2008 Fall Newsletter - Houston Saengerbund

Houston Sängerbund
Founded October 6, 1883
Fall 2008
Der Zweck des Vereins ist Pflege und Förderung des
Gesanges, der Musik, Erhaltung der deutschen Sprache,
Hebung des Gesellschaftlichen Lebens, Beförderung
deutscher Sitten und Moral.
The purpose of the Society is to cultivate the furtherance of
song and m usic, to preserve the Germ an language, to
prom ote the Society’s life, and to convey good Germ an
custom s and m orals.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The Houston Sängerbund is enjoying its 125 th year! W e had a wonderful Sängerfest in New Braunfels on May 17
and 18, 2008. W e hosted a fine reception at the Faust Hotel for the various Germ an Singing Clubs. Currently, we are
com pleting sum m er pause, but singing starts again on Tuesday, August 19. The Club is also m aking substantial gifts to
prom ote Germ an m usic and culture. W e have sponsored the Houston Boychoir in its recent trip to Carnegie Hall in New
York. W e have also m ade two challenge grants to the Sängerfest 2010 Com m ittee in San Antonio, and to the North
Am erican Sängerbund Foundation. W e are supporting the Houston Bach Society which presents great Germ an m usic of
the Bach era. W e are a sponsor of the Annual Meeting of the Germ an-Texan Heritage Society which convenes in Houston
on August 23, 2008. W e are supporting Houston Brass Band by helping it obtain Germ an brass band m usic, and we will
support Mercury Baroque and ask it to perform Germ an m usic. Houston Early Music is being supported and our ad
sponsoring this group is in its program all year. Finally, we will have a grand celebration of our 125 th Anniversary on
Saturday, October 25, at the Czech Cultural Center located at 4920 San Jacinto at W ichita, Houston, Texas. Save the date!
Rodney Koenig
President
RECEIVES AWARD
Our own Paul Beck was am ong the 2008 honorees who received awards from Mayor Bill
W hite at the annual Mayor’s Volunteer Houston Awards dinner on Tuesday, May 6, at the
InterContinental Houston Hotel.
A joint effort by Shell Oil Com pany, Volunteer Houston, and the Mayor’s Office of the City
of Houston, the event opened with the entrance of Mayor W hite with the Honorees followed by the
presentation of colors by the Houston Police Departm ent Honor Guard. Linda Hudson perform ed
“Am erica the Beautiful” for the participants.
After dinner, a series of Em cees consisting of Houston TV news anchors, Jerom e Gray of
KPRC Local 2, Greg Hurst of KHOU TV 11, and Melanie Lawson of KTRK TV 13 m ade program
announcem ents. Mayor W hite offered som e com m entary on the efforts of volunteers followed by
presentation of the 2008 Volunteer Houston Awards. Following closing rem arks, the event ended.
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IN MEMORY OF
ROY EDWARD STARK
ROY EDW ARD STARK,born August 2, 1934, In Houston, TX, entered into peaceful rest on Tuesday May 6, 2008. Native
Houstonian, graduated from Milby High School and attended college at University of Houston. Roy was a 27-year veteran
of the Texas National Guard, an active m em ber of the Houston Sängerbund where he enjoyed cam araderie and singing
in the Männerchor for 35 years. Also em ployed by Brown & Root for 20 years, working in the Houston offices, Europe and
in the Caribbean on the beautiful Island of Curacao. Roy enjoyed traveling, baseball, wood work, spending quality tim e with
the fam ily and story telling. Preceded in death by parents Glen and Norm a Stark; his first wife of 16 years, Shirley Virginia
Stark, m other of his children. Survived by wife of 28 years, Jackie, daughter Terri Stark, son Marcus Stark & wife Aleida,
grandson Glen Stark sister, aunt and m any nieces and Nephews. In lieu of flowers, fam ily requests donation to
Am er.Cancer Soc. or Shih Tzu Rescue Texas. (Houston Chronicle, 5/8/2008)
GLEN H. SANDERS
GLEN H. SANDERS, born 6/22/42, died 6/24/08. He was an honorable m em ber of Sons of Herm ann and
a 25-year m em ber of Houston Sängerbund. Visitation Monday., 6/30/08, 10 am at 10567 Veterans
Mem orial Dr., Chapel service at 11 a.m . with interm ent following at Houston National Cem etery at 12:15
p.m . with military honors. In lieu of flowers donations are appreciated. Arrangem ents entrusted to Veterans
Funeral Services (281) 272-9900. (Houston Chronicle, 6/29/2008)
MARY K. SIMONEAUX
MARY K. SIMONEAUX, 92, was born in St. Louis, MO on May 7, 1916, and passed away on Tuesday, August 12, 2008.
