I'm happy to say that the Cappella Clausura concerts this past weekend went very well. However, it was a bit of an education in the effects that location can have on one's performance.
One hears a lot about the difficulties that can arise from performing in a new and different space. I've always been aware of acoustics - places can be live and echoing, or dead and muffled, and sometimes huge acoustic differences can have a very problematic effect on diction, cutoffs, rhythm, etc. In addition, standing can be awkward, places can be too hot, cold, drafty, damp, or dry; sightlines can be messed up; etc, etc. However, I can't previously recall having my comfort level with the music substantially affected.
Well, on Friday we sang in Gordon Chapel at Old South Church, and I was just sloppy. I sang a few wrong words; I missed a cut-off mid-phrase that's a particular pet peeve of mine when other people miss it; I missed the note order on one quick lick of eighth notes. I frequently had flashes of that feeling that occasionally affects musicians everywhere: "Have I really ever seen this music before?" I sincerely doubt any of this was noticeable from the audience - it was really a series of very subtle mistakes - but I felt quite dissatisfied, and wondered what was wrong with me.
On Saturday, we sang in our rehearsal space, the Parish of the Messiah in Newton. I stood in the same place for rehearsal that I've stood for the last several weeks. And presto - I felt comfortable, and strong. No more mistakes. I wasn't the only one, either - the entire concert was much tighter and more confident. It could have been because we'd just done it the night before, but it was also because we felt at home. I didn't realize until Saturday that I had been thrown off-kilter in my music-making by my surroundings on Friday. It's a good thing to learn, and a strong argument, when I conduct and need to make these decisions, for having the dress rehearsal in the performance space.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Weekend concert calendar, 11/1/07
Taking some time out from a busy rehearsal schedule, I bring you the weekend concert calendar!
Obviously, your priority should be the Cappella Clausura concert on Friday at Old South Church at 7:30 pm, and on Saturday at Parish of the Messiah at 8 pm. Eight beautiful women in red singing gorgeous music…how can you resist? Details on the Cappella Clausura website.
If you see Clausura on Friday, then you have some options for the rest of the weekend. The Back Bay Chorale, directed by Scott Jarrett, is going to perform…heck, I’ll just quote from the Boston Choral Consortium website: Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass plus instrumental and choral works by Finzi, Holst, and Herbert Howells' "Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing," an elegy dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy. Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston. Tickets: $20 to $45 ($5 discount for students and seniors). Scott is greatly admired as a conductor by all who have sung under him (including me) so this is a concert to be recommended.
Wellesley College is performing Bach’s Magnificat on Saturday at 8:00 pm. The chorus will consist of the Wellesley College Choir, Chamber Singers, and the University of Virginia Men’s Glee Club. At First Church Congregational in Cambridge. More information here.
It must be a good weekend for university choral music, because Brandeis too is getting into the action. On Saturday at 8 pm on the Waltham campus, they will perform works by Palestrina and Bach. This is directed by Jim Olesen, one of my favorite Boston conductors, and the guy who first made me think of seriously trying to becoming a professional conductor myself. More details here. (Info is halfway down the page.)
On Sunday at 3 pm, if you didn’t get enough Poulenc two weeks ago with the Boston Cecilia, you have another chance! Seraphim Singers is performing Poulenc’s Mass in G at Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury. More information here. I sang with this group for one concert, and they are ridiculously talented musicians. It is largely a chorus of church musicians who get together and do all the music they love that's too hard for them to do with their church choirs. I sang the hardest piece I've ever sung with them, a piece by Elliott Gyger.
On Sunday at 3 pm, the Masterworks Chorale, directed by Steven Karidoyanes, will perform Schumann’s Mass Op. 147, and Requiem Op. 148. The performance will be in Sanders Theater in Cambridge, which is a great space. More details here.
On Sunday at 4 pm, the Worcester Chorus, under Andrew Clark, will perform sacred works by British and American composers as part of the Worcester Music Festival. More details here.
And finally, if you are out in Westwood this Sunday, there will be a performance of the Faure Requiem at 3 pm at First Parish of Westwood. More details here.
So don't let the threat of Noel spook you! Get out there and support your fabulous, artistic city!
Obviously, your priority should be the Cappella Clausura concert on Friday at Old South Church at 7:30 pm, and on Saturday at Parish of the Messiah at 8 pm. Eight beautiful women in red singing gorgeous music…how can you resist? Details on the Cappella Clausura website.
If you see Clausura on Friday, then you have some options for the rest of the weekend. The Back Bay Chorale, directed by Scott Jarrett, is going to perform…heck, I’ll just quote from the Boston Choral Consortium website: Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass plus instrumental and choral works by Finzi, Holst, and Herbert Howells' "Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing," an elegy dedicated to the memory of John F. Kennedy. Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston. Tickets: $20 to $45 ($5 discount for students and seniors). Scott is greatly admired as a conductor by all who have sung under him (including me) so this is a concert to be recommended.
Wellesley College is performing Bach’s Magnificat on Saturday at 8:00 pm. The chorus will consist of the Wellesley College Choir, Chamber Singers, and the University of Virginia Men’s Glee Club. At First Church Congregational in Cambridge. More information here.
It must be a good weekend for university choral music, because Brandeis too is getting into the action. On Saturday at 8 pm on the Waltham campus, they will perform works by Palestrina and Bach. This is directed by Jim Olesen, one of my favorite Boston conductors, and the guy who first made me think of seriously trying to becoming a professional conductor myself. More details here. (Info is halfway down the page.)
On Sunday at 3 pm, if you didn’t get enough Poulenc two weeks ago with the Boston Cecilia, you have another chance! Seraphim Singers is performing Poulenc’s Mass in G at Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury. More information here. I sang with this group for one concert, and they are ridiculously talented musicians. It is largely a chorus of church musicians who get together and do all the music they love that's too hard for them to do with their church choirs. I sang the hardest piece I've ever sung with them, a piece by Elliott Gyger.
On Sunday at 3 pm, the Masterworks Chorale, directed by Steven Karidoyanes, will perform Schumann’s Mass Op. 147, and Requiem Op. 148. The performance will be in Sanders Theater in Cambridge, which is a great space. More details here.
On Sunday at 4 pm, the Worcester Chorus, under Andrew Clark, will perform sacred works by British and American composers as part of the Worcester Music Festival. More details here.
And finally, if you are out in Westwood this Sunday, there will be a performance of the Faure Requiem at 3 pm at First Parish of Westwood. More details here.
So don't let the threat of Noel spook you! Get out there and support your fabulous, artistic city!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Cappella Clausura!
Rehearsals, rehearsals, everywhere! From 10/18 through 11/13 I have a rehearsal or a performance every single day. It's like grad school all over again.
The next one is this Friday and Saturday. Cappella Clausura is presenting our first concert of the season! The Friday concert is at Old South Church in downtown Boston, so all of you people who don't have cars no longer have an excuse for not hopping on the T and coming to see us!
Details:
"Sulpitia Cesis and her Consuors"
Friday, November 2nd @ 7:30 PM
Gordon Chapel, Old South Church, Boston
Saturday, November 3rd @ 8:00 PM
Parish of the Messiah, Newton
Tickets are $20, $12 stu/sen, which is pretty cheap for choral tickets in this town. I will be singing solos, so be sure to come!
Also, we have a nifty new website. (Gee, I just noticed I need to update my bio.)
The next one is this Friday and Saturday. Cappella Clausura is presenting our first concert of the season! The Friday concert is at Old South Church in downtown Boston, so all of you people who don't have cars no longer have an excuse for not hopping on the T and coming to see us!
Details:
"Sulpitia Cesis and her Consuors"
Friday, November 2nd @ 7:30 PM
Gordon Chapel, Old South Church, Boston
Saturday, November 3rd @ 8:00 PM
Parish of the Messiah, Newton
Tickets are $20, $12 stu/sen, which is pretty cheap for choral tickets in this town. I will be singing solos, so be sure to come!
Also, we have a nifty new website. (Gee, I just noticed I need to update my bio.)
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Wicked!
My parents just took me to see Wicked. It was awesome. I just loved it to pieces, and was so glad I went. It was strong in every possible way. The music was great. The book was amazingly well done. All the performances were solid - there was an excess of talent in every role. The set was great, the costumes were great, the plot was great. It was a musical about a geek girl made good...no wonder it's so popular! Glinda was played by an understudy who was fantastic - special kudos to you, Laura Woyasz. And I just fell in love with Victoria Matlock's Elphaba.
Rather than gush on, I present you with my new favorite song, from the Act I Finale. I couldn't find Victoria Matlock on Youtube, so instead I give you Idina Menzel. I liked Matlock better, I must say!
Rather than gush on, I present you with my new favorite song, from the Act I Finale. I couldn't find Victoria Matlock on Youtube, so instead I give you Idina Menzel. I liked Matlock better, I must say!
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Weekend concert calendar, 10/25
I understand. You fear the wild turkeys, and want to stay inside this weekend, listening to choral music. Well, worry no more, I am here to tell you where to go!
Top billing this weekend goes to Brahms. On Sunday at 3 pm at Trinity Church in Copley Square, Sir David Willcocks is conducting the Trinity Choir in Brahms' A German Requiem. More information here. (Although Sunday is a busy day, with lots of choral competition, as we will see below!)
If that doesn't satisfy you, it's a good weekend for opera. The Teatro Lirico d'Europa is coming to town this weekend (tonight and tomorrow at 7:30) with a performance of Madama Butterfly. I don't know much about this group, but you can find out much more at the Cutler Majestic Theater website. If that doesn't satiate your desire for opera, you can see the Longwood Opera's production of Die Fledermaus, or the Boston Opera Collaborative's production of The Countess of Seville (yep, you read that right!) And if you skip down to Providence, you can see Opera Providence present an opera about Julia Child!
On Saturday at 8 pm, you can hear a Bach Cantata (#161) and some Rheinberger (who I learned about at Westminster, and who writes really gorgeous Romantic choral music) at the Boston Conservatory in Sully Hall. And it's free! Featuring the Boston Conservatory Chorale and Women's Chorus. Details here.
On Saturday, there is a symposium about spirituals going on at Mass Bay Community College. The only details I can find are on the Boston Singer's Resource, here, so if you're interested, I'd suggested e-mailing or calling the contact information listed.
If you missed Exsultemus last weekend because you were at the Boston Cecilia concert (the only decent excuse, really) then you are in luck, because they are doing a repeat of their program this Saturday at 7:30 pm in Amesbury. Details are here (go to the bottom of the page); directions are here. This group is super-cool, and you should make it a priority to see them. (And I'm not just saying that to brown-nose because I'd love to sing with them. Although isn't that a good recommendation right there?)
Also heartily recommended is the King's Chapel Choir and Soloists, presenting Faure's Requiem, and Daniel Pinkham's Small Requiem, which he wrote as a companion piece to the Faure. Sunday at 5 pm at King's Chapel (at the corner of Tremont and School Streets, Boston.)
Suggested Donation $12; Students and Seniors $8, call 617-227-2155 for more info. (And no, I'm not heartily recommending them because I'd love to sing with them, either. How can you constantly insinuate such things?)
Also on Sunday is the 5th Annual Sing to Cure MS. 3 pm in Arlington - details are here. This is an annual Halloween concert, so if you want your fix of Halloween music (and you want to support a good cause) check it out!
And finally, apparently I mis-reported the "Trombone and Chorus" concert that Master Singers is putting on - it wasn't last weekend, it's this weekend! (See, you get all these second chances this weekend if you missed stuff last weekend.) 4:00 pm in Lexington; details are here. There is a world premiere by Pamela Marshall on the program, so all you new music junkies should check it out! Although be cautious, because I myself have seen wild turkeys in Lexington. Bring a can of cranberry jelly along - if brandishing it at them doesn't work, you can chuck it at their heads. (Which are tiny, so you'd better stop reading blogs, and go practice your aim!)
Did I miss anything? Comment and let me know!
Top billing this weekend goes to Brahms. On Sunday at 3 pm at Trinity Church in Copley Square, Sir David Willcocks is conducting the Trinity Choir in Brahms' A German Requiem. More information here. (Although Sunday is a busy day, with lots of choral competition, as we will see below!)
If that doesn't satisfy you, it's a good weekend for opera. The Teatro Lirico d'Europa is coming to town this weekend (tonight and tomorrow at 7:30) with a performance of Madama Butterfly. I don't know much about this group, but you can find out much more at the Cutler Majestic Theater website. If that doesn't satiate your desire for opera, you can see the Longwood Opera's production of Die Fledermaus, or the Boston Opera Collaborative's production of The Countess of Seville (yep, you read that right!) And if you skip down to Providence, you can see Opera Providence present an opera about Julia Child!
On Saturday at 8 pm, you can hear a Bach Cantata (#161) and some Rheinberger (who I learned about at Westminster, and who writes really gorgeous Romantic choral music) at the Boston Conservatory in Sully Hall. And it's free! Featuring the Boston Conservatory Chorale and Women's Chorus. Details here.
On Saturday, there is a symposium about spirituals going on at Mass Bay Community College. The only details I can find are on the Boston Singer's Resource, here, so if you're interested, I'd suggested e-mailing or calling the contact information listed.
If you missed Exsultemus last weekend because you were at the Boston Cecilia concert (the only decent excuse, really) then you are in luck, because they are doing a repeat of their program this Saturday at 7:30 pm in Amesbury. Details are here (go to the bottom of the page); directions are here. This group is super-cool, and you should make it a priority to see them. (And I'm not just saying that to brown-nose because I'd love to sing with them. Although isn't that a good recommendation right there?)
