tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80661082012-01-27T10:15:33.294-05:00CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.comBlogger7451100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-81951719848766942602012-01-27T10:15:00.000-05:002012-01-27T10:15:33.310-05:00

My quartet Anthology is performing this Sunday at 2pm at the Shirley-Eustis House in Roxbury. You should come! Parking is available. And if you are on the South Shore, come to my church this Saturday at 8 pm for a great voice-and-pianoforte concert by Clara Rottsolk and Sylvia Berry!Saturday:Convivium Musicum, "Orlandissimo: A Renaissance Prodigy", 7:00 pm, CambridgeWellesley Choral Society, "

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-66472926253463478842012-01-24T11:11:00.001-05:002012-01-25T10:58:00.198-05:00

Sopranos! How often are you desired above all other voice parts? Not often enough, right? Well, read on!The Appalachian Mountain Club puts on 3 weekends a year in the White Mountains where about 100 instrumentalists and singers come together to make music and enjoy the outdoors with activities of the season. These events are called Mountains and Music. I have gone out several times to be the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-57600757001809905082012-01-23T12:14:00.003-05:002012-01-23T12:21:59.776-05:00

You might have noticed the lack of a Weekend Concert Calendar - I am especially sorry about that because there were some amazing concerts this past weekend. The Cantata Singers had a spectacular program reviewed here by the Globe; and I'm also sorry I missed the Lorelei Ensemble's performances. But I was pretty busy singing myself - here's a review of the King's Chapel Choir performance I sang in

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-43285070568340142992012-01-16T13:30:00.003-05:002012-01-16T13:33:09.592-05:00

Well, we have some gossip today!First of all, there's this recent hubbub at NEC over Benjamin Zander.Then there's this Boston Globe article about what on earth happened over at Opera Boston.Did you hear that a NY Phil performance was interrupted by a cell phone? And that Alan Gilbert stopped the proceedings to wait until the phone stopped ringing?Well, the cellphone miscreant has spoken up to

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-1886440815881315832012-01-13T13:55:00.001-05:002012-01-13T13:56:41.060-05:00

Sorry folks, no Weekend Concert Calendar today. I'm just too behind right now! Check out bostonsings.org, and I'll let you know what's going on next week!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-40120773421704682032012-01-13T11:29:00.003-05:002012-01-13T11:31:00.998-05:00

Whoops, when I made that list of all my concerts yesterday, I made a mistake - the King's Chapel "Baltic Cruise" concert is at 5 pm on Sunday, January 22 (not Sunday, January 29). I hope you all come anyways! The program is really varied and fantastic.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-58300192264037619182012-01-13T10:10:00.000-05:002012-01-13T10:10:00.555-05:00

Who says kitties are stand-offish? This patient policeman would probably beg to differ.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-89985459028550020622012-01-12T13:26:00.000-05:002012-01-12T13:27:15.084-05:00

There is a lot of stuff going on in the next couple of months!First of all, Anthology has a few concerts coming up. On Sunday, January 22 we will be performing at 2 pm at the Wellesley Public Library. The following Sunday, January 29, also at 2 pm, we will be participating in the Greater Boston House Concert series by performing at the Shirley-Eustis House in Roxbury. And on Sunday, February 19,

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-36591675321388616992012-01-09T12:27:00.001-05:002012-01-09T12:27:00.232-05:00

Let's have some Rowan Atkinson doing Beethoven. Two great tastes that taste great together! (Thanks to Facebook for this one, I don't remember who posted it.)

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-70649112955024508962012-01-06T09:44:00.002-05:002012-01-06T09:44:01.283-05:00

Teehee. Enjoy this clever spoof by an ad agency. Cat videos are the future, people!The comments claim it's a copycat of Kittywood Studios. I take no sides - enjoy both!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-30151206463777694922012-01-05T22:36:00.002-05:002012-01-05T22:46:48.146-05:00

Happy New Year! If you haven't made a resolution to support local music by going to lots of concerts, you should. Start this week!Your options are limited, but quality! On Saturday evening, the Green Mountain Project is on Saturday at 7:30 pm at St. Paul's Church in Cambridge. This is the brainchild of local Scott Metcalfe, as well as soprano Jolle Greanleaf and others. From their website:Our

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-42937447432596067562012-01-02T22:14:00.000-05:002012-01-02T22:14:31.211-05:00

Happy first Monday of 2012! Have some links - these have been piling up, so I actually have quite a few for you.Alex Ross has a list of great performances from the past year (with some economic ruminations thrown in.)An interesting reflection on the dangers of the cult of the prodigy.Is it too late for a Messiah parody? Delightfully done!Do you ever talk with vocal fry? After listening to the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-14772989366072697652011-12-29T14:51:00.000-05:002011-12-29T14:51:00.692-05:00

The combination of the holidays and a bad cold/cough (possibly bronchitis) are going to keep me offline until 2012. Enjoy the offerings of First Night, and here, have a lovely video of my father playing a tenor horn solo in the rotunda of the Texas State Capitol building.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-40381255231736051282011-12-19T06:20:00.000-05:002011-12-19T06:20:00.899-05:00

