Ushers march. Paul Goldfinger photo from a couple of years ago. ©

Scene:  I attended the 65th Annual Choir Festival on July 14, 2019, mostly as a roving photographer, wearing my press pass, wandering up to the highest roosts, but also exploring the back of the Great Auditorium as well as walking among the audience outside.

They were congregating around the tents or under the trees.   Many were sitting on the ground, or on the tent porches, or on folding chairs and benches in the park,  or standing in the open doorways of the Great Auditorium along with the ushers.

I also took the time to sit in the back seats and listen carefully to the music which was magnificent. I like that location for gaining perspective and breezes.  And the people there seem a bit more interesting.

The hymns were especially moving when everyone in the room stood to join in with the chorus, soloists,  and the brass ensemble.   The sound was amplified, and a CD was being recorded.   Eight conductors took charge.  The Mid-Atlantic Brass Ensemble were there and they were so good. Over 500 voices from 7 states came to participate as part of the Great Festival Chorus in the heat of the day.  It was a brutally hot day and evening.

Dr. Jason Tramm was the Director of Music Ministries.  His star performers included Dr. Gordon Turk organist; and vocalists Ronald Naldi, Katherine Pracht, Justin Beck, Justin Gonzalez and Monica Ziglar.

Quite a few ushers were present including some young men.  They were standing around the periphery, holding empty straw baskets which they would soon carry about for donations.  I noticed a young fellow waiting patiently for the collection to begin.

I was standing next to him, so I said, “I think I will be your first donation” as I dropped a five into his basket. He said, “Thank you.”

But there was a speaker addressing the audience. It was Nancy Ann Gillian, Program Committee Chair,  OGCMA.

She was there to encourage contributions.  Evidently envelopes had been passed out.  Then she said that the CMA wanted to encourage $150.00 from each member of the audience.

I was startled by that number, but I heard no gasps coming from the audience.  Hopefully they reach their goal, because this Choir Festival is a huge and historic undertaking, and the CMA has an impressive season of programming ahead.

The ushers kept busy and they had to deal with a few medical issues among the visitors.  One of the older men at the door spoke to me,  “Your shoelace is untied.”  The ushers don’t have much to say, but they don’t miss a thing.

—-Paul Goldfinger,  Editor@Blogfinger.net