Also heartily recommended is the King's Chapel Choir and Soloists, presenting Faure's Requiem, and Daniel Pinkham's Small Requiem, which he wrote as a companion piece to the Faure. Sunday at 5 pm at King's Chapel (at the corner of Tremont and School Streets, Boston.)
Suggested Donation $12; Students and Seniors $8, call 617-227-2155 for more info. (And no, I'm not heartily recommending them because I'd love to sing with them, either. How can you constantly insinuate such things?)
Also on Sunday is the 5th Annual Sing to Cure MS. 3 pm in Arlington - details are here. This is an annual Halloween concert, so if you want your fix of Halloween music (and you want to support a good cause) check it out!
And finally, apparently I mis-reported the "Trombone and Chorus" concert that Master Singers is putting on - it wasn't last weekend, it's this weekend! (See, you get all these second chances this weekend if you missed stuff last weekend.) 4:00 pm in Lexington; details are here. There is a world premiere by Pamela Marshall on the program, so all you new music junkies should check it out! Although be cautious, because I myself have seen wild turkeys in Lexington. Bring a can of cranberry jelly along - if brandishing it at them doesn't work, you can chuck it at their heads. (Which are tiny, so you'd better stop reading blogs, and go practice your aim!)
Did I miss anything? Comment and let me know!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Verdi Reqiem
Interested in singing the Verdi Requiem with minimal rehearsals? Read on! (This was sent out to the GBCC listserver, but I got his permission to reprint it here.) Be sure and read all the way to the bottom for information on the Daniel Pearl Foundation "Tribute Series."
Hello GBCC members,
I have a favor to ask, and an opportunity for your singers do do something "grand" that won't take much time for them, or distract them from your group's work. (I did send out this information a few months ago and give my thanks to the many directors who have already passed along the event info. We've had a GREAT response already!)
On January 26th and 27th, I am directing a full performance of Verdi's Requeim in Westford, Mass, as a multi-chorus participation event. At the core, is my Westford Chorus, that has now been in rehearsal for 2 months on this glorious work.
The community singer participation comes in as this:
- Participating singers from other ensembles must agree to attend 3 rehearsals in January, and bring their own score (Schirmer or Kalmus Edition. Peters is okay, but they will be at a disadvantage as to page and rehearsal numbers);
- These singers MUST have sung the Verdi Requiem in "recent memory" and show up pretty much prepared to "polish" (i.e. not "re-learn");
- Concert attire: Women in ankle-length black dress/skirts; Men in black tuxes.
- Singers interested in participating must contact me by email prior to Thanksgiving to get onto the roster and be provided scheduling details, directions, etc.
They can contact me at mail@rowntree.net or call me at 603-465-9150.
At this point, I have about 40 participating singers joining us from Masterworks, Back Bay Chorale, Orpheus, Oriana, Newton, etc., so it's a pretty solid lineup for this massive work.
So, at this point, I have about 110 singers, but, obviously, can accommodate more as the specs call for 500!
The other interesting part of this concert is that it is part of the Daniel Pearl Foundation "Tribute Series" and helps support that organization's work to heal the wounds caused by terrorism. The concert will be dedicated to the life and work of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal writer and concert violinist that was killed by terrorists in Karachi in 2002. (Yes, a High Mass written by a confirmed agnostic, dedicated to a Jewish journalist. This is indeed the power of music - to break down cultural and ideological boundaries for a common good!)
----------------------------
Hello GBCC members,
I have a favor to ask, and an opportunity for your singers do do something "grand" that won't take much time for them, or distract them from your group's work. (I did send out this information a few months ago and give my thanks to the many directors who have already passed along the event info. We've had a GREAT response already!)
On January 26th and 27th, I am directing a full performance of Verdi's Requeim in Westford, Mass, as a multi-chorus participation event. At the core, is my Westford Chorus, that has now been in rehearsal for 2 months on this glorious work.
The community singer participation comes in as this:
- Participating singers from other ensembles must agree to attend 3 rehearsals in January, and bring their own score (Schirmer or Kalmus Edition. Peters is okay, but they will be at a disadvantage as to page and rehearsal numbers);
- These singers MUST have sung the Verdi Requiem in "recent memory" and show up pretty much prepared to "polish" (i.e. not "re-learn");
- Concert attire: Women in ankle-length black dress/skirts; Men in black tuxes.
- Singers interested in participating must contact me by email prior to Thanksgiving to get onto the roster and be provided scheduling details, directions, etc.
They can contact me at mail@rowntree.
At this point, I have about 40 participating singers joining us from Masterworks, Back Bay Chorale, Orpheus, Oriana, Newton, etc., so it's a pretty solid lineup for this massive work.
So, at this point, I have about 110 singers, but, obviously, can accommodate more as the specs call for 500!
The other interesting part of this concert is that it is part of the Daniel Pearl Foundation "Tribute Series" and helps support that organization's work to heal the wounds caused by terrorism. The concert will be dedicated to the life and work of Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal writer and concert violinist that was killed by terrorists in Karachi in 2002. (Yes, a High Mass written by a confirmed agnostic, dedicated to a Jewish journalist. This is indeed the power of music - to break down cultural and ideological boundaries for a common good!)
For more information on this, see http://www.danielpe
It's a wonderful project, and a fitting legacy to this amazing young man.
I have spent the past several months working with Danny's mother, sister and their staff and this is a really wonderful organization that I am happy to promote through music.
So, let me know if you want to "share" some singers on this one. And, thanks so much to all of you that have already sent out this info. The response has been great!
It should be a grand event!
Best Regards,
Dan Rowntree
Director
Westford Chorus
603-465-9150
http://www.westford
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Good concerts and turkeys
Well, if I am going to post more frequently, some of those posts will be short!
1.) The Boston Cecilia concert on Saturday went really well. I only got to hear the second half (because people come in up to 45 minutes late, yes they do, so I have to be at the ticket table and guard the doors that long) but that was gorgeous. I am always so proud when I hear Cecilia perform! I really think that their level of musicality and flexibility and expression is rare and wonderful in a chorus.
2.) Today, while walking down Beacon Street in Brookline, I saw a wild turkey. Walking down the sideway. In fact, it was chasing women. Several young women walked by at different points, and it would start following one for about a block, before giving up and then following another one. It was hilarious!
1.) The Boston Cecilia concert on Saturday went really well. I only got to hear the second half (because people come in up to 45 minutes late, yes they do, so I have to be at the ticket table and guard the doors that long) but that was gorgeous. I am always so proud when I hear Cecilia perform! I really think that their level of musicality and flexibility and expression is rare and wonderful in a chorus.
2.) Today, while walking down Beacon Street in Brookline, I saw a wild turkey. Walking down the sideway. In fact, it was chasing women. Several young women walked by at different points, and it would start following one for about a block, before giving up and then following another one. It was hilarious!
Friday, October 19, 2007
A few links of interest
Sometimes friends and family send me links to something interesting. As my brother knows better than anybody, these e-mails have a tendency to sit in my inbox for months until I get around to reading/watching/listening to them. But eventually, I almost always do!
From friend AN, last April: Joshua Bell becomes a street musician - does anybody notice? A fine subject for debate with all your friends. One argument to be made is that when performing, context matters, and not in a superficial way. Another is that perhaps there are other things that go into making a world-famous violinist in addition to skill. And there's nothing wrong with that, although perhaps it's a rude awakening for the violinist.
From my dad, last April: Chanticleer commissions a composite mass. I heard a bit of this in my friend AS's car. I wasn't blown away, but as we saw above, context matters. I'd love to hear a live performance.
From MA, a counter-tenor who sang with Cappella Clausura last year, from last May: Translations of popular hymns for the hard of hearing, by the hard of hearing. Also known as The Importance of Diction.
And finally, from this month, from my dad: New chant manuscript discovered at Harvard. It's 800 years old!
From friend AN, last April: Joshua Bell becomes a street musician - does anybody notice? A fine subject for debate with all your friends. One argument to be made is that when performing, context matters, and not in a superficial way. Another is that perhaps there are other things that go into making a world-famous violinist in addition to skill. And there's nothing wrong with that, although perhaps it's a rude awakening for the violinist.
From my dad, last April: Chanticleer commissions a composite mass. I heard a bit of this in my friend AS's car. I wasn't blown away, but as we saw above, context matters. I'd love to hear a live performance.
From MA, a counter-tenor who sang with Cappella Clausura last year, from last May: Translations of popular hymns for the hard of hearing, by the hard of hearing. Also known as The Importance of Diction.
And finally, from this month, from my dad: New chant manuscript discovered at Harvard. It's 800 years old!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Weekend concert calendar, 10/18
Something I have occasionally considered doing is giving an overview each Thursday of what notable choral concerts are coming up each weekend in Boston. I think I am finally going to give this a try!
Boston choral music lovers are spoiled for choice this weekend! Here is an attempt at a comprehensive review of choral music in Boston in the next four days.
On Thursday (that's today! Start your weekend early!) the Zamir Chorale is performing at 7:30 pm at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline. They are a chorus specializing in Jewish music and culture. I have never been to a concert of theirs, but via the grapevine have only heard good things. Details at their website.
On Friday at 12:15 pm, the Fridays at Trinity Lunchtime Concert will star the Choir of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. More information can be found here. This concert series at Trinity is free.
On Friday at 8 pm (in downtown Boston) and again on Sunday at 3 pm (in Andover) Exsultemus is performing. They are a small professional Renaissance choir, and I recommend them highly. They will be joined by renowned local luteist Catherine Liddell (who is also playing at Cappella Clausura's next concert!) Details at their website.
There are two small professional Renaissance choirs in Boston (that I know of - feel free to enlighten me about others) and the other one is also performing this weekend! Schola Cantorum, whom I have sung with in the past and hope to in the future, will be performing on Friday in Boston; on Saturday in Providence; and on Sunday at 4 pm in Weston. Schola has no website of their own, but you can find concert details on the Boston Chapter AGO website. They are performing Monteverdi's Mass for Four Voices, which I was quite sad not to sing. This promises to be an excellent concert.
Of course, the reason I couldn't join Schola for this concert set is because The Boston Cecilia is performing on Saturday in Brookline! And you have no business being anywhere else! I have already discussed the program at length previously, but you really don't want to miss this all-Poulenc concert. Poulenc is a highly charismatic and charming composer, and on occasion, quite raunchy. This is the dirtiest concert this weekend, I promise.
If for some reason you just can't stand Poulenc, or don't want to see me, or have some other equally terrible reason for missing Cecilia's Saturday concert, you might take yourself over to The Orpheus Singers concert at Lindsey Chapel in Emmanuel Church. They are directed by Jim Olesen, a great conductor that I had the pleasure of working with when I sang with the Back Bay Chorale. They are doing an all-Italian a cappella concert, with songs spanning from the Renaissance to the 20th Century. This looks like a great program. Details are here. Tough choices - what to do on Saturday? The only sure thing is not to stay home!
Other choral concerts this weekend:
Scott Jarrett, "Eternal Light: A Cappella Choral Works," Friday at 8 pm at Marsh Chapel
Saengerfest Men's Chorus, Sunday at 4 pm in Westwood
Master Singers, "Trombone and Chorus," Sunday at 4 pm in Lexington
Now you know! Get out there and support your local choral musicians!
Boston choral music lovers are spoiled for choice this weekend! Here is an attempt at a comprehensive review of choral music in Boston in the next four days.
On Thursday (that's today! Start your weekend early!) the Zamir Chorale is performing at 7:30 pm at Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline. They are a chorus specializing in Jewish music and culture. I have never been to a concert of theirs, but via the grapevine have only heard good things. Details at their website.
On Friday at 12:15 pm, the Fridays at Trinity Lunchtime Concert will star the Choir of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. More information can be found here. This concert series at Trinity is free.
On Friday at 8 pm (in downtown Boston) and again on Sunday at 3 pm (in Andover) Exsultemus is performing. They are a small professional Renaissance choir, and I recommend them highly. They will be joined by renowned local luteist Catherine Liddell (who is also playing at Cappella Clausura's next concert!) Details at their website.
There are two small professional Renaissance choirs in Boston (that I know of - feel free to enlighten me about others) and the other one is also performing this weekend! Schola Cantorum, whom I have sung with in the past and hope to in the future, will be performing on Friday in Boston; on Saturday in Providence; and on Sunday at 4 pm in Weston. Schola has no website of their own, but you can find concert details on the Boston Chapter AGO website. They are performing Monteverdi's Mass for Four Voices, which I was quite sad not to sing. This promises to be an excellent concert.
Of course, the reason I couldn't join Schola for this concert set is because The Boston Cecilia is performing on Saturday in Brookline! And you have no business being anywhere else! I have already discussed the program at length previously, but you really don't want to miss this all-Poulenc concert. Poulenc is a highly charismatic and charming composer, and on occasion, quite raunchy. This is the dirtiest concert this weekend, I promise.
If for some reason you just can't stand Poulenc, or don't want to see me, or have some other equally terrible reason for missing Cecilia's Saturday concert, you might take yourself over to The Orpheus Singers concert at Lindsey Chapel in Emmanuel Church. They are directed by Jim Olesen, a great conductor that I had the pleasure of working with when I sang with the Back Bay Chorale. They are doing an all-Italian a cappella concert, with songs spanning from the Renaissance to the 20th Century. This looks like a great program. Details are here. Tough choices - what to do on Saturday? The only sure thing is not to stay home!
Other choral concerts this weekend:
Scott Jarrett, "Eternal Light: A Cappella Choral Works," Friday at 8 pm at Marsh Chapel
Saengerfest Men's Chorus, Sunday at 4 pm in Westwood
Master Singers, "Trombone and Chorus," Sunday at 4 pm in Lexington
Now you know! Get out there and support your local choral musicians!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The Reinvigorated Blogger!
