Moving to IL, and goodbye to Lasell

It would seem that I am quite overdue for an update on this blog, but it's really been a rather eventful month.

All this year I spent applying to DMA programs in choral conducting. Earlier in April I found out that I have been accepted to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and I will be moving there in August to study with Dr. Andrew Megill, who was just appointed Director of Choral Activities there in March. Needless to say, I am very happy about this; working with Dr. Megill ten years ago while doing my Masters at Westminster was wonderful, and I am looking forward to three more years of learning, especially at such a huge and terrific school.

Last night was my first set of good-bye's. The Lasell College Chorus, which I have directed since the fall of 2009, did a program of music from video games (plus two songs from Wicked.) They sounded great, and I was particularly pleased with their rendition of my arrangement of "Still Alive" from Portal (which I intend to post here on the blog when I get permission to make the sheet music available.) And then at the end of the concert they totally surprised me by getting up and singing "Seize the Day" from Newsies, which is one of my favorite Broadway pieces, and a song we had sung several times in years past. I was blown away that they had found the time to get together and rehearse during the busiest week of the semester. And they sounded really good, too! It was a very satisfying and emotional evening. I'm so proud of my kids! (I refer to anyone in any of my choruses under the age of 25 as "my kids.")

Next up is my final concert with Cantilena this coming Sunday, May 4 at 4 pm. Stay tuned for more info about that!