This article about being an opera singer is very interesting. The part about "never feeling done" and working every day will surely feel familiar to musicians of all types!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-8064151399924110162011-12-16T06:00:00.000-05:002011-12-16T06:00:07.185-05:00

Check out this website Louis vs. Rick. The story of a man who taught his cat to use instant messaging. All the episodes are worth reading, but try this one on for size to start out!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-31653212336392527212011-12-15T16:51:00.000-05:002011-12-15T16:51:45.308-05:00

The last big choral concert weekend of December! (Next weekend is for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day church services.) Don't forget to check the Messiah Sings list - there are still a lot of opportunities to sing the Messiah, although I only listed concerts below.Also, the Christmas Revels in Sanders Theatre start on Friday! I will not list all the performances, as there are a billion, but

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-24390466703481113562011-12-09T12:19:00.000-05:002011-12-09T12:19:24.772-05:00

'Tis the season...for a whole lotta choral concerts!Friday:Boston Baroque, Handel's Messiah, 7:30 pm, BostonDedham Choral Society, "¡Fiesta de Navidad! - Spanish Christmas Music", 7:30 pm, BostonHarvard-Radcliffe Chorus, Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Parts 1-3), 8 pm, CambridgeBoston Conservatory Combined Choruses, Beethoven's Mass in C, Op. 86, 8 pm, BostonOriana Consort, "For Peace At Year's End",

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-45607963983970920102011-12-07T22:47:00.001-05:002011-12-08T11:55:45.495-05:00

Lift up your heads, and be ye lift up! It's time for the annual Messiah Sings post. These are all the Messiah sings in the area that I was able to find. If I missed one, or if you have further information about one of the sings listed, please leave a comment. I will edit the post to include updates; edits will appear in bold type. Note that this is sings only; for performances, keep your eye on

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-90201704116495548922011-12-05T10:47:00.002-05:002011-12-05T10:53:14.152-05:00

One of the kids in my college chorus was finding it really challenging to get up into her head voice last week. I asked her what she had been listening to lately, and she said, "Johnny Cash."So I put her on a strict No-Johnny-Cash diet until the concert is over tomorrow, but to give her some good stuff to listen to, I also made her a head-voice mix, assembled out of the collective wisdom of my

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-27949199550717478832011-12-05T09:45:00.001-05:002011-12-05T09:46:57.487-05:00

Some good rules for choirs. I hope my choirs are paying attention! Via Danica Buckley.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-53267085748330318602011-12-02T09:57:00.000-05:002011-12-02T09:57:00.453-05:00

Two cat videos today, one from my mother (uplifting! cute!), the other from my father (hilarious! somewhat disturbing! cute!).

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-60836046314403013022011-12-01T23:10:00.001-05:002011-12-01T23:11:08.065-05:00

This is a big weekend - Cantilena, conducted by yours truly, is having their annual winter concert this Sunday at 3 pm! We are presenting "An American Christmas" with music and texts by American composers and poets. I am very proud of the program I assembled, which has a little bit of everything - some familiar tunes, some unfamiliar tunes, some contemporary music, some folk music, some gospel.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-20381501562244828752011-12-01T12:07:00.003-05:002011-12-01T12:09:13.088-05:00

The annual Messiah Sings post is coming, but while I am assembling it, here is a preview - I don't want you to miss anything coming up this weekend or next week. The first one is at All Saints Parish, and it's tomorrow!First off, if you are tired of the Messiah and want to sing something else, the Zamir Chorale of Boston will oblige you! They are holding their annual open sing of Handel's Judas

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-44459814412433992412011-11-29T17:59:00.002-05:002011-11-29T18:04:02.309-05:00

Today in the elementary school where I teach music one day a week:Me: What's this?Student: A half-note.Me: Good. What's this?Another student: A polka-dotted half note.Me: Er, no. Just a dotted half note.Of course, once she said it, it stuck in the kids' heads, and at least one other student called it that during class!The same class featured a game of Is It A Composer or a Pasta? (From the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-55360580386814237672011-11-29T08:00:00.002-05:002011-11-29T08:00:10.862-05:00

It's been a while since I've done a ticket giveaway on this blog, but today I have TWO pairs of tickets for you!The first pair is to the Cantilena concert that I will be conducting this Sunday at 3 pm! We are going to be presenting "An American Christmas," featuring Christmas music by different American poets and composers, and we are particularly excited to be presenting a premiere by Ken Seitz

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-7014982649803279482011-11-28T10:27:00.001-05:002011-11-28T10:27:00.598-05:00

Hey, Christmas time is here! And you know what that means - it's the one time of year people who don't sing regularly in choruses might pay attention to choral music!/snarkSeriously, there is a very nice article about choral music and some of the season's upcoming concerts in the Boston Globe. It would be even nicer if they didn't focus exclusively on mixed choruses, but you can't have

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-52329225138759427752011-11-27T22:03:00.002-05:002011-11-27T22:09:04.249-05:00

So, last summer I participated in a recording session for a video game. It was VERY interesting, and now that the game is out I'm actually allowed to talk about it! It's called Ace Combat 3DS Assault Horizon Legacy, and you can see a preview here (and also hear me singing in the background! We were singing words, really.)I hope I get to do something like that again; the people in charge of the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-35668126662027697532011-11-25T10:34:00.002-05:002011-11-25T10:34:00.716-05:00

If you are not familiar with the Simon's Cat animations, they are wonderful little movies. And there is a new one out! "Double Trouble!"

