Happy Boxing Day

The Sunday before Christmas, which is the big holiday music service at my church, was snowed out. (No worries - the choir will sing their planned Bach Cantata selections in late January, although I am sad that the bell choir didn't get to perform, and am not sure if we can reschedule that.) However our Christmas Eve service went ahead as planned and was of course quite lovely. But I did find myself thinking in the middle of the service of some people I care about for whom the holidays are an unhappy or stressful time (whether owing to a recent death of a beloved family member or great difficulties interacting with their families or other reasons) and that they might have a great deal of difficulty relating to the completely magical and unrelentingly positive attitude of our service.

Well, yesterday what to my wondering eyes should appear but Jay Smooth's latest video offering. If you are not particularly happy this holiday season, Jay Smooth has got your back with "In Defense of Humbug."

Christmas cat post!

Merry Christmas!

Before my brother and sister-in-law left for Austin (where our family is celebrating Christmas this year) my brother took several photos of "Oomi at the holidays." Here is the first one; more to follow next week.

In this first shot, it appears that someone has knocked a number of ornaments off the tree. Hm. I wonder if there are any clues as to the identity of the criminal in this photo...

Monday link

Have you been following NBC's show "The Sing-Off"? It started last week, with shows on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. And tonight is the grand finale, at 8/7c.

I haven't been following myself, but with eight excellent a cappella groups competing together on national TV, what's not to like, really? And since we live in the digital age, I am fully intending to get caught up after Christmas, when I have a bit of a breather. You can do the same; NBC will be offering the videos of the episodes on its site until 1/8/10.

Friday cat post!

Continued from last week, we have the second installment of "Oomi's love affair with the heater." Here she is warming her little paws. Just like the poor little Match girl. Or not.

Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/17/09

Ah, the last big performance weekend of the year!

I would like to highlight the fact that Cappella Clausura, one of my groups (although I'm not singing with them this year due to scheduling difficulties) is coming to my church, First Parish Cohasset, for a big huge concert at 4 pm on Sunday. If you are anywhere in the area, please come and check out some beautiful Baroque and Renaissance music, as well as dancers, giant puppets, and costumes!

Friday:

7:30 pm: First Parish Congregational Wakefield; Annual Messiah Sing; First Parish Congregational, Wakefield.

8:00 pm: Masterworks Chorale; Annual Messiah Sing; Cary Hall, Lexington.

8:00 pm: Chorus pro Musica; Annual Holiday Concert; Old South Church, Copley Sq., Boston.

8:00 pm: The Oriana Consort; “New Songs for Midwinter," choral music for Advent and Nativity from the 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, and 21st centuries; First Lutheran Church, Boston.

8:00 pm: Boston Gay Men's Chorus; "Our Home for the Holidays"; Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston.

Saturday:

2:00 pm: Concord Women's Chorus; "In the Glow of the Moon"; Trinity Episcopal Church, Concord.

8:00 pm: Masterworks Chorale; Annual Messiah Sing; Cary Hall, Lexington.

8:00 pm: Boston Gay Men's Chorus; "Our Home for the Holidays"; Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston.

8:00 pm: Back Bay Chorale; "A Venetian Christmas"; Marsh Chapel, Boston University, Boston.

8:00 pm: The Boston Camerata, in collaboration with the SHARQ Arabic Music Ensemble; "A Mediterranean Christmas"; First Parish Church, Newbury.

8:00 pm: Blue Heron Renaissance Choir; "Christmas in Medieval England"; First Church Congregational, Cambridge.

Sunday:

2:00 pm: Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord (FOPAC); 4th Annual Messiah Sing; 51 Walden, Concord.

3:00 pm: Back Bay Chorale; "A Venetian Christmas"; Marsh Chapel, Boston University, Boston.

3:00 pm: Nashoba Valley Chorale; Handel's Messiah; St. Anne's Church, Littleton.

3:00 pm: The Boston Camerata, in collaboration with the SHARQ Arabic Music Ensemble; "A Mediterranean Christmas"; First Lutheran Church, Boston.

