Courtesy of my brother, here is one of his cats Porkchop!
You may remember Porkchop, who is the younger and newer housemate of Oomi. Porkchop recently had a little...operation, and now he is also free to roam outside!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Friday cat post!
I think what today needs is a picture of a cute kitty in the middle of some spring flowers, don't you?
Courtesy of my brother, here is one of his cats Porkchop!
You may remember Porkchop, who is the younger and newer housemate of Oomi. Porkchop recently had a little...operation, and now he is also free to roam outside!
Courtesy of my brother, here is one of his cats Porkchop!
You may remember Porkchop, who is the younger and newer housemate of Oomi. Porkchop recently had a little...operation, and now he is also free to roam outside!
Walk for Music - I need $5 of support!
I'm happy to say I'm doing the Walk for Music again this year on April 28! This fundraiser supports all types of music programs in Boston's neighborhoods and surrounding communities. 100% of the pledges raised will go straight to these music programs (and are tax deductible)! I will be part of the Cantilena team, and my personal goal is to raise $250. It's extremely ambitious, but my goal is to get 50 people to give me $5 in the next week and a half!
This is an important fund-raiser for Cantilena. A big portion of our annual budget comes from donations and fund-raisers; ticket sales cover a very small part of our operating costs. And we have a special goal this year; we have started a new music fund! This fund is in honor of former alto Mordena Babich, who was a beloved member of the chorus for a long time. We are committed to commissioning new works for women's voices (already while I have been the director we have commissioned three works, and we will be doing a premiere by Scott Wheeler on May 12! You will be hearing more about that soon; it is a FANTASTIC piece.)
I hope that you are able to support me with a pledge of $5! Checks can be made out to Cantilena and sent directly to me at Cantilena, PO Box 380702, Cambridge, MA 02238. Or you can use the "donate" button on the Cantilena web site (www.cantilena.org). Or you can hand me $5 when you see me!
$5 for new music and women's voices singing together! Spread the word!
This is an important fund-raiser for Cantilena. A big portion of our annual budget comes from donations and fund-raisers; ticket sales cover a very small part of our operating costs. And we have a special goal this year; we have started a new music fund! This fund is in honor of former alto Mordena Babich, who was a beloved member of the chorus for a long time. We are committed to commissioning new works for women's voices (already while I have been the director we have commissioned three works, and we will be doing a premiere by Scott Wheeler on May 12! You will be hearing more about that soon; it is a FANTASTIC piece.)
I hope that you are able to support me with a pledge of $5! Checks can be made out to Cantilena and sent directly to me at Cantilena, PO Box 380702, Cambridge, MA 02238. Or you can use the "donate" button on the Cantilena web site (www.cantilena.org). Or you can hand me $5 when you see me!
$5 for new music and women's voices singing together! Spread the word!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Job opening
A chorister forwarded this on to me - the UCC church in Davis Square is looking for a music director. Looks like a great congregation!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Friday link
Earlier this month I was lucky enough to visit my parents in Austin, TX (where it was either 80 or 90 degrees, sunny every day, and there were flowers out everywhere in the city.) They took me to see the movie Quartet while I was there, which was utterly delightful. It is a movie about a home for retired musicians, and the process of putting on a gala concert there. Everyone's performance was marvelous, and the whole film was utterly charming. One of the best things about it is that many of the roles were played by retired professional musicians, not actors, and Dame Gwyneth Jones had a cameo. I heartily recommend it. You can watch the trailer here.
Today's link is Maggie Smith being interviewed. Even though she clearly is not the biggest fan of tooting her own horn, she is quite funny, charming, and honest!
Today's link is Maggie Smith being interviewed. Even though she clearly is not the biggest fan of tooting her own horn, she is quite funny, charming, and honest!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Weekend Concert/Service calendar
Hey, it's Holy Week! So the chances of great choral concerts are more slim, but there is a lot of good choral music going on this week! Feel free to leave a note telling us what crazy-awesome music is going on at your church this weekend.
And if you are on the South Shore, stop by First Parish Cohasset at 10 am on Sunday, where you can fill your needs for Handel and Sweelinck and folk and gospel all at the same place!
And if you are on the South Shore, stop by First Parish Cohasset at 10 am on Sunday, where you can fill your needs for Handel and Sweelinck and folk and gospel all at the same place!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Audition announcement!
