Page 46 - Summer 2023 Tags and Swipes Newsletter

Tags and Swipes, Summer 2023

Valley Shore Acappella

Like many other choruses, we were excited to get back to in-person rehearsals after a long time apart.
We were rusty and had to relearn singing together as one voice in 4 parts. Amazingly, we briefly found a
Director in July of 2021. Unfortunately, long distance and family issues and we parted company that
Fall.

Then a new member who was a music teacher stepped into the breach, only to have personal illness force
her to leave us. Then our own Mary Blewitt and Ellen Newbery stepped up on a temporary basis to fill
the gap. They brought through our first public performance on Memorial Day for a local Veterans group.
It was uplifting to perform well for an enthusiastic audience again!

Since Mary and Ellen had many other responsibilities and pursuits, we started our third Director search in
two years. Again, fate was kind to our chorus and a former VSA member, Susan Campagnano, offered
her services. She has had extensive musical training and has been a music teacher and piano instructor.
She did a 4-week trial with our chorus and at the end of that period was offered a contract as VSA’s new
Director.

We know many choruses have had difficulty finding new Directors during the past few years. We do feel
very fortunate to have found musically talented women willing to invest in our chorus.

Our chorus has also had the good fortune to welcome new members. Our new leads are Liz Gray, who
happens to be the sister of one of our basses, Karen Sedgwick, and Marylou Rice, whose daughter is a
Sweet Adeline in Massachusetts! We have a new bass, Lisa Picarazzi and a new Baritone, Heather
Semotan. They have brought new energy and enthusiasm to Valley Shore Acappella. Our chorus has
been revitalized and we are looking forward to a harmonious future!

Marylou Zinser

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North Atlantic Region 1 Sweet Adelines

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