This week we’re highlighting the first in a short series of MCC member projects.
Watch & listen to One Voice, featuring:
- Soprano Janice Thomas — vocals
- Alto Janet Breslin — vocals
- Alto Carolyn Gratzer Cope — vocals
- Bass Joe Pisano — strings
- With sound engineering by tenor Doug Clark of Glass Bottom Studios
Member Spotlight: Soprano and Prior MCC Secretary Janice Thomas
Q: What town do you currently live in?
A: Matawan, NJ
Q: For how long have you been a member of MCC, and why did you choose to join?
A: Since 2007; I was looking for a high caliber choral group; MCC was recommended. I’ve been thrilled and honored to be a part of this organization.
Q: What’s your favorite piece or concert ever performed with MCC, and what did you love about it?
A: I loved the Bach B-minor Mass; it’s beautiful and challenging. I like our annual holiday concert as well since it kicks off the holiday season.
Q: What volunteer positions have you held with MCC, and what have you found most rewarding about volunteering?
A: I served on the board as secretary for two terms. And, I enjoyed collaborating with others to ensure smooth running of the organization.
Q: What do you do when not participating in MCC?
A: I work at Brookdale Community College as the director of the International Education Center.
Q: What’s your favorite…
A: Meal: Jamaican food!
A: Place to visit: New Orleans
Q: What is one fun or surprising fact about you?
A: I’ve been to 26 countries. I’m hoping to add two more in 2022.
Q: What’s one great piece of advice (of any kind!) that you’ve received and would like to pass along to others?
A: End each day reflecting on your blessings and be grateful for what you have. Vow the next day to do your best to leave a positive mark in your corner of the world.
Q: What’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
A: Traveling again.
Member Spotlight: Alto and MCC Music Chair Janet Breslin
Q: What town do you currently live in?
A: Manchester, NJ
Q: For how long have you been a member of MCC, and why did you choose to join?
A: I was a member of MCC back in the 1980’s, but rejoined in January 2013. I retired from teaching public school music in 2012, and my goal was to fill my retirement years with as much choral singing as possible. Rejoining MCC has been a gift.
Q: What’s your favorite piece or concert ever performed with MCC, and what did you love about it?
A: This is a difficult choice as there have been so many highlights. One of my favorite concerts was “I Have a Dream” because it was so moving and inspiring. One of my favorite pieces was John Corigliano’s Fern Hill. Dylan Thomas’s poem is so evocative and provided an opportunity to really explore our abilities to interpret such a wonderfully rich text and score.
Q: What volunteer positions have you held with MCC, and what have you found most rewarding about volunteering?
A: Member of the Board of Trustees, Music Chairperson, Section leader. Served on the Long Range Planning, Benefit and 75th Anniversary Committees.
Q: What do you do when not participating in MCC?
A: I dabble in photography, but singing with three different choral ensembles fills most of my time.
Q: What’s your favorite…
A: Meal: Chicken Pad Thai
A: Movie: To Kill a Mockingbird
A: Place to visit: Italy
Q: What is one fun or surprising fact about you?
A: That at my age (which I will not mention here) I have been able and willing to embrace technology. 🙂
Q: What’s one great piece of advice (of any kind!) that you’ve received and would like to pass along to others?
A: Humor can get you through almost anything.
Q: What’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
A: At the present time, due to the inability of MCC to rehearse and perform together for over a year, I most look forward to being able to sing with my fellow chorus members and immerse myself, once again, in the music we make together as an ensemble. Nothing can take the place of the feeling I get from that experience.
Member Spotlight: Bass and MCC Treasurer Joe Pisano
Q: What town do you currently live in?
A: Matawan, NJ
Q: For how long have you been a member of MCC, and why did you choose to join?
A: I joined MCC In 1992. Back then, I worked at Bell Labs in Holmdel (where BellWorks is now) and they used to have a chorus that would meet at lunchtime. Many members of this Holmdel chorus were MCC members and one of them encouraged me to audition, so I did!
