by Kim Keeton
What does January mean to you? Making New Year's resolutions. Getting back to that exercise routine to burn off all those holiday calories. Trying to remember where you were at work before the break. Wondering how early you need to leave to beat the weekend traffic to Tahoe. Longing for just a few more hours of daylight in the evenings. How about this one: going to a fabulous bash where you can hear great music from a wide range of genres, bid on amazing experiences and items in a silent auction, feast on sumptuous hors d'oeuvres and wines, and help out one of your favorite musical organizations. Sounds like a fun January to me!
PME is getting ready for our annual fundraiser, which will be held on Saturday, January 27. This year's theme is "Cities and Seasons: a Musical Journey." What began years ago as an afternoon parlor concert in our director's living room has grown into a major event including a concert and silent auction, to be held at the Town and Gown Club in Berkeley.
Boy, do we have a journey for you! We'll take you on a musical tour of the world, with stops in the mid-west, Paris, Wales, Istanbul, and a long layover in one of our favorite spots, New York. Of all the events we do, I like this one the most, because we get the opportunity to sing all the genres we love. You'll hear musical theatre, covers of rock songs, classical pieces, spirituals, barbershop, and soul, just to name a few.
Of all the genres, my personal favorite is musical theatre - musical comedy, in particular. I work in a serious high-tech research job in Silicon Valley, so the opportunity to act silly and make people laugh really appeals to me. Whether it's a little smirk or a side-splitting, laugh-until-you-cry moment, it's incredibly rewarding to watch the audience reaction and know you've somehow injected a little levity.
Our soloists are out in force this year - some familiar, and some new to the PME family. I heard all of the auditions, and I can pretty much promise that they will knock your socks off, as will our ensembles, both small and large.
What's a whirlwind trip without souvenirs, you ask? Our silent auction isn't to be missed! Last year's event raised nearly a tenth of PME's overall budget, and we hope that this year will be just as successful - maybe even more so. This year's offerings include some of the hottest items of the past (Chez Panisse dinners, Rosenblum wines, spectacular dinners prepared in your home, private concerts, massages) and some one-of-a-kind surprises.
To keep your energy up on your harmonious travels, the PME culinary team is cooking up delights from places far and wide, along with lovely wines and bubbly. We haven't earned the nickname "singer-eaters" without reason! You're in for a real treat.
So put on your travelin' shoes and bring your checkbook for an amazing musical journey through time and place!