Two articles recently brought to my attention by two different friends have helped to confirm my new resolution to blog more.
First, an article by Verlyn Klinkenborg (a name which you really should say aloud, just because) called "Politeness and Authority at a Hilltop College in Minnesota." While giving a talk and visiting some classes at Gustavus Adolphus College, the author is asked...well, I'll just copy a couple of paragraphs below:
The second article, The Well-Tempered Web, is a very useful summary of some of the ways the web is good for classical music, and discusses some of the more interesting sites about there. Thanks to friend and composer MJV for that link.
So, in honor of non-self-negation (how's that for a double negative?) and more fully joining the wide and happy world of classical music on the web, I hearby resolve to post about more than just what concerts I have coming up. Here's to fighting the good fight against that little voice that says, "You have nothing interesting to say."
First, an article by Verlyn Klinkenborg (a name which you really should say aloud, just because) called "Politeness and Authority at a Hilltop College in Minnesota." While giving a talk and visiting some classes at Gustavus Adolphus College, the author is asked...well, I'll just copy a couple of paragraphs below:
Midway through lunch one day a young woman asked me if I noticed a difference between the writing of men and the writing of women. The answer is no, but it’s a good question. A writer’s fundamental problem, once her prose is under control, is shaping and understanding her own authority. I’ve often noticed a habit of polite self-negation among my female students, a self-deprecatory way of talking that is meant, I suppose, to help create a sense of shared space, a shared social connection. It sounds like the language of constant apology, and the form I often hear is the sentence that begins, “My problem is ...”
Even though this way of talking is conventional, and perhaps socially placating, it has a way of defining a young writer — a young woman — in negative terms, as if she were basically incapable and always giving offense. You simply cannot pretend that the words you use about yourself have no meaning. Why not, I asked, be as smart and perceptive as you really are? Why not accept what you’re capable of? Why not believe that what you notice matters?
This is very similar to the ideas that I was trying to get across in my essay published in James Jordan's The Musician's Walk. The author appears to believe that this "polite self-negation" is a result of the specific quiet, Minnesotan culture the students are raised in, but I firmly believe that this is something that is found in women doing all kinds of things all over the country. When I was describing this article to a friend, and how well it expressed my feelings and frustrations about the ways in which I and other women I know often present ourselves, she said it reminded her of Imposter Syndrome. And I immediately knew what that meant, despite having never heard of it before. After all, as a conductor, I certainly have to fight the tendency to put myself down all the time. Go read Klinkenborg's article - it expresses these things very well. Thanks to friend and novelist KA for bringing this to my attention.The second article, The Well-Tempered Web, is a very useful summary of some of the ways the web is good for classical music, and discusses some of the more interesting sites about there. Thanks to friend and composer MJV for that link.
So, in honor of non-self-negation (how's that for a double negative?) and more fully joining the wide and happy world of classical music on the web, I hearby resolve to post about more than just what concerts I have coming up. Here's to fighting the good fight against that little voice that says, "You have nothing interesting to say."
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Vive la France! Vive Francis Poulenc!
This is an example of what an e-mail looks like that I might send out to our mailing list. It's going to be an awesome concert, whether you like soloists or choruses! You should all come! Also, note the spiffy use of the word "assay" below. That's our music director's doing! The Boston Cecilia, with guest artist Christòpheren Nomura, baritone, and pianist Barbara Bruns, is proud to present: Vive la France! Vive Francis Poulenc! | |
Don't miss the brilliant Boston Cecilia chorus in the first concert of their 132nd season! | |
| On Saturday, October 20th at 8:00, music director Donald Teeters leads the chorus as they assay a wide ranging program of works mining the mystic charms and gallic wit of one of France's greatest 20th century composers, Francis Poulenc. Among the treasures to be heard in this program, Cecilia presents a major liturgical work, the a cappella Messe en Sol Majeur, Poulenc’s exalted 20th century take on that ancient Mass text—splendid and sophisticated sacred music with a distinctly French accent. Guest artist Christòpheren Nomura, baritone, one of the stars of Cecilia’s performance last April of Scott Wheeler’s opera The Construction of Boston, will be joined by pianist Barbara Bruns in a performance of two secular song cycles by Poulenc, his Banalités and the Chanson Gaillardes. Additional choral works include two major works based on poems by Paul Eluard and Guillaume Apollinaire, Un Soir de Neige and Sept Chansons. Both the Chansons Gaillardes and the Sept Chansons contain settings that explore various aspects of the human condition, bordering on the erotic in some instances. | |
| 8:00 pm All Saints Parish, 1773 Beacon St., Brookline
| |
| What people are saying about the Boston Cecilia: "Teeters led everything [works of Scott Wheeler and Virgil Thomson] with remarkable sensitivity to both text and musical architecture. And if I ever forget what a superb programmer he's been over the 39 years of directing The Boston Cecilia, remind me of this concert." Lloyd Schwartz, The Boston Phoenix | |
| Website: http://www.bostoncecilia.org | |
Working in an office
Most of the time, I don't really feel as if I work in an office. I work in a little room in a big church, I can work from home whenever I want, and part of my job is to show up at weekly rehearsals (although not sing in them.) But sometimes something goes wrong, and I share the same problems that make office workers all over the nation clunk their heads against their monitors in frustration.
Being the Operations Manager of The Boston Cecilia is my main job. It's technically a half-time position, but our Executive Director was wooed away from us by a full-time job with the BCA (very sad, as he was both fun to work with and very good at his job) and so I've been accruing extra hours lately since I am now the only person on staff. I've gotten to take over interacting with the press, which is a great learning experience, if occasionally a little stressful, and since our first concert is next week, there's been quite a lot of press releases and e-mails to send out.
I'm also currently working on the program, which requires a lot of back-and-forth with the designer; filling ticket orders that come in online or by phone; sending e-mails about hiring a new Executive Director; sending e-mails to the chorus and to our mailing list of patrons; trying to get the Boston Globe to call me back about buying some ads; updating our newly designed and still unfinished website; and always fielding lots and lots of e-mails about everything possible Cecilia-related, from whether I'd like to do a program-ad trade with another chorus to whether someone can sit in on rehearsal to invoices.
Except that today, our e-mail is down. Since I am the only staff member, I should say my e-mail is down. As is the website. As is the listserver.
So, I can't e-mail the chorus to correct the typo in the e-mail I sent them last night, and asked them to forward to their friends. I can build new webpages, but I can't make them live. I can't check my e-mail to see if ticket orders have come in. I can't, in fact, e-mail anybody about anything, and since my addressbook is in my e-mail, I can't even e-mail people from my personal e-mail. I do have the designer's address memorized, so discussions about the program are luckily still moving forward, but otherwise it has been a very frustrating morning!
And our website and e-mail provider is in CA. Let's see, what time is it in CA?
*headmonitor*
[EDIT: We're back up! So now everybody gets to e-mail me and tell me that it's "un soir" and "la France", in an e-mail I already sent out to 1,000 people. It is not the greatest day, so far.]
The one thing I can do for our concert is to tell you about it! Which deserves a whole new post. So...
Being the Operations Manager of The Boston Cecilia is my main job. It's technically a half-time position, but our Executive Director was wooed away from us by a full-time job with the BCA (very sad, as he was both fun to work with and very good at his job) and so I've been accruing extra hours lately since I am now the only person on staff. I've gotten to take over interacting with the press, which is a great learning experience, if occasionally a little stressful, and since our first concert is next week, there's been quite a lot of press releases and e-mails to send out.
I'm also currently working on the program, which requires a lot of back-and-forth with the designer; filling ticket orders that come in online or by phone; sending e-mails about hiring a new Executive Director; sending e-mails to the chorus and to our mailing list of patrons; trying to get the Boston Globe to call me back about buying some ads; updating our newly designed and still unfinished website; and always fielding lots and lots of e-mails about everything possible Cecilia-related, from whether I'd like to do a program-ad trade with another chorus to whether someone can sit in on rehearsal to invoices.
Except that today, our e-mail is down. Since I am the only staff member, I should say my e-mail is down. As is the website. As is the listserver.
So, I can't e-mail the chorus to correct the typo in the e-mail I sent them last night, and asked them to forward to their friends. I can build new webpages, but I can't make them live. I can't check my e-mail to see if ticket orders have come in. I can't, in fact, e-mail anybody about anything, and since my addressbook is in my e-mail, I can't even e-mail people from my personal e-mail. I do have the designer's address memorized, so discussions about the program are luckily still moving forward, but otherwise it has been a very frustrating morning!
And our website and e-mail provider is in CA. Let's see, what time is it in CA?
*headmonitor*
[EDIT: We're back up! So now everybody gets to e-mail me and tell me that it's "un soir" and "la France", in an e-mail I already sent out to 1,000 people. It is not the greatest day, so far.]
The one thing I can do for our concert is to tell you about it! Which deserves a whole new post. So...
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Veloso Project auditions
How many blog entries must there be out there that start with "I know I haven't updated recently, but I've just been so busy..."
Anyways. It's a new year (because really, musicians follow the academic schedule, and the new seasons always start in September) and I have many new projects!
One of the most exciting is that I'm putting together a recording of composer (and close friend) Michael Veloso's choral works. This will be done in three segments - the first segment is three of his SATB pieces, the second segment is two of his pieces for women's chorus, and the last will be his first choral piece, Aether, for 8-part mixed chorus.
I just had auditions for the first segment - we'll start rehearsals next week, and be recording in mid-December. I put out a call on the local websites, and I got much more response than I expected. (In this town, if you offer even a little money for a gig, people are interested!) So last night and the night before were spent listening to many people sing for me.
It was surprising what I learned about myself. One thing is that I have opinions - I'm sure that nobody but myself is remotely shocked, but I frequently worry that I won't be able to hear enough, or that my ear won't be intelligent and discerning enough, to have an opinion. (This is a recurring worry with me, in many different contexts. It is thankfully proven wrong on a fairly frequent basis, but never seems to disappear.) However, we had a wide range of people come in to sing, and one of the most interesting things was hearing what a difference there was between people who studied voice and people who didn't. The disparity was stark, and I could get an idea of how long people had been studying, too. In other ways, such as tone and vocal production, I also heard wide differences. I had worried that differences I heard would be subtle, but I felt like I was hearing in primary colors.
It was also somewhat heart-breaking, because nobody's perfect, and some people's flaws couldn't make up for their spectacular talents. There was a woman whose sight-reading was flawless and phenomenal, but the quality of her tone meant that she wouldn't blend and I couldn't take her. That still hurts, because you so rarely find musicianship like that. There were a number of opera singers who sounded beautiful, and were obviously working on or already having professional careers, but the size and quality of their voices meant that blend would have been impossible. That felt ironic, turning people down for being too professional, or too well-trained. But opera, or any kind of solo classical singing, is a very specialized kind of singing, and if you concentrate on singing well alone, sometimes you sacrifice singing well with other people.
But I almost have a group together now, and I'm very pleased with the top three voice parts. I'm less pleased that only one bass auditioned, since I need three. Thankfully, the one was strong, but that's not enough. So please, if anyone knows of a good, solid bass with strong sight-reading skills, strip him, wash him, and bring him to my-- I mean, send him my way!
Anyways. It's a new year (because really, musicians follow the academic schedule, and the new seasons always start in September) and I have many new projects!
One of the most exciting is that I'm putting together a recording of composer (and close friend) Michael Veloso's choral works. This will be done in three segments - the first segment is three of his SATB pieces, the second segment is two of his pieces for women's chorus, and the last will be his first choral piece, Aether, for 8-part mixed chorus.
I just had auditions for the first segment - we'll start rehearsals next week, and be recording in mid-December. I put out a call on the local websites, and I got much more response than I expected. (In this town, if you offer even a little money for a gig, people are interested!) So last night and the night before were spent listening to many people sing for me.
It was surprising what I learned about myself. One thing is that I have opinions - I'm sure that nobody but myself is remotely shocked, but I frequently worry that I won't be able to hear enough, or that my ear won't be intelligent and discerning enough, to have an opinion. (This is a recurring worry with me, in many different contexts. It is thankfully proven wrong on a fairly frequent basis, but never seems to disappear.) However, we had a wide range of people come in to sing, and one of the most interesting things was hearing what a difference there was between people who studied voice and people who didn't. The disparity was stark, and I could get an idea of how long people had been studying, too. In other ways, such as tone and vocal production, I also heard wide differences. I had worried that differences I heard would be subtle, but I felt like I was hearing in primary colors.
It was also somewhat heart-breaking, because nobody's perfect, and some people's flaws couldn't make up for their spectacular talents. There was a woman whose sight-reading was flawless and phenomenal, but the quality of her tone meant that she wouldn't blend and I couldn't take her. That still hurts, because you so rarely find musicianship like that. There were a number of opera singers who sounded beautiful, and were obviously working on or already having professional careers, but the size and quality of their voices meant that blend would have been impossible. That felt ironic, turning people down for being too professional, or too well-trained. But opera, or any kind of solo classical singing, is a very specialized kind of singing, and if you concentrate on singing well alone, sometimes you sacrifice singing well with other people.
But I almost have a group together now, and I'm very pleased with the top three voice parts. I'm less pleased that only one bass auditioned, since I need three. Thankfully, the one was strong, but that's not enough. So please, if anyone knows of a good, solid bass with strong sight-reading skills, strip him, wash him, and bring him to my-- I mean, send him my way!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Boston Cecilia auditions
Hello, and happy end-of-summer to everyone! I come to you with a request for Boston-based friends.
