THE SATINIQUES - THEIR STORY

In the Spring of 2003, two couples, Rick & Donna Pritchard of Komoka, and Joe & Ann Loebach of St. Thomas, started a discussion about taking control of a problem that they all had found very frustrating throughout the course of their varied musical careers. They first wanted to form a musical group who could mount a professional musical production in a situation where the cast couldn't devote full time to such a project. The next step was to continue to develop and improve this production as far as possible with the goal of doing this on almost a full-time basis.

There seemed to be two major problems with such a project. The first was to achieve a "sound" or blend that not only was very enjoyable for an audience to hear, but that would also be of a high enough musical quality to impress people with musical backgrounds. The second was to find members, dedicated to this common goal, who were willing to commit the necessary time and energy required to make this idea a reality. As a starting point, these four people arranged for a recording session to test out the compatibility of their own voices. Although they had sung together in various other groups over the previous five years, they had surprisingly, never just sung as a quartet. The results of this recording session were very encouraging. Although a lot of work still needed to be done, the "raw" sound meshed extremely well. Donna and Ann, with their Sopranos voices, were so well matched that at times they sounded like one voice. Rick's Tenor voice and Joe's Baritone/Bass truly complimented each other. At this point though, the work had just begun.

The group decided that their target audience would be people aged 40 and over and that fast-paced, familiar tunes from the 50's & 60's would be the music that this group of people would enjoy the most. It was also decided that although a high-quality musical sound was very critical, it was more important to put together an entertaining "act" to round out the overall presentation. What followed was literally several thousand hours selecting, modifying and rehearsing songs, putting together a theme and a story line for the act, deciding on props and costuming, selecting the necessary microphones and sound equipment, and finding and hiring a professional to choreograph the movements and dance steps. Business cards and promotional materials were designed and printed. And a name for the group was vigorously debated and carefully selected. They wanted this name to portray an image of high quality, yet very elegant performers; the perfect group for after dinner entertainment; equally at ease at a Corporate event or on an outdoor stage on a summer evening. The name SATINIQUES was finally chosen with the thought that the word " satin " would conjure up an image of a smooth, classy performance.

Finally, in the early Spring of 2004, after nearly a year of initial preparation, The Satiniques were ready for their inaugural performance. It was decided to put on a "Sneak Preview" show before a small audience at the Port Stanley Theatre. The invited guests were a cross-section of what they hoped would make up their typical audience. All of the audience was advised beforehand that an open discussion would take place immediately after the show and everyone was encouraged to critique the performance, both the good and the bad aspects, so that the act could be improved as necessary. Needless to say, after all the time and energy devoted to this project, the members of the Satiniques were quite anxious as they waited to see the kind of reaction the show would get. It was extremely gratifying to see the audience rise in a spontaneous ovation at the finale. They definitely found plenty of areas that needed improvement, but over all the consensus was that it was an amazingly entertaining show with tremendous potential. That confirmation was all the Satiniques needed to start the process of making themselves better known. The first task was to refine and improve the act based on the feedback from the preview. They then set out a schedule to perfect the performance to the best of their abilities. Additionally, they developed a Demo DVD for promotional purposes along with a Marketing package for handing out to potential clients. Finally, about August of the same year, they started to market themselves aggressively and actively seek venues where they could perform.

To their great delight, their shows were warmly received everywhere. The audience delighted in the variety of the presentation, the high-energy performance, and the familiar toe-tapping songs, along with the enthusiasm of the performers. Professional musicians acclaimed the quality and blend of the music itself. The project was a success. But the Satiniques did not rest on their laurels. They still continue to rehearse twice a week, at least 3 to 4 hours a session, in order to keep their music and show as sharp as possible and to develop new possibilities. They are currently in the process of finalizing a second, entirely different act, which can either stand-alone or be used in conjunction with the original act. New music is constantly being reviewed for inclusion at various events and the likely probability of a third show. Their ultimate goal is to spend the majority of their time performing. It is obvious that the Satiniques love what they are doing and are willing to spend the necessary time to develop their potential to the fullest. And it shows! Just check out one of their performances. You'll have the time of your life.