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-89431153266887156992011-11-21T15:30:00.000-05:002011-11-21T15:30:00.974-05:00

Today's Monday link is about an exciting choral event in one week that you can participate in!There is going to be a choral flash mob in Dewey Square on 11/29 at 12:15 pm to sing "Make Our Garden Grow" from Bernstein's Candide. This is in honor of the Boston Public Market Association’s endeavors to bring locally grown food to the people of Boston. More details, and the opportunity to RSVP, are

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-23626408654140682322011-11-18T11:26:00.003-05:002011-11-18T11:30:05.710-05:00

I keep meaning to use this blog more to talk about my day-to-day musical activities, but the longer I don't, the bigger the task seems, and the less likely I am to start (the eternal blogger's conundrum.)So I'll start small. Apparently a week ago in church choir rehearsal I made a comment while we were practicing "Glory to God" from the Messiah that the choir sounded like angelic elephants (the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-51508260913860254402011-11-18T10:33:00.001-05:002011-11-18T10:34:56.284-05:00

Well, I have just accepted that my digital camera is completely lost, since I haven't seen it for over a year. I'm going to get a new one soon (maybe over Thanksgiving?) so that soon you will see pictures of Samson again, but until that time, you just get crazy cat links!I think this is adorable - Cats On Glass. Number two is my favorite!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-33578571942390200662011-11-17T23:03:00.000-05:002011-11-17T23:03:19.363-05:00

This weekend there is no doubt about what you must see; unquestionably, you must come see me sing with Schola Cantorum in our first-ever collaboration with new music group Juventas! We are going to be singing Arvo Pärt's Stabat Mater and a Josquin motet, along with the premieres of new works by Oliver Caplan and Domick DiOrio. The program is called "Through the Looking Glass: Old Sounds

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-75422968573282959512011-11-11T15:30:00.000-05:002011-11-11T15:30:01.412-05:00

Your kitty-related link of the day. Tee hee! (Via Alex Ross.)

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-24859111469810227922011-11-11T09:15:00.001-05:002011-11-11T09:15:50.587-05:00

Crazy-busy weekend again!Friday:Boston Children's Chorus, Concert in Honor of Veteran's Day, 7 pm, BostonSpectrum Singers, "Honoring Service, Pursuing Peace", 8 pm, CambridgeBoston University Choral Ensembles, Martin's Mass and other works, 8 pm, BostonSaturday:Orpheus Singers,"In the Time of Louis XIV - French Baroque Classics", 8 pm, BostonSalisbury Singers, "With One Voice: Songs of Struggle,

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-77519112932048490902011-11-07T11:46:00.003-05:002011-11-07T11:47:40.708-05:00

Today's Monday link comes from my friend Mike. It's a great article in the New Yorker about coaching in different areas - the author is a surgeon, but singers and violinists are also mentioned. Feels very relevant to me because I have been playing with the idea of finding a mentor/coach for several years now.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-20781678079563817482011-11-03T23:26:00.000-04:002011-11-03T23:26:50.670-04:00

Woooo, it is BUSY this weekend! So at the risk of alienating some very worthy ensembles, I am going to help you choose.If you go to one concert this weekend (and for the record I am going to more than that) you should go to the St. Matthew Passion performance being put on jointly by the Boston Cecilia and Musica Sacra. This is Cecilia director Don Teeters' 44th and final season with that fine

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-85976200689318971912011-10-31T16:52:00.000-04:002011-10-31T16:52:59.697-04:00

Great article in the Boston Globe about how music helps a teen engage with the world.Friend EC sent me a link to this TED talk by Hazlewood; most interesting to me was finding out what this conductor's projects are, none of which I had heard of and all of which sound awesome.An interesting article about conductors and tyranny...but more importantly, how did I not know about this feed?