Boston Cecilia is having auditions! If you know of any singers with strong sight-reading skills and good musicianship (or are one yourself) then spread the word! In particular, if anyone would like to print out the following POSTER and put it up at your workplace, pass it out to friends, post it at your church, etc., that would be great.
It is a matter of personal relief and pride (given the fact that I work for them) that I can whole-heartedly endorse joining this group. Don Teeters, the director, is really, really good. He has high standards, but he isn't nasty in order to get his singers to meet them, and he's a really fine and expressive musician. Also quite funny. And the people are nice and fun to sing with (and also completely addicted to sugar - I have never seen a chorus that has such candy-oriented snack breaks!)
So! Put up posters! Talk it up! I'm off to post on craigslist again!
Boston Cecilia is having auditions! If you know of any singers with strong sight-reading skills and good musicianship (or are one yourself) then spread the word! In particular, if anyone would like to print out the following POSTER and put it up at your workplace, pass it out to friends, post it at your church, etc., that would be great.
It is a matter of personal relief and pride (given the fact that I work for them) that I can whole-heartedly endorse joining this group. Don Teeters, the director, is really, really good. He has high standards, but he isn't nasty in order to get his singers to meet them, and he's a really fine and expressive musician. Also quite funny. And the people are nice and fun to sing with (and also completely addicted to sugar - I have never seen a chorus that has such candy-oriented snack breaks!)
So! Put up posters! Talk it up! I'm off to post on craigslist again!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
O Mio Babbino
Did you miss the Boston Cecilia gala last month? If so, then you missed...
THIS!
Opera meets Doo-Wop. It's making the rounds. I suggest you watch! Ironically, I was out of the room working on something when the performance happened, so I can't say I saw it, but at least I was in the building.
(Thanks to Karen for nudging me to post it.)
THIS!
Opera meets Doo-Wop. It's making the rounds. I suggest you watch! Ironically, I was out of the room working on something when the performance happened, so I can't say I saw it, but at least I was in the building.
(Thanks to Karen for nudging me to post it.)
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Spring Cappella Clausura concert!
Come hear Cappella Clausura's spring concert! This is our final new program of the year - we have a BEMF concert in June, and a concert on Cape Cod in July, but those will both involve music we've already sung. The centerpiece of this concert is a Dixit Dominus by Marianne von Martines, a contemporary of Mozart. Also featured will be three pieces by Hilary Tann (who will be in attendance!) with some thundering organ accompaniment. This is also the Allegra show - Amy is letting me conduct one of the pieces, a Dixit Dominus by Isabella Leonarda (which includes orchestra!) and I have several solos - my favorite is the duet I get to sing with one of our sopranos who has a beautiful voice, and the one I'm most worried about is the one with lots of very fast old Spanish.
Here is the longer blurb, stolen from the website:
Cappella CLAUSURA adds a full baroque orchestra and a few tenors and basses to its core of singers and players to present what is believed to be the second performance ever of Marianne von Martines' "Dixit Dominus". This lively and delicious piece of classical composition was written to commemorate her election as the first woman to the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna in its 108 years of existence. Martines was an aristocrat, friend and musical colleague of Mozart, whose musical accomplishments were much revered in her day. This excellently crafted composition includes some exquisite solos and duets as well as full choral sections. Together with this remarkable work, we bring you an exciting Dixit Dominus by prolific baroque composer Isabella Leonarda, for chorus, continuo and two violins, which we will play with full orchestra colla parte, and a Dixit Dominus for full chorus, with some verses chanted, by Juan de Araujo of Lima, Peru whose works reflect the lush and jaunty baroque style of the New World.
Opening our concert, in our tradition of championing new works by women, will be the US premiere of Hilary Tann's magnificent Psalm 86, "Incline Thine Ear" scored for full chorus, organ and trumpet, for the first time surrounded by its set partners, Psalms 136 for full chorus and organ, and Psalm 104 for chorus, organ and two trumpets. These are joyous works of praise and complete delight in all of creation’s beauty.
Meet the composer: Ms. Tann has graciously consented to be our guest at the concert!
The concert is at 8 pm TOMORROW night, Sunday, and directions can be found here. I hope to see you all there! We've been getting some good press in the Globe, etc., so hopefully we'll have a good audience! (Although part of me feels that the fewer people hear me butcher early Spanish, the better. Speaking of which, I'm going to go practice.)
Here is the longer blurb, stolen from the website:
Cappella CLAUSURA adds a full baroque orchestra and a few tenors and basses to its core of singers and players to present what is believed to be the second performance ever of Marianne von Martines' "Dixit Dominus". This lively and delicious piece of classical composition was written to commemorate her election as the first woman to the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna in its 108 years of existence. Martines was an aristocrat, friend and musical colleague of Mozart, whose musical accomplishments were much revered in her day. This excellently crafted composition includes some exquisite solos and duets as well as full choral sections. Together with this remarkable work, we bring you an exciting Dixit Dominus by prolific baroque composer Isabella Leonarda, for chorus, continuo and two violins, which we will play with full orchestra colla parte, and a Dixit Dominus for full chorus, with some verses chanted, by Juan de Araujo of Lima, Peru whose works reflect the lush and jaunty baroque style of the New World.
Opening our concert, in our tradition of championing new works by women, will be the US premiere of Hilary Tann's magnificent Psalm 86, "Incline Thine Ear" scored for full chorus, organ and trumpet, for the first time surrounded by its set partners, Psalms 136 for full chorus and organ, and Psalm 104 for chorus, organ and two trumpets. These are joyous works of praise and complete delight in all of creation’s beauty.
Meet the composer: Ms. Tann has graciously consented to be our guest at the concert!
The concert is at 8 pm TOMORROW night, Sunday, and directions can be found here. I hope to see you all there! We've been getting some good press in the Globe, etc., so hopefully we'll have a good audience! (Although part of me feels that the fewer people hear me butcher early Spanish, the better. Speaking of which, I'm going to go practice.)
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Galas, galas, everywhere!
I have two gala benefits coming up in the next two weeks, and since both are for very worthy causes, I thought I should (belatedly) mention them in case anyone wants to attend either one.
The Cappella Clausura gala is happening this Sunday at 6:00 pm, and I will be singing a solo, as will some other members of the group. There will be wine, and dessert, and "musical enchantments" and it should be very lovely. It's being held in Taylor House in Jamaica Plain, and since Cappella was hosted there for a post-concert party once, I can tell you that the food they cook up there is amazing. Also, as galas go, it's quite reasonable, $45 for sponsor tickets and $75 for benefactor tickets. It's pretty late if you want to get tickets, and I should have mentioned it earlier, but I neglected to because...
I have been working my *** off for the Boston Cecilia gala, which will be a much more involved affair. Tickets start at $150 and go up from there. It will be held at the Harvard Club of Back Bay, musical guests are the GrooveBarbers (a group containing some of the founding members of Rockapella, including that guy with the blond braids on Carmen Sandiego) and there is both a silent auction and a live auction. When Cecilia members have mentioned the auction, they always mention the trips first (to Italy, South Africa, and various parts of New England) but I think they miss mentioning some of the most exciting things, such as:
The Cappella Clausura gala is happening this Sunday at 6:00 pm, and I will be singing a solo, as will some other members of the group. There will be wine, and dessert, and "musical enchantments" and it should be very lovely. It's being held in Taylor House in Jamaica Plain, and since Cappella was hosted there for a post-concert party once, I can tell you that the food they cook up there is amazing. Also, as galas go, it's quite reasonable, $45 for sponsor tickets and $75 for benefactor tickets. It's pretty late if you want to get tickets, and I should have mentioned it earlier, but I neglected to because...
I have been working my *** off for the Boston Cecilia gala, which will be a much more involved affair. Tickets start at $150 and go up from there. It will be held at the Harvard Club of Back Bay, musical guests are the GrooveBarbers (a group containing some of the founding members of Rockapella, including that guy with the blond braids on Carmen Sandiego) and there is both a silent auction and a live auction. When Cecilia members have mentioned the auction, they always mention the trips first (to Italy, South Africa, and various parts of New England) but I think they miss mentioning some of the most exciting things, such as:
- a Chocolate Extravaganza gift basket! Why is this not the first thing everyone mentions?
- a set of tickets to see a half dozen of the top choirs in Boston
- a private voice lesson with a pair of opera singers (I'm drooling after this one, but probably can't afford to bid on it, although I threatened to Don, our musical director, that I might stand near it and make disparaging remarks to keep the price down, which of course is the opposite of the point of a gala auction)
- and, OK, I confess the Tuscan villa looks pretty cool
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Schola Cantorum concert
Hear ye, hear ye! A great concert is coming up, and I encourage you all to attend.
I'll be singing with Schola Cantorum this weekend. This particular concert will be 10 voices, 2 on a part, and the highlight of the program will be Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia. Also, I will be singing soprano on about half the program, something that has not happened possibly ever, so I encourage you all to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event!
The details:
The concert I encourage you to attend if you are in the Boston area is this Friday night, April 13, at 8:00 pm. It will be at St. Peter's Church in Weston, MA, which may sound far away, but which is in actuality just off Rt. 128. Directions can be found here.
There are two other concerts, in Rhode Island. On Saturday, April 14th, we'll be at Saint Joseph's Church in Providence (Hope and Arnold Streets, East Side) at 8 pm, and on Sunday, we'll be somewhere even further south in RI, but I don't know where because they printed up the posters before we got that gig. So if you want to go to that one, comment and let me know and I'll get you the information!
Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia, 2 voices to a part! It'll be fabulous. You know you want to come!
I'll be singing with Schola Cantorum this weekend. This particular concert will be 10 voices, 2 on a part, and the highlight of the program will be Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia. Also, I will be singing soprano on about half the program, something that has not happened possibly ever, so I encourage you all to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event!
The details:
The concert I encourage you to attend if you are in the Boston area is this Friday night, April 13, at 8:00 pm. It will be at St. Peter's Church in Weston, MA, which may sound far away, but which is in actuality just off Rt. 128. Directions can be found here.
There are two other concerts, in Rhode Island. On Saturday, April 14th, we'll be at Saint Joseph's Church in Providence (Hope and Arnold Streets, East Side) at 8 pm, and on Sunday, we'll be somewhere even further south in RI, but I don't know where because they printed up the posters before we got that gig. So if you want to go to that one, comment and let me know and I'll get you the information!
Britten's Hymn to St. Cecilia, 2 voices to a part! It'll be fabulous. You know you want to come!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Teacher Vignette
Dramatis personae:
Me (assistant choral teacher)
JMC (orchestra teacher, with whom I share office space)
Me stomps into our office after chorus class
Me: I hate spring! I never knew it until this year, but I hate it. I wish it would go away.
JMC: The kiddies are losing focus, are they?
My uncle prophetically asked a few days ago if spring fever had hit. Well, today was pretty bad! Getting my kids to stop talking was a Herculean, nay, Sisyphean task. Getting them to focus on the music and actually sing was equally impossible. Why do they make so much noise when they talk and so little when they sing? Argh!
(Side note: I often refer to my students as "my kids." When people don't know me very well, this often gets me weird looks, and I have to clarify that they're not my offspring, they're my students. Don't other teachers refer to their students as "my kids"?)
Me (assistant choral teacher)
JMC (orchestra teacher, with whom I share office space)
Me stomps into our office after chorus class
Me: I hate spring! I never knew it until this year, but I hate it. I wish it would go away.
JMC: The kiddies are losing focus, are they?
My uncle prophetically asked a few days ago if spring fever had hit. Well, today was pretty bad! Getting my kids to stop talking was a Herculean, nay, Sisyphean task. Getting them to focus on the music and actually sing was equally impossible. Why do they make so much noise when they talk and so little when they sing? Argh!
(Side note: I often refer to my students as "my kids." When people don't know me very well, this often gets me weird looks, and I have to clarify that they're not my offspring, they're my students. Don't other teachers refer to their students as "my kids"?)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The Construction of Boston
Hear ye, hear ye! The Boston Cecilia's final concert of the season is this Sunday at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall. It features a one-act opera by local composer Scott Wheeler called The Construction of Boston, and also has several pieces by Virgil Thomson. The soloists are fantastic, and the chorus is sounding great.
I've heard parts of the rehearsals, and looked over the score, and the words that come to mind about this piece are "charming, amusing, witty, appealing." I find the music remarkably accessible and endearing. The text is a Dada play by Kenneth Koch, and he wrote it in 3 days as a performance piece for the artists Robert Rauschenberg, Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle (click here for pictures of Niki's Tarot Garden.) It's a lot of fun (you get to hear people sing the characters of Back Bay and Beacon Hill, among others.) You can find program notes online here.
As Operations Manager, I have a limited number of comp tickets to this concert. Let me know (by commenting - I am automatically e-mailed comments) if you would like to come.
Details:
Location: Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory (right near Symphony Hall in downtown Boston)
Date: This Sunday, April 1
Time: 3 pm (pre-concert lecture by the composer at 2 pm)
Come one, come all!
I've heard parts of the rehearsals, and looked over the score, and the words that come to mind about this piece are "charming, amusing, witty, appealing." I find the music remarkably accessible and endearing. The text is a Dada play by Kenneth Koch, and he wrote it in 3 days as a performance piece for the artists Robert Rauschenberg, Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint-Phalle (click here for pictures of Niki's Tarot Garden.) It's a lot of fun (you get to hear people sing the characters of Back Bay and Beacon Hill, among others.) You can find program notes online here.
As Operations Manager, I have a limited number of comp tickets to this concert. Let me know (by commenting - I am automatically e-mailed comments) if you would like to come.
Details:
Location: Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory (right near Symphony Hall in downtown Boston)
Date: This Sunday, April 1
Time: 3 pm (pre-concert lecture by the composer at 2 pm)
Come one, come all!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Cabaret
I may or may not have previously mentioned that I am the vocal director for the Winchester High School production of Cabaret. Well, it went up last night. And hot damn. It was good!
