Friends, This past July, we lost Dr. Steven Thomas, who shared music and ruminations on life with us each week for many years. He was a wonderful musician and an even finer person. Others had more and better opportunities to experience his beautiful conducting, passioned teaching, and inspiring leadership. We did not sing for Steven, but instead sang with him, just 8 people sitting together each week in an otherwise empty church enjoying the challenge of making something beautiful with our voices. There is an intimacy in doing that, and we were blessed to share it with Steven. Guided and inspired by Steven's wife, Sue Minsavage-and working with the Wilkes University Choirs and the Arcadia Chorale-we are planning an afternoon of music and remembrances to celebrate Steven's life on Sunday, October 3, 2021. Should the Covid situation still preclude at that time such a full-house choral concert, we are also holding May 1, 2022 for this event. We are also directing all contributions for 2020-2021 to fund the commissioning of new choral works for the Consort in Steven's memory, and Richard Wargo, James Eakin and the noted American poet, Anthony Silverstri, are all presently working on these and we look forward to sharing them with you upon their completion. Should you wish to contribute to this commissioning project, please do so to The Lyric Consort, c/o Alan Baker, 625 N. Main Avenue, Scranton PA 18504. All contributions are fully tax-deductible as charitable gifts. While Covid concerns continue to prevent live concerts for us, we are meeting to sing with masks and distance, preparing music for Steven's Celebration and beginning work on Bill Carter's new Jazz Requiem in hopes of premiering that work next fall. We are grateful not only to our many individual patrons, but to our long-time funders The PA Council on the Arts and Lackawanna County Arts and Culture, for their continuing support during these difficult times. Thank you, The Lyric Consort