3:30 pm: Assabet Valley Mastersingers; Annual Messiah Sing; First Congregational Church, Shrewsbury.

4:00 pm: Cappella Clausura; "Gloria: A Renaissance Christmas"; First Parish Cohasset. Features Creationdance, giant puppets, and costumes! I'm hosting!

4:00 pm: Youth Pro Musica; Annual Winter Concert; First Unitarian Society in Newton.

4:00 pm: Pilgrim Festival Chorus; Messiah sing; Church of the Pilgrimage, Plymouth.

4:00 pm: Youth pro Musica; Annual Winter Concert, including Vivaldi's Gloria; First Unitarian Society in Newton, West Newton.

5:00 pm: Harvard Unitarian Church; Annual Messiah Sing; Harvard Unitarian Church in Harvard, MA.

7:30 pm: Belmont Open Sings; Messiah Sing; Payson Park Church, Belmont. (Weather make-up date is 12/21.)

8:00 pm: Boston Gay Men's Chorus; "Our Home for the Holidays"; Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston.

Did I miss anything? Leave it in the comments!

Monday link

As usual, the Muppets set the standard, this time in Christmas carols. Hat-tip to MLR.

Also, the Tufts Beelzebubs are competing on NBC's "The Sing-Off." Check out the Boston Globe's article on them. And may the best group win!

Mid-year auditions

Many choruses have auditions mid-year, but most are in January (like Cantilena! And some others.) Chorus Pro Musica is holding theirs on Monday, Dec. 21, so be aware if you are interested in auditioning for their spring season.

Caturday cat post!

The week was too hectic - everything is a day late this week!

Oomi is caught mid-stretch. Notice the key strategic positioning in front of the heater.

Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/10/09, Part 2

Here it is, part 2 of the Weekend Concert Calendar. This is arguably the busiest week of the year. So I hope someone is using this!

Saturday:

2:00 pm: Vienna Choir Boys (Celebrity Boston Series); Holiday program; Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston.

4:00 pm AND 8:00 pm: The Concord Chorus; "Holiday Concert," including the "Mid-Winter Songs" by Lauridsen; Middlesex School Memorial Chapel, Concord.

7:30 pm: Salisbury Singers; Holiday Family Concert; Dukakis Theatre at Monty Tech, Fitchburg.

7:30 pm: The Gospel Music Project; "Rock My Soul Holiday Concert"; First Baptist Church, Newton.

7:30 pm: Boston City Singers; "Winter Stars"; Parish of All Saints, Dorchester.

8:00 pm: Cappella Clausura; "Gloria: A Renaissance Christmas Pageant"; First Unitarian Society, Newton.

8:00 pm: Lorelei Ensemble and Juventas New Music Ensemble; "One Light - the world premiere of seven holiday works for women’s choir with chamber ensemble;" St. John's Church, Jamaica Plain.

8:00 pm: Zefiro; Works of Victoria and Gesualdo; Brickbottom Gallery, Somerville.

8:00 pm: Neponset Choral Society; "Mostly Mendelssohn"; St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Foxborough.

8:00 pm: Newburyport Choral Society and Orchestra; Carmina Burana and seasonal favorites; Belleville Congregational Church, Newburyport.

8:00 pm: The Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale; "A Welsh Christmas;" House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Hingham.

8:00 pm: The Boston Camerata, in collaboration with the SHARQ Arabic Music Ensemble; "A Mediterranean Christmas"; First Church, Cambridge.

8:00 pm: The Pilgrim Festival Chorus (in collaboration with the Plymouth Philharmonic and the Federal Furnace School Treble Chorus); Festive Holiday POPS concert; Memorial Hall, Plymouth.

8:00 pm: Chorus North Shore; Handel's Messiah; Our Lady of Hope Church, Ipswich.

8:00 pm: Cambridge Chamber Singers; "A Christmas Alleluia!" featuring Byrd's Mass for four voices, Thompson's Alleluia, and carols; Lindsey Chapel, Emmanuel Church, Boston.

Sunday:

2:00 pm: Boston Gay Men's Chorus; "Our Home for the Holidays"; Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston.

