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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Singers,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now that the smoke has cleared from the Cary Arts Center (and the Hibernian), I am writing to thank you all for a really outstanding concert last night. It was a successful night in every way and your energy and hard work made it happen. Matt Alber asked me to tell you that he was very impressed with your singing and your musicality. He said that he especially appreciated how friendly and welcoming you were and that he really enjoyed getting to meet so many of you individually. I deeply appreciated his incredible musicianship, artistry, and his kind and generous nature. I was delighted for you to have the opportunity to experience him in performance the same way as I have. It is my hope that we can have him back with us some time in the future.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now that the performance is behind us I will readily admit that this was a very challenging program. I can’t recall the last time we had the Symphonic Choir singing so much unaccompanied music. The pieces Matt sang were especially difficult and you managed to pull them off very well. Bravo to Megan Brachtl for stepping into the pressure cooker and singing beautifully opposite Matt. Many thanks also go to Fran Cloke, Jenn Myers, Simon Bate, and Peter LeBeau for their beautiful work on <i>Lammaa Badaa Yatathannaa</i> and an extra thanks to Jenn for handling the toils of concert coordination and logistics. Thanks as well go to Megan, Fran and Meredith Cannington for their outstanding small ensemble work on <i>Hold On!</i> Many thanks also to my wonderful wife, Ingrid, for keeping us (and me) organized and focused.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I want to make special mention of my appreciation to Allen Bailey for his superb ability at the piano and his willingness to play in pain as he struggles with a pinched nerve in his neck. His musical gifts are intrinsically woven throughout the artistic DNA of The Concert Singers of Cary and we are extremely blessed to have him with us.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In closing, I want to thank all of you for your enthusiasm in supporting the organization and helping us to build our audience. We sold 313 tickets to the performance; that would not have happened without you. I very much thank our board of directors for being so capable and rock solid.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’m looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow night from 7:15 – 9:45 at Marcus Dry as we change our focus to Holiday Pops. For now though, lets enjoy the feeling of satisfaction of a job that was exceedingly well done!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Larry<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'>Lawrence Speakman<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'>Artistic Director and Conductor</span></b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#984806'><img width=121 height=122 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01CEE941.B59B1A30" alt="CSC_final_logo"></span><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'>The Concert Singers of Cary<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'><a href="http://www.concertsingers.org"><span style='color:blue'>www.concertsingers.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'><a href="http://www.speakmanvocalarts.com"><span style='color:blue'>www.speakmanvocalarts.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#984806'>919-249-6421<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>