End of an era

Audrey Wong retires after 23 years

by BCG president Wendy Bartlett

Audrey Wong, our Executive Director, founding manager, and all-around “mom” is retiring at the end of this season. To get a sense of what she has meant to BCG, think for a moment of a swan gliding around on the lake. To the outside observer, the swan is moving effortlessly forward—but if you look underneath the water, there’s a lot of action taking place. For the past 23 years, Audrey has been largely responsible for the smooth operation that we all see as audience and performers, from concert logistics to back-office administration. She also has shared her artistic side with us in her illuminating pre-concert lectures, warm and heartfelt solos, and stylish season brochure design.

Audrey has had music in her life since she was a child, from both her extended family and her small Catholic school where singing the Latin Propers and Mass Ordinaries was a part of every day. While majoring in psychology at Stanford, her love of sacred music led her to William Mahrt’s St. Ann’s Chapel Choir where she could continue to sing traditional Latin plainsong Masses. While on a post-graduation trip to Europe, an evening in Switzerland with a family that played Renaissance music on recorders for their own pleasure sparked a broader interest in early music, setting her on a path that eventually led to both the California Bach Society and smaller ensembles. When the California Bach Society fell into deep difficulties in the late 1970s, Audrey and several other members who had left decided to form a new chorus - the Baroque Choral Guild. The Guild immediately attracted 60 singers, hired Ken Hannaford as its first music director, and staged its inaugural performances in Palo Alto and Berkeley.

Since its beginnings around a kitchen table, the Guild has grown into a well-respected, auditioned community chorus. Audrey and the board of directors have always driven for community involvement, commitment to education at all levels, and prudent fiscal management. Whenever we have shown any signs of losing sight of those goals, Audrey has reminded us of why we are here and has headed us back in the right direction. She has kept us organized, sometimes in spite of ourselves. She also is incredibly thoughtful, and gave us the great gift of announcing her retirement several years ago so we had time to plan for the transition to a new Executive Director.

When she helped found BCG 23 years ago, Audrey was a fulltime classroom teacher in the Mountain View School District, where she taught for nine years. Her passion for teaching is evident not only when she is engaged with the Guild’s training programs, especially Peninsula Choral Workshop, but also when she gives preview lectures for the Guild’s concerts. Audiences rave that her lectures “bring the music to life” and “don’t sound like lectures.”

While being the heart and soul of the Guild, with husband David Vossbrink she has also raised two fine young adults, Nick and Emma, and been mom to three cats. During her Guild career she somehow also found the time to serve as calendar editor for the San Francisco Early Music Society’s newsletter, perform with the 8-voice Wykeham Singers ensemble, provide artistic services through her Pro Performance business, coordinate summer events for both Foothill and DeAnza Colleges, serve on the grants committee of Silicon Valley Arts Council, attend spring training, and write articles for the San Francisco Giants Magazine.

“Retirement” is an unlikely description for what might come next for Audrey. She plans to travel, write, perhaps even return to teaching. She is definitely looking forward to being able to focus on her music and for the first time join the visible, smoothly-gliding part of the BCG swan. We wish her time to unwind and contemplate, good health and loving family and friends to enjoy it with, and many more years of shared music-making.

Volume 10, Issue 3

Baroque Choral Guild, 953 Industrial Ave. Ste 118, Palo Alto CA 94303, 650.424.1410