Thanks, Jeri. You'd have enjoyed the diversity of music and performance style and I'd have enjoyed seeing you. Work happens!

Sandra, all I know is that we enjoyed singing to our audience, and that they listened intently, sang along at the right places, laughed at our jokes, gave a standing ovation, and stayed through the encore. I was struck by how many people stopped chorus members afterward to say "Thank you."

We've been experimenting with stirring in more small group/duo/trio pieces than usual for our folk chorus. We heard some voices that have been blending well for years but had not had a chance to sing out, and that was delightful. In the course of the months of rehearsal, we also found some new combinations of voices that I hope we will continue to hear.

I'm grateful and honored to have Lois Lyman ("Wiscasset Schooners", "Going On", etc.) contribute her lovely vocal harmony and guitar to my singing and guitar when "Ice Storm" rolled around. A trio of two sopranos and a tenor sang a close harmony arrangement of "Crossing the Bar"-poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, music by Rani Arbo. G. Bok and C. Rohl sang Malvena Reynolds' "Quiet" for our general amusement and joined Lois Lyman on her lovely "Going On" (also recorded by Dan Schatz.) I was happy to be involved in several very different small group songs: "Los Bilbilicos", "A Phiùthrag 's a phiuthar" /"Sister's Lament" from Flora MacNeil via Gordon Bok, "Lee Fore Brace"- poem by Cicely Fox Smith, tune by A. Fitzsimmons, arranged by Gordon Bok, and "Dai Se Vase" from the Bisserov Sisters of Bulgaria.

Full chorus pieces: "Visperas de Asuncion"- from Savia Andina of Sikuri Kachiri with 2 whistles, drum, and 2 guitars as instrumentation, "Suite Spring" by Jan Harmon, Malcolm Dalglish's arrangement of "Bushy Tail" (in honor of Lotus Dicky) accompanied by banjo and mountain dulcimer, Malcolm's "Walking in the Cradle", Gordon Bok's setting of "Tom Gunnell"- poem by Hilary Cooke, Anne Dodson's "Mountain Path", "Traveller's Prayer" by John Renbourn (based on Alexander Carmichael's collection "Carmina Gadelica") Gordon Bok also made "Donkey Engine" in which the chorus creates the sound of a boat's donkey engine with traditional verses sung by a few members.

Hours after the concert, I awoke with Quasimodal member Robert Richardson's "Ballad of John Franklin" still ringing in my dreams; a gorgeous composition with a trio of young instrumentalists- flute, keyboard, and cello interwoven with our voices; based on a poem by George Boker (1823-1890).

Singing with the Quasimodal Chorus! is a one-of-a-kind experience; sometimes challenging, often sublime. I think it was a significant concert for us, and I think we'll be stronger having tried some new material and styles.