“A Grand Gathering of Glorious Song” by Richard Huggins Page One The Warren Angell 100th Birthday / Bison Glee Club 70th Anniversary reunion, held Nov. 9-10, 2007, at the Oklahoma Baptist University campus, went wonderfully well! The Saturday concert rose to an exalted level. The weekend was as grand a gathering as could have been hoped for and then some. Photos: Bill Rayborn's Photos | OBU Homecoming 2007 Site We started with an early bird rehearsal at 4 p.m. at University Baptist Church. The line to get music and folders was evidence that most people were able to be there by then, and indeed we got off to a roaring start. Soon those unmistakable sounds of richly mature voices, mixed with the scrub-faced voices of collegians, were wafting throughout the auditorium. (If anything was richer it was the church's stunning stained glass. When in Shawnee next, be sure you ask to see it some afternoon as the sun sets.) When the current BGC was acknowledged, the room broke out into loud and sustained applause. That set the tone for a weekend of genuine and enthusiastic affection for the current club. Getting the music rehearsed was an interesting challenge all weekend, due to some of the small groups needing portions of the main-group rehearsal to get their own numbers ready. But we adapted and bore down, and amazingly I believe all the music got the amount of time each one needed. Certain numbers received the most attention, but rest assured that we did justice to them all! I am very thankful to Randall Bradley, Michael Cox, Jim Brown, Jim Vernon, Don Blackley and current BGC director David DeSeguirant for not only their skillful directing but for their flexibility in making the rehearsal challenges work so well. John Simons truly wished he could be there, but obligations that included his own male chorus at Emory University prevented him from being able to return. Admittedly, there was an air of what-to-expect when it was Dr DeSeguirant's (“Dr. D.”) time to conduct. He had chosen Deep River. What a gamble, one might think! Well---the man has the goods. The BGC is under no risk of being poorly conducted. It was an impressive display of preparedness, exactness, clarity and command, reminiscent of James D. Woodward. It was quite enjoyable to sing with him. Harvest Dinner was at 6 p.m., then at 8 p.m. we reconvened at the church, adding a good number of folks who couldn't make the first rehearsal. Again all went very well, then at 10 p.m. we headed for the student center for the Warren Angell Birthday Party. (Partying at 10 p.m.--- who SAYS we're getting older????) ANGELL B.D. PARTY Bravo to Kaye Shields, Shawnee piano teacher and '69 grad, for a masterful job of decorating the area! Wow! With her touch and with other items brought by some of the alums, it was a walk-through exhibit of Angell and BGC artifacts. Valued items included the Dean's academic degrees, a baton of his, a priceless master folder of music and much much more. The university served cake and sundaes. Entertainment was by the Four Counts--Jim Brown Bill Littleton, Glenn Boyd and C.L. Bass. They sang some mighty difficult stuff, including their famed Sippin' Cider Through a Straw which changes keys 13 times. (It's only supposed to change 8 times, but it had been a long day...) They did a wonderful job. If you haven't heard Jim Brown "do" Tiny Tim (minus the ukelele), you haven't fully lived. Next Sue Kimberling brought a touching tribute to Dean Angell. The lingering fellowship was pert nere indestructible, though finally the last soul struggled to bed, full of dairy products, flour goods amd many cups of loving brotherhood. Not to worry, though...the calories were worked off with countless treks down Memory Lane. |