Southport Magazine

The Sea Notes 2016 Spring concert

STORY BY: JEFFREY STITES

Friends. Many of us came to the Southport area from elsewhere, putting us far from family. Friends fill that gap– sharing holidays, supporting us through troubles, celebrating good times. Even if you happen to be surrounded by family, friends play an important role in all our lives. It is perfectly appropriate, then, that The Sea Notes Choral Society dedicates its 2016 Spring Concert to friendship.

“That’s What Friends Are For,” takes to the stage of Odell Williamson Auditorium on the campus of Brunswick Community College for two performances, Saturday April 2 at 7:30 pm and Sunday April 3 at 3:00 pm. The show is directed by Marie-Pierre Fletcher, a native of Luxembourg transplanted to Holden Beach.

“Marie-Pierre Is an amazing music professional from Luxembourg who recently joined us and sang a beautiful solo during our Christmas concert,” explained Sea Notes President Jim Nelson.

All Sea Notes shows are presented free of charge, a joy made possible by the choral society’s many, well, friends! “We are very fortunate for the generosity of our audiences. Contributions from “Friends of Sea Notes,” Business Supporters and at-concert collections help support our efforts. We also collect dues from all singers,” said Nelson.

The Sea Notes Choral Society is an all-volunteer ensemble numbering about 130 voices. Those singers, the heart of the Sea Notes, are volunteers from all walks of life. Nelson listed quite a few professions the current line-up draws from, including lawyer, doctor, dentist, teacher, accountant, engineer, business owner, housewife, minister and National Park ranger. “Perhaps surprisingly, we have relatively few music professionals but a lot of devoted singers,” he said.

Audiences enjoying “That’s What Friends Are For” will be treated to such songs as “Thank You For Being a Friend”, “I’ll Be There For You”, “You’ll Never Walk Alone”,“Together Wherever We Go”, and “Wind Beneath My Wings”.

“There will be many familiar popular songs and we’re sure the audience will be delighted,” said Nelson.

Following this spring’s show, Sea Notes will offer two more concerts in 2016, a Patriotic Concert on June 25-26 and a Christmas Concert on December 3-4, both also at Odell Williamson Auditorium.

The Sea Notes Choral Society not only provides free concerts, but also offers an annual $1000 scholarship to a deserving high school senior. The recipient of the 2015 scholarship, Callie Hicks from West Brunswick High School, is currently at UNC-Chapel Hill pursuing a pre-med degree. The deadline for the 2016 scholarship is April 4 and an application can be found under the Scholarship tab on the Sea Notes website, www.sea-notes.com.