WMC's Golden Gala
A Tribute to 50 Musical Years
1964 - 2014
with performances by outstanding artists
The Williamsburg Music Club gathered at Windsor Meade's Ballroom on April 22, 2014, to celebrate their 50th anniversary!
Photography by Liz Daley, Bill Herman, Rosanne Reddin
Welcoming music by angent Trio
Charlene Campbell and Carolyn Borowski
Betty Lewis and Jane Carty
Marilyn Casey and Mary Lewis Chapman
Linda & Don Baker
Donna Herman, Golden Gala Committee member
Diana Elliott and fiancé
Registration table; Bill Doyle
Mim Hettler and Judy Doyle sell raffle tickets
Tom and Alice Lindsay; BJ Costa
Sue Danehy and Donna Herman
Golden Gala Dining Table
Golden Gala Centerpiece
A Golden Welcome and Toast by Sylvia Lynn, WMC President
Invocation by Carlton Casey
Dinner music by BJ Costa
L to R: Richard Keurajian; Ed and Ingrid Brown
Table 3
Table 5
Table 6
Dinner music by Tonia Herrin
Golden Gala Anniversary cake
Sylvia Lynn, President, and Lois Hornsby, Charter member, cut the cake
Table 7
L to R: Ginny and Frank Brinn; Philip and Nancy Burstein
Nancy Sheheen
Table 10
Table 11
Dinner music by Rosanne Reddin
Myrtle Engs
Tables 18 and 2
L to R: Susan Lantkowski; Don and Linda Baker; Tom Cobb
Table 15
Table 12
Dianne Elliott, past GIA Winner, performs La Source by Alphonse Hasselmans
More music by Dianne Elliott
A Golden Tribute to Lois Hornsby, WMC Charter member
Bill Doyle recognizes Kathy Exton, for KE Prize, Endowment Fund Founder, Golden Gala Gold and Gelt
Kathy Exton, 1971-72 and 1982-1983 WMC President, accepts thanks
Michelle Trovato performs Puccini’s O mio babbino caro, from Gianni Schicchi
Sophie Leruth, GIA Winner, performs Maurice Ravel’s Povane pour une infante defunte
A Golden Tribute to WMC's GIA Program by David Feldman, GIA Chair
WWC Choraliers, directed by Ann Porter, perform Three Poems of Christina Rossetti, music composed by Phyllis Varner, WMC first President
WWC Choraliers performs Gemstones
Golden Thanks by Barbara Haynes, Golden Gala 50th Anniversary Chair
Sophie Leruth holds raffle prize, an original watercolor by Sue Danehy
Liz Daley, Golden Gala MC, draws winning raffle ticket from basket held by BJ Costs
A Tribute to the Golden Anniversary
Kathy Exton
2014
An Anniversary! We're golden at last!
We can all look back at our noteworthy past.
Singing, bell ringing, piano and strings,
Brasses, drum beating and harps that can zing.
Flutists that flute with their flutes in a frenzy,
How could we miss a single third Wednesday?
The Music Club started in year '65-
Nineteen, this is, and we all wanted more.
With each new season our membership grew.
We all found a home and much more, we all knew.
Some lifelong friends sprang up for this core
As each month we'd gather to hear an encore!
Performing artists found a heartwarming venue.
They shared with us monthly a good varied menu.
Within the community guests came to prove
Music has many faces, and all of them "groove!"
Members took turns providing sweet treats,
And just after socials, we gathered to meet.
Officers led us through business and news,
Tat then led to music and happy reviews.
Right from the start we strove for the young.
We'd given help to students: a mission began.
We started an annual time for auditions.
Each spring it is now our Club's best tradition.
Soon we were hearing such talent galore.
It was hard for the judges, who tallied each score.
As the number of talented musicians rose
To see grants-in-aid, we soon would propose
To make "magic" happen, for as everyone knows,
Fund raising happened and scholarships rose.
Special events began to be planned
And some played for years by public demand.
Looking back, as I can, on 49 years,
I'd give special shout-outs and earthshaking cheers
To all who made "magic" throughout all the years.
Your love and your efforts supporting the young
Have grown fine musicians: your praises are sung!
By now you may think, "Her head is quite airy."
But take it from me, this rhyming is scary.
I find it a puzzle to me many times
Why all of my thinking just comes out as rhymes!
So bring on the best of the golden humdingers,
And round up more programs of bel canto singers.
Engage the best strings that ever did pluck.
We'll hear them all with our golden good luck.
We mustn't forget though, each fall we're reborn.
Now let us go forth and toot our own horn!
Happy Birthday dear Music Club!