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-54569364487291653132011-10-28T21:57:00.000-04:002011-10-28T21:57:29.240-04:00

Sorry this is going up so late, folks! Friends, errands, and work got in the way of a timely posting. Luckily, all the Friday night concerts are being repeated on subsequent days! (Exsultemus and Handel & Haydn.)Other interesting things this weekend include "Spark: the fire within," a concert at First Church Boston at 7 pm on Saturday night that will feature music, drama, spoken word, poetry, rap

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-50501899687836372802011-10-24T12:26:00.001-04:002011-10-24T12:27:38.219-04:00

I don't have any Monday links for you today. Isn't that terrible?You should help me out here - what should I have linked to? Any music news? Does your favorite chorus have an upcoming concert? Self-promoters also welcome!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-29414090338256747862011-10-21T10:56:00.003-04:002011-10-21T10:58:31.163-04:00

Are you ever going to see photos of Samson again? Good question. Who knows? He's currently curled up in my lap, occasionally nudging my mouse hand to scritch him. In the meantime, Oomi is watching you from a bag.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-44058920169517563092011-10-20T17:21:00.000-04:002011-10-20T17:22:04.632-04:00

In addition to the choral concerts this weekend, there are also some other exciting things, like Andreas Scholl, Dame Emma Kirkby, and Opera Boston's production of Berlioz' Béatrice et Bénédict. (Say that five times fast.)Friday:Boston Baroque, Haydn's Creation, 8:00 pm, BostonSaturday:Boston Baroque, Haydn's Creation, 8:00 pm, BostonBoston Conservatory, Combined Choral Concert, 4:00 pm, Boston

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-64988578997349491292011-10-17T10:31:00.002-04:002011-10-17T10:33:48.875-04:00

A fascinating article about Colin Davis. Oh, how I wish people were paying me in a way that enabled me to sit and think about the music.On a different note, a fun video from my friend ML.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-84782311581591428372011-10-13T18:52:00.000-04:002011-10-13T18:52:54.589-04:00

This week's calendar makes me feel like the semester's concerts are truly under way! On Saturday, especially, there are tough choices to be made! (For those who don't know, Suzuki is one of the world's experts in conducting and recording Bach cantatas.)Saturday:Blue Heron, "A 16th-century Meeting of England & Spain," 8:00 pm, CambridgeExsultemus, "Telemann: Harmonischer Gottesdienst," 8:00 pm,

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-60665581807834345772011-10-10T13:17:00.000-04:002011-10-10T13:18:00.455-04:00

Monday links!An interesting essay on being an artist in general (not necessarily just a musician.)And from Liz Garnett, an entry on how we outsource our memory in the days of the internet. I know this is true for me! (For one thing, my calendar is no longer in my head at all.)

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-27982040346906509942011-10-08T00:41:00.001-04:002011-10-08T00:42:10.974-04:00

Oops, no Weekend Concert Calendar this week. It was just too crazy-busy a week, and I did not have my normal down-time on Thursday or Friday to get it together.So consider this an open thread. Was there anything good tonight? Will there be anything good tomorrow?

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-51369060527734110732011-10-04T15:21:00.000-04:002011-10-04T15:21:25.609-04:00

This article about pedagogy looks interesting, although I haven't had time to read it yet.A little conductor humor...And yesterday was Steve Reich's birthday! To celebrate, go listen to his work "Proverb," which is one of my favorites.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-7277617605238832322011-09-29T23:14:00.000-04:002011-09-29T23:14:17.720-04:00

Another weekend is upon us!On Friday at 8 pm, the Phillipine Madrigal Singers will be at Killian Hall at MIT. On Saturday at 8 pm they will be at MIT's Kresge Auditorium. More info here, including contact information to buy tickets.Also on Saturday at 8 pm, the Creole Choir of Cuba will be at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square.And I will be sorry to be missing both those events, because ALSO

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-5622110545188067082011-09-27T17:39:00.000-04:002011-09-27T17:39:34.628-04:00

Well, Monday was a little nutty. How about some Tuesday links?First of all, I LOVE the MacArthur grants. I love reading about who gets them, and dreaming about earning one some day. (I'm still working on the reason I would earn one.) The 2011 list of fellows was released recently, and there's a choral conductor on the list!An interesting article in Slate on the challenges of preserving an

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-37614001338978547222011-09-23T10:56:00.000-04:002011-09-23T10:56:00.306-04:00

What has my brother's cat Oomi been up to lately?Holding all the blankets hostage, apparently. With winter coming, a wise strategy!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-39584848366119889932011-09-22T17:45:00.000-04:002011-09-22T17:46:50.191-04:00

Here we go! The first Weekend Concert Calendar of the year! And Anthology is performing this weekend, please come to our concert!On Friday, check out the Alto Extravaganza at King's Chapel, hosted by the altos of the King's Chapel Choir, who have finally had it! 7:30 pm, King's Chapel Parish House, more details here.On Saturday, Emmanuel Music is presenting Bach's B Minor Mass at Emmanuel Church.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-37870593929612527952011-09-22T08:08:00.000-04:002011-09-22T08:08:00.792-04:00

There is a FREE concert tonight by awesome vocal jazz group Syncopation. At Berklee, in the David Friend Recital Hall (921 Boylston St.) at 7:30 pm. What are you waiting for? Go!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-82582671431845281682011-09-19T11:41:00.000-04:002011-09-19T11:41:54.448-04:00

Check out the Music and Neuroimaging Laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess and Harvard Medical School. Their list of projects is particularly interesting. And I took their tone-deafness test! Here are my results. I wish I knew how I stacked up to other people, but they don't tell you that! Also, they don't tell you how many you got wrong, or how small the pitch differences in the test get."Our