It has been a long week. On Monday, I was in utter despair that this thing would pull together. We hadn't had a tech rehearsal yet - we didn't have a tech week at all, all tech issues were handled during the run-throughs on Tuesday and Wednesday - people didn't get their body mics until the dress rehearsal - people didn't have all of their costumes even at the dress rehearsal - the set wasn't competely constructed at the dress rehearsal - the band wasn't holding together all the time - the dancers couldn't hear the music - transitions were sloppy - I couldn't hear the chorus - we couldn't get through anything without stopping - I could go on. Even on Wednesday, the dress rehearsal, I was banging my head into the closest solid object I could find.
And voila, opening night last night went great. It was great! My mother came to the show tonight and couldn't say enough good things. Everyone loved it, and with good reason.
I think most of the credit for this has to go to the leads. Every single one is amazing - there are no weak links whatsoever, and everyone is perfect for their role. I keep trying to think of ways to make sure they know how great they are, and I keep being sure that I must be failing, and that they won't believe me. The entire cast has my gratitude. (Oh, and you won't believe how these kids can dance. There's a dance school in town they all go to, and it really shows. There is one dance in the first act that has me laughing hysterically every time I see it.)
SO, although this posting is late, if you're not busy tomorrow night, come to Winchester High School at 7:30 pm and see a quite excellent production of Cabaret.
Having quite literally worried myself sick this week, apparently for no good reason, I will now go to bed with some hot tea.
It has been a long week. On Monday, I was in utter despair that this thing would pull together. We hadn't had a tech rehearsal yet - we didn't have a tech week at all, all tech issues were handled during the run-throughs on Tuesday and Wednesday - people didn't get their body mics until the dress rehearsal - people didn't have all of their costumes even at the dress rehearsal - the set wasn't competely constructed at the dress rehearsal - the band wasn't holding together all the time - the dancers couldn't hear the music - transitions were sloppy - I couldn't hear the chorus - we couldn't get through anything without stopping - I could go on. Even on Wednesday, the dress rehearsal, I was banging my head into the closest solid object I could find.
And voila, opening night last night went great. It was great! My mother came to the show tonight and couldn't say enough good things. Everyone loved it, and with good reason.
I think most of the credit for this has to go to the leads. Every single one is amazing - there are no weak links whatsoever, and everyone is perfect for their role. I keep trying to think of ways to make sure they know how great they are, and I keep being sure that I must be failing, and that they won't believe me. The entire cast has my gratitude. (Oh, and you won't believe how these kids can dance. There's a dance school in town they all go to, and it really shows. There is one dance in the first act that has me laughing hysterically every time I see it.)
SO, although this posting is late, if you're not busy tomorrow night, come to Winchester High School at 7:30 pm and see a quite excellent production of Cabaret.
Having quite literally worried myself sick this week, apparently for no good reason, I will now go to bed with some hot tea.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Classical Producer fakes CD's
From BBC.com. "The husband of a British pianist has admitted passing off other classical works as those of his late wife, the label of one "sampled" artist has said."
Brought to my attention by friend AS.
Brought to my attention by friend AS.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Concert this Sunday
I am in a concert this Sunday which I think is going to be quite interesting, and I encourage you to come if you are free. I'm ringing with the Choir of All Saints in Brookline. Details:
We'll be singing Mozart's Mass in F Major and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. Also being performed (and these are both very exciting) will be Barber's Dover Beach, performed by Robert Honeysucker (who has the most delightful bass voice in Boston) and Poulenc's Organ Concerto in g minor, performed by Barbara Bruns. The conductor, Don Teeters (who is also the director of the Boston Cecilia, and thus the reason I'm in the concert) keeps telling me the Poulenc is utterly amazing, and not to be missed.
It will be at 3 pm on Sunday, March 4, at All Saints Parish in Brookline...and this concert, folks, is...
FREE!
Yes, a FREE concert! Of high quality! When else can you hear Robert Honeysucker for free? So come on by!
We'll be singing Mozart's Mass in F Major and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. Also being performed (and these are both very exciting) will be Barber's Dover Beach, performed by Robert Honeysucker (who has the most delightful bass voice in Boston) and Poulenc's Organ Concerto in g minor, performed by Barbara Bruns. The conductor, Don Teeters (who is also the director of the Boston Cecilia, and thus the reason I'm in the concert) keeps telling me the Poulenc is utterly amazing, and not to be missed.
It will be at 3 pm on Sunday, March 4, at All Saints Parish in Brookline...and this concert, folks, is...
FREE!
Yes, a FREE concert! Of high quality! When else can you hear Robert Honeysucker for free? So come on by!
AMC report
I believe in a previous post I mentioned going up to Pinkham Notch in NH to conduct a Mountains and Music weekend. That was the weekend before this past one, and it was a great time.
The big part of the weekend was teaching the singers who signed up Haydn's Paukenmesse. We had three rehearsals, and although we didn't do all of the Credo, just the final fugal bit, the entire thing came together really well. The last time I went up (in Fall 2004) the choir was OK, but this time the choir was great - all the voice parts were strong, and everyone could read, and I even had enough tenors! My friend AG came up and sang part of the soprano solo - I love conducting her, so that was a real treat. And JL, organist and keyboardist supreme, came up to accompany, which was also a treat, since I don't get provided with an accompanist all that often. We performed the mass with the orchestra on Saturday night, and it went really well. It's always good to have your family playing the loudest instruments (Mom on tympani, Dad on trumpet) because you know they'll be watching, and it makes you feel a bit more secure! Then the orchestra conductor, Peter Szep, conducted Beethoven's 8th and the Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream suite, and, as AG said, held them together by sheer force of will, which was extraordinarily instructive to watch (as well as quite amusing!)
Sunday night was a talent show, where we performed PDQ Bach's My Bonnie Lass, She Smelleth in a manner befitting a composer whose music has been rescued from the trash bins behind universities, and my dad and I performed Monty Python's Penultimate Supper sketch (over my mother's objections, but to great acclaim.) Earlier that day I also got to do a bunch of duet singing with AG, which was most fun.
But that was half the weekend - the other half, and the other reason everyone went up to NH, was to tramp around in the snow. As someone who tends not to get along well with winter, it was good to go outside in truly wintery circumstances and enjoy myself. Sunday I went snow-shoeing for the first time, and it was great. Monday morning I was told I didn't need snowshoes, and as a result the half-hour hike was spent with me up to my knees, and sometimes my hips, in snow. Luckily I had a tall guy in front of me to break down the snow, and I could walk in his footsteps - I felt like King Wenceslas's page. But the wind was blowing so hard that day that even if I was just three yards behind him, his footsteps would begin to be filled in. JL danced around me in snowshoes and mocked my staggering progress.
We stopped at the Pearl Izumi outlet on the way back through North Conway, but unfortunately even at the outlet I couldn't afford anything. However, the desk clerk was cute, and quite helpful.
And really, one can't discuss Pinkham Notch without mentioning the food, which (setting aside the corned beef) was great. I had hot chocolate with every single meal. The second dinner we ate I ate so much of the soup (corn chowder) that I couldn't eat the main entree. This made me very sad, but the corn chowder was worth it.
I enjoyed the first time I went up for this Mountains and Music weekend, but I enjoyed this time even more. It was a great experience, and although they have a policy of trying to always be looking for new conductors, I'm hoping they'll ask me back again someday!
The big part of the weekend was teaching the singers who signed up Haydn's Paukenmesse. We had three rehearsals, and although we didn't do all of the Credo, just the final fugal bit, the entire thing came together really well. The last time I went up (in Fall 2004) the choir was OK, but this time the choir was great - all the voice parts were strong, and everyone could read, and I even had enough tenors! My friend AG came up and sang part of the soprano solo - I love conducting her, so that was a real treat. And JL, organist and keyboardist supreme, came up to accompany, which was also a treat, since I don't get provided with an accompanist all that often. We performed the mass with the orchestra on Saturday night, and it went really well. It's always good to have your family playing the loudest instruments (Mom on tympani, Dad on trumpet) because you know they'll be watching, and it makes you feel a bit more secure! Then the orchestra conductor, Peter Szep, conducted Beethoven's 8th and the Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream suite, and, as AG said, held them together by sheer force of will, which was extraordinarily instructive to watch (as well as quite amusing!)
Sunday night was a talent show, where we performed PDQ Bach's My Bonnie Lass, She Smelleth in a manner befitting a composer whose music has been rescued from the trash bins behind universities, and my dad and I performed Monty Python's Penultimate Supper sketch (over my mother's objections, but to great acclaim.) Earlier that day I also got to do a bunch of duet singing with AG, which was most fun.
But that was half the weekend - the other half, and the other reason everyone went up to NH, was to tramp around in the snow. As someone who tends not to get along well with winter, it was good to go outside in truly wintery circumstances and enjoy myself. Sunday I went snow-shoeing for the first time, and it was great. Monday morning I was told I didn't need snowshoes, and as a result the half-hour hike was spent with me up to my knees, and sometimes my hips, in snow. Luckily I had a tall guy in front of me to break down the snow, and I could walk in his footsteps - I felt like King Wenceslas's page. But the wind was blowing so hard that day that even if I was just three yards behind him, his footsteps would begin to be filled in. JL danced around me in snowshoes and mocked my staggering progress.
We stopped at the Pearl Izumi outlet on the way back through North Conway, but unfortunately even at the outlet I couldn't afford anything. However, the desk clerk was cute, and quite helpful.
And really, one can't discuss Pinkham Notch without mentioning the food, which (setting aside the corned beef) was great. I had hot chocolate with every single meal. The second dinner we ate I ate so much of the soup (corn chowder) that I couldn't eat the main entree. This made me very sad, but the corn chowder was worth it.
I enjoyed the first time I went up for this Mountains and Music weekend, but I enjoyed this time even more. It was a great experience, and although they have a policy of trying to always be looking for new conductors, I'm hoping they'll ask me back again someday!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Pachelbel Rant
Two links about Pachelbel!
The first one is from my friend Christianne: The Pachelbel Rant! (as featured, YouTube claims, on Dr. Demento.)
And, if you can't get enough, The Taco Bell Canon in D, from my parents. I believe it was originally done by a group at U Mich, but I don't know if that's who is in the video.
The first one is from my friend Christianne: The Pachelbel Rant! (as featured, YouTube claims, on Dr. Demento.)
And, if you can't get enough, The Taco Bell Canon in D, from my parents. I believe it was originally done by a group at U Mich, but I don't know if that's who is in the video.
Heavy concert weekend!
Hear ye, hear ye! Cappella Clausura has a couple of concerts coming up this weekend, and if you are free, I heartily invite you to come. The title of the concert is: Planctus Mariae: A Medieval Opera, and it's a plainsong drama about Mary at the cross, interspersed with Laudae (congregational praise songs) sung by the choir. More information is in this article in the Newton Tab. And yes, I have a few solos, although I'm not one of the main players in the drama. If you like chant, or monophony, or early music, I think you will really enjoy this concert.
Details:
The Winchester First Annual MadrigalFest, held in Winchester's Town Hall at 7:30 pm.
Schola Cantorum singing a program of White Lamentations, Byrd, and Fayrfax at St Joseph's Church in Providence RI. (401-274-5073 $20/15/8) I was asked to sing in this concert, and was crushed that I had to say no.
And the Westminster Graduate Conducting Recital of LLJ. Good luck, Linda!
Details:
SATURDAY February 10th @ 8:00 PM
at Episcopal Parish of the Messiah in Newton
SUNDAY February 11th @ 7: 00 PM
at Centre for the Arts in Natick, and
SUNDAY March 18th @ 3: 00 PM
at Music at St. Mary's, Boston College
The Winchester First Annual MadrigalFest, held in Winchester's Town Hall at 7:30 pm.
Schola Cantorum singing a program of White Lamentations, Byrd, and Fayrfax at St Joseph's Church in Providence RI. (401-274-5073 $20/15/8) I was asked to sing in this concert, and was crushed that I had to say no.
And the Westminster Graduate Conducting Recital of LLJ. Good luck, Linda!
Sunday, February 04, 2007
RIP Menotti and Pinkham
Gian Carlo Menotti passed away last week. I recommend listening to the NPR memorial, which covers all his best-known achievements - writing the operas Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Consul, and The Medium, and his founding of the Spoleto Festivals in both Italy and the US.
With musicians, isn't it always better to listen to memorials, rather than read them?
While I'm at it, RIP to Daniel Pinkham, Boston composer, who sadly died in December. Every organist I know went to the funeral, and apparently it was a rather humorous affair, as people shared their often amusing memories. Here is one from my friend J. Lawton:
"One story told during the memorial service went like this: Dan sent for approval an opera libretto he was working on to a certain professor or official; the opera was to deal with Jesus' descent to Hell following the crucifixion. The official responded affirmatively, but asked whether something about "the soul of man" could be rephrased to be more inclusive. Dan responded, "Oh, say that I'm a traditionalist and won't change it." A couple of days later, though, he called the official back, saying he had decided on a couple of changes. He indicated that, first, the word "man" was to be changed to "all"; and second, that the part of Satan, slated for bass-baritone, was to be given to a soprano instead."
Here's an NPR remembrance of Daniel Pinkham, but it's in the middle of the clip, at 6:00 minutes. Sadly, this one doesn't include any musical clips, but it's very interesting nonetheless.
With musicians, isn't it always better to listen to memorials, rather than read them?
