Waiheke Choral Society: (Interim) President Report for AGM March 2021.
Like many organisations, businesses, and practically everyone in New Zealand and indeed around the world, Covid caused a lot of plans to be changed during 2020, and still is disrupting things. The concerts we had planned for 2nd and 3rd weekends of June’20 at the 4 main community halls (Rocky Bay, Palm Beach, Onetangi Hall, and Morra Hall), to be lead by Richard, never eventuated due to lockdowns. Eventually we were able to pull together a very successful end-of-year Christmas concert led by Anne, combining with the men’s choir V12 (lead by Richard) at St Peter’s Catholic church. In place of our usual Christmas party at Onetangi Hall, Anne and Willi very kindly hosted an evening party at their home for current active members, which was enjoyed by all who attended.
We welcome back Saskia Herren after her year-long scholarship in Europe studying classical history. Soon to join us are also the intrepid travelers Maya and Andy after their year-long furlong, and we thank them for keeping us informed of their adventures with some beautiful photos (Maya advises that she is able to recommence being part of the committee again this year). At the Christmas concert we acknowledged our long-standing member Jeanne Mellamphy, who has hardly missed any practices over the past 30 years she has been a member but will probably not be able to carry on with us this year. We wish her good health.
As usual, there are many people to say thanks to. Special thanks to both Richard and Anne for stepping up and leading us during different times through the past year, and to my wife Carolyn for continuing to be our pianist and for the many hours of practice she puts in at home. Thanks to Saskia for designing the posters for the Christmas concert even though she was still overseas, and to those who beaver away in the background. Thanks also to the other members of the committee:
Sue for being Secretary (she advises she and Kim will be going away for 6 months from late June, so we need someone to take over her secretary role before she goes. Can members please consider joining the committee or think of nominations so we can fill that role).
Mark for continuing being our Treasurer and maintaining our website (as if he is not busy enough he has also become an active member of the V12 choir, making up MP3 music files for them to practice to).
Nic for staying on being an active committee member over this last year given Covid put a sudden halt to his previous travel plans.
And of course, thanks to everyone for being a part of WCS and coming to practices when we weren’t in lockdown.
Richard has kindly taken us on again for the first half of this year 2021, carrying on from where we had got to last year before Covid lockdowns put a halt to plans. The second half of the year has not been finalized yet, suffice to say that Anne will probably lead us during most of that time.