letting everyone share our memories in this way. If I may add a few
more in addition to the lines I offered last week:
I loved how Fenno would begin "'Neath the Elms." Just a little flick
of the wrist in our direction--"Go!" As if to say: I gave you all the
tools, and now it's your job. Don't worry, I'll help. But you lucky
people get to do most of it.
Singing, since Yale, has remained my biggest hobby--in 25 years I've
never been without an opportunity to raise my voice in the company of
others, and owe much of this addiction to my Glee Club experience.
I've had some excellent conductors, but can honestly say that none
came close to Fenno for the passion and drive to excellence he managed
to instill in us all, always with good humor and the reminder that
this was, above all, fun. From Fenno I learned that a well-lived life
must have two often-overlapping parts: singing, and everything else.
I spent an hour last Friday afternoon reading the beautiful words on
this website and then, as usual, went to Friday evening services at my
syangogue. I belong to a congregation where prayer is always in the
form of music--they subscribe completely to Fenno's exhortation that
there's too much talking going on. But as I walked in, a little after
6:00 pm, my heart was heavy with the loss I knew this world would soon
bear, and I wondered how I could sing of the joy that the Sabbath
brings. Then I heard eveyone's voices in harmony around me, and
realized that if I learned one thing from Fenno it was that when given
the opportunity to sing, take it. The outcome would always be good and
healing. I bet Fenno was standing in front of the heavenly choir at
that very moment and telling them the same thing.
--Harriet Goren '83
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