That's Julie on the left, with two other Dodgers fans.
Dodgers fan and soprano Julie is one of the chorale’s charter members, having been singing with the group since day one 23 years ago. Her favorite piece the group has performed? “Elijah. No wait, the Bach Mass in B minor. No wait, Mozart’s Requiem. No wait, the Brahms Requiem. No wait, Dona Nobis Pacem. No wait, the ‘40s pops medley. No wait, the Bach Magnificat. No wait…” That’s okay, Julie. We’ll just be over here while you reminisce. Julie also serves the important role of singer’s liaison in the chorale. If any member has a problem during the course of the season, Julie helps resolve it.
Julie has a lifelong history with music. “My mother, always a church choir singer, sang all the time around the house. Her example fostered my love for singing,” she says. “I sang with the school choirs, then landed the role of Mother Superior in The Sound of Music in a junior high production. The bug bit me big-time and I’ve been singing ever since. I elected, however, not to be a music major but instead focused on a different career path [Julie is a semi-retired human resources professional. – Ed.]. Regardless of where I was professionally, I always had a church choir to keep me grounded. I have studied voice off and on over the years, and have had the privilege of performing in a few productions with Long Beach Opera. I am currently a choir member and cantor at St. Cyprian Catholic Church. I sang with the Long Beach Chorale (LBCCO) from its beginning, though I took a hiatus for a few years and enjoyed the privilege of singing with the Cypress College Masterworks Chorale and with the Camerata Singers under the direction of Sheridan Ball. But I am back with the LBCCO, where my heart has always been.”
“Home is where the heart is, and my heart is with the LBCCO,” Julie says. “When the St. Bartholomew’s Church Choir director Mark Barville suggested in 1988 that we start a community chorus, I was all for it. A core group of choir members got busy forming the LBCCO, and I am so proud of how it’s grown and flourished. After a short hiatus, I returned for the experience of singing with Eliza, and am so proud of the quality and passion all of the members have for our music. I learned at an early age that choral singing is a demonstration of community and cooperation, and the product that comes forth is an example of the whole truly being greater than the sum of its parts. I take great pride, pleasure, and fulfillment in being one part of the great whole that is the Long Beach Chorale.”
Fun fact: As a child, Julie aspired to be a nun. “I was named after my mom’s best friend, Sister Julie Therese. Trust me, that ambition fell by the wayside pretty quickly!” Lately, Julie has been spending her spare time working on a construction project at her house. She also loves to cook, shop, visit family in Las Vegas, and do a little gambling while she’s there. “Traveling is awesome, and I enjoy seeing new places and meeting new people,” she says. “My last adventure was in France, and I can’t wait to go back!”
Julie loves to listen to classical music, but her tastes go beyond that. “Truthfully, I’m a country-and-western junkie (Willie Nelson is my hero). Add a little contemporary pop, classic rock, oldies but goodies, and some big bands, and I’m a happy bee-bopping camper,” she says.
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