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-81212379499029060142011-09-12T12:01:00.000-04:002011-09-12T12:02:00.388-04:00

This week is subtitled: "All these links looked interesting, but I haven't had time to read them yet!" So you should read them and leave a comment about what you thought. I have to go prepare for my first Cantilena rehearsal! (Auditions tonight - you should come!)http://www.salon.com/entertainment/2011/08/29/can_the_symphony_be_saved/index.htmlhttp://www.tohearthemusic.com/index#!__index/vstc3=

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-39178976439766330752011-09-08T17:28:00.002-04:002011-09-08T17:41:10.551-04:00

Yesterday was the first meeting of one of my two sections of chorus at Lasell. On the upside, I have some fantastic new singers who seem nice, talented, and responsible. On the downside, it looks like I have no basses, so I need to completely reevaluate the repertoire I chose. I will meet the other half of my singers tomorrow at the second section.Tonight is the first choir rehearsal of the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-67027881561891753142011-09-06T10:17:00.002-04:002011-09-06T10:23:55.270-04:00

An old friend of mine is teaching Voice-Movement Therapy classes in Somerville on Saturdays this September and October. In addition to being the lead singer for Jaggery, she's also a registered Voice Movement Therapy practitioner. This is a great way to both work on expressing yourself through singing and also work on exploring yourself emotionally. More details are here (scroll down to the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-61610331887692050892011-09-05T11:53:00.001-04:002011-09-05T11:58:43.502-04:00

More links next week, but for this week, Happy Labor Day! Enjoy Boston's A Besere Velt singing the classic labor song "Bread and Roses."

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-73521844754921985942011-09-02T20:00:00.000-04:002011-09-02T20:00:02.669-04:00

No pictures today, but a request! I would love to have this Friday cat post spot feature the cats of all sorts of different musicians. Are you a musician? Would you like to have your kitty featured? Leave a comment or send me an e-mail! In the meantime, have Chopin's Cat Waltz. (Apparently his cat walked across the keys, and he liked the melody so much he stole it.)

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-4178361617555363232011-09-02T13:25:00.002-04:002011-09-02T13:37:40.519-04:00

It is a hectic time for choral directors! Last weekend was lovely; on Saturday, I went out to a late-summer party with some friends in Western MA. I headed home that night because of the hurricane (a good choice, as some roads were washed out on Sunday) and spent Sunday reading novels and watching TV (Leverage, if you're interested.) But this past week has been prep, prep, prep! Searching for

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-53600187606825571172011-08-31T23:07:00.002-04:002011-08-31T23:12:11.534-04:00

Remember that resolution I made, to go hunting for and finding cool new choral music? Well, here is the first installment! (It is the last day of August, so in order to fulfill the "1-2 times a month" rule I had to get it up today!) Today's piece is by Scott Wheeler. I first came across his work when the Boston Cecilia performed his one-act opera The Construction of Boston. They also recorded it

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-89952589594875230422011-08-29T12:22:00.000-04:002011-08-29T12:23:12.628-04:00

Alex Ross pointed me towards the Sound Mind blog...because it is ending. Sad to find a nice blog just as it is over, but the archives are all there, and it's a nice place to wander, especially if you enjoy having someone curate Youtube recitals for you. I encourage all composers to apply for the John Cage Memorial Random Composer Award! Via my Facebook feed and composer Brent Ranalli. More

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-79174872658109282112011-08-26T13:00:00.000-04:002011-08-26T13:00:06.617-04:00

Oh my goodness, it's actual pictures of Samson! Thanks to the talented Sylvia Berry, who was kind enough to cat-sit for Samson while I was visiting my brother, and who took some pictures of him.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-10897875250633387002011-08-26T10:20:00.000-04:002011-08-26T10:20:00.073-04:00

Everyone is either having or about to have auditions, but from among the thronging hordes of choruses, I encourage all the women to think about joining Cantilena! We do some beautiful, challenging music, the group has a lovely personality, and I am a lot of fun. Details here!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-81913752583482884802011-08-25T10:11:00.002-04:002011-08-25T10:20:21.735-04:00

Last night I had a recording session with my good friend Anney Gillotte and the extremely talented Mark McNeill. I made some good progress in my voice lessons this summer, and since I don't have time to study voice during the year I wanted to make an audition CD while my vocal improvements were still fresh! Handel & Haydn, here I come. Again. Oy. (They are very hard to get into, now.) I recorded

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-54866505168398508652011-08-22T10:51:00.000-04:002011-08-22T10:51:23.929-04:00

This article from the New York Times on decision-making fatigue is fascinating, and definitely applies to conductors. I have often said to friends, "No, I make decisions all day, I can't make any more, you decide what we should cook for dinner," but I didn't realize that I had actually run out of willpower. This is an ingenious solution to a common problem. From my friend Maggie. From the NEC

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-59951038791566245042011-08-19T09:00:00.000-04:002011-08-19T09:00:04.444-04:00

