In response to my agreeing to become Vice President of the Musical Club of Hartford at its last annual meeting to be held at the Town and Country Club in the late spring of 2019, I signed on to take an active role helping Carolyn Bernstein manage the High School Choral Competitions to be held in late January of 2020. Subsequently, I booked a flight to Colombia, S.A., a few days after the conclusion of these competitions in order to join my son in his personal journey at a retreat center near Cali. After my two weeks of venture and visits with friends, I checked in at the airport for my return flight home. The only question I was asked at the International Flights counter was: “Have you recently flown here from China?” Later I realized the significance of this query. By the end of March, 2020, the world was beginning to close down under the threat of the Covid-19 Pandemic and Sue was crafting cloth masks to cover our noses and mouths. This was the beginning of a tragic and eventful time for us all, truly ‘historic’ in its dimension and consequences. Our 2020-2021 Yearbook was unlike any that had preceded it. Inside the cover, we read: “For the first time since its founding, Musical Club has been forced to cancel or curtail its activities. Not in war-time nor in time of economic peril has the Club closed its doors—until this year.” Yet in the year that unfolded, we did find new and creative ways to be ‘faithful to the best in music.’

Movement I: 2020-2021, the 130th Anniversary Year of the Musical Club of Hartford

An initial look at the 2020-2021 Yearbook evokes a depressing catalogue of well-planned programs CANCELLED due to the Global Pandemic. What developed, however, was an amazing year of “virtual” programming via Zoom. Early on, Michelle Duffy published lively bulletins informing members of programs available ‘on line.’ People were generous with their creative electronics! It didn’t take long for a Virtual Program Task Force (aka AHCHOO) to take hold and begin planning, producing, and constantly evaluating an amazing program year that unfolded in the midst of uncertainty. Given some legal cover under the concept of “Force Majeure,” the Executive Board moved the scheduled May 2019-2020 annual meeting to a virtual Zoom webinar gathering on September 24. Zoom was to become the Club’s meeting space for more than a year. AHCHOO (Ad-Hoc Committee on Health-Oriented Operations) dedicated itself to bringing quality virtual programs from then on, thanks to Deborah Robin, David Schonfeld, Ginny Allen, Michelle Duffy, and Robert Connell, along with Michelle Duffy’s e-mail notices, as well as the improved website developed and maintained by David Schonfeld and Natalie Harbeson.

In early December, the Executive Board received notice that MCH President Sylvia Goldstein, after careful deliberation, resigned for personal reasons. Thus, Vice President Bill Warner-Prouty assumed the Club’s presidency, initiating a bit of ‘musical chairs’ on the Executive Board. In the end, former President Suzanne Hertel agreed to serve as Vice President (providing wisdom and ‘guard rails’ to a newly minted President) until the next annual meeting. Ginny Allen agreed to replace Suzanne as Member at Large on the Board. This leadership adjustment was unanimously approved by the Board. “Force Majeure.”

The New Year opened with a delightful virtual program of “Storytelling Oboes” performed by the Oboe Duo Agosto of Ling-Fei Kang, oboe and Charles Huang, English horn. Meanwhile,
AHCHOO had been developing a Virtual Programming Survey, via “Survey Monkey,” to reach out to Club membership and see how we were doing with our virtual programs, realizing how much we all missed in-person programs. This survey provided ground-work for a
Mid-Year Meeting scheduled for February 4, which gave us the opportunity to discuss the changes in Club governance, but mostly to give us all a chance to join smaller ‘chat groups’ for more personal inter-action, albeit, virtual. The Board members also spent time making ‘check-up’ phone calls to all the members listed in the 2020-2021 Yearbook, just to have some more personal contact.

As we moved toward our Annual Meeting scheduled for May 6, AHCHOO had been arranging for an amazing range of programs: Bach to Bartok with Dr. Gary Capozziello, violinist; two ‘Roundtables’ with 2020 E.B. Storrs Scholars, arranged and moderated by Media Maestro David Schonfeld; and a Centenary look at the Hartt School of Music. As plans for the 2021-2022 program year were coming into place, we expected to be virtual until the end of the calendar year, but hopeful that we could return to the Westminster Sanctuary for full in-person musical enjoyment in 2022.

