Saratoga Sampler
Group in perfect harmony at chorus competition
By Mary Ann Cook
SHOWCASE CHORUS WINS: Bay Area Showcase Chorus (BASC), under the direction of Saratoga resident Pat LeVezu, won first-place medals in the 2002 Northern California Sweet Adelines Chorus Competition in Sacramento recently. BASC outscored nine other choruses to win its seventh regional championship.
Saratoga chorus members include Sandy Ellis, Marilynn Fulton, Judy Hendrickson, Bonnie Klett, Pat LeVezu and Marisa Riparbelli. Three Los Gatos residents--Janis Maurry, Linda Morgan and Joan Schwimmer--are also in the chorus.
Thus, BASC will represent the region in the Sweet Adelines International Chorus Competition in Arizona in 2003. There are 600 choruses worldwide, and BASC is currently the fifth-place international medalist, an honor earned last year when the group competed with choruses from around the world.
Competing in the Sacramento regionals were 125 singers representing more than 50 communities, from Monterey to San Francisco and east from Modesto to Vacaville.
The 135-member BASC has delivered its a cappella harmony since 1956. Membership is open to women ages 14 and up.
Rehearsals are held Thursday evenings in Santa Clara. The website's URL is www.singharmony.org, and the phone number is 408.973.1555.
IRIS WINNER: Here's someone who won honorable mention for an iris she grew and claims she didn't know what she was doing, iris-wise. She's Kim Befu, now of Elk Grove, who lived in Saratoga for 26 years and was active in schools, Brookside Club and the Santa Clara Dental Auxiliary.
Seems Befu started her iris history with a visit to the Mariott's Iris Garden, then on Bird Avenue in San Jose. She bought five rhizomes five years ago on a visit there with friend Lois O'Haren. Since then her iris garden has quadrupled. She and her husband moved to Elk Grove two years ago.
When she called to find out about the Sacramento Iris Society Show, she was told to enter any iris she had. She did and she won--honorable mention in the Tall Bearded category with her flower Inner Vision. (I'd like to win something in the tall bearded category myself.)
Befu was given information about the show from one Merris Z. Yarbro, the event's co-chair, who happens to be the sister of George Bunyard, a familiar Saratoga name. Now Befu can hardly wait until the show next year, "when I know what I'm doing," she says.
LITTLE LEAGUE FUNDRAISER: Saratoga Little League, representing 430 families, held its first annual dinner dance recently at Villa Ragusa in Campbell, thanks to owner Nick Gera, whose son is in the league. Committee members of the fundraiser: Wendy Grega, Michelle Allen, Judy Dere, Mimi Thomas, Paula Thoren and Marjan Fariba.
Money raised will support new facilities at Congress Spring Park. There was a live band headed by Brian Grega, and an auction and raffles were part of the package.
SARATOGA ARTISTS: Saratoga artists Starr Davis and Teresa Robinson will be featured in the new show at Gallery House in Palo Alto. A reception will be May 31 at the California Street gallery, 6-8 p.m. Davis produces ceramics and watercolors;
Davis uses plaster life casts, along with unusual glazes and firings--in one piece, her mermaid-loving daughter's face is transformed onto a vase, fired in the raku method.
Davis' work is also showing at Aegis Gallery May 27-June 23, along with that of Mahoko Dahte and Jackie Butts. That reception is June 8, 4-7 p.m.
Davis collects tactile impressions in clay from weathered wood, cracks in asphalt and cardboard cartons, and then creates objects such as triangular vases or arches textured from Mendocino rocks and mussel shells.
Soda firing, crackling in raku and runny ash glazes on a birdbath are all part of the Davis repertoire.
Robinson creates art from found objects. Robinson's creations are rife with wit and deftness. Her work is shown at Los Gatos Company and she is known for her winged women series.
SURVIVING RAT: Henry Mollicone's comic A Rat's Tale will be presented at a family concert May 31 at 7:30 p.m. at Crossroads Bible Church, 1670 Moorpark Ave., San Jose. Emily Ray will lead the Winchester Orchestra. Mollicone, a Saratogan, is music director of the orchestra.
Bill Glenn narrates A Rat's Tale, the Pied Piper tale told from the point of view of the last surviving rat. Cheryl Anderson's youth chorale sings. Also on deck: John Williams and themes from movies. Visual art is by Keith Whitney.
Tickets at the door. For information, phone 408.269.1905. Incidentally, Emily Ray is the mother of Saratoga News reporter Rebecca Ray.
OPENING: The grand opening of the Markham House at History Park is set for May 26. Poets Dana Gioia, Jack Foley and Francisco Alarcon will be featured readers.
Alarcon is one of three nominees for Poet Laureate of California. Fiesta time at the park is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. There will be Greek food, dancing, music and tours of the Markham House.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
