Autumn Years Fall 2024

“The Wildcats have become a wonderful part of our lives,” says Susan Novie.

members remain. And Barbara, age 80, still serves as the group’s di rector and pianist at all performances. The group’s altos include Susan Novie

Attending Tuesday afternoon rehears als is a priority for the Wildcats. “When I call to make a doctor’s appointment,” says Arlene Tancorra, “I tell the sched uler I’m available any day but Tuesday.” When she learned her cataract doctor only performed surgeries on Tuesdays, Arlene grudgingly scheduled the neces sary procedure. And the rest of the Wild cats of course kidded her a good bit for missing rehearsal. Barbara purposefully sets the rehears al start time at 12:30pm, knowing full well it will take the Wildcats at least 30 min utes to hug, kiss and schmooze as if they haven’t seen each other for a decade. At 1pm sharp, Barbara strikes a chord on the piano, the signal to stop chatting and start singing. Barbara also strategically sched ules a Bergen Community College class she teaches immediately following Wild cats rehearsals so that she has a legitimate reason to force the group to disperse. Arlene and her husband lived in Glen Rock for nearly 40 years before down sizing to a North Haledon townhouse. When her husband wanted to relocate to the shore area eight years ago, Arlene told him she would accompany him on one non-negotiable condition—every Tues day she would drive two hours north and two hours back to attend Wildcats rehearsals. She has been doing just that ever since.

Night” and “Da Do Ron Ron.” “It was so exciting for all of us when Doo-wop songs were added to the concerts, and that excitement is really what inspired us to want to sing more of this kind of music,” original Wildcat Sandy Koblick recalls. “It was fabulous.” The absolute fun of performing these songs left the Doo-wop singers thirsty for more, so they eventually formed their own group, independent of the college and its Senior Choir, but with Barbara as their director. The Wildcats Singing Group was born. The Wildcats perform at malls, se nior centers, 55+ communities, libraries, community centers, clubs and organiza tions across Bergen and Passaic counties in New Jersey and Rockland County, New York. They performed at their first fund-raiser in spring 2024 for a Mahwah temple. They do charge a modest stipend but only to offset the costs of travel to gigs and to pay for necessary new equipment, such as microphones. Group membership once swelled to 14 and, although its makeup has shifted slightly over the years, many original

(77), Sheila Friedman (85), Shelly Stein (77) and Arlene Tancorra (79). Sopra nos include Sandy Koblick (83), Caro lyn Russo (75), Clara Krever (77) and Jeanne Mancision (76). Silvia Tallody (76) and Joseph Ferrante (83) provide the group’s deep voices. “The Wildcats have become a won derful part of our lives,” says Susan Novie. “We enjoy singing and spending time together as much as we enjoy see ing people at our performances smiling, singing and clapping along.” After the singing group became inde pendent of the college, they needed to find a place to rehearse. Barbara Heitmann offered the use of her Oakland home, which has a finished basement and piano, and this remains the Wildcats’ primary practice place. Barbara is a snowbird who heads to Florida for part of the winter, so Arlene Tancorra, who also has a piano, initially hosted the group’s winter re hearsals in her absence. The Wildcats now hold winter practices in the clubhouse of the community where Sandy Koblick resides. As the group’s assistant director, Sandy also runs these winter rehearsals.

48 AUTUMN YEARS I FALL 2024