Hello and happy new year! I hope you’re warm and well as we embark on another trip around the sun. January is always a time when I slow down and enjoy the calm after the storm of the holiday hustle and bustle. I’ve been spending my evenings eating homemade soup, reading, and snuggling with my dog, Fred, on the couch. We may need to start up a PSP book club soon!
Despite the frozen ground, the Pine State Pitches are not letting the Maine winter slow us down. It has been a busy year for us already! A few weeks ago, we had the honor and pleasure of joining Women in Harmony for their winter concert, titled “Changes.” The theme was woven throughout both our individual and combined sets, as we explored the idea of changes in every form. My personal favorite, sung by Women in Harmony, was “Menopause Mambo” by Jamie Anderson, about one of the biggest physical changes a woman goes through. The group members embraced this song and had the audience roaring with laughter. “Together We Can Change the World” by Lois J. Henrickson (Lytingale) was also particularly moving. Hearing such incredible, kind women sing about the power of womanhood and fighting for each other was a moving experience for me, and reminded me there is hope when the world seems fractured. When we lean on each other, everyone is better for it.
Next, PSP took the stage, singing some of our all time favorites, including “Farther We Go” written by Walk Off the Earth and arranged by Julia Waldron. This song reflects on the changes we go through from childhood to adulthood, and the many lessons we learn along the way. It’s such a fun song to sing, and one of the first we learned as a group. As a musical theater junky, my personal favorite song we sang at this concert was “You Will be Found” from the musical “Dear Evan Hansen” (written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, arranged by McKay Crockett). “So let the sun come streaming in, ‘cause you’ll reach up and you’ll rise again” is a message we all need to hear sometimes, especially in the dark winter months.
We ended the concert with a combined set, which included “For Good” from the musical “Wicked.” The members of Women in Harmony are remarkably talented and welcomed us warmly onto their stage - it was an absolute joy to be up there with them! For the Pitches, singing with a group that has been around for so long and weathered many seasons was an inspiration. Dedication like that takes a lot of hard work, and we are so grateful to their director, Kitty, and every member of the group for inviting us to share music with them.
At the end of January, the Pitches gathered for a rehearsal to share highlights from the concert with Women in Harmony and have a (late) holiday gift exchange. Instead of buying new gifts, we each made or found items we already had but no longer needed, which allowed us to share fun stories and memories together. No matter what is going on in the world, these women can always make me laugh and forget about anything that is weighing me down.
Stay tuned as we begin to rehearse new music in the months ahead, including the song you all voted on in the fall - “Royals” by Lorde! We also have several shows to announce in the coming weeks, starting with S’mores Night at Congress Square Park on February 13th at 5pm. Keep an eye out on our website for more information on our upcoming events, we have a lot of exciting gigs coming up!
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