylor, Laura Ervin and Julia Boran. They have given so much of their talents and time to our choir! In addition, we congratulate eight of these seniors who will receive our Choral Scholar Award. This is given to choristers who have been members of the FCCC for the maximum term of nine years. We are so happy that these seniors ‘found us’ way back in 2011 when they were finishing third grade!! They are Marisa Bisagna, Julia Boran, Emily Hoffman, Gabby Johnston, Sophie Lipset, Lila Nulf, Jessica Pallas and Danielle Wiklow. We have enjoyed reading the profiles of this group. We have one final profile for this edition of Quarternotes - you will now meet Danielle Wilklow.
Name: Danielle Wilklow
Age: 17
School: Fairfield Ludlowe High School
Town: Fairfield 
Favorite FCCC Song: Hotaru Koi, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Storm Is Passing Over
 
In Your Own Words:  FCCC was and always will be fun. I grew up loving to sing, but FCCC took a hobby and turned it into a passion. Everyone at FCCC takes great care in the music we perform, making the environment of the choir more professional and cohesive, encouraging everyone to do their best. When I joined in fourth grade, I had no knowledge of reading music or any music theory, but FCCC allowed me to learn. I am grateful for the opportunities that FCCC has given me, including performing at Carnegie Hall and working with many different composers and arrangers. I would like to thank all of the conductors who I have had throughout the years, especially Mr. Cotellese and Mrs. Sugrue who helped to shape me into the singer I am today. FCCC is a place of growth and joy, that fosters a love for music at a young age. I leave every rehearsal with a song stuck in my head and a smile on my face.
From the Board President
Marina Philips
As we come to the end of our 25 th  anniversary, we find ourselves living through uncertain times. We are acutely aware, and deeply saddened, that some of us have lost loved ones in recent months – our thoughts and prayers are with you. And even for those of us who have not suffered a loss, being quarantined and separated from friends and loved ones has been difficult, but we are confident that we will see each other in person soon: We Shall Overcome!  
 
On behalf of the entire board, I would like to thank all our conductors, staff and choristers for the Herculean task of planning and coordination they undertook these past few months to keep choir rehearsals active and engaging. From creating the Virtual Choir Concert dedicated to our first responders, and which has been viewed at least 20,000 times, to running weekly rehearsals over Zoom, their efforts have been nothing short of stupendous. We simply can’t thank them enough.
 
We would also like to say a big thank you, and bid goodbye, to our seniors. This was not the senior year they had hoped for, but we are proud of how they rose to the occasion. A special thank you and adieu as well to our dear Donna Beatty. She has been a phenomenal accompanist, a wonderful teacher and an inspiring mentor to so many of our choristers. We will miss her very much.
 
Even though our 25 th  anniversary concert, which was scheduled to be held in Carnegie Hall on May 16 th , was cancelled, we look forward to our rescheduled celebration on June 27, 2021. We are truly grateful to all of you who made donations and bought tickets for this concert, and are also grateful that you have allowed the choir to retain your donations to support our concert at Carnegie Hall next year.
 
On a happy note, Sarah Duff, our new Executive Director, joined us in February after many years of experience working for television networks, including Nickelodeon, MTV, Music Choice and TechTV. Her passion projects were  Get Ready to Read Family Table  and  Let’s Just Play . At Time Warner Cable she led a product team that drove revenue and brand awareness. She has also designed business strategies, run media campaigns and organized events for marketing agencies. 
 
Even though Sarah has been with us for only 4 months, her business insights, her intuitive ability to seize the moment and her underlying passion for raising brand awareness have already made a difference to our organization. Sarah lives in Fairfield, where she developed a Kindness Matters campaign and leads a St. Baldrick's Foundation event for Stratfield School.
 
We, the members of the board, are proud to be part of this incredible organization. We miss you all, and can’t wait till we can gather again… please reach out to us if there is anything we can do to help in these difficult and uncertain times. The words of the song, “Where the Music Comes From,” ring especially true at this moment….

“I want to be where the music comes from
Where the clock stops, where it's now
I want to be with the friends around me
Who have found me, who show me how
I want to sing to the early morning
See the sunlight melt the snow…
 
We have much to look forward to this coming year – thank you again for your continued commitment and support.

Marina Philips
President
The Board of Directors of the Fairfield County Children's Choir
Virtual Choir
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
The Fairfield County Children's Choir proudly released a virtual choir video with children from 16 local towns singing, Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The song holds a great message for these unsettled times, and the video celebrates the power of children singing separately, but together.

Thank you to everyone who was part of this project!

From the Executive Director
What an extraordinary time to join the Fairfield County Children's Choir family! I am impressed by how our community adapted and thrived during the last few months. At any other time, I would have enjoyed our talent on the stage at The Klein & Carnegie Hall. Instead, I was treated to Zoom rehearsals, online auditions, and the TikTok videos that you shared in response to our Facebook and Instagram challenges. The quarantine has created unique and creative opportunities for us to sing together while separated.
 
The highlight of my short time with FCCC is our "Bridge Over Troubled Water" virtual choir, a social media hit with +20,000 views! We appreciate that you so enthusiastically shared the video with your friends and families. What awed me the most was the reaction that our virtual choir had from our front-line health care workers and first responders. The Bridgeport Hospital Foundation, where we directed our donations and our local Police and Fire Departments, shared their gratitude with phone calls and emails. In a demonstration of their appreciation, they also shared our virtual choir with their communities and donors.
 
