Oomi. And a lap.
Friday, November 06, 2009
Interview with Mary Beekman, Transcript, Part 1
Here is the first part of the transcript of my interview with Mary Beekman. The second part will go up tonight, and I'll finish posting it tomorrow!
Interview with Mary Beekman on 10/31/09 at a Starbucks in Watertown, MA
A: …with where were you born and raised?
M: I grew up in New York City, on the Upper East Side.
A: That’s so interesting, I never know any of this.
M: I know, nobody ever does. And I came to Massachusetts to go to college. I came to Harvard.
A: Now, when you were growing up, did you play an instrument? Did you sing?
M: I played piano, and I sang in my junior choir, and I sang in the chorus at my school. But singing…I mean, I may be way off base in saying this, but one of the assumptions that was made in the past, anyway, is that choral conductors are people that aren’t good enough to be orchestral conductors, or they’re people who want to sing, but they can’t do that. Choral music has always been my medium, and to be a choral conductor has always been my goal. So it’s not like I’m waiting around for something else.
A: Since you were what age? Do you even remember?
M: Since I was – oh, that’s hard. You know, it’s interesting, because I visualized myself conducting an orchestra, because my mother took me to the New York Philharmonic as a kid. But I never – I played piano, and I only took up an instrument – I went to the national music summer camps when I was sixteen, and picked up the flute, because a kid in my cabin played flute. And then I came back and joined my orchestra. But I think a tip-off to how important choral music was to me was that I was raised in an Episcopal church on the Upper East Side of New York, and they had a professional boys choir, and a professional adult choir. And there was no outlet for amateur adults. So I was in the junior choir, and then, like, when you’re thirteen you don’t do that anymore, because, you know…
A: They’re little.
M: They’re little! Right. My junior year I re-joined the junior choir. My junior year of high school. Because I just – I wanted to sing. And I was singing in the small select group at my high school, and I was singing in the large group at my high school, and I was studying piano with a person who worked in the prep division at Juilliard. But I just wanted to sing more. So I joined the junior choir. You know, when I think back on that, it was kind of –
A: A sign?
M: Well, yes, it should have been. But it was also, you know, the late sixties, I was also very interested in folk music, I was very interested in using folk music as a protest to the Vietnam War. So I came to college, it was just…
A: You said you came to Harvard?
M: Yes. So here’s the thing. I had taken organ lessons as a senior project in high school. And my teacher had told me that when I came to Harvard, I should go to Memorial Church and talk to John Ferris about organ lessons. So I came to Harvard, I tried out for the Collegium Musicum, which is the – it was the inaugural year of that organization. It’s the premiere choral SATB group at Harvard. And I tried out for that. And I tried out for the chorus, which was like anybody can sing, just because I wanted to cover my bets. And then I was going home from the choral audition, and I saw Memorial Church, and my teacher’s words rang in my head. And I thought, so I’ll go in and talk to the guy. Well, they were holding choir auditions. And I was like, “Meh, I tried out for two groups today, I might as well try out for a third.” So I sit down, and they have these things where you fill out your experience, so I’m like, you know, “Sang in this choir, did this, blah, blah.” It was like a two hour wait, and there were all these people in the waiting room. And I got in this conversation with the woman next to me. She was a soprano, and we chatted, she said, “So, what’s your background?” and I told her, “Oh, I was in the select group in my private high school, and what about you?” And she said, “I’m a graduate student in voice at New England Conservatory,” and I said, “Oh, my God.” This isn’t just any choir. I mean, here’s this woman, really nervous. So, the door opens, it’s my turn to audition, and it’s John Ferris. So I don’t know if you know that name, or if you’ve heard anything about him, but to a person, people who have sung with John Ferris would tell you that their lives have been changed by him. I don’t know anybody who wouldn’t say that about him. So I went in and tried out for him. And I found out much later that he was not going to take me because I’d been the alto section-leader in chorus in high school, so I had a voice like a buzz-saw, so everybody would hear me. Like, “MEHHHH!” It was very instrusive in a choral sound, and so I don’t blame him, he wasn’t going to take me. But the guy who was his secretary said, “Take her, because she’s very enthusiastic, and she wants to study organ, and she’ll be good for the morale.” And I thank him. Because I basically lived in Memorial Church for my four years at Harvard. I sang every day in the morning choir. I sang in the regular choir. And then after I graduated I kept coming back for special concert things, because I just couldn’t – you just can’t explain it. I don’t know if you’ve ever worked with someone that’s been just transformative. And it’s interesting, because he died a year ago, and Jeremy Eichler asked if he could interview me about him. And you know, we’re trying to get