While I'm at it, RIP to Daniel Pinkham, Boston composer, who sadly died in December. Every organist I know went to the funeral, and apparently it was a rather humorous affair, as people shared their often amusing memories. Here is one from my friend J. Lawton:
"One story told during the memorial service went like this: Dan sent for approval an opera libretto he was working on to a certain professor or official; the opera was to deal with Jesus' descent to Hell following the crucifixion. The official responded affirmatively, but asked whether something about "the soul of man" could be rephrased to be more inclusive. Dan responded, "Oh, say that I'm a traditionalist and won't change it." A couple of days later, though, he called the official back, saying he had decided on a couple of changes. He indicated that, first, the word "man" was to be changed to "all"; and second, that the part of Satan, slated for bass-baritone, was to be given to a soprano instead."
Here's an NPR remembrance of Daniel Pinkham, but it's in the middle of the clip, at 6:00 minutes. Sadly, this one doesn't include any musical clips, but it's very interesting nonetheless.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Two reviews
It has been a busy concert weekend! On Friday night, I went to see Värttinä with my parents. They are a Finnish vocal trio/folk group/rock group, and they were fabulous - I highly recommend their live show. They were expressive and energetic and really engaging - the singers moved and danced around the stage, and their faces were incredibly alive. All the musicians were really high caliber, and their sound is just so evocative. It defies my description - go watch a video on their website to get an idea.
Last night I went to BMOP's "Boston ConNECtion" concert. This featured pieces for orchestra or chamber orchestra with various soloists by six different local composers. Some pieces I found boring, but the overall compositional quality was very high, with Michael Gandolfi's Fantasia for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra being the highlight, in my opinion. And the musicians were all fabulous. I don't know that I've ever been to a BMOP concert before, and I was very impressed with their presentation - they projected an image that was professional and sharp, but also young and hip, and it was reflected in their audience, which was both younger than usual at classical concerts and also fairly big.
Next up will hopefully be Convivium next Saturday, because I have a friend singing. Stay tuned!
Last night I went to BMOP's "Boston ConNECtion" concert. This featured pieces for orchestra or chamber orchestra with various soloists by six different local composers. Some pieces I found boring, but the overall compositional quality was very high, with Michael Gandolfi's Fantasia for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra being the highlight, in my opinion. And the musicians were all fabulous. I don't know that I've ever been to a BMOP concert before, and I was very impressed with their presentation - they projected an image that was professional and sharp, but also young and hip, and it was reflected in their audience, which was both younger than usual at classical concerts and also fairly big.
Next up will hopefully be Convivium next Saturday, because I have a friend singing. Stay tuned!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
AMC Mountains and Music
[This post has been edited from the original post, because it turns out that we do have enough altos, but not enough on any other voice part.]
This is an attempt to recruit singers for a conducting gig I have coming up!
Three times a year, the Appalachian Mountain Club sponsors a "Mountains and Music" weekend. This coming February it's up in Pinkham Notch in NH. You pay a registration fee that covers your board, all meals except lunch, and activities (such as hiking or snow-shoeing.) People show up for the weekend, make some music, do some outdoor activities, sit by the fire and read...whatever they feel like. I myself plan on doing some downhill skiing. I'll be directing the chorus, and right now we need more singers on all voice parts (although we are actually all set for altos, and we are rather desperate for men.) And we all put on a little concert at the end of the weekend with the orchestra (we'll be doing Haydn's Missa in Tempore Belli) so we need to have a little balance!
Information is here. There is no audition, or anything, and a wide range of musical experience, so it's a very low-stress experience. If you sing, and want to sing with me, think about signing up!
This is an attempt to recruit singers for a conducting gig I have coming up!
Three times a year, the Appalachian Mountain Club sponsors a "Mountains and Music" weekend. This coming February it's up in Pinkham Notch in NH. You pay a registration fee that covers your board, all meals except lunch, and activities (such as hiking or snow-shoeing.) People show up for the weekend, make some music, do some outdoor activities, sit by the fire and read...whatever they feel like. I myself plan on doing some downhill skiing. I'll be directing the chorus, and right now we need more singers on all voice parts (although we are actually all set for altos, and we are rather desperate for men.) And we all put on a little concert at the end of the weekend with the orchestra (we'll be doing Haydn's Missa in Tempore Belli) so we need to have a little balance!
Information is here. There is no audition, or anything, and a wide range of musical experience, so it's a very low-stress experience. If you sing, and want to sing with me, think about signing up!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sick, Round 2
Well, it was foolish to think I could get through my first year of teaching by only getting sick once, right? Of course, this time would hit over a holiday weekend.
I had to cancel several meetings with friends, my voice lesson, call in sick to school today, and worst of all, I'm missing the first rehearsal for Cappella Clausura's next concert. I am becoming a nightmare member for the poor conductor - the first concert, I got sick at the beginning of the rehearsal period too, had laryngitis during the whole process, and didn't sing until the dress rehearsal. Luckily this flu has not hit my throat as hard, but I still had to miss the first rehearsal today. I feel extremely guilty about this, especially since the concert is very complex and I really needed the read-through.
So, I thought, at least there's one productive thing I can do while lying in bed, I can listen to the tape of my last voice lesson and take notes. I record all my voice lessons and listen to them later so I remember what happened and can take notes on what I'm learning at a more leisurely pace. I popped the tape in five minutes ago, and discovered that somehow my last voice lesson was recorded at super-high speed, meaning the only thing I can make out is incoherent manic chipmunk voices. And my tape-player doesn't have a speed-of-playback control.
Apparently I am doomed to lie in bed and watch DVD's of Deep Space Nine. There are worse fates.
I had to cancel several meetings with friends, my voice lesson, call in sick to school today, and worst of all, I'm missing the first rehearsal for Cappella Clausura's next concert. I am becoming a nightmare member for the poor conductor - the first concert, I got sick at the beginning of the rehearsal period too, had laryngitis during the whole process, and didn't sing until the dress rehearsal. Luckily this flu has not hit my throat as hard, but I still had to miss the first rehearsal today. I feel extremely guilty about this, especially since the concert is very complex and I really needed the read-through.
So, I thought, at least there's one productive thing I can do while lying in bed, I can listen to the tape of my last voice lesson and take notes. I record all my voice lessons and listen to them later so I remember what happened and can take notes on what I'm learning at a more leisurely pace. I popped the tape in five minutes ago, and discovered that somehow my last voice lesson was recorded at super-high speed, meaning the only thing I can make out is incoherent manic chipmunk voices. And my tape-player doesn't have a speed-of-playback control.
Apparently I am doomed to lie in bed and watch DVD's of Deep Space Nine. There are worse fates.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Octets rehearsal
This evening I sat in on the rehearsal for the Winchester Octets. The name is misleading - there are about 20 of them. They are the WHS a cappella group (unlike Lexington High School, which now has something like 9 a cappella groups, WHS has only one) and definitely the cool kids of the music department. They run their own rehearsals, but since they rehearse in the high school, a faculty member has to be present, and I was asked to be there tonight.
So I sat in the office and did work and listened to them rehearse "Circle of Life" from the Lion King in the next room, but at the end they asked me to listen to them sing through the song and make some comments, which I did. Afterwards, one of the members came up to me and thanked me for my input, said that it was really helpful to hear constructive criticism from someone who knew what they were doing and whose opinion he respected, and said that he hoped that I and perhaps the other choral teacher would consider giving some more helpful comments in the future.
Well. I spend all my days tearing my hair out trying to get these kids to listen to me. Let me tell you, nothing makes you feel as cool as having a high school kid tell you he respects your opinion.
So I sat in the office and did work and listened to them rehearse "Circle of Life" from the Lion King in the next room, but at the end they asked me to listen to them sing through the song and make some comments, which I did. Afterwards, one of the members came up to me and thanked me for my input, said that it was really helpful to hear constructive criticism from someone who knew what they were doing and whose opinion he respected, and said that he hoped that I and perhaps the other choral teacher would consider giving some more helpful comments in the future.
Well. I spend all my days tearing my hair out trying to get these kids to listen to me. Let me tell you, nothing makes you feel as cool as having a high school kid tell you he respects your opinion.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Musical auditions
Today were the auditions for the high school musical, which is Cabaret. I am music director. The uber-director seems competent and experienced and smart and funny (thank goodness!) and nice, and I'm looking forward to working with him.
How strange to be on the other side of these auditions! I feel like I was just there, although I suppose none of my kids would believe that. And I remember how important this is, and how heart-broken some people will be. It's also unfortunate that the leads for Cabaret are all either high tenors or low altos. There are no parts for basses. Aside from parts of songs, there are no parts for sopranos. This sadly means that a great many qualified people don't even have the beginnings of a chance for a lead. I think every single male part has a high G, and more than one has a high A. I hate the thought of disappointing people, especially people who really don't deserve to be disappointed. But there are more good singers and dancers and actors than parts to go around. In some cases, there's hardly anything to choose between one person and another - you know they'd both do great. I'm dealing by forgetting, most of the time, how centrally important this is to some students.
The auditions also highlighted one thing I have a lot of trouble remembering about being a high school student - in fact, it's almost impossible. I don't remember the terror. I am so far from being nervous when I sing in a choir, or sing in front of people, or even sing in an audition. I get a little nervous for solo singing performances, but not much. I get more anxious for conducting, but again, nothing like the fears of a high-schooler trying out for the musical. And I can't even really remember it. I look at them, and have to tell myself how nervous they are, because otherwise I really wouldn't be able to see it, it's so distant. My empathy has to be conscious - I have to remind myself.
I suppose I should be grateful for the boons of experience! And I'm sure the kids will remind me often enough of how nervous they are before opening night.
How strange to be on the other side of these auditions! I feel like I was just there, although I suppose none of my kids would believe that. And I remember how important this is, and how heart-broken some people will be. It's also unfortunate that the leads for Cabaret are all either high tenors or low altos. There are no parts for basses. Aside from parts of songs, there are no parts for sopranos. This sadly means that a great many qualified people don't even have the beginnings of a chance for a lead. I think every single male part has a high G, and more than one has a high A. I hate the thought of disappointing people, especially people who really don't deserve to be disappointed. But there are more good singers and dancers and actors than parts to go around. In some cases, there's hardly anything to choose between one person and another - you know they'd both do great. I'm dealing by forgetting, most of the time, how centrally important this is to some students.
The auditions also highlighted one thing I have a lot of trouble remembering about being a high school student - in fact, it's almost impossible. I don't remember the terror. I am so far from being nervous when I sing in a choir, or sing in front of people, or even sing in an audition. I get a little nervous for solo singing performances, but not much. I get more anxious for conducting, but again, nothing like the fears of a high-schooler trying out for the musical. And I can't even really remember it. I look at them, and have to tell myself how nervous they are, because otherwise I really wouldn't be able to see it, it's so distant. My empathy has to be conscious - I have to remind myself.
I suppose I should be grateful for the boons of experience! And I'm sure the kids will remind me often enough of how nervous they are before opening night.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Free Mozart!
The headline says it all - Mozart's entire musical works now free on Net.
Also, in a follow-up to the previous post about Alagna, he has now mounted his own production of Aida. Details here. He's also threatening to sue La Scala if they don't take him back? How do those two things jive? He's also blaming "low blood sugar" for his behavior? Riiiiight.
Also, in a follow-up to the previous post about Alagna, he has now mounted his own production of Aida. Details here. He's also threatening to sue La Scala if they don't take him back? How do those two things jive? He's also blaming "low blood sugar" for his behavior? Riiiiight.
Monday, December 11, 2006
In the news
Alagna storms off the stage of La Scala!
Not only stormed off stage, but stormed off stage in the middle of a duet, leaving his poor partner, Violeta Urmana, stuck on stage without him. His understudy rushed on, a few minutes later, wearing jeans, and with no time to warm up carried on with the show. Of such things are careers made.
Ah, opera.
Not only stormed off stage, but stormed off stage in the middle of a duet, leaving his poor partner, Violeta Urmana, stuck on stage without him. His understudy rushed on, a few minutes later, wearing jeans, and with no time to warm up carried on with the show. Of such things are careers made.
Ah, opera.
Concerts, concerts, everywhere
I'm happy to report that the Boston Cecilia concerts this weekend went extremely well - the choir sang beautifully, and there were no major management mishaps. (The volunteer service we used sent the ushers to the wrong place on Saturday, so we had no Saturday ushers, but so it goes.)
Although one audience member said to me on the way out, "You know, there was a lot of modern music on that concert. Not everybody likes that. I think it should be more 50-50 with the old and the new. And you know, not everyone in your audience speaks Latin. (Well, yes, that's why we included a full translation of all texts in the program.) You should have more English tunes." And I want it on record that I, being the extraordinarily tactful Operations Manager that I am, refrained from rolling my eyes and saying, "Whatever, lady." I think I just sort of hemmed and hummed in a thoughtful and non-committal way at her.
Luckily, most of the audience was happy to hear a carefully thought out and exquisitely rendered program of Messaien, Britten, Poulenc, Tavener, and Bach. Have I mentioned how relieved and proud and lucky I feel to have landed a job with such an extremely good chorus? This weekend strengthened my inital resolve to sit in on some rehearsals and figure out how they put that wonderful sound together.
And THEN, tonight, the day after this three-day weekend run of Cecilia concerts, was the Winchester High School first ever Winter Choral Concert! It was an hour of all-singing, and it went extremely well, and I am quite proud and relieved! My kids all did great, and on several occasions they surprised me with how well they sounded - sometimes things really blossom in performance! When I walked off stage after the last song I conducted, I completely understood how people end up staying teaching in a high school for twenty or thirty years. I'm also excited to pick out new repertoire for the spring.
