The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale would like to extend a warm thank-you to Dr. Charlie and Ruth Ann McChesney, who were both named emeritus board members in July of this year!
Both Charlie and Ruth Ann had been members of the Board of Directors for upwards of 16 years. Ruth Ann sang with PCC from 1994 to 2019, and she and Charlie both organize ushers for PCC’s concerts today. Ruth Ann served as Chairman of Marketing and Outreach, and Charlie was in charge of Concert Production.
“My joy was that I got to sing under all 3 directors," Ruth Ann said. “We sang such a variety of music, which was a joy. I love music, and it’s been a big part of all my life, so this was a great opportunity.”
Ruth Ann cited the friends she made and the opportunities to sing across Pittsburgh, in New York City, at Chautauqua Institution, and on tour in England and Wales during her time with the chorale as some of her favorite times in PCC.
“My time on the board was, I felt, very worthwhile, and a good way for me to repay just a small portion of the joy and the blessing I got from being a part of PCC,” Ruth Ann said.
Charlie worked to prepare the advertising postcards and the program booklets that were handed out at concerts for many years.
“Once we got into a financial bind during one of the recessions that happened over the period of time that we were on the board, I ended up discovering and realizing that the only way to control spending was via a tight budget,” Charlie said. “I think that was very important to keep the chorale solvent.”
Thanks so much again to Ruth Ann and Charlie for all of their work over the years!!