E-Letter 08/22/2004

      
Grand Piano Music Spectacular This Saturday
Entertainment, Reunion and Mission

What:     A Grand Piano Music Spectacular
When:    Saturday, August 28, 7 PM
Where:   Ty A. Cobb Auditorium - Ackerman High School
Why:       To CELEBRATE our goal of $19,000 for the Grand Piano
Cost:       No Admission

    The Ackerman School Reunion Group cordially invites you to a Grand Piano Music Spectacular which will be held at the Ty A. Cobb Auditorium this Saturday, August 28, 2004 at 7 pm. The purpose of this event will be to CELEBRATE completion of our campaign to purchase a replacement grand piano for the Ty A. Cobb Auditorium. Because of the generosity of alumni and friends of AHS, WE REACHED OUR GOAL OF $19,000!

The original owner of the replacement grand piano, Mr. Patrick Perkins, is a native of Choctaw County and former music student of AHS Choral Director Ricki Prewitt. Patrick is an accomplished musician and currently Director of Choral Music at Jackson Academy. Patrick has patiently allowed us time to raise the monies and graciously agreed to move the grand piano to the Ty A. Cobb Auditorium for our use this Saturday. He has also accepted our invitation to perform several vocal and piano selections.

     Joining Patrick in the first segment of our entertainment will be Jan (Irving) Bruening (AHS ’72), the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Prentiss Irving of Ackerman. Jan is a graduate of Belhaven College and Southern Methodist University in Vocal Performance. Jan’s operatic performances have taken her to Shreveport, Dallas, Jackson, New Orleans, and other places around the nation. Jan, too, is an accomplished musician and currently Director of Choral Music at Madison Central. Jan and Patrick have previously worked together and we eagerly anticipate their performances on Saturday evening.

As a special feature, we invite everyone who participated in the music program while attending Ackerman School to come together for a special Reunion Chorus this Saturday evening. In order to rehearse a few numbers (not that we need the practice), we ask everyone to please meet with Ricki and Madeline in the auditorium at 2 pm this Saturday.

In addition to Patrick and Jan’s performances, here are some performers who have indicated that they will participate in the reunion choir this Saturday evening - Ricki Prewitt, Webb & Madeline Wood, Sammy Wood, Renae Aurell, Becky Orr, Cherry Sims, Hazel Garrett, Kathy King, Perry King, Waverly King, Sue Ann Hall, Libby Owen, Marion & Joan Smith, Kenneth & Bess Smith, Buddy & Carol Smith, Daniel Stevens, Melissa Lawson, Luke Lawson, Judy Black, Joel Coleman, Robert Black, Tracy Vaughn - and many other talented performers. Some of the performers will be from younger generations and others from the not-so-young generations.

Please plan to join us this Saturday for an evening of entertainment, reunion and mission. We urge all alumni and friends to come out of your love for and appreciation of Ackerman School. By helping to purchase the grand piano, we have made an important investment in the current and future generations of choral, vocal and piano students at AHS.