Q: What’s your favorite piece or concert ever performed with MCC, and what did you love about it?
A: I tend to like very rhythmic, odd-meter music, and picking just one is hard, so I’m going to go with two of my favorites: Carmina Burana (ballet production was wonderful!) and Chichester Psalms. I like “loud” too, and Belshazzar’s Feast was another favorite that fits that bill.
Q: What volunteer positions have you held with MCC, and what have you found most rewarding about volunteering?
A: I have been on the Board several times, as Membership Chair, Production Chair, and now Treasurer. I’m also the Bass section leader and I’m serving on various 75th Anniversary committees, the Database committee, and the Endowment committee. Seeing projects come to fruition (like the virtual video projects) and knowing I was a part of making them happen is the most rewarding part of volunteering. It also helps you get to know other people in the chorus outside of rehearsal.
Q: What do you do when not participating in MCC?
A: I recently retired from AT&T after a 30-year software engineering career there. I enjoy all aspects of music: listening, playing Beatles songs on my guitar, composing, and singing with my MadRegalia friends. I also enjoy genealogy, bowling, trivia, and travel. I love spending time with my husband Steven, our two corgis, Abbey and Pepper, and our dear friends.
Q: What’s your favorite…
A: Meal: Anything with good friends – I guess I’m partial to Italian
A: Movie: Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Grease
A: Place to visit: Anywhere in the Mediterranean (Italy or Greece for example), Hawaii, San Diego
Q: What is one fun or surprising fact about you?
A: I invented and produced a board game with my friends at the work lunch table. We attended a few Toy Fairs at the Javits Center, and while it wasn’t a global success, we all had lots of fun throughout the process!
Q: What’s one great piece of advice (of any kind!) that you’ve received and would like to pass along to others?
A: Any small bit of kindness goes a long way.
Q: What’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
A: Singing the first chord together with other people in the same room, not on mute, and not to a camera. I’m thinking I will cry when I’m in the middle of that.
Member Spotlight: Alto and MCC Marketing Chair Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Q: What town do you currently live in?
A: Fair Haven, NJ
Q: For how long have you been a member of MCC, and why did you choose to join?
A: Since 2016. When I moved back to this area and was researching choirs, the tagline “Close to perfect, close to home” really spoke to me. I guess it’s not a surprise that I ended up getting involved in marketing. 🙂
Q: What’s your favorite piece or concert ever performed with MCC, and what did you love about it?
A: It’s hard to choose one — the wide variety of music we perform is one of my favorite things about MCC. But I really loved our 2017 Northern Lights concert, which featured Scandinavian music. Touring the Baltic region with MCC and reprising some of that repertoire in those chorus-loving cultures was a great joy.
Q: What volunteer positions have you held with MCC, and what have you found most rewarding about volunteering?
A: For the past two seasons I’ve been a Board member serving as Marketing Chair. I’m also currently co-chairing our Branding Committee and 75th Anniversary Marketing Committee, and participating in the 75th Anniversary Commissioning Committee. This season I’m one of the producers of our digital concerts. Previously I spent two seasons as Gig Coordinator, organizing our holiday caroling and other small-group performances for hire. My favorite things about volunteering for MCC are working together with other members and partners, and getting to expand my skills on a daily basis.
Q: What do you do when not participating in MCC?
A: I’m the founder of the food and lifestyle website Umami Girl and mom of a 16 year old and 12 year old.
Q: What’s your favorite…
A: Meal: A dirty martini and too much sushi
A: Movie: I adored Call Me By Your Name, but I saw it on a plane, so it’s possible it’s actually terrible. 🙂
A: Place to visit: Copenhagen
Q: What is one fun or surprising fact about you?
A: My first foray into performance was…mime.
Q: What’s one great piece of advice (of any kind!) that you’ve received and would like to pass along to others?
A: Curiosity will get you everywhere.
Q: What’s one thing you’re looking forward to?
A: Literally everything right now. I even miss the things I don’t like.