Well, someday I will get a camera and show you pictures of Samson. He is still cuddly and adorable. But in the meantime, have a video of the two cutest conversationalists on the web. Oldie but a goodie!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-26750642093408537342011-08-17T11:57:00.001-04:002011-08-18T10:17:04.441-04:00

I am writing this update as I am just about to leave for Rochester, NY where I will get to hang out with my brother and sister-in-law. Vacation ahoy! The thing about vacation of course is that the period right prior to the vacation always feels more stressful than otherwise because I want to get ALL THE THINGS* done before vacation. And things are ramping up as fall approaches; I had quite a few

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-3409580986413988662011-08-15T15:01:00.000-04:002011-08-15T15:01:30.977-04:00

Well, there have been a few kerfuffles this week! First of all, Stephen Sondheim does NOT approve of the new Porgy and Bess that is about to debut at the American Repertory Theater. Alex Ross finds Sondheim's letter hilarious, and also mentions the public domain issues surrounding Gershwin's work. Also in the news is Yuja Wang, not for her universally-acclaimed piano-playing, but for her attire

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-80574639101478354342011-08-11T11:41:00.003-04:002011-08-15T14:41:45.415-04:00

Busy week, as always! Last Friday I went to see the Harvard Summer Chorus perform Corigliano's Fern Hill and Beethoven's Mass in C. Led by Andy Clark, they did an excellent job. I love Fern Hill, and it was delightful to hear it again. And the Beethoven was extremely charming. Kudos to everyone involved for great tuning, diction, rhythm, and expression. Kind of amazing that the group has only

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-75379100844510931342011-08-09T08:01:00.001-04:002011-08-09T08:01:00.830-04:00

My summer lectures at Lasell Village ended a week ago. If you remember, I was giving one lecture on "The Ten Greatest Choral Works" and another called "Modern Music: Why It's Not That Horrible." Overall it was a great experience; I learned a lot (such as how MUCH time lecture prep takes, holy COW) and I got to do some research and learning and listening I otherwise wouldn't have had the impetus

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-47486915478246094682011-08-08T15:36:00.003-04:002011-08-08T15:39:19.033-04:00

I'm playing with my blog design. Can you tell? Opinions welcome; my visual design skills are not my greatest strength! Also, I need to fill out my blogroll to the right. I try to visit the ChoralBlog on ChoralNet every day, and also to see what Alex Ross has to say. What other music blogs do you check regularly? Self-promotion encouraged!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-78182431697566114822011-08-08T09:14:00.005-04:002011-08-08T10:30:16.411-04:00

I just found NewMusicBox, a publication of the American Music Center. A great source of information on contemporary music! Check out this great article called "Summers in the Choral World" about some contemporary music in this year's summer music scene. A great place to start for exploring new choral music, as she lists a lot of pieces! The author, Jenny Clarke, will be posting every other week

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-67534291473788462552011-08-01T23:48:00.002-04:002011-08-01T23:51:13.614-04:00

Monday links!Philip Lawson of the King's Singers is retiring.A nifty article in the NY Times Opinionator blog about finding America's composers.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-63900693430548758142011-07-27T22:16:00.003-04:002011-07-27T22:37:17.317-04:00

Both my lectures at Lasell Village this week were very interesting.For my "Modern Music: Why It's Not That Horrible" class, we delved into song literature, and I played my students Hundley, Cipullo, Heggie, Larsen, and Golijov among others. (Peter Lieberson's Neruda Songs are their listening homework this week.) I had expected that the great poetry all those composers set would be a door into the

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-2250057045308488692011-07-25T18:11:00.001-04:002011-07-25T18:13:34.824-04:00

Check out this awesome page listing all the grad programs in conducting in the country. Hat-tip to Thoughtful Gestures.The UU Musicians' Network has a new blog.Alex Ross encourages us to pay attention to the new composers chosen by the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute. He also highlights a blog called "Superconductor" which has me KICKING myself about the name of this blog. That name is so

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-90333456446564285412011-07-21T10:23:00.002-04:002011-07-21T10:30:11.441-04:00

This week, between planning two lectures on modern song and Britten's War Requiem for Lasell Village, practicing voice, and keeping up with teaching lessons and rehearsals (and a recording session on Sunday that I have to sign a NDA for!) I'm also immersed in planning Cantilena's season. The programs are due next week, so I'm kind of cutting it down to the wire, as usual. Current sadness is that

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-87946966717416772372011-07-18T08:52:00.002-04:002011-07-18T08:52:00.632-04:00

Jan Swafford has a great article on contemporary music in Slate. Couldn't agree more with the dictum "Make it new, or make it old, but make it good."I mentioned Amelia's blog in my last post; well, I really particularly love this recent entry. Favorite quotes: "Dictatorships have a lot less paperwork than democracies." And "They make us better–not just because they make us better, but because

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-7759193928842840132011-07-16T13:45:00.005-04:002011-07-16T20:42:30.424-04:00