She is preceded in death by her daughter, Catherine Schade, and husbands, Alphonse Schade and J.D Sim oneaux. She
is survived by sons, Michael Schade and wife, Sue, and Carl Schade; daughter, Marie W ood; 13 grandchildren and 5 greatgrandsons. She was a m em ber of Christ the Redeem er Catholic Church, the Classics Club, Sons of Herm ann, Harris
County Chapter, Texas Germ an Society, Exxon/Mobile Luncheon Club, and the Houston Sängerbund. Rosary held
Saturday, August 23, 2008, at 1:30 p.m . at Christ the Redeem er Catholic Church, 11507 Huffm eister Rd., Houston, TX
77065, 281-469-5533. A Mem orial Funeral Mass followed the Rosary on Saturday August 23, 2008, at 2:30 p.m , at Christ
the Redeem er Catholic Church. Private graveside service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, gifts m ay be m ade to the Building
Fund at Christ the Redeem er Catholic Church, in m em ory of Mary Sim oneaux. (Houston Chronicle, Aug. 21, 2008)
(Please rem em ber Mary’s fam ily in your prayers. She was a loving wife and m other, a dedicated nurse who worked in the
Texas Medical Center, and an energetic grandm other who could drive com bat size vehicles well into her 80's.)
DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Tues., Sept. 2
Send off the Houston Liederkranz on its choir tour, Liederkranz Hall, 5100 Ella Blvd.
7:00 p.m . - Pot Luck Dinner - Bring a dish
8:30 p.m . - Concert
Thurs., Sept. 11
Texas Germ an Society Harris County Chapter Bim onthly Meeting and Program with SB Choir
Perform ing - 6:45 p.m . - Spring Branch Com m unity Center, 1721 Pech Rd
Sat., Oct. 11
Houston Liederkranz-Houston Sängerbund Joint Oktoberfest, Houston Liederkranz Hall, See Flyer
Thurs., Oct. 16
Oktoberfest Party hosted by Buskop Law at St. Arnold’s Brewery.
Sat., Oct. 25
Houston Sängerbund 125 th Anniversary and Dam enchor 70 th Anniversary - Party, Prague Hall, See
Flyer
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NEWS FROM THE SOCCER TEAM
by Horst Gebert
Sängerbund Kickers Soccer Team : The Sängerbund Kickers have been representing the Houston Sängerbund for
44 years. Septem ber 7 will kick off our 45th season of playing in the Houston Football Association (HFA). W e are always
striving to get better and younger players. The HFA is a very com petitive league, and we are proud to be a part of it. All of our
gam es are played at Bear Creek Park. The season includes 18 gam es plus Cup Gam es. Typically we play three tournam ents
a year as well: in Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston. In 2005 we won the Houston tournam ent. At the tim e we were in Division
IIB and have since m oved up to Division IA, the third highest.
Five out of the last six seasons, we have had the top goal scorer for our division. This person receives the Golden Boot
Award for the m ost goals scored throughout the season. Erik Deagan was the recipient one year and Chris Larin was the
recipient four years. One season, we had the league cham pion (Chris Larin). Out of 80 team s, Chris scored the m ost out of
the entire league with 28 goals for one season. In the past five years, we had three youth players (high school players) playing
with us. These players earned scholarships to play at the university level. After 31 years of existence, the HFA wanted its goal
to be able to give the young players a chance to continue their soccer skills.
