Feb 14, 2020
Maestro John Schuricht
Music for our Valentines
Did you know that Valentine's Day has been celebrated on February 14 since Pope Gelasius 1 established it as the Feast of St. Valentine of Rome in 496 AD?  It seems the Christian saint was known for performing wedding ceremonies for Roman soldiers otherwise legally forbidden to marry.  For this subversive practice, in 269 AD the Roman emperor had the priest executed.  The feast day later became associated with romantic love the 14th Century in the time of Canterbury Tales author/poet Geoffrey Chaucer.  Over the centuries the day grew into an occasion for couples to exchange flowers, sweets and love notes.
 
This Friday we encourage you to bring your special Valentine to Rotary.  If that is not possible, we encourage you to just bring yourself and join in the fun of a special musical Valentine's Day program.  Club musician John Schuricht and four members of his Dixieland band will entertain us with New Orleans jazz, an art form that traces its roots to the 1920s and music of such iconic black musicians as Louis Armstrong, whose much later vocal recording of "Hello Dolly" reached Number One on the charts in June 1964. 
 
John and his musicians will each speak about their art form, instrument and their musical careers.  This will be an entertaining program for other guests as well.  Do not miss it.