Grants in each of the three categories will
be awarded in memory of one of the
following people who were very special to the
Chorus. Below please find information
about the lives of each of these people
and their connection to the Mayflower Chorus.
Larry Vargo — 1937-1991
Composer, chorus director, performer, Larry Vargo loved his music, dedicating
most
of his life to the creation and performance of music of all
kinds.
His
attitude toward music went far beyond the average aficionado. He inspired the
people
he knew, or even had just met, to enjoy music. He encouraged others to
explore music and
experiment with their voices. He encouraged the joy and fun
inherent in music and created
and maintained a Chorus for the people, a place
where anyone who was willing to work,
follow direction, and be a part of the
group could sing without fear of
censorship.
With
Marty Balin and Bill Collins, he co-founded the Town Criers, playing at night
spots
and in concerts throughout the western United States, including the
"hungry i." And he
can occasionally be heard to let his rich Bass "Fall into The
Gap[1]"
He
created some incredibly haunting and joyous music for the people to enjoy! From
his
fantasy "Land of Snow" to "Oh, What a Morning[2]"
to "Soliloquy[3]"
to "Shout,
Shout," a rousing gospel number enjoyed by performers as well as
audiences, his soulful
expression of the human spirit and its love for life
comes clearly across to his
listeners.
It is
in this spirit of music for the people, music for the joy of it, that the
Mayflower
Community Chorus has established a scholarship in Larry's name. With
this gift, we hope
to encourage the creators, directors, and performers of
Larry's art to pursue their muses
while maintaining the joy and enjoyment of
music.
Bill Mallouk — 1949-1993
Bill
Mallouk had a wondrous appreciation of music and the world in general. Children
always recognized this quality and flocked to him. Created for these young
people, his
performance of the "Grinch," a tradition in the Chorus' Christmas
Concerts, reflected his
sincerity toward and respect for
them.
His
innate ability to emote, comically express ideas and characters, and work in
harmony,
both vocally and mentally, with other professional performers added to
his musical ability
as a gifted Tenor. He skillfully combined these talents to
become a delightful musical comedy
performer. He appeared in many productions,
including several roles with the Mountain Play,
Benny in Guys and Dolls, and
Besac in The New Moon. He co-starred in several original musicals,
including Ark Row[4]
and Hello, Marin, Hello[5]
and played the villain to perfection in the
melodrama Hearts of the West[6].
He imbued his performance with that wide-eyed caring
and warmth which children
of all ages quickly noticed and appreciated. To encourage this
playfulness in
life, empathy with children, and pure joy of singing and performing, the
Mayflower Community Chorus has established a scholarship in Bill's name. With
this gift,
the Chorus hopes to encourage singers and performers to nurture the
child in their art and
express that wondrous appreciation of the world, so that
all ages can be free to enjoy their
inner child..
[1]. He performed the Bass part in this commercial for The Gap.
[2]. From the original musical Ark Row; music by Larry Vargo, lyric by Maria Woodward
[3]. From the original musical Hello, Marin, Hello; music by Larry Vargo, lyric by Larry Zee
[4]. Music by Larry Vargo, lyric by Maria Woodward
[5]. Music by Larry Vargo, lyric by Larry Zee
[6]. Book by Lisa Murphy Collins, original music by Bernie Griff
Kristi Kane — 1950-1989
Kristi
Kane was a member of the Mayflower Community Chorus at its inception in 1977.
She
had already crafted her soft Alto voice in the barbershop group, the Sweet Adelines, (and l
ater with the Winifred Baker Chorale) and set about refining it
in the small groups that formed
within the Chorus. She often indulged in her
musical interests, which ranged from classical to
the Irish Rovers, and took
great pleasure in sharing her musical knowledge, which was quite
extensive, with
others.
Frequently a soloist or in a duet for the Chorus, she worked hard, learned her
part, and made
it uniquely her own. She was earnest in her dedication to music
and expected others to join
her in that dedication. She had a love of life and
of people, which helped to create the spirit,
energy, and focus of the Chorus.
She embodied its fun and earnestness and was a main
instrument in spreading its
love of music, people, and life.
To
encourage this dedication to music, this concern for people and their joy in
music, the
Mayflower Community Chorus has established a scholarship in Kristi's
name. With this gift,
the Chorus hopes to encourage performer dedication to
music, entertainment, and others, and
to foster love for one another and the
beauty and joy that is music.
Ted DuBois — 1949-1981
Ted
Dubois' spirit made him a cornerstone in the Mayflower Chorus throughout its
early years.
He affected every aspect of the Chorus, quite often providing comic
relief during rehearsals
at just the right time. He occasionally provided his
own arrangements for the Chorus, including
"The City of New Orleans," and his
extensive tastes ran from folk music to '50s music on
through to Madrigal. In
fact, he was instrumental in forming the Chorus' Madrigal group and
served as a
strong and constant foundation for that group.
He
reveled in anything French and this love extended from that basis to
support his dedication
to the Menninites in Africa. To further his involvement
with this group, he attended a college
in Canada at which only French was
spoken. He had planned to return to Africa to work when
he left us.
Always
one for a good joke, Ted frequently played good-natured pranks on others and was
as
willing to receive as to give. But, he also took his singing quite seriously.
His excellent Bass
helped to give body to the Chorus, and his spirit always
rallied other singers to increase the
energy and life in their singing.
It is to
nurture this energy, this camaraderie, and this all encompassing enjoyment in
the
different ages and nationalities of music for which the Mayflower Community
Chorus has
established a scholarship in Ted's name. With this gift, the Chorus
hopes to encourage students
of music to explore beyond their recent historical
and national music, to preserve music's
spirit of universal camaraderie, and to
always emphasize and encourage the joys of music.