I thought many times about what it would be like to get some of the old choir members from WeMiHi together and see what kind of music we could make as adults. I can’t believe it is going to happen! Now we need to prepare.
I am sure you remember some of the procedures we went through in order to produce quality choral sounds. The process remains the same – attention to posture, breathing, loose jaw and pure vowel sound. Since we only have three rehearsals before the concert, I would suggest you do the following:
1. Find someone to bang out the notes of music we are performing. I tried to choose music that we performed before so that refreshing your memory would not be too troublesome.
2. Start singing 5 note patterns (i.e., do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, mi, re, do) up and down the scale by half steps. Go as high and as low as you can. Do this exercise on the vowels oo – oh and aw. A few minutes each day should get things going. And remember – LOOSE JAW!
There you have it, my friends. I am overwhelmed by the response and am looking forward to seeing and working with you again. It should be one hell of a concert!!!
See you in August!Mr. Mac
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Mac's Bio
Ken
McMonagle – Mr. Mac is what his students called him, he’s now just Mac – hails
from the small town of Coleman, Wisconsin. He received his bachelor’s degree in
music education from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in 1960 and a
master’s degree in choral conducting in 1970 from Indiana
University.
Mac taught
vocal music in the West Allis/West Milwaukee public school system from 1960-86.
He taught at Lane Junior High School from 1960-64. From 1964-86 he was the
director of the vocal music department at West Milwaukee High School. Under his
leadership the school’s various choruses and specialty ensembles won numerous
awards and were well-known and respected in the region. He also directed the
school’s annual spring musical. Each year brought a lavish – for a public high
school – expertly staged production. Some of the most memorable shows include My
Fair Lady, Brigadoon, The King and I, South Pacific, L’il Abner, and The Sound of Music.
In 1986 Mac
left his teaching post to become the district’s music supervisor. He held this
position until he retired in June 1992. Mac being who he is couldn’t really
retire. He continues to work part time as the district’s music coordinator.
In addition
to working for the school system, Mac directed church choirs at Capitol Drive
Lutheran Church from 1965-75 and St. Stephen the Martyr Lutheran Church in
Greendale from 1977-95. In 1975 he founded and directed the Jordan Chorale,
which he named after his son; he led the group until 1986. Mac was guest
conductor for the USPEH Chorus – a local community group – on its 1990 concert
tour of Slovenia. He was the conductor of the Suburban Singers of West Allis
from 1987-97.
In addition
to his son Jordan, Mac has a daughter, Jessica, and three grandchildren
Patrick, Claire, and Jackson.
In the
summer of 2011, at a back yard cook out with some former students, the
conversation led to thoughts about the music program at WeMiHi and how good
many of the choruses had sounded. Mac wondered what the sound would be like if
some of those former students got together to sing once more. Today's concert
is the result of that conversation.
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And now, for the afterglow.....
Here is a link to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal article about our show.....
Alums have song in their hearts for former director - JSOnline*
Here is the link to the Journal-Sentinal's photos at the event......
West Milwaukee alums' reunion concert - JSOnline*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now, for the afterglow.....
Here is a link to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal article about our show.....
Alums have song in their hearts for former director - JSOnline*
Here is the link to the Journal-Sentinal's photos at the event......
West Milwaukee alums' reunion concert - JSOnline*