Pelham Larks Celebrate 70th Anniversary
with Gala Concert at Manor Club

By Stephen E. Lipken

The Pelham Larks celebrated their 70th Anniversary with a gala concert at the Manor Club on October 23rd, joined by Pelham Memorial High School AcaPelicans and the Crickets, a men’s a cappella group, part of the University Glee Club of New York City.

An enthusiastic audience of 250 people filled the Manor Club auditorium to near capacity, as the Larks rendered a wide variety of melodies, including “Zip-a-Dee-Dooh-Dah;” “Nightingale Sang in Barkley Square;” “Please Mr. Postman;” “God Bless America; “I’ll Be Home for Christmas;” and more.

The Crickets numbers encompassed “Lady is a Tramp;” and “Till There Was You.”

AcaPelicans sang two upbeat numbers, “Love Song” and “Pompeii.”

“Right here in Pelham, a singing group called the Pelicans flew through its inaugural season,” Larks’ announcer Claudia Wallis began. “Like many local women’s singing groups, it was an offshoot of the Junior League…The ‘League Larks’ began singing at local nursing homes and hospitals, providing a kind of informal ‘music therapy.’ 

 Before long they were performing annually at Pelham’s elementary schools.  

“For years the highlight of the season has been our annual concert at the Salvation Army Men’s Shelter in Mount Vernon.  There is no better audience than those guys, who are fighting to turn their lives around.”

“When the Larks ceased to be the League Larks in 1973, we changed our name to the Pelham Larks,” Larks’ member Donna Randles noted.  “We are grateful to receive a small grant from the town and in return, we perform for community events and holidays: Memorial Day, the lighting of the town Christmas tree, 9-11 observance an annual performance for Pelham Seniors and one for special needs children.”