This is an audition announcement for any sopranos looking for an a cappella singing opportunity during Wednesdays before noon. The Notables, a group that I used to direct, is looking for both soprano 1's and 2's. They are a tremendous amount of fun, and a really generous group of ladies - the purpose of the group is to go sing in retirement homes in the MetroWest area. Details are below!
• 16 member FUN group made up of women of all ages from the western suburbs
• Rehearsals and most of the concerts are Wednesday 9:30-11:30 am, September through May
• Approximately 16 concerts bringing music to a wide variety of independent and assisted living and nursing home venues
• Wide repertoire of songs from the early 1920’s to the 1970’s in 4, 5 and 6 part harmony, occasional kazoos and choreography
• Under professional direction; audition required
NEEDED!!!
SOPRANOS (I and II)
for a
WOMEN’S A CAPPELLA GROUP
“THE NOTABLES”
• Rehearsals and most of the concerts are Wednesday 9:30-11:30 am, September through May
• Approximately 16 concerts bringing music to a wide variety of independent and assisted living and nursing home venues
• Wide repertoire of songs from the early 1920’s to the 1970’s in 4, 5 and 6 part harmony, occasional kazoos and choreography
• Under professional direction; audition required
Interested? Find out more and come see us sing!
Contact : Alice Moylan 781-899-9397
Kay Wynant 781-894-4102
(E-mail addresses also available, just leave a comment.)
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Great job, Boston Gay Men's Chorus!
I am sticking my head back into the blogosphere to congratulate the Boston Gay Men's Chorus, who gave a tremendous concert today. I was looking around last month for a concert I could share with my college singers, and since the title of today's program was "Seize the Day!" and we sang that song last year, I thought it would be a great show to take them to. I also knew that the BGMC often has a Broadway bent, and lots of my kids like Broadway, so it seemed like a great fit. I had no idea how right I was!
I didn't think anything was going to be able to top Ricky Ian Gordon's multi-movement work Only Heaven, settings of the poetry of Langston Hughes that was arranged for the BGMC and also stunningly danced by two great dancers, Christian Bufford and Bradley Gibson. This is a work that people should absolutely look into (solo sopranos, it was originally a song cycle for you!) Kudos are also due to the Wellesley High School Select Choirs, who sang in the middle of the show. But Stephen Schwartz's work Testimony, based on words from the It Gets Better Project, was definitely the high point for me - it brought me to tears. It was written for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, whose performance is in the video below. Hearing a stage full of hundreds of gay men singing full-throated and full-hearted "It gets more than better, it gets amazing and astounding" was a really powerful moment. The concert is over now, as today was the last performance, but you can hear "Testimony" below and you can go to the BGMC's next performance! I was very impressed at their professionalism and quality; they really assembled a program that perfectly played to their strengths and had a powerful emotional impact. Bravo, guys!
I didn't think anything was going to be able to top Ricky Ian Gordon's multi-movement work Only Heaven, settings of the poetry of Langston Hughes that was arranged for the BGMC and also stunningly danced by two great dancers, Christian Bufford and Bradley Gibson. This is a work that people should absolutely look into (solo sopranos, it was originally a song cycle for you!) Kudos are also due to the Wellesley High School Select Choirs, who sang in the middle of the show. But Stephen Schwartz's work Testimony, based on words from the It Gets Better Project, was definitely the high point for me - it brought me to tears. It was written for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, whose performance is in the video below. Hearing a stage full of hundreds of gay men singing full-throated and full-hearted "It gets more than better, it gets amazing and astounding" was a really powerful moment. The concert is over now, as today was the last performance, but you can hear "Testimony" below and you can go to the BGMC's next performance! I was very impressed at their professionalism and quality; they really assembled a program that perfectly played to their strengths and had a powerful emotional impact. Bravo, guys!
Friday, February 15, 2013
Harvard Women's Chorus Festival!
Guess what Cantilena is doing this weekend? We are participating in the Harvard Women's Chorus Festival!
Cantilena will be singing in the concert on Saturday at 4 pm at Sanders Theater. We are going to be doing quite the mix of music, including the most Romantic, angst-y piece you've ever heard, by d'Indy, as well as stuff by Eleanor Daley, Roger Bourland, and Irving Fine. And we have some good company, so come to this concert!
(Related to the above, this weekend is ALSO going to necessitate the most careful and accurate application of caffeine to my system that I have ever been required to balance!)