For weeks, my goal has simply been to get past these four days. Now that they're over, I'm not really sure what to do with myself. Perhaps clean my apartment. Or correct all those theory packets that are waiting for me. Or buy Christmas presents.
Although one audience member said to me on the way out, "You know, there was a lot of modern music on that concert. Not everybody likes that. I think it should be more 50-50 with the old and the new. And you know, not everyone in your audience speaks Latin. (Well, yes, that's why we included a full translation of all texts in the program.) You should have more English tunes." And I want it on record that I, being the extraordinarily tactful Operations Manager that I am, refrained from rolling my eyes and saying, "Whatever, lady." I think I just sort of hemmed and hummed in a thoughtful and non-committal way at her.
Luckily, most of the audience was happy to hear a carefully thought out and exquisitely rendered program of Messaien, Britten, Poulenc, Tavener, and Bach. Have I mentioned how relieved and proud and lucky I feel to have landed a job with such an extremely good chorus? This weekend strengthened my inital resolve to sit in on some rehearsals and figure out how they put that wonderful sound together.
And THEN, tonight, the day after this three-day weekend run of Cecilia concerts, was the Winchester High School first ever Winter Choral Concert! It was an hour of all-singing, and it went extremely well, and I am quite proud and relieved! My kids all did great, and on several occasions they surprised me with how well they sounded - sometimes things really blossom in performance! When I walked off stage after the last song I conducted, I completely understood how people end up staying teaching in a high school for twenty or thirty years. I'm also excited to pick out new repertoire for the spring.
For weeks, my goal has simply been to get past these four days. Now that they're over, I'm not really sure what to do with myself. Perhaps clean my apartment. Or correct all those theory packets that are waiting for me. Or buy Christmas presents.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Boston Cecilia concert - ushers needed!
I'm happy to report that my laryngitis healed in time for me to sing the Cappella Clausura concerts, and they went very well! We also had a recording session just last night of the concert music, which was interesting, because things felt much better in my voice when it was healed and healthy last night from when it was barely over laryngitis several weeks ago! Interestingly the thing I really lost when I had laryngitis was my low range. Who would have guessed? If nothing else, getting laryngitis was very educational. Among other things, I'm now more enthusiastic about using hand sanitizer, in an effort to prevent a repeat occurence.
I also have another concert announcement! Half of my 9-5 job time is spent being the Operations Manager for The Boston Cecilia, a really excellent choir in Brookline. We have three concerts coming up this week, on Dec. 8 at 8 pm, Dec. 9 at 8 pm, and Dec. 10 at 3 pm. The Friday concert is downtown at Church of the Advent (in the Back Bay) and the Saturday and Sunday concerts are at All Saints Parish in Brookline. More information can be found here.
As Operations Manager, I'm in charge of finding ushers. We're all set for Friday and Saturday (although if you really want to come, we could always use one more) but I need several more ushers for Sunday. You show up at 1:45, hand out programs, and then you get to listen to the concert for free! It's going to be a really splendid concert, with Poulenc and Messiaen and Tavener and Britten (oh, my!) Please let me know if you'd be interested in ushering. Also feel free to point musically-minded friends towards this post, especially if they're free on Sunday!
I also have another concert announcement! Half of my 9-5 job time is spent being the Operations Manager for The Boston Cecilia, a really excellent choir in Brookline. We have three concerts coming up this week, on Dec. 8 at 8 pm, Dec. 9 at 8 pm, and Dec. 10 at 3 pm. The Friday concert is downtown at Church of the Advent (in the Back Bay) and the Saturday and Sunday concerts are at All Saints Parish in Brookline. More information can be found here.
As Operations Manager, I'm in charge of finding ushers. We're all set for Friday and Saturday (although if you really want to come, we could always use one more) but I need several more ushers for Sunday. You show up at 1:45, hand out programs, and then you get to listen to the concert for free! It's going to be a really splendid concert, with Poulenc and Messiaen and Tavener and Britten (oh, my!) Please let me know if you'd be interested in ushering. Also feel free to point musically-minded friends towards this post, especially if they're free on Sunday!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Cappella Clausura - first concert of the year!
I still have laryngitis. It's getting better, but extremely slowly. I'm trying to take every precaution, since...
I have a concert this weekend! Two, in fact - please come to one of them!
Cappella Clausura is one of the choirs I joined in September. I am really excited about being part of this group, because my fellow singers have some great voices, and the conductor really knows her stuff. It's an all-women's ensemble in Boston (Newton, actually) that specializes in music written by women, and specifically by women who were in cloisters, or "clausurae". However, this concert will not only feature music by Vizzana and Aleotti, two nuns from the sixteenth century, but also some music by Patricia Van Ness, a contemporary composer from our area. (One of the pieces we will perform was written for Peter Sykes and the First Church in Cambridge, MA.)
Whenever one hears that a concert will specialize in music by a minority, in this case women, one tends to wonder, "Am I going to hear really good music that I haven't heard before because women faced such prejudice? Or am I going to hear not particularly good music that people are trying to perform in an effort to be politically correct?" I can assure you that this concert falls squarely in the former category. I knew none of the composers on our concert before we started rehearsals (except for Van Ness) and that's a crying shame, because this music is just as good as the music written by men from the Renaissance and early Baroque that I've performed all my life. And one set of madrigals we're performing was written by a sixteen-year-old! Mozart was far more boring at sixteen than Aleotti (and set far less passionate texts!) So come and hear some new music that's centuries old.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18th at 8:00 PM
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 19th at 4: 00 PM
call 617-524-3354 for tickets
Directions to both places can be found here.
I hope to see you there!
I have a concert this weekend! Two, in fact - please come to one of them!
Cappella Clausura is one of the choirs I joined in September. I am really excited about being part of this group, because my fellow singers have some great voices, and the conductor really knows her stuff. It's an all-women's ensemble in Boston (Newton, actually) that specializes in music written by women, and specifically by women who were in cloisters, or "clausurae". However, this concert will not only feature music by Vizzana and Aleotti, two nuns from the sixteenth century, but also some music by Patricia Van Ness, a contemporary composer from our area. (One of the pieces we will perform was written for Peter Sykes and the First Church in Cambridge, MA.)
Whenever one hears that a concert will specialize in music by a minority, in this case women, one tends to wonder, "Am I going to hear really good music that I haven't heard before because women faced such prejudice? Or am I going to hear not particularly good music that people are trying to perform in an effort to be politically correct?" I can assure you that this concert falls squarely in the former category. I knew none of the composers on our concert before we started rehearsals (except for Van Ness) and that's a crying shame, because this music is just as good as the music written by men from the Renaissance and early Baroque that I've performed all my life. And one set of madrigals we're performing was written by a sixteen-year-old! Mozart was far more boring at sixteen than Aleotti (and set far less passionate texts!) So come and hear some new music that's centuries old.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18th at 8:00 PM
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 19th at 4: 00 PM
Tickets $15/$12
SATURDAY at Episcopal Parish of the Messiah
EMAIL: info@clausura.org for reservations or call 617-964-6609,
call 617-524-3354 for tickets
Directions to both places can be found here.
I hope to see you there!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Sore throat
Don't forget, there's a Seraphim concert today at 3 pm at St. Paul's Church in Harvard Square! Sadly, I won't be there.
On Monday night I came down with a fever and severe sore throat, and I have been struggling to get well ever since. I missed 3 days of school, which is extremely frustrating, especially in a 4-day week (thanks to Veteran's Day) and spent 4 days in bed. On Saturday I returned to the world of the busy, and don't feel as sick anymore, but unfortunately I now have a big old case of laryngitis. My voice sounds quite odd, and I'm not sure how I'm going to control a classroom tomorrow. One trick I'm going to try is writing common phrases, such as "Turn to page (list of numbers)" and "Be quiet NOW!" on the board, and pointing to them when appropriate.
I'm doing my best to get better as fast as possible, especially since I have an important set of concerts coming up next weekend. Here is all the advice I've gotten so far, much of it from singing friends. Got anything to add?
If you have pharyngitis (the part of your throat at the back of your mouth) use a numbing throat spray, gargle warm salt water, or try a Neti Pot, which helps take care of the post-nasal drip problem. Most of the suggestions below will also help.
If you have laryngitis (the sign of laryngitis is a low, scratchy, breathy voice, sometimes a complete loss of voice) then do any and all of the following:
On Monday night I came down with a fever and severe sore throat, and I have been struggling to get well ever since. I missed 3 days of school, which is extremely frustrating, especially in a 4-day week (thanks to Veteran's Day) and spent 4 days in bed. On Saturday I returned to the world of the busy, and don't feel as sick anymore, but unfortunately I now have a big old case of laryngitis. My voice sounds quite odd, and I'm not sure how I'm going to control a classroom tomorrow. One trick I'm going to try is writing common phrases, such as "Turn to page (list of numbers)" and "Be quiet NOW!" on the board, and pointing to them when appropriate.
I'm doing my best to get better as fast as possible, especially since I have an important set of concerts coming up next weekend. Here is all the advice I've gotten so far, much of it from singing friends. Got anything to add?
If you have pharyngitis (the part of your throat at the back of your mouth) use a numbing throat spray, gargle warm salt water, or try a Neti Pot, which helps take care of the post-nasal drip problem. Most of the suggestions below will also help.
If you have laryngitis (the sign of laryngitis is a low, scratchy, breathy voice, sometimes a complete loss of voice) then do any and all of the following:
- Vocal rest, vocal rest, vocal rest. No speaking, no singing, and definitely no whispering. Humming or speaking gently is permissible, but silence is better.
- Suck on lozenges. Don't use lozenges with menthol, as these will dry out your throat. Chewing gum also has the same positive effect, since, as my mother informs me, "Saliva has the proper ph to kill viruses and bacteria (and also acts as an antacid in the stomach.)"
- Don't take blood-thinning medications like ibuprofin or aspirin--stick to tylenol. It is good to take tylenol, however, as this will make swallowing less painful and make you more likely to...
- Drink lots of fluids. Juice, water, etc.
- Drink slippery elm-bark tea.
- Drink tea with honey.
- Eat soup! Chicken noodle soup is always good.
- Fill a sink with hot water, put your face down next to it, and put a towel over your head. Stay like that for as long as you can stand - breathing in the steam will help your throat.
- Use a humidifier.
- Finally, my mother recommends gargling with H2O2 (2 parts to 1 part water) but since you can't swallow this, it makes me nervous, as I lack proper gargling skills.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Seraphim concerts
I have more concerts to announce! At the beginning of September I joined a group called the Seraphim Singers. Then, about three weeks later, I got a job with The Boston Cecilia. Unfortunately, both groups rehearse on the same night, so I had to go with the one that had hired me. I was able to finagle singing with Seraphim through their first fall concert, but trying to juggle being in two places at the same time just isn't tenable for more than a month. So, sadly, this will be my first and last set of concerts with the Seraphim Singers.
Which is all the more reason for you to come and see it! I especially recommend this concert to people interested in new music, since we will be premiering a piece by Elliott Gyger (which is, frankly, a bear) and also singing a piece by Julian Wachner. The program is filled out with Duruflé's Requiem. There is one concert this Sunday, in West Roxbury (and please let me know if you decide to come to that one, since I need a ride back to the land of the MBTA afterwards) and one concert next Sunday, in Harvard Square. And, if you need additional motivation, I'll be part of a solo sextet in the Gyger piece. Here are the details!
Which is all the more reason for you to come and see it! I especially recommend this concert to people interested in new music, since we will be premiering a piece by Elliott Gyger (which is, frankly, a bear) and also singing a piece by Julian Wachner. The program is filled out with Duruflé's Requiem. There is one concert this Sunday, in West Roxbury (and please let me know if you decide to come to that one, since I need a ride back to the land of the MBTA afterwards) and one concert next Sunday, in Harvard Square. And, if you need additional motivation, I'll be part of a solo sextet in the Gyger piece. Here are the details!
First Concert
Sunday, November 5, 2006 at 3:00pm at Holy Name Parish, 1689 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA
Second Concert
Sunday, November 12, 2006 at 3:30pm at Saint Paul Church, Corner of Bow and Arrow Streets, Harvard Square, Cambridge
JENNIFER LESTER, conductor
HEINRICH CHRISTENSEN, organ
MARTIN NEAR, countertenor
TIM MACRI, flute
DURUFLE Requiem (with instrumentalists)
GYGER Temptation in the Desert
WACHNER At the Lighting of the Lamps
Suggested Donation $15 adults/$10 students & seniors
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Honda Civic ad, part II
Some of you may remember this post about the Honda Civic ad. Well, now you can watch the rehearsal, too! Go to this link, and either watch the ad or wait until it's done, and then click "Watch Civic" and then "See the rehearsal."
Thanks to Christianne at Singin' in the Lane for the link!
Thanks to Christianne at Singin' in the Lane for the link!
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Learning names
Learning names has been a big challenge lately. There's a lot of new people I'm interacting with in various environments. So for my high school classes, I concocted a game that will force me to learn my students' names.
Once every day, if everyone in the whole class raises their hand, I have to stop what I'm doing and go through the names of one of the rows or sections of the choir. If I get someone's first or last name wrong, or mispronounce it, I have to give them a piece of candy. This means I have been going around all day with a bunch of Werther's Originals in my pocket. I am giving away less and less candy as time passes, but I still have visions of the town dentist storming into my classroom, yelling, "What are you doing to my patients?" At least I'll be able to respond, "But they're sugar-free Werther's!" (They are. It was the only kind I could find in the grocery store, and then it occurred to me that this was a good thing.)