This past week I attended the MA ACDA convention in Wenham. I feel sort of obligated to blog about it, and besides I've had a number of people ask me how it went, so here goes. The short answer is that I'm glad I went. Next year I will make an effort to attend every day; this year I had to miss Monday because I was teaching at Lasell Village, and I wish I hadn't had to miss the Monday sessions.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-41222730975197244132011-07-08T12:36:00.003-04:002011-07-08T12:43:21.389-04:00

Someday soon you will all get to see Samson again. I am camera-less at the moment, but a friend is bringing over a camera tomorrow, and we will have a little photo shoot! He is well and cuddly and fascinated by the road work going on outside. (Dogs are no big deal but trucks are Cause For Possible Alarm.)Also, I would love to feature other musicians' cats on this blog. Any musicians want to share

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-18481333221734218862011-07-07T23:24:00.003-04:002011-07-07T23:33:27.541-04:00

Mid-week update!I took a stay-cation during the July 4 weekend. I hung out with friends and did no work, and it was good for the soul.Current projects on the plate include continuing to prepare for my lectures at Lasell Village; this means that currently I am swimming in modern opera, since Monday's "Modern Music" lecture is on operas of the past three decades. I've been watching Nixon in China

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-43940968958243320942011-06-28T14:16:00.001-04:002011-06-28T14:17:40.344-04:00

Well, forgot to post a Monday link, but here, have a Tuesday link! It's not really about choruses. Or singing. It's about dinosaurs? But they mention music? Whatever, it's summer, cut me some slack!Hat-tip to my brother.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-31934585316285205282011-06-22T21:17:00.000-04:002011-06-22T21:17:46.908-04:00

Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for. Here it is, your annual listing of Summer Sings in the greater Boston area! For details on whether scores are provided, whether or not the sings are free, etc., please follow the links included in each listing. This post will be updated as I get more information, so please check back, and feel free to send me updates or new postings.Tuesday,

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-44088906819616553412011-06-22T16:38:00.003-04:002011-06-22T16:54:56.920-04:00

Not too much to report this week. The last official Sunday of church was this past Sunday, and now we are into summer services, for which the services of the organist and music director are not required, so I have two months to recharge. The activities of the academic year are now complete, and I am fully into my summer activities, which include voice lessons (both teaching and taking) and

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-11853643665862969322011-06-20T12:38:00.003-04:002011-06-20T12:45:59.323-04:00

Via Aaron Larget-Caplan, a hilarious xtranormal video about commissioning new music from composers. (I am allowed to make fun since I commission and perform a lot of new music!)I have to say that xtranormal is proving an extremely valuable tool for musicians to relay stereotypical and hilarious conversations that they have! We all remember the organist-bride conversation, right?

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-63887648618227371132011-06-16T13:04:00.002-04:002011-06-16T13:16:52.668-04:00

The main event of the week and weekend is BEMF, the Boston Early Music Festival! We are lucky to have this in our town, so I encourage you to take advantage of it, and don't forget to check the Fringe schedule! Feel free to leave a comment to highlight your own Fringe event.Tonight (Thursday) Koleinu is giving a concert of Jewish choral music, including Rosenthal's Voices of Terazin. 8 pm at

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-2169716585655030582011-06-15T23:29:00.003-04:002011-06-15T23:47:56.202-04:00

In bullet form; stuff that has happened.Saw the Steffani opera Niobe last night at BEMF. Due to a ticket confusion, me and my companion ended up in a box! About 30 feet from the stage! (We were supposed to be in the back of the second balcony, nosebleed seats.) It was awesome. The sets and the costumes and the singers and the bear were amazing. And special kudos to star Phillipe Jaroussky,

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-52622279399674069142011-06-13T22:28:00.002-04:002011-06-13T22:30:16.353-04:00

So, I was going to do my annual Summer Sings post this evening, but there are quite a few groups who have not publicized their information yet. Masterworks Chorale is the only group for which I can find all the information. Everyone else - comment on this post and leave me links to the relevant information on your websites, please!And in the meantime, the first summer sing is tomorrow night!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-69330601433299348922011-06-13T09:01:00.000-04:002011-06-13T09:01:00.599-04:00

I mentioned this on the most recent Weekend Concert Calendar, but it bears repeating:This week is the Boston Early Music Festival (also known as BEMF!)Go see the King's Singers!Go see Les Voix Baroques!Go see the Tallis Scholars!Go see the opera, Niobe!Go see my my friend and colleague, the vibrant fortepianist Sylvia Berry, in concert with the exquisite soprano Clara Rottsolk!And leave a comment

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-71798895174506964552011-06-10T12:23:00.000-04:002011-06-10T12:23:52.916-04:00

Even as summer approaches, there are still plenty of fine choral concerts to attend!Friday: Check out the Arlington-Belmont Chorale, which together with the Arlington Philharmonic Orchestra will present a spring Pops! concert. 7:45 pm (yes, you read that right!) at the Arlington Town Hall.Also on Friday: Boston Gay Men's Chorus, Swingle Singers with the Boston Pops, Three Rivers Chorus.Saturday:

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-15113171198515052052011-06-08T10:55:00.002-04:002011-06-08T11:03:17.740-04:00

