Looking ahead to more gigs
Good things are happening to the relatively new group known as the Mint City Singers. After a year of getting organized, sorting out who and what to be and looking ahead to invitations for more performance gigs, the fledgling chorale has received encouragement from three auspicious occurrences. A grant from St. Johns Community Foundation, the appointment of an interim director and a spot under the umbrella of the Clinton County Arts Council added to their enthusiasm. The latter will allow for tax free donations benefiting the singing group.
Elizabeth Hoard, right, receives a warm welcome from Mark Grueneberg and Carol Malewska as she joins the Mint City Singers as a summertime director. Come fall, Ms. Hoard will enter her fourth year of music and singing studies at MSU.
The recent grant, a gift of $700.00, has allowed the purchase of a piano keyboard, an addition that accompanist Karen Hoffman blissfully welcomed. While founding director Marcus Roll provided a course of direction, his departure left leadership to a brief succession of college music majors who filled in. That role will now be held by Michigan State University music major, Elizabeth Hoard. The trio of serendipitous announcements only added enthusiasm to the most recent rehearsal and the future is on the upswing.
Ms. Hoard is entering her fourth year at MSU, double majoring in music education and vocal performance. She has performed with the State singers and is a member of the University Choral, Women’s Chamber Ensemble and sings with the St. John Church and Student Center in East Lansing. She has performed in five collegiate operatic presentations as well as studying opera in Todi, Italy (2009) and Tianjin, China (2011). In addition to her vocal background, Ms. Hoard has taken private lessons on the flute and piano.
“I am beyond excited to create and perform music with the Mint City Singers,” Ms. Hoard said. “It brings me great joy to share my passion of both music and teaching with this group and I am looking toward the future.”
The excitement of a grant and new leadership may overshadow the successes the group has enjoyed since inception a year ago. Marcus Roll’s direction led the singers through a number of presentations including the 2011 National Night Out event, Sunday Services at St. Johns Lutheran Church, a public concert last October and, most recently, an evening presentation at the VFW during intermission of “Ireland in Stories and Song,” featuring Fr. Eoin Murphy on behalf of Clinton County Arts Council.
“Right now,” commented Ms. Malewska, “our group numbers about 15 singers and pianist Karen Hoffman, but we’re looking for additional members as we line up appearances. We have already agreed to an hour presentation Saturday afternoon Aug. 11 during the Mint Festival. We’ll be singing from 3:30 to 4:30 at the band shell. Our rehearsals are open and encourage anyone who enjoys singing to consider joining us.”
She went on to express appreciation to Elizabeth Hoard for assuming the role of summer director and a special note of thanks to the board of directors of St. Johns Community Foundation for the $700.00 grant. “That gift is certainly a shot in the arm that will invigorate our agenda,” she said, “and we are deeply appreciative of their thoughtfulness.” As a closing thought, Ms. Malewka referenced the association with Clinton County Arts Council and reminded that tax free donations may now be made through that organization toward the benefit of Mint City Singers.
As mentioned, the grant has been directed toward the purchase of a piano keyboard, an instrument vitally important to a mobile group such as the Mint City Singers plan to be.
Ms. Hoard points out that the Mint City Singers currently rehearse each Wednesday evening from 7p to 8:30p at the St. Johns Lutheran Church and she encouraged all who might have an interest in learning more about the group to simply appear at a session or contact Carol Malewska, 989 834-2282 cdmalewska@yahoo.com, Susan Mahoney, 989 224-4361 sm2nkids@voyager.net or Elizabeth Hoard, 517 712-0462 elizabethmariephotos@gmail.com.