The First Five Years (cont.)
Another Interim, Yes; Stagnation, No! -- The Sauter Era
It is hard to characterize the next two and a half years in the life of the Society. During the Moore era the Society's leaders were busily beating the bushes for a permanent director. Not finding the right person, in the spring of 1975 they persuaded Ruth Sauter to take the baton temporarily. Ruth is a graduate of Beaver College (A.B.) and Temple University (M.A.), with advanced studies at Trenton State College and Westminster Choir College. She is a music teacher and choral director at Central Bucks East High School. The Society had found a qualified professional, but Ruth felt unable to make a long-term commitment. In the end, she submitted to a series of arm-twistings by Society officers, led by Carola Benecke, and stayed on as temporary conductor for two and a half years.
But these were not years of marking time. Ambitious works were tackled, and including Handel's Messiah, Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass, the Mozart Requiem and Poulenc Gloria. There were fruitful collaborations with the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, the Pro Musica Orchestra, and the Temple University Orchestra. Accompanists during this period included Ruth McConnell, Carolyn Klingel, Sharon Bertha and Margaret Lea.
The Sauter era was also a time when, with some prodding from Ruth, the Society's officers were giving serious thought to housekeeping matters -- incorporation, bylaws, tax-exempt status, funding strategies. These were to come to fruition in the next era.