Cantilena will be singing in the concert on Saturday at 4 pm at Sanders Theater. We are going to be doing quite the mix of music, including the most Romantic, angst-y piece you've ever heard, by d'Indy, as well as stuff by Eleanor Daley, Roger Bourland, and Irving Fine. And we have some good company, so come to this concert!
(Related to the above, this weekend is ALSO going to necessitate the most careful and accurate application of caffeine to my system that I have ever been required to balance!)
Friday, January 25, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Monday link
"What Every Music Teacher Wants You to Know"
#4 is the absolute best one. "We didn’t go into teaching music because we wanted to get better at math. We want what we do to be valued for its own purpose. We want people to think it’s important to have music in schools, well, just because it is! Imagine your life without music."
Yes, that.
#4 is the absolute best one. "We didn’t go into teaching music because we wanted to get better at math. We want what we do to be valued for its own purpose. We want people to think it’s important to have music in schools, well, just because it is! Imagine your life without music."
Yes, that.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Thursday Self-Promoting Open Thread
Did anyone plan ahead, and schedule some concerts for this weekend, when there are very few choral concerts going on? Let us know in the comments!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Thursday Self-Promoting Open Thread
Anyone got any New Year's Eve gigs? Let us know in the comments!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday Self-Promoting Open Thread
Christmas feels late this year - lots of Sundays in December, and Thanksgiving was early. But we're almost to the finish line, musicians of Boston! Tell me what you have going on this weekend.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Monday link
Landfill Harmonic film teaser from Landfill Harmonic on Vimeo.
This trailer is about an orchestra in Paraguay where the instruments are all recycled. Pretty great! Looking forward to seeing the movie.
This trailer is about an orchestra in Paraguay where the instruments are all recycled. Pretty great! Looking forward to seeing the movie.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Thursday Self-Promoting Open Thread
Put your feet up on a little pillow by the fireplace, have some eggnog, and tell me about all your choral concerts this weekend.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Messiah Sings Post 2012!
Here it is, the annual Messiah Sings Post! I am a little late off the mark this year, but this has been quite the busy semester, and it shows no signs of stopping. For that reason, I am going with a more spartan list this year - just the date and the organization. You can click through the links for all the other information! Links to events passed included at the bottom so that you can mark your calendar for next year if you like; the same organizations will probably be hosting.
Thurs. 12/13: Brandeis University
Fri. 12/14: Masterworks Chorale
Sat. 12/15: Masterworks Chorale
Sun. 12/16: St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church and the Cambridge Community Chorus
Sun. 12/16: Nashoba Valley Chorale
Sun. 12/16: Assabet Valley Mastersingers
Sun. 12/16: St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Weston
Wed. 12/19: Cathedral Church of St. Paul
Sat. 12/22: JP Concerts
Sun. 12/23: Belmont Open Sings
Sings that are passed:
Date unknown, but passed: Roxbury Latin
Sun. 12/2 (passed): St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Brookline
Thurs. 12/6 (passed): Dunster House at Harvard University
Fri. 12/7 (passed): All Saints Parish and Project Bread
Sun. 12/9 (passed): Sudbury Memorial Congregational Church
Sun. 12/9 (passed): Carter Memorial United Methodist Church
Mon. 12/10 (passed): Choral Art Society
Thurs. 12/13: Brandeis University
Fri. 12/14: Masterworks Chorale
Sat. 12/15: Masterworks Chorale
Sun. 12/16: St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church and the Cambridge Community Chorus
Sun. 12/16: Nashoba Valley Chorale
Sun. 12/16: Assabet Valley Mastersingers
Sun. 12/16: St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Weston
Wed. 12/19: Cathedral Church of St. Paul
Sat. 12/22: JP Concerts
Sun. 12/23: Belmont Open Sings
Sings that are passed:
Date unknown, but passed: Roxbury Latin
Sun. 12/2 (passed): St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Brookline
Thurs. 12/6 (passed): Dunster House at Harvard University
Fri. 12/7 (passed): All Saints Parish and Project Bread
Sun. 12/9 (passed): Sudbury Memorial Congregational Church
Sun. 12/9 (passed): Carter Memorial United Methodist Church
Mon. 12/10 (passed): Choral Art Society
Did I miss any sings, past or yet to come? Please leave a note in the comments!
Monday link
Very awesome video with Marin Alsop about conducting and gender. She makes SUCH a fabulous point about gesture. About 3 min. long. Hat-tip to Amy Kiley for sending me this!
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