Whoops, I forgot to do a Wednesday update last week; that is because I have so much to update about! The irony of the musician's life; the less you know about what we are doing, the busier we probably are, and the more concerts we ought to be telling you about.It's a busy week, so how about a bulleted list?Anthology is singing at Gore Place in Waltham tonight at 7:30 pm! This is a really

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-2150032850770837762011-06-03T10:30:00.002-04:002011-06-03T10:33:17.561-04:00

I can think of no pithy little intro this week. On to the concerts!Friday: The Voices of Metrowest will present a "Best of the Beatles" concert. At 7 pm at First Congregational Church in Natick.Saturday: Go see Voices Rising present a concert called "All the Wild Wonders" at 7:30 pm at First Church in Boston.Also on Saturday: Chorus North Shore, Coolidge Corner Community Chorus, Polymnia.Sunday

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-87978620424045388992011-05-30T10:49:00.000-04:002011-05-30T10:49:00.671-04:00

Check it out - I have been linked on this nifty site called Local Pigeon, which links to a different neat site every day. Especially cool to be up there since the blog Already Pretty is also linked this month. I discovered that blog a few months back and have been reading it avidly ever since, so it's kind of exciting to be up there at the same time!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-56720760172838001512011-05-28T10:36:00.002-04:002011-05-28T10:40:15.235-04:00

So, the discerning Gentle Reader may have noticed a discrepancy this past week in this blog. On Wednesday I told you that I was singing in a choral benefit concert for Haiti on Saturday, and on Thursday I told you there were no choral concerts this weekend.Wednesday I was right, and Thursday I was forgetful! There is ONE choral concert this weekend, and since I am singing in it, you might have

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-82300444898997222011-05-26T22:33:00.002-04:002011-05-26T22:42:35.088-04:00

Well, it's Memorial Day Weekend...and folks, I got nuthin'! Wisely, all the local choruses avoided scheduling concerts or performances for a weekend when many people would be out of town. Enjoy the (finally) lovely weather!Next Tuesday, check out the Newton Singers. That's all, folks!Did I miss anything? Leave it in the comments!

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-10186185243316327742011-05-25T09:00:00.000-04:002011-05-25T09:00:04.134-04:00

I have been thinking recently that I should post more often about what I am actually doing in my life, so I think I may try to do that every Wednesday. Recently, this means fund-raising activities. Last week, I posted about my participation in the Walk for Music on behalf of Cantilena (and I raised almost double my goal, which was awesome!) This week, I want to let you know that this Saturday

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-26398117022182557162011-05-24T17:19:00.004-04:002011-05-24T18:18:34.730-04:00

This past Sunday I went to go hear Convivium Musicum perform their program "Armada," and since they gave me a comp, they get a review!*I was hardly an objective observer of this group; I got to substitute-direct a rehearsal for them towards the end of April. But it was very pleasant indeed to be able to sit back and enjoy the skill of this admirable ensemble.The programming was very strong; it

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-66348045737717116772011-05-23T22:33:00.002-04:002011-05-23T22:36:35.502-04:00

A wonderful article from NPR on not underestimating younger audiences, by soprano Christine Brewer.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-64892696667552084572011-05-23T11:28:00.003-04:002011-05-23T11:31:22.259-04:00

I usually don't post audition notices, but because it's not the usual audition time I'm going to make an exception. The Orpheus Singers are auditioning for singers with fine voices and excellent sight-reading skills from May 20 through May 27.From the notice: "The Orpheus Singers is a chamber choir of skilled volunteers and paid professionals of 24 - 28 singers. We sing two concerts per season

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-80468543936684339342011-05-20T14:37:00.000-04:002011-05-20T14:37:45.261-04:00

Folks, I think that the world IS in fact ending tomorrow; as evidence I submit that there is a giant ball of fire in the sky! I certainly cannot remember the last time I saw such a thing. At least you know that if you are not taken up on Saturday, you can go hear some good choral music on Sunday.Friday: Go hear the Choir of the Church of the Advent! They are known for being hot stuff, AND they

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-35958557712150946582011-05-18T21:41:00.003-04:002011-05-18T21:59:26.437-04:00

Musica Sacra gave me comps to their concert last Saturday, and that means I feel somewhat obligated to post a review here!The concert was titled "Love, Lust and Laudations" and it was an exploration of Flemish choral music during the High Renaissance. It was a highly enjoyable concert; Musica Sacra is a sharp outfit, so what is there to say, really? Positive reviews are boring, but there it is.

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8066108.post-68774583398839770342011-05-18T10:19:00.002-04:002011-05-18T10:23:26.266-04:00

This coming Sunday is the Boston's Walk For Music, and I will be participating! This fundraiser supports all types of music programs in Boston's neighborhoods and surrounding communities. 100% of the pledges raised will go straight to these music programs, and all donations are tax-deductible. (None of the pledges go to the Walk, which is staffed by volunteers.) I will be part of the Cantilena

CurrentConductorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17496136929514285841noreply@blogger.com0