Movement II: 2021-2022, the 131st Anniversary Year of the Musical Club of Hartford

Looking through the hot-pink-covered yearbook sent out in late August of 2021, with a special dedication to Anne Mayo for her 20 years of editing, I had become keenly aware of how much work goes into the preparation, printing and dissemination of this indispensable member ‘handbook.’ “As the COVID Pandemic [was] beginning to loosen its hold on all of us…the Musical Club of Hartford [was] making plans to return to our normal activities.” This became a very complicated process that, in musical terms, could be described as a scherzo, active and improvisational, with some good humor along the way. Board meetings and programs were to continue through Zoom, with a variety of offerings: Listening to historical recordings with Mark Bailey at Yale’s Sound Recordings Collection; appreciating the accomplishments of the Hartt Community School competition winners, facilitated by HCD Interim Executive Director, Michelle Fiertek; a carefully planned membership Zoom gathering to prepare for a return to in-person gatherings in 2022; and an inspiring presentation of the Charter Oak Cultural Center Youth Arts Institute. Behind all of this the Board became very busy, first replacing two members-at-large who had become inactive with Stacy Cahoon and ‘two-fer’ conscription of Anne and Fred Fenn. Zoom made the geographical reach of Board membership extend as far as Barkhamsted!

With a full Board in place, we set about addressing a host of issues relevant to the present and future operation of the MCH in the wake of the Pandemic. Top on the list was when and how we could return to safe in-person concertizing at Westminster. Following the church’s lead, protocols were developed to provide for a safe return: proof of vaccination; masks; spaced seating; limits on the types of performance. Our new VP Ginny Allen was a great help with her medical background and program scheduling knowledge. As we put together a revised program for 2022, other issues were also addressed: the Council of Presidents was convened for advice on past-present-future thoughts; a re-evaluation of the Red Book was conducted, resulting in setting aside 6 Committees; an evaluation and suspension of the High School Competitions to be replace by the Hartt Community Division competitions with the remaining annual E.B. Storrs competition and concert. A revised performance schedule was put into place taking us from the Storrs Piano Recital on March 24, 2022, to a final Music by Members program on June 16. We realized, too, that programs in the warmer, open-window months would be safer. The business year was concluded on June 9 with our annual meeting held in the social hall of Westminster, a real change necessitated by cost and convenience. Finally, the Executive Board concluded that it would be helpful to simply remain ‘in place’ into the new program year. This Board recommendation was approved by the membership with thanks to a fully active Executive Board: Bill Warner-Prouty, President; Virginia Allen, Vice President; Susan Lionberger, Recording Secretary; Adrianne Brown, Corresponding Secretary; Michelle Duffy & Alan Kennedy, Co-treasurers; Cynthia Lang, Assistant Treasurer; Suzanne Hertel, Deborah Robin, Stacy Cahoon, Anne and Fred Fenn, Members-at-Large. The 131st Anniversary Year of The Musical Club of Hartford was in tune and ready for the next Movement.

Movement III: 2022-2023, the 132nd Anniversary Year of the Musical Club of Hartford

As the fresh-green-covered Yearbook came into shape over the summer through the combined efforts of Bulletin (Michelle Duffy, chair), Member List (Jerri Pease, chair), Publicity (Deborah Robin, chair) and Yearbook (Virginia Allen, chair) Committees, significant changes to the 2022-2023 performance schedule were adopted at the recommendation of the Schedule Committee, chaired by Karen de Bergh Robinson. Covid having made us aware of the risks of scheduling winter performances, along with some member frustration with weather cancellations, the Board adopted the recommendation that no performances be scheduled in January and February. Concerts would resume in March and the E.B. Storrs recital and member concerts would be extended into mid-June. This extension of the calendar would also enable music teachers who work in public school systems to perform. With plans to open the season with a reception following the concert, we were good to go.

The season progressed high-lighted by some delightful music offered by members, even including a musical exploration of the Classical Music of South India presented by our own David Schonfeld. As the holiday season approached, a member reception was planned to follow the December 8 member concert provided by Virginia Allen, Michelle Duffy, Linda MacGougan, and Bob Breen. As the Executive Board continued its Red Book evaluation under leadership of Deborah Robin and Virginia Allen, a date was set in January (19th) for a Board future planning retreat to be held at the Quaker Meetinghouse. V.P. Virginia Allen volunteered to lead our gathering. January also featured a rescheduled Jolidon concert featuring West Hartford native, Talya Smilowitz, and her accompanist, Zisl Slepovitch. Ruth Yancovich was happy to host a reception after the concert.

