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Two golden anniversaries, one remarkable woman
The printed program for the March 2023 concert of the Providence Singers carried this congratulatory ad for two golden anniversaries: women’s intercollegiate ice hockey and the incorporation of the Providence Singers. Alli played a significant early role role in both.
Women at Brown University have been playing ice hockey at least since 1964 against whatever competition they could find. Many fans point to February 17, 1973, when the Brown Pandas were in Maine to play Colby College, as the game that put women‘s intercollegiate ice hockey on the map. (The U.S. Olympic gold medal was still 25 years away.)
Colby scored late in the third period to win the match 3-2, but it was a close, fierce game complete with some great performances. Brown forward Allison McMillan, a music major, pianist, and member of the Brown Chorus, scored both Brown goals.
Also in 1973, the Providence Singers, a small choral group, incorporated as a permanent nonprofit musical organization after two introductory seasons. Choral art and women’s hockey began 50 years of growth in Providence.
Alli kept both music and hockey interests alive and growing. She earned a master's degree in exercise physiology, played hockey in community leagues, helped kids in a youth league, and coached a JV girls high school team. But she was also a choir director, organist, accompanist, and, beginning in 1990, a member of the Providence Singers.
As the Singers Board president, she led the Singers during a period of strong artistic development and organizational renewal. In 2002, when the Singers changed to a full-time professional staff, she became the Singers first executive director, serving for 12 seasons and representing the Singers nationally for two three-year terms as a board member of Chorus America. She became Executive Director Emerita in May 2014.
Congratulations, Alli, and thanks from all of your family and friends.
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