W hen I started with the Sängerbund Kickers in 1966, we had three fields and eight am ateur team s. Now Houston has
m ore than 500 am ateur team s registered to play in the HFA. Horst Gebert Coach: Sängerbund Kickers
2005 HFA Cup Champions
Sängerbund Kickers
EDITORIAL NOTE:
Perhaps the Houston Sängerbund should sponsor a girls’ soccer team also. These youthful young m en m ight find
som e lifelong partners and help replenish the Houston Sängerbund m em bership. If we can’t get them via singing, we m ight
be able to get them via sport.
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2008 SÄNGERFEST
Gem ischter Chor Harm onie of New Braunfels hosted one of the m ost m em orable Sängerfests in recent history on
Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, 2008. The newly opened New Braunfels Civic Center housed all activities for the week end.
The location was especially convenient because the Houston Sängerbund also hosted a reception on Saturday afternoon in
honor of its 125 th year at the Faust Hotel just a short distance away.
Saturday evening’s dinner dance featured the m usic of Terry Cavanaugh and the Alpine Express. The Sunday
m orning rehearsals under the m asterful leadership of host director, W illiam Kretzm eier, gave all the singers a taste of how
choral m usic is supposed to be perform ed. Retired choral director from Taylor High School, Kretzm eier developed a
reputation for his choral directing by leading his school’s choir to num erous wins in choral com petitions
Kinderchors from San Antonio and New Braunfels led off the afternoon’s concert. The Beethoven group from San
Antonio, under the direction of Vanessa Freckm ann, perform ed “Fuchs, du hast die Gans gestohlen,” W inter Adé,” and “Auf
der Mauer, auf der Lauer.” The Edelweiss group under the direction of Mary Irwin offered “Alles Neu m acht der Mai,” Mein
Hut der hat drei Ecken,” and “Mein Vater war ein W andersm ann.” The latter group was doubly entertaining during its second
num ber because they were choreographed and were costum ed to fit the offering.
Guest group, the Taylor Czech Chorus, added to
the offerings of the various Germ an groups by perform ing
“”Nem elem ,” “Svestkova Alej,” “Muzikanti, Pojdte Hrat,”
and “Vltavo, Vltavo.” The Chorgem einschaft Texas, which
is an annual guest at the event and is m ade up of singers
from all of the T exas Germ an groups, offered “Aus der
Jugendzeit” and “Hohe Tannen weisen die Sterne.”
The Massenchor offerings were particularly good
this year, i.e., the m en perform ing Schubert’s beloved
“Sanctus” and “W o m ag es wohl am Schönsten sein;” the
wom en perform ing two Brahm s pieces, “Die Meere” and
Liebe Schwalbe;” and the Mixed Group offering “Lebe
W ohl” and “Korn Blum enblau,” the latter’s chorus being
well known for sing-a-long perform ances.
The treat of the day cam e just before the
Gem ischter Massenchor ended the program with the
hosting New Braunfels Gem ischter Chor Harm onie
perform ing its solo song, “Vilja” from Franz Lehar’s The
Merry W idow under the direction of Kretzm eier. It was a
perform ance that will not easily be m atched nor forgotten.
Houston Säangerbund BOD M ember and Flag Bearer, Robert
Burger, posing w ith the Houston Sängerbund Banner. In the
background are the flags of the other clubs of the Deutsch
Texanischer Sängerbund.
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SUMMER OUTING
Sängerbund President Rodney Koenig and wife, Mary, hosted the club m em bers and invited guests to their La Grange
hom e, das Brückehaus, on Saturday, July 5. Tours of the contem porary structure, partly b uilt on a bridge over a deep ravine
and surrounded by woods, astonished those who had not seen it before.
A keg of Shiner beer, plenty of wine, tons of wonderful food, a lot of m usic and sing-alongs, and a com petitive gam e
of 42 m ade the day a lively event. There was even a shower of m uch needed rain to bring wanderers to shelter.
It was a great party. Thank you, Rodney and Mary, for your hard work and wonderful hospitality.
It looks like everyone has had plenty to eat and
drink and are trying to stay aw ake (some didn’t make it).
The music was playing which is to what those who are still
aw ake were listening.
Dancing on the bridge, anyone? It’s a pretty far piece
dow n there.
In the living room there w as a group sitting in
the living room on top of the bridge playing 42.
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