Spring was on the horizon with the Storrs Scholars’ recital on March 23. Plans were beginning to take shape for the next season’s budget prepared by Robert Connell and program schedule under Deborah Robin’s creative leadership. The results of the January “mini-retreat” offered a raft of ideas concerning the present needs and future options for the Musical Club of Hartford. But the Nominating Committee was having trouble recruiting members to serve on the Executive Board, especially the 4-6-year commitment required by for someone to accept the nomination as vice president. In early May, the Board was informed that Virginia Allen would not be able to continue as vice president. The issue of leadership succession was in a crisis. An emergency Board meeting was soon held at the home of Adrianne Brown. A planning document was prepared by Michelle Duffy and Robert Connell. Building upon the work done at the January retreat, this document provided a framework for the Future Planning Task Force that would eventually be put to work. Given the unexpected nature of this ‘crisis,’ the decision was made to continue with plans for the Annual Business Meeting on June 8, with the following slate of officers: Bill Warner-Prouty would continue for another year as Acting President; Vice President was to be determined (TBD); Susan Lionberger, Recording Secretary; Anne Filion, Corresponding Secretary; Michelle Duffy & Alan Kennedy, Co-Treasurers; Assistant Treasurer, TBD; Robert Connell, Cynthia Lang, Anne & Fred Fenn, and Stacy Cahoon, Members-at-Large. With the approval of the gathered membership the leadership of the Musical Club of Hartford voted on June 8, to move into the future, still ‘faithful to the best in music.’

Movement IV: 2023-2024, the 133rd Anniversary Year of the Musical Club of Hartford

Before the 2023-2024 Yearbook in its ‘true blue’ cover reached the membership in early September vacancies in the Club’s Executive Board had been filled, with Anne Filion stepping forward as Vice President, Mel Ellis agreeing to take on the position of Corresponding Secretary, and Susan Mardinly taking on the responsibility of Assistant Treasurer. Scheduling chairperson, Deborah Robin and her committee had arranged for a full, yet slightly shortened concert season that included a February “sign up” program for a mid-winter lift, all to be complemented by two Musical Explorations, two Jolidon concerts, and, of course, the ‘bed-rock’ Storrs Scholars piano recital to bring us into the spring of the year. With the expert guidance of Vice President Anne Filion a Task Force was formed to plan for the future operations of the Musical Club of Hartford. Joining Anne in this work were Michelle Duffy, Linda MacGougan, Colette Switaj, Fred & Anne Fenn, and Cynthia Lang. Early on in the new season, it became clear that post-concert coffee gatherings were needed, both for building community and providing a friendly setting for recruiting more membership involvement in the Club’s month-to-month, year-in, year-out operations. These opportunities for ‘sign-ups’ also became a helpful way to recruit member performers and ‘chairs of the day” for the 2024-2025 season. A full, helpful Task Force Committee Report was submitted to the Executive Board in December. Anne Filion was ready to resume the MCH presidency at the May 2, 2024 Annual Meeting and I was happy to hand over the gavel and place the presidential pin in Anne’s able hands.

 
Coda

It is truly remarkable what we all have been through over the past four years. Mine was something of an “accidental presidency,” but this role has brought me into an amazing community of talented and serious musicians as well as the ranks of ‘lovers of music,’ among whom I count myself. World Historical events, such as the Covid Pandemic, the January 6, 2020 assault on our nation’s capital, the Russia-inflicted war in Ukraine and the Hamas-inflicted war in the Middle East have impacted us all in different ways. Through it all, music has continued to be a true ‘balm in Gilead.’ As my tenure as president has drawn to a close, two words come to my mind: improvisation and resilience. The Musical Club’s ability to adapt to Zoom and virtual programming through the improvisational creativity of the “AHCHOO” group, along with a committed Executive Board, kept things happening. Finally, though, it was the willingness of the membership to learn, adapt and grow that attests to the resilience made possible by our common love of the arts and our common desire to be ‘always faithful to the best in music.’


By William Warner-Prouty

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