Southport Magazine

What: Sea Notes Choral Society ‘To Those Who Serve’ Patriotic Concert
When: Saturday, June 28th • 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 29th • 3 p.m.
Where: Odell Williamson Auditorium
50 College Rd., Bolivia
Cost: Free
Info: www.sea-notes.com

“Music has the power to uplift one’s spirits, to stir one’s emotions, to cause the heart to sing or to cry. Choral patriotic music has that power,” Cindy Sellers, director of the Sea Notes Choral Society, enthusiastically states. “The Sea Notes is a choral group of 100-plus volunteer music lovers that enjoy singing and sharing their passion with the community.”

This group of musicians presents free concerts three times per year: spring, Independence Day, and Christmas. The upcoming performances on June 28th and 29th present their patriotic concert, “Those Who Serve,” honoring and commemorating over 200 years of America’s heroes and their bravery.

“Those Who Serve” could hit close to home for many, such as the director herself. Cindy’s husband, Donald, was an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam. She also followed Donald while he was in flight school and accompanied the base chorus in Fort Wolters, Texas, and Hunter Air Field in Savannah, Georgia. Others in Cindy’s family who served in America’s armed forces were her father, father-in-law, and an uncle.

While attending High Point College and minoring in music, Cindy accepted her first church choir director position. Cindy brings an eclectic and spontaneous approach to her directing position, along with the help of her accompanist, Jane Boberg. Cindy was appointed director of the Sea Notes by the founder, “Miss Connie” Ledgett, after the Fourth of July in 1974. Cindy is currently music director and organist at the Village Chapel of Bald Head Island and has been for 15 years.

The Sea Notes will take its audience on a musical journey through our nation’s military history, while touching on several milestones that relate to 2014. “Interestingly, this year will commemorate the 200th birthday of our national anthem, so we chose a new, special arrangement to open our program,” Cindy explains. “Then we move through the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, the centennial of the start of WWI, the 70th anniversary of D-Day, and the 50th since the start of the Vietnam War.”

Patriotism. What exactly is it? Cindy describes it perfectly. “I’m descended from men who fought for our Independence and women who supported that fight. I am proud of their courage and conviction. Patriotism for me is the pride in and respect for that heritage and the hope for the perpetuation of our liberty to our posterity.”

Patriotism will be amplified on June 28th and 29th as the Sea Notes powerfully move and entertain through patriotic memories, voices and music. Attend either show, both held at the Odell Williamson Auditorium in Bolivia, for free. For more information, visit www.sea-notes.com.