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Technology and a Twix – a tale of two Surrey Superstars
There’s more to running a Chorus the size of Surrey Harmony than just turning up on a Wednesday to sing. Many of our members put in hours of extra work doing many jobs from organising costumes to fund-raising. In 2007 at our AGM we introduced a Surrey Harmony Superstar award to be given each year to a member who has gone beyond the call of duty.
Beyond the call of duty Emma Riley left with Chorus President Helen Walpole and Daphne Waite.
This year the award has gone to our technology whizz-kid Emma Riley. Emma is usually always accompanied by one gadget
or another – laptop, video camera, projector screen
so we can record and watch our rehearsals and
coaching sessions to monitor our progress. And she’s
always happy to help out those members of the Chorus
who are technically challenged! She is currently the
Competition Co-ordinator for our Regional
Convention, and from May 2008 will become a member
of our Regional Management Team when she will be
Events Co-ordinator.
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She’s also the Baritone in our quartet
Polyphonic. The beautifully engraved Surrey
Harmony Superstar Vase was donated by Suzy
Riley – who ironically is Emma’s Mum.
Emma says, “I was genuinely shocked to be
chosen for the award, especially because of
the connection to my Mum.
She laughed when she found out. Trouble
is I will have to make sure I dust it before
she comes round to my house!” |
We have also decided to hand out another award
each year to a member who has worked hard for the
Chorus. This vase was awarded to us at the Sligo International Music Festival when we won in 2004. The Board chose Daphne Waite as the recipient. Daffers as she is fondly known in the Chorus has been a member of Surrey Harmony for 17 years, and there aren’t many jobs she hasn’t done in that time, including a stint as President and Costume Co-ordinator.
Daffers has spent years sourcing material, jewellery, shoes and all sorts of other things for the Chorus. Ever resourceful, when she was unable to find the right shade of tights for Competition she solved the problem – dipping the tights in black tea!
She is always busy with ideas to raise money for our funds, from raffles to lucky-dip parcels and her ever popular knitted chickens. But perhaps we love her most for running the tuck-shop at rehearsal each week, where the odd Mars, Twix or Bounty can be found to give an energy boost to Chorus members and the Director after a hard night on the risers.
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