Milan musicians prepare for performance
Dress rehearsal set for Sesquicentennial Choir
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

Dress rehearsal for the Milan Sesquicentennial Choir will take place on Sunday, June 27, at the high school gym from 2:00 till 4:00 p.m., according to Bill Schein, retired Milan music educator.

"We invite anyone who would like to hear the choir to attend the rehearsal," said Schein, who noted that it would be a work session with stops and starts. "We hope people will feel free to attend the rehearsal, then return on Sunday, July 4, for the performance to see whether we have improved."

For the past several months, rehearsals for the Sesquicentennial Choir have taken place on the first Monday of every month in the choral room of the high school. During May and June, directors added the first Sunday to rehearsal time.

"Attendance has been excellent; we have 111 choir members listed in the program," Schein said. "The participants are having a great time and want to share their music with others. Some former choir members who are coming from a distance may want to add their voices; we certainly won't turn anyone away."

In addition to the adults who will be performing secular music from 1854 to 1954, Milan sixth through twelfth graders who have been enrolled in music classes the past school year will present music numbers from 1954 to 2004.

Milan choral/band instructors since 1954 will participate as directors and accompanists for the choirs. In addition to Bill Schein, the musicians include Lynn Maricle of Madison, Trish Johnson of Aurora; Dara Stutler, Stefani Bedel, and Mindy Barrett, all presently employed in the Milan school system as choral, band, and elementary instructors.
Schein also noted that Don Myers has researched the music the choirs will be performing and will give a brief background of each number. A program will feature names of the participants; musical numbers, composers, and years of composition; direc
tors with brief bios of each.

On Sunday, July 4, a community worship service will take place at 10:00 a.m. in the Milan High School gym. The student-led program is under the leadership of Donna Barton
and Connie Cottingham. "This will be a service of praise and thanksgiving," said Schein.

Following this service and a 15-minute intermission, the Sesquicentennial Choir will perform.