Accompanist Dan Zabinski, piano, was aided by some of Milford High School's finest musicians, Miranda Gonzalez and Zach Surepine on violin (pictured here) and Brian Nogueira on drums.

The Chorus sang many Holiday tunes, some familiar and some slightly altered.  African Noel, Joeux Noel, Go Tell It on the Mountain.  Ginger Gibeault and Jeff Lovell sang I'll Be home for Christmas.  Tyrene Brundrett, Josh Freehan, Sonya Leibrandt, Doug Martin and Mike Smith presented a lyrical, melodic A Soulin (AKA "Soul Cake".)

Let It Snow!, Ose Shalom, Most Wonderful Time of the Year.  Linda Spevacek wrote the sprited  And All The Town Be Merry.

We've been listening to The Twelve Days of Christmas for many years.  This is the Twelve Days After Christmas.

Tears were shed as the Greater Milford Community Chorus poured their heart out for Director Thatcher Sunday afternoon, in the final Hallejah chorus of his long and successful career.

THATCHER RETIRES AS CHORUS DIRECTOR

by Gail Brown

Capacity crowds filled the Memorial Hall Cultural Center in Milford for all three performances of the Greater Milford Community Chorus Holiday Concert, held the first weekend in December.

Thatcher, a Westboro resident, founded the chorus in the early 1970s, and has been the only director the chorus has had.

Former students and chorus members came to pay tribute to Don for his many years of dedication to music in the town of Milford. Thatcher received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Boston University. Early in his career, he taught music at the Clough and Memorial Schools in Mendon, and was the first Director of Music at the Nipmuc Regional High School. He came to Milford in the 1960s as Director of Music, a position he held for more than 25 years. It was during this time that he founded the Milford Community Chorus. The word Greater was added recently to indicate that one need not be a Milford resident to join.

Among the honors given to Don were: a music scholarship has been established at Milford High School, to be given to a student who will further his/her career in music studies after graduation; Len Morcone presented a plaque from the Milford Community Use Program; Mr. William Buckley, chairman of the Milford Board of Selectmen, presented a citation from the Town of Milford; State Representative John Fernandes spoke about Don's importance in improving the school's music department, and presented a citation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives; he also brought a citation from the Massachusetts Senate, obtained by Senator Richard Moore. In addition, he has been given an open invitation to return each year to conduct the "Hallelujah Chorus" at the holiday concert.

Although Don is retiring from the GMCC, he says he will find some way to stay involved in music.