2:00 pm: Vox Lucens; "The Story of Mary;" Church of Our Savior, Arlington.

2:00 pm: Chorus North Shore; Handel's Messiah; St. Richard's Church, Danvers.

2:30 pm: Neponset Choral Society; "Mostly Mendelssohn"; St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Foxborough.

2:30 pm: Newburyport Choral Society and Orchestra; Carmina Burana and seasonal favorites; Belleville Congregational Church, Newburyport.

3:00 pm: The Boston Cecilia; "The Starlit Birth"; All Saints Parish in Brookline.

3:00 pm: Cambridge Community Chorus; Handel's Messiah; Kresge Auditorium, MIT, Cambridge.

3:00 pm: The Arlington-Belmont Chorale; "A Winter Concert" including works by Beethoven, Bavicchi and Schubert; First Parish, Arlington.

3:00 pm: Dedham Choral Society; a Christmas concert featuring Haydn, Mendelssohn, Billings, and familiar carols; St. Mary's, Dedham.

3:00 pm: The Pilgrim Festival Chorus (in collaboration with the Plymouth Philharmonic and the Federal Furnace School Treble Chorus); Festive Holiday POPS concert; Memorial Hall, Plymouth.

3:00 pm: Sudbury Memorial Congregational Church; Annual Messiah Sing; Sudbury Memorial Congregational Church, Sudbury.

3:00 pm: The Paul Madore Chorale; "Welcome Yule!"; St. Anne's Church, Salem.

3:00 pm: The Highland Glee Club; "Mendelssohn and Haydn"; First Baptist Church, Needham.

3:00 pm: Choirs of Trinity Church; Bach's Magnificat and Handel's Messiah, Part I; Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston.

4:00 pm: The Master Singers of Lexington; "A Master Singers Christmas" including works by Poulenc, Lassus, and Rorem; First Parish, Lexington.

4:00 pm: The DeVaronistas; "Shout for Joy!"; Pleasant Street Congregational Church, Arlington.

4:00 pm: Greater Gardner Community Choir; Handel's Messiah; First Congregational Church, Gardner.

4:00 pm: The Unicorn Singers and the Broad Cove Chorale; "A Welsh Christmas;" First Parish Cohasset, Cohasset.

4:00 pm: The Choir of St. Peter's Church; Handel's Messiah; St. Peter's Church, Weston. (Bring your score and sing with the choir!)

4:00 pm: Stämbandet; Scandinavian holiday music; Westford Historical Society, United Parish of Auburndale, Newton.

5:00 pm: Cappella Clausura; "Gloria: A Renaissance Christmas Pageant"; Church of St. Andrew, Marblehead.

5:00 pm: Old North Chamber Singers; "Christmas Concert at Old North"; Old North Church, Boston.

5:15 pm: Concordia Consort; "Noe! Noe! Annunciation to Epiphany"; Church of Our Saviour, Brookline.

7:00 pm: Cambridge Chamber Singers; "A Christmas Alleluia!" featuring Byrd's Mass for four voices, Thompson's Alleluia, and carols; St. John's Episcopal Church, Arlington.

7:30 pm: Quincy Choral Society; "Dona Nobis Pacem - Give Us Peace"; Sacred Heart Church, North Quincy.

8:00 pm: Lorelei Ensemble and Juventas New Music Ensemble; "One Light - the world premiere of seven holiday works for women’s choir with chamber ensemble;" Marsh Chapel, Boston University, Boston.

Tuesday:

12:15 pm: Concordia Consort; "Noe! Noe! Annunciation to Epiphany"; King's Chapel, Boston.

7:30 pm: The Apollo Club of Boston; Annual Christmas concert; Rabb Auditorium, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Boston.

Whew. Did I miss anything? Leave it in the comments!

Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/10/09, Part 1

It has been quite the week over her at Chez CurrentConductor so I am going to have to do the Weekend Concert Calendar in two parts. First up will be the Friday night portion; the doings on Saturday and Sunday will be outlined in a subsequent post sometime tomorrow.