Thank you for my joyful introduction to FCCC. I have enjoyed the children's talent, passion, and commitment to singing. I look forward to our next chapters; the FCCC team is preparing to keep us singing together, safely within the many scenarios that are possible for our 2020/2021 season!
 
Sarah Duff
Executive Director
Fairfield County Children's Choir
Staff News
 
Donna Beatty , FCCC accompanist since 2010, has decided to retire both from teaching music in the Fairfield Public Schools (since 1977) and from the FCCC. In her time with the FCCC she has performed in Vienna & Salzburg, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; all over Ireland; Quebec, Canada; Hawaii, Virginia, Washington, D.C; Colorado, Arizona; New Orleans, LA; Boston, Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, among others.

In addition, she joined us for many adventures such as climbing Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire, snorkeling in a dormant volcano in Hawaii, hiking in the Grand Canyon (Arizona) and visiting Pike’s Peak (Colorado), joining a Cajun swamp & alligator tour in Louisiana, visiting the incredible Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, hiking in a redwood forest north of San Francisco and so many more! We had planned to have the grandest send-off for her - performing at Carnegie Hall and in France and Belgium. The good news for us is that Mrs. Beatty plans to join us at Carnegie Hall in 2021 and possibly even in France and Belgium! We wish her all the best. Here’s a note from Mrs. Beatty to the choir.

Hello FCCC!

I hope you are all managing well during this unusual time. It has been good seeing you in the Zoom meetings, but I think we would all agree that it is just not the same as seeing each other face to face. You are a wonderful group of kids.

And because you are special to me, I wanted you to know first hand - before you hear it through the grapevine - that this will be my last season with FCCC. It is bittersweet for me, but I am retiring from Fairfield Public Schools in June and will be relocating to Texas in the fall. Many of you know that one of my sons and daughters-in-law and my three young granddaughters live there. It was not an easy decision to retire, pack up and move across country, but I believe it is the right decision. New adventures await as I get to spend precious time with my family.

I will miss making music with you, but I will miss even more the personal interaction with you during rehearsals, performances and especially the Chamber summer trips. I have learned much from you and have grown in many ways during my time with FCCC. Thank you for contributing to that. You hold a special place in my heart.

With much love,
Mrs. Beatty
2020/2021 Season Calendar *subject to change

Letters From FCCC Parents & Alumni


Hi, Jon,

Thank you for all that you are doing. This is a difficult period for us all and in many ways, especially for teens. My boys seem to be going through periods in which they want to engage in the "before" activities that they loved and other periods when they seem to need a pause because it's simply hard to deal with the emotions of not being able to actually do those things in the same way as they used to. As a mom, though, I am so grateful for you and other important adults in their lives who are continuing to offer opportunities to connect and engage and participate. It really does make a difference for them and for those of us who love them.

Thank you.
Andrea Peterson

********

Dear Mr. Noyes and team,

We are totally appreciative of all your efforts to continue to promote music in our children's lives. It is a much-needed joy at this challenging and irregular period of time. 

We also understand the additional endeavour to change your existing teaching model in order to adapt to this situation. 

Thank you and prayers that we all stay safe!

Warm regards,

Roger and Lalita
(Arav and Anaya Dsouza's parents)
Letter From FCCC Alumni
Dear FCCC,

My name is Michael McLaughlin, and I sang in concert choir my eighth and ninth grade before moving to the DC area. I’m now a freshman at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, where I am studying vocal performance and choral conducting. I sing a cappella there with my group, General Admission. We were accepted to perform at ICCAs Southern Regionals in Athens Georgia with many other southern schools.

There, I ran into another FCCC alum, Jared Bovine! He is a senior at Vanderbilt University and is head of his a cappella group, Harmonic Notion. We didn’t know each other in FCCC because he was a senior when I was a freshman, and we were in different choirs. The reunion was pretty wild nonetheless. He went on to win the best arrangement award for the competition.

I wanted to inform everyone of this to show where FCCC can take you! I loved the professionalism of the chorus, and I’ve tried to emulate it in all of my other singing endeavors. I also loved the energy we all channeled when singing, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which was my favorite song. Thank you to FCCC for being such an edifying opportunity for kids.

I hope you have a successful 25th anniversary year!

Sing well,
Michael
Support FCCC!

Fairfield County Children's Choir is a non-profit organization. A contribution to Fairfield County Children's Choir is an investment in the future! We train outstanding young performers and help them to grow - both as musicians and as responsible, caring young adults.

Your support makes it possible for us to bring our world-class choir experience to musically talented children, many of whom receive tuition assistance. Your gift is tax deductible and we gratefully thank you for your generosity. Please donate here.
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Contact Sarah Duff , Executive Director
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MUSIC STAFF
Music Director & Founder - Jon Noyes
Chorale Conductor & Accompanist - Lisa Bettke
Concert Choir Conductor - Jacqueline Sugrue-Tait
Chorus Conductor - Ashley Zadravecz
Accompanist - Yuan Wang
STAFF
Executive Director - Sarah Duff
General Manager - Barbara Peck
Assistant Choir Manager - Alicen Gachi
Have Fun Being Awesome!