In other news, I biked to the high school for the first time yesterday. It felt good to be a bike commuter again, and it's only a 25-minute ride, meaning it's one of the fastest ways to get to work. Of course, I forgot that it was Friday, and Friday is the day I collect my students' music theory packets to take home and grade...meaning I had a stack of paper about 2/3 of a foot high that I had to figure out how to fit into my bike bag. Speaking of which, I should probably go do some grading.
Once every day, if everyone in the whole class raises their hand, I have to stop what I'm doing and go through the names of one of the rows or sections of the choir. If I get someone's first or last name wrong, or mispronounce it, I have to give them a piece of candy. This means I have been going around all day with a bunch of Werther's Originals in my pocket. I am giving away less and less candy as time passes, but I still have visions of the town dentist storming into my classroom, yelling, "What are you doing to my patients?" At least I'll be able to respond, "But they're sugar-free Werther's!" (They are. It was the only kind I could find in the grocery store, and then it occurred to me that this was a good thing.)
In other news, I biked to the high school for the first time yesterday. It felt good to be a bike commuter again, and it's only a 25-minute ride, meaning it's one of the fastest ways to get to work. Of course, I forgot that it was Friday, and Friday is the day I collect my students' music theory packets to take home and grade...meaning I had a stack of paper about 2/3 of a foot high that I had to figure out how to fit into my bike bag. Speaking of which, I should probably go do some grading.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Students playing tricks
So, today the Concert Choir (my meets-every-day, teaching-them-the-basics choir) played a joke on me.
A girl that I didn't know came into class, and a couple of the students told me she was a French exchange student and was going to sit in on class. The beginning of class tends to be total pandemonium, so I was like, "Fine, whatever, can someone make sure we have a chair?" And then I didn't think about it. So 20 minutes into class, she raises her hand and says, "Je mange?" And I said, "Um, you didn't have lunch yet? Who's she partnered with? Who's her host?" And someone raised their hand, but said they hadn't eaten lunch together, and the French exchange students just basically did whatever they wanted and went wherever they wanted. Which seemed strange, but I said, "Well, OK, this is second lunch, so I suppose you'd better go. Bye." And she left.
I proceeded to try and get on with rehearsal, but the whole class (it's 42 kids) was cracking up, and it was little pockets all over the class, not localized, and I was starting to wonder what I'd missed, and so I said, "OK, guys, what's so funny?" And it turned out that she wasn't an exchange student at all, but just someone's friend who wanted to sit in on chorus before she went to lunch. They told me she was an exchange student as a joke, and didn't expect me to believe it. One girl said, "Don't tell me you actually believed that awful French accent!" I have a feeling they are not going to let me live this down. I did tell them the story of two friends (twins) who swapped places in their college classes on April 1st and fooled their professors.
When I told my boss, the full-time choral director at the high school, she said, "Oh, they're playing tricks on you? That means they're starting to like you!" I'm not sure this makes an entirely huge amount of sense from where I'm sitting but I can hope!
A girl that I didn't know came into class, and a couple of the students told me she was a French exchange student and was going to sit in on class. The beginning of class tends to be total pandemonium, so I was like, "Fine, whatever, can someone make sure we have a chair?" And then I didn't think about it. So 20 minutes into class, she raises her hand and says, "Je mange?" And I said, "Um, you didn't have lunch yet? Who's she partnered with? Who's her host?" And someone raised their hand, but said they hadn't eaten lunch together, and the French exchange students just basically did whatever they wanted and went wherever they wanted. Which seemed strange, but I said, "Well, OK, this is second lunch, so I suppose you'd better go. Bye." And she left.
I proceeded to try and get on with rehearsal, but the whole class (it's 42 kids) was cracking up, and it was little pockets all over the class, not localized, and I was starting to wonder what I'd missed, and so I said, "OK, guys, what's so funny?" And it turned out that she wasn't an exchange student at all, but just someone's friend who wanted to sit in on chorus before she went to lunch. They told me she was an exchange student as a joke, and didn't expect me to believe it. One girl said, "Don't tell me you actually believed that awful French accent!" I have a feeling they are not going to let me live this down. I did tell them the story of two friends (twins) who swapped places in their college classes on April 1st and fooled their professors.
When I told my boss, the full-time choral director at the high school, she said, "Oh, they're playing tricks on you? That means they're starting to like you!" I'm not sure this makes an entirely huge amount of sense from where I'm sitting but I can hope!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
the law of blog procrastinating
It's been over a month since my last post. One problem with not updating regularly is that the more time goes by, the more I have to blog about. I have been putting off updating for weeks, partly by saying to myself, "Well, but if I update, I can't possibly not talk about this, or that, or the other thing" but the longer I wait, the longer the list of "this, that, and the other thing" gets. So I will try to re-enter into blogging in moderation, and not feel compelled to talk about everything all at once.
I have two part-time jobs now, one at Winchester High School as a part-time chorus teacher, and the other at the Boston Cecilia as their operations manager. Last week was the first week that I juggled both, and it was very busy! I'm also doing a good deal of singing. I'm most excited about Cappella Clausura and Schola Cantorum. (I could not find a webpage for the Schola Cantorum, but information about the group's director, Fred Jodry, is here.)
Schola Cantorum is a group I feel very lucky to be singing with. For those of you who heard the Westminster Kantorei, the group is very similar to that one, in size and repertoire and performance level. I highly, highly recommend coming to all concerts, and the first set is this weekend! Because I had committed to a recording gig for another choir before joining the group, I will not be at the first concert on Friday (ouch) but here is the information for all three concerts this weekend.
Friday, October 20
Saturday, October 21
Sunday, October 22
I have two part-time jobs now, one at Winchester High School as a part-time chorus teacher, and the other at the Boston Cecilia as their operations manager. Last week was the first week that I juggled both, and it was very busy! I'm also doing a good deal of singing. I'm most excited about Cappella Clausura and Schola Cantorum. (I could not find a webpage for the Schola Cantorum, but information about the group's director, Fred Jodry, is here.)
Schola Cantorum is a group I feel very lucky to be singing with. For those of you who heard the Westminster Kantorei, the group is very similar to that one, in size and repertoire and performance level. I highly, highly recommend coming to all concerts, and the first set is this weekend! Because I had committed to a recording gig for another choir before joining the group, I will not be at the first concert on Friday (ouch) but here is the information for all three concerts this weekend.
Friday, October 20
8:00 pm
Schola Cantorum (Jodry, dir):
Schütz Cantiones Sacrae, Schein,
Buxtehude, ancestors of JS Bach.
St Peter's Church,
320 Boston Post Rd, Weston MA.
401-274-5073 $20/15/8
Saturday, October 21
8:00 pm
Schola Cantorum (Jodry, dir):
Schütz Cantiones Sacrae, Schein,
Buxtehude, ancrestors of JS Bach.
St Paul's Church, Pawtucket RI.
401-274-5073 $20/15/8
Sunday, October 22
3:00 pm
Schola Cantorum (Jodry, dir):
Schütz Cantiones Sacrae, Schein,
Buxtehude, ancestors of JS Bach.
Lindsey Chapel, Emmanuel Church,
15 Newbury St, Boston.
401-274-5073 $20/15/8
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
The year really starts in September
Well, I nearly managed to do daily updates for a week last month...I only fell down on the last day!
Since then, I have gotten an apartment - not the slightly-too-expensive one I was worrying about, but a very reasonably-priced and spacious place in Cambridge, MA with three other people. Unpacking is proceeding slowly and fitfully.
I'll be substitute-teaching music at a private middle school in September, and school starts tomorrow with a day of teacher meetings. Then all the kids show up on Thursday! I don't actually start teaching classes until next Tuesday, however - everything until then is various sorts of orientation.
And today I just found out that one of the jobs I was really crossing my fingers for - the general manager of the Cantata Singers - was taken. (I say they need to take down the job announcement on their website since it's no longer open.) I found out in a rather abrupt way - I was interested in auditioning for them as well as working for them, but I didn't want to hurt my chances of getting the job by trying out if they didn't want their manager to sing. So I called the office, and was starting into my lengthy explanation of my predicament, but I didn't get beyond, "So, you have an opening for a general manager position -" before the woman on the other end said, "Oh, yes, that's been filled." So. Right. At any rate, I can now audition for them in an uncomplicated manner. I really hope I get in - I hear good things, and they have some overlap with Emmanuel Music, which is the best choral group in the city.
So, currently I'm trying out for Cappella Clausura and the Oriana Singers tomorrow evening, the Cantata Singers on Sunday, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus on Sept. 20. If I get my act together, I'll make a recording and send it to the Handel & Haydn Society as well, but luckily that's not due until mid-October. I'm also debating whether or not to audition for Boston Cecilia, but I'm thinking now that I don't need to. And I also have an interview for an arts management position I'd really love this coming Thursday, so keep your fingers crossed for me on that one!
If anyone is wondering where I'm getting all my information on Boston choral groups, the Boston Choral Consortium (www.bostonsings.org) is an invaluable resource. It's not quite comprehensive, but it's pretty damn close. They're having odd trouble with their website this week (a bad week to have trouble for a choral website!) but hopefully they'll be back up soon.
Since then, I have gotten an apartment - not the slightly-too-expensive one I was worrying about, but a very reasonably-priced and spacious place in Cambridge, MA with three other people. Unpacking is proceeding slowly and fitfully.
I'll be substitute-teaching music at a private middle school in September, and school starts tomorrow with a day of teacher meetings. Then all the kids show up on Thursday! I don't actually start teaching classes until next Tuesday, however - everything until then is various sorts of orientation.
And today I just found out that one of the jobs I was really crossing my fingers for - the general manager of the Cantata Singers - was taken. (I say they need to take down the job announcement on their website since it's no longer open.) I found out in a rather abrupt way - I was interested in auditioning for them as well as working for them, but I didn't want to hurt my chances of getting the job by trying out if they didn't want their manager to sing. So I called the office, and was starting into my lengthy explanation of my predicament, but I didn't get beyond, "So, you have an opening for a general manager position -" before the woman on the other end said, "Oh, yes, that's been filled." So. Right. At any rate, I can now audition for them in an uncomplicated manner. I really hope I get in - I hear good things, and they have some overlap with Emmanuel Music, which is the best choral group in the city.
So, currently I'm trying out for Cappella Clausura and the Oriana Singers tomorrow evening, the Cantata Singers on Sunday, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus on Sept. 20. If I get my act together, I'll make a recording and send it to the Handel & Haydn Society as well, but luckily that's not due until mid-October. I'm also debating whether or not to audition for Boston Cecilia, but I'm thinking now that I don't need to. And I also have an interview for an arts management position I'd really love this coming Thursday, so keep your fingers crossed for me on that one!
If anyone is wondering where I'm getting all my information on Boston choral groups, the Boston Choral Consortium (www.bostonsings.org) is an invaluable resource. It's not quite comprehensive, but it's pretty damn close. They're having odd trouble with their website this week (a bad week to have trouble for a choral website!) but hopefully they'll be back up soon.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Daily updates, Day 6
Most of my mind today has been taken up with trying to decide whether or not to take an apartment slightly out of my budget range. It's beautiful, and perfect, and just barely too expensive. It's got a charming roommate with a darling cat. It looks like a home, not an apartment. And I keep telling myself I will take the plunge and do it, and then I remember that I really need to be taking voice lessons, and maybe organ lessons, and ideally Alexander Technique lessons, and that I'm still in a place where music is likely to cost more than it pays, and then I feel that I can't go forward with it.
This is all made harder by the fact that I feel that I got this degree, and now I somehow am not managing to do anything with it. It's very hard not to feel that the only explanation is that I haven't tried hard enough. I have classmates with music jobs (in fact, I can't think of someone in the program with me that doesn't have a music job) but here I am wondering if I should go back into tech support to pay off student loans. This feeling of "failing to be a musician" is common, I know - I've talked with friends about it - but that doesn't make it particularly easier to handle.
This is all made harder by the fact that I feel that I got this degree, and now I somehow am not managing to do anything with it. It's very hard not to feel that the only explanation is that I haven't tried hard enough. I have classmates with music jobs (in fact, I can't think of someone in the program with me that doesn't have a music job) but here I am wondering if I should go back into tech support to pay off student loans. This feeling of "failing to be a musician" is common, I know - I've talked with friends about it - but that doesn't make it particularly easier to handle.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Daily updates, Day 5
Personally, I have nothing of musical interest to report today. I visited apartments, and ate with friends and family. However, that doesn't mean there's nothing of musical interest going on in the wider world, so I will use this daily update for some signal-boosting.
London's Proms are in full swing! You can listen to the concerts online, if you wish.
Outside London's Royal Festival Hall, a "virtual orchestra" has been put together.
Farinelli's body is exhumed. Yuck. (Farinelli was one of the most famous castratos in the history of the world.)
Wynton Marsalis is going to write an opera for the New York Met.
The Tehran Symphony Orchestra goes on tour in Germany.
It's not news, but if you missed the articles about U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, a Xhosa version of Carmen, the film won rave reviews and quite a lot of press last year. (I was trying and mostly failing to find news that was not in the US or Europe.)
And finally (and sadly) Elisabeth Schwarzkopf passed away on August 3.
London's Proms are in full swing! You can listen to the concerts online, if you wish.
Outside London's Royal Festival Hall, a "virtual orchestra" has been put together.
Farinelli's body is exhumed. Yuck. (Farinelli was one of the most famous castratos in the history of the world.)
Wynton Marsalis is going to write an opera for the New York Met.
The Tehran Symphony Orchestra goes on tour in Germany.
It's not news, but if you missed the articles about U-Carmen eKhayelitsha, a Xhosa version of Carmen, the film won rave reviews and quite a lot of press last year. (I was trying and mostly failing to find news that was not in the US or Europe.)
And finally (and sadly) Elisabeth Schwarzkopf passed away on August 3.
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