Friday:

7:30 pm: Stämbandet; Scandinavian holiday music; Westford Historical Society, The Parish Center for the Arts, Westford.

7:30 pm: Boston Baroque; Handel's Messiah; Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston.

8:00 pm: The Boston Cecilia; "The Starlit Birth"; Church of the Advent.

8:00 pm: Dedham Choral Society; a Christmas concert featuring Haydn, Mendelssohn, Billings, and familiar carols; St. Paul's Cathedral, Boston.

8:00 pm: The Boston Camerata, in collaboration with the SHARQ Arabic Music Ensemble; "A Mediterranean Christmas"; Follen Church, Lexington.

8:15 pm: Concordia Consort; "Noe! Noe! Annunciation to Epiphany"; Trinity Episcopal Church, Concord.

Also, the Christmas Revels starts its run on Friday!

Did I miss anything that's happening on Friday? Leave it in the comments!

Monday link (sort of)

Whoops, it's time for a Monday link, isn't it?

What's that over there?!?

*scampers off*

Opera auditions!

Want to sing some opera? Read on!

The Harvard Lowell House Opera seeks singers of all voice parts for CHORUS for its February–March 2010 production of Puccini’s Tosca, fully costumed and staged, sung in Italian with projected supertitles, with full orchestra. Channing Yu is Music Director; Michael Yashinsky is Stage Director; Ryan Kichler is Producer. The Lowell House Opera Chorus is directed by Matt Aucoin. This is an all-volunteer production. There is no age limit, nor is there an audition fee. Open auditions (walk-in) will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2009 (7:00-8:00 PM) and Wednesday, December 9, 2009 (5:00-6:00 PM) at Lowell House, 10 Holyoke Place, Cambridge, MA, in Squash Court #3 (basement of B-entry). Auditioners are encouraged to arrive during the first half-hour of each audition session. Lowell House Opera staff will be stationed at the main entrance and will be reachable at 617-466-9045. There will be a warmup room at the audition location. Singers interested in auditioning for the chorus should bring one classical musical selection to sing. This may be an aria, a song, or a choral selection. The piece does not need to be memorized. An accompanist will be on site; singers are also free to bring their own accompanists.

You may remember that I participated in the LHO's production of Otello last year. I highly recommend that anyone interested try out - the LHO is extremely welcoming to anyone in the community who wishes to participate, and the productions are excellent. It's a dramatic production, so it will eat your life, but you'll make some great contacts. And I know the guy directing the chorus from last year's production, and he's very talented and nice - he'll be a lot of fun to work with.

Friday cat post!

The title of this one is "Oomi Guards Treasured Plastic Bag."

Oomi LOOOOOOVES the plastic bags.

Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/4/09, P.S.

I just couldn't finish the concert calendar last night; it got to be past midnight, and I had to throw in the towel. So here are a few extra things! I have also updated the Messiah Sings post, so don't forget to check that out again.

Friday:

8:00 pm: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Messiah Sing; chapel, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Belmont.

Sunday:

4:00 pm: St. Paul's Episcopal Church; Messiah Sing; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Brookline.

4:00 pm: St. Paul Choir Christmas Concert; works by Charpentier and Rutter, as well as trad. carols; St. Paul Church, Wellesley.

Weekend Concert Calendar, 12/3/09

Friday:

7:30 pm: Handel and Haydn Society; Handel's Messiah; Symphony Hall, Boston.

8:00 pm: Harvard University Chamber Singers; "O Magnum Mysterium, A Medieval and Renaissance Celebration of the Season"; Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, Cambridge.

8:00 pm: The Harbour Choral Arts Society; "Joy, Joy, Joy! A Concert for the Holidays"; First Congregational Church, Hanover.

8:00 pm: Concert Singers; Handel's Messiah, Parts I & II; Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lynn, Swampscott.

Saturday:

3:00 pm: Handel and Haydn Society; Handel's Messiah; Symphony Hall, Boston.

4:00 pm: Somerville Community Chorus; Mendelssohn's Magnificat, also music for Christmas and Hanukkah; College Avenue Methodist Church, Somerville.

