Bentley Choirs

For those of us on the Celebration committee, it was quite a week at the Livonia Spree 59!  We had many people stop by the BENTLEY tent with comments ranging from “I thought Bentley was closed” to “Bentley had a Concert Choir?”, but for the choir alumni that stopped by, only one question was on their minds…

“WHERE’S DOC??” 

Here’s another one….post your guess in the “Leave a comment” section below!!

(Click on the picture to enlarge!)

What choir to YOU think this is??  Are YOU in this picture??

Post your guess in the “Leave a comment” section below! 

(Click on the picture to enlarge!)

For those of you that have profiles on the VERY ADDICTIVE Facebook, there is now a BCC Alumni group available for you to connect with others from choir!   If you are already on Facebook, simply search for BENTLEY CONCERT CHOIR under “GROUPS” to join.  If you aren’t on Facebook yet, go to www.facebook.com and follow the instructions on how to sign up.  It’s free, and a fun way to reconnect with family and friends all over the country!

Another Concert Choir ”classic” has been discovered in BCC vaults!  While Doc was on his sabbatical, Bois Elwell and the choir managed to knock out TWO LP’s in the 1969-70 choir year….one in January of 1970, and the latest discovery is the mysterious April 1970 album, which has been restored and added to the 24 other BCC albums offered on CD in The Green Door.  Order your copy today!

GREETINGS FROM LIVONIA’S CELEBRATION HEADQUARTERS FOR BCC

HI GANG!

In just one year, we are planning a celebration to commemorate all the wonderful things that have happened to the young men and women who were once members of the

BENTLEY HIGH SCHOOL CONCERT CHOIR. 

For many of us, life has brought experiences great and small, joyous and sad, but each giving its lesson for that particular time in our lives.  Today we realize we are the sum total of those experiences-which included those formative years spent in the exciting realm of our BCC.  It would be tragic if we couldn’t enjoy one final celebration in the form of a homecoming.  To this end, several of your classmates have already given many hours of creative planning to bring such a celebration into reality here in Livonia. 

Please come and join us in this finale to our years of experience and reminiscence.  We are using the theme “Christmas at Home“.  Our celebration will be focused in Christmas traditions and music. In fact, our Bentley sing-along will highlight the music that many of you sang in the Bentley Christmas productions.  For most of the country, Thanksgiving weekend usually ends with a Christmas thrust and we will certainly capitalize on this opportunity to enjoy singing the great music of the season.  The evening will include entertainment by your classmates and a carol-sing for everyone!!

I personally look forward to catching up with you.  I’ve been looking over the old yearbooks, choir pictures and recordings and know you have wonderful stories to tell. 

Please understand that although this is a 75th birthday celebration for the old man, it is far more!  Come and allow yourselves to reminisce with me and your classmates for one special evening. 

Dr. Jerry J. Smith

P.S.  NO GIFTS PLEASE! BUT, I would really enjoy a written note as to what special things have been a part of your life AND A SPECIAL MEMORY OF THE BCC!  Thanks.

For those of you that have forgotten about the HUGE mural on the west wall of the choir room, here’s a glance back to June of 1971, complete with our resident artist….17 year old Tommi Mozier…more photos of “The Great Wall” to come…..

If you ever wondered what The Bentley Concert Choir would look like on The Simpsons, then check out this drawing of the choir of 78-79, by Greg Koorhan.  Who’s the guy with his hand over his face on the left? (Click the image to enlarge)

We received word from Pat Achille Kneiding (choir of 65-66) that her daughter Toni Kneiding tragically fell to her death off the Mackinac Bridge in early September of this year.  Pat also lost another daughter (Tina) in an auto accident in 1984.  Dr. Smith and the entire Homecoming committee extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to Pat and her family.  If you would like to send a note or card to Pat , you may e-mail her at trichakneiding@yahoo.com , or e-mail us at bentleyconcertchoir@yahoo.com and we will forward her home address to you.

We are in need of Concert Choir YEARBOOKS from every year!  If you have either a choir yearbook, or photos from your choir year(s) that you would be willing to LEND us on a temporary basis, please e-mail us at bentleyconcertchoir@yahoo.com, as we are building a photo library from each choir year, to be posted on this website.