Dryden Flight Research Center's Hallway Holiday Choir spreads cheer

  • Published
  • By Jay Levine
  • NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Dryden Flight Research Center's Hallway Holiday Choir will spread song and cheer with planned performances at Dryden, the Dryden Aircraft Operations Center and potentially at an Edwards Air Force Base event.

The choir has been singing its way through the holidays for about four years at the NASA center. Each year the group meets to review its song list, consider lessons from previous years and begin practices, said Lydia Dorfman, the choir's facilitator. The group practices once or twice a week and is looking forward to the upcoming events.

Planned performances this year include the Dryden Center Director's Open House on Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. and at the Dryden Center Director's Open House at the DAOC on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. The group has been invited to perform on Dec. 16 at the annual Edward Air Force Base Children's Holiday Party, which follows the tree lighting ceremony near the Oasis Community Center.

The choir also could be available for other events on base. For more information, call Dorfman at 661-276-3306.

"When I first started to work here at Dryden back in 1994, I recalled hearing carolers, a group of maybe four or six strolling through the hallways during the holiday season," Dorfman said. "Four years ago, I remembered how great it made me feel to be in a working environment that allowed music to be shared. It was then I realized it [the choir] needed to be revived and enhanced."

Dorfman was encouraged to go forward with her idea, and the Dryden Employee Exchange Council helped guide her on how to assemble a choir.

"I met with fellow employees that I knew who were musicians, to brainstorm ideas on how best to make this happen. An announcement was made soon after, and to my surprise there was an overwhelming response and support at our first kickoff meeting," she said.

Regardless of where the choir performs, the sounds of the holiday are sure to follow.

Choir members include Al Bowers, Heather Burgwald, Terra Calahan, Sierra Cogan, Vicki Cordes, Beverly Crooke, Christina Day, Dorfman, Mike Earls, Sandra Hewes, Eric Huffmaster, Kurt Kloesel, Wendolyn Leon, Freddy Lockarno, Monique Pierre-Louis, Nikki Martin, Denise Orta-O'Neill, Aamod Samuel, Stephanie Snapp and Brian Villalva.