7:00 pm: The A Cappella Singers; "Alleluia, Alleluia!"; St Andrew's Episcopal Church, Wellesley.

7:00 pm: Eastern Nazarene College Choral Union; Handel's Messiah; Wollaston Church of the Nazarene, Quincy.

7:30 pm: New England Classical Singers; William Grant Still's Christmas In the Western World, plus other Christmas music; Rogers Center for the Arts at Merrimack College, North Andover.

7:30 pm: Polymnia Choral Society; "A Victorian Christmas"; First Congregational Church, Melrose.

7:30 pm: Harvard Pro Musica; "Songs of the Holiday Season"; Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, Harvard (the town).

7:30 pm: Cantemus; "Winter Light: Season of Snow and Shadow"; Christ Church, Hamilton.

8:00 pm: Musica Sacra; "Clear and Bright: Festive Sounds of Chorus and Brass"; First Church Congregational, Cambridge.

8:00 pm: Radcliffe Choral Society and the Harvard Glee Club; Annual Holiday Concert; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.

8:00 pm: Old North Festival Chorus; Annual Christmas concert featuring works by Zelenka, Praetorius, Woodman, and others; Old North Church, Marblehead.

Sunday:

1:00 pm: Divi Zheni; Christmas sedenka with music, dance, and traditional Bulgarian food;
Holy Resurrection Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Allston.

1:00 pm: The Folk Song Society of Greater Boston; Pub Carol Sing; back room at Doyle's Cafe, Jamaica Plain.

2:00 pm: Vox Lucens; "The Story of Mary;" St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Acton.

GO TO THIS ONE! 3:00 pm: Cantilena; "Northern Lights: Music from Scandinavia;" First Parish Church, Arlington. Conducted by yours truly!

3:00 pm: Zamir Chorale; Open Sing featuring the Best Choral Music for Chanukah; Temple Reyim, Newton.

3:00 pm: Carter Memorial United Methodist Church; Messiah Sing. Carter Memorial United Methodist Church, Needham.

3:00 pm: The Arlington-Belmont Chamber Chorus; "A Not-Quite-Winter Concert: An Alternate Ceremony of Carols"; Payson Park Congregational Church, Belmont.

3:00 pm: Handel and Haydn Society; Handel's Messiah; Symphony Hall, Boston.

3:00 pm: The Harbour Choral Arts Society; "Joy, Joy, Joy! A Concert for the Holidays"; Old South Union Church, South Weymouth.

3:00 pm: Capriccio Chorus of the Rivers School in Weston; Music for the holidays from the Renaissance through Jazz and Broadway; Bradley Hall at The Rivers School, Weston.

4:00 pm: Choral Art Society; "Music of Christmas and Chanukah;" St. Luke's Church, Scituate.

4:00 pm: Cantemus; "Winter Light: Season of Snow and Shadow"; St. Paul's Church, Newburport.

5:00 pm: The Oriana Consort; “New Songs for Midwinter," choral music for Advent and Nativity from the 16th, 17th, 18th, 20th, and 21st centuries; University Lutheran Church, Cambridge.

5:00 pm: MIT Gospel Choir; "Selah: Praise the Lord!"; Rm. 101, Building 34, MIT, Cambridge.

5:30 pm: Exsultemus; "Darmstadt: Briegel and Graupner"; First Lutheran Church, Boston.

6:00 pm: Eastern Nazarene College Choral Union; Handel's Messiah; Wollaston Church of the Nazarene, Quincy.

7:00 pm: The Congregational Church of West Medford; Annual Messiah Sing. Congregational Church of West Medford, Medford.

7:00 pm: Boston Jazz Voices; December concert; Unity Church, North Easton.

7:30 pm: Old North Festival Chorus; Annual Christmas concert featuring works by Zelenka, Praetorius, Woodman, and others; Old North Church, Marblehead.

8:00 pm: Concert Singers; Handel's Messiah, Parts I & II; Sacred Heart RC Church, Lynn.

Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!

RIP H. C. Robbins Landon

Nooooo! The great scholar H. C. Robbins Landon has died. Arguably the foremost authority on Haydn in the world.