​​​​​​​Natalie: Do you remember your first rehearsal with Pacific Chorale?  

Mary: Oh yes. The first time we ever warmed up together as a group, I remember standing there as the voices rose all around me, and I suddenly realized I had tears in my eyes. I couldn’t really do anything except stand there for a few minutes. It was the best feeling in the world; it was magic for me. I loved that we came from all walks of life and came together to create this singular, beautiful thing. Great friendships are born there, and they still are. In many ways, the happiest times of my life were when I was singing in Pacific Chorale.  

Natalie: How did your friendship with John Alexander develop?

Mary: I met John when I auditioned for him in 1977, but our friendship grew substantially after I joined the Board of Directors in the early ‘80s. The thing I grew to understand about John was that the music was first and foremost everything to him. Not many people operate that way, but he always has. When it became clear that the Board needed to raise funds to operate at the standard of artistic excellence John had established, he and I declared ourselves a team. And it’s been that way ever since.
 
Natalie: Do you remember your first gift to Pacific Chorale?

Mary: I believe our first gift to Pacific Chorale was something to the tune of $1,000, which was a lot of money for us at the time! As time went on, we found ourselves in a position to give more generously, and in doing so, we witnessed an extraordinary transformation in what the choir was capable of under John’s leadership, and now Rob’s.

Natalie: Many of our alumni and donors refer to Pacific Chorale as a family. What does that mean to you personally?

Mary: That means there is a place for everyone. Some people can make a major gift. Some people volunteer their time. Some make a modest but meaningful donation in honor of John or another music teacher that changed their life, or someone they loved who sang with the Chorale. That is what a family does. It creates a sense of belonging, and with that belonging comes a shared responsibility to give back in the ways we can. The legacy John helped create is ours to honor, preserve, and pass on to those who come next.