May 24: Composers – Allan, A Song of Joys, 2018

Jon Curtis Season of the Day, SOTD - May

We conclude our first Miniseries with Allan Petker’s “A Song of Joys” which was commissioned by Consort in honor of its 25th Anniversary Concert, 2018. Our fundraiser for the commission was one our fastest, most successful to date. Everyone was so excited to see what he would create. His setting of Walt Whitman’s poem beautifully expresses what Consort has meant to us all these years.

Allan gives us a further introduction at the beginning of the video …

And for Allan fans, don’t fret! We will be sharing a few more of his songs as parts of other miniseries yet to come!

Allan leads numerous weekend choral workshops around the country.  One of Consort’s favorites has been the Mendocino workshop held in the springtime.  For many years, Bob Friestad has organized housing and parties for about 2 dozen consort members and their significant others, to enjoy an extended weekend on the California coast, learning new music, singing in Sunday worship, whale watching, and feasting on Bob’s BBQ’ed salmon!  It’s been a sort of “Same Time Next Year” event for many of us, with great stories that won’t be shared here.

We have continued to call it the “Mendo” or Mendocino Weekend, but it has not actually been held in the city of Mendocino for over two decades.  Where is the Mendocino retreat actually held?

Answer: In the late 1990s the retreat looked like it would be cancelled.  The Fort Bragg Presbyterian Church stepped in and rescued it.  It has been held in Fort Bragg ever since.  Consort members have since stayed in numerous vacation homes in Jug Handle, Casper, and southern Fort Bragg.