at the essence of what made John Ferris John Ferris, and you know, basically it wasn’t just his musicianship, it was his whole sensibility as a person. You felt like you were singing Schütz, and Schütz was speaking to you through John, and you were speaking to the congregation, Schütz was speaking to the congregation, and it just was an extraordinary circumstance. So, in my hubris – I mean, everybody who sang with John, the sad thing, the tragic thing about people who have sung with John is that most of them don’t sing. They’re like, “Oh, I can’t replicate that experience, so I’m not going to sing again.” I’d love to know that that was wrong, but at least the people that I hung out with, that was it. “I”ll never have another conductor like that, so I’m just not going to sing.” My thought was, hubristically, “I can’t sing under somebody like that, I’m going to conduct.” Now, in the meantime, summer school of my sophomore year, he taught a conducting class at the summer school, and I audited it. And so now you come to a series – so the first serendipity is that I walked into his office. The second serendipity is that I was accepted. I had a lot of older people sort of sitting next to me, counseling me. The four years I was there, John would say, “I’m just going to name names. Mary, you stand out.” Every time. I tried out for every solo there was, I never got one. So I always tell my singers, “I know what it’s like. I know what it’s like to have the least good voice in a chorus, and to never get the solos.” And I just don’t have a very nice voice. But it’s made me a much better conductor, because I have to figure out how to make people sound the best they can sound.
But anyway, back to the serendipity. I took this class. And one day my junior year John couldn’t warm up the choir, so he asked me to do it. And after I warmed up the choir, there was an alto that he trusted, and she went up to him and said, “You know, she’s very good, she can warm us up anytime.” Because you know, some people, they’re not very efficient, so – yes. So that was one serendipity. Number two serendipity was that I was really good friends with a guy in the choir who had a brother who was two years older than me who lived in Lowell House, and directed this group caleld the Harvard-Radcliffe Graduate Chorale which was open to any members of the Harvard community without audition. He did, I think, a masters at Harvard, so he was finishing up his Masters as I was graduating. And the tradition of this chorale was to have the present conductor pick the successor. So he was bitching one day to his brother that he didn’t know what to do about this chorus, and Chuck said, “Well, why don’t you ask Mary, maybe she’d be interested.” So he did.
(to be continued!)
Interview with Mary Beekman on 10/31/09 at a Starbucks in Watertown, MA
A: …with where were you born and raised?
M: I grew up in New York City, on the Upper East Side.
A: That’s so interesting, I never know any of this.
M: I know, nobody ever does. And I came to Massachusetts to go to college. I came to Harvard.
A: Now, when you were growing up, did you play an instrument? Did you sing?
M: I played piano, and I sang in my junior choir, and I sang in the chorus at my school. But singing…I mean, I may be way off base in saying this, but one of the assumptions that was made in the past, anyway, is that choral conductors are people that aren’t good enough to be orchestral conductors, or they’re people who want to sing, but they can’t do that. Choral music has always been my medium, and to be a choral conductor has always been my goal. So it’s not like I’m waiting around for something else.
A: Since you were what age? Do you even remember?
M: Since I was – oh, that’s hard. You know, it’s interesting, because I visualized myself conducting an orchestra, because my mother took me to the New York Philharmonic as a kid. But I never – I played piano, and I only took up an instrument – I went to the national music summer camps when I was sixteen, and picked up the flute, because a kid in my cabin played flute. And then I came back and joined my orchestra. But I think a tip-off to how important choral music was to me was that I was raised in an Episcopal church on the Upper East Side of New York, and they had a professional boys choir, and a professional adult choir. And there was no outlet for amateur adults. So I was in the junior choir, and then, like, when you’re thirteen you don’t do that anymore, because, you know…
A: They’re little.
M: They’re little! Right. My junior year I re-joined the junior choir. My junior year of high school. Because I just – I wanted to sing. And I was singing in the small select group at my high school, and I was singing in the large group at my high school, and I was studying piano with a person who worked in the prep division at Juilliard. But I just wanted to sing more. So I joined the junior choir. You know, when I think back on that, it was kind of –
A: A sign?
M: Well, yes, it should have been. But it was also, you know, the late sixties, I was also very interested in folk music, I was very interested in using folk music as a protest to the Vietnam War. So I came to college, it was just…
A: You said you came to Harvard?
M: Yes. So here’s the thing. I had taken organ lessons as a senior project in high school. And my teacher had told me that when I came to Harvard, I should go to Memorial Church and talk to John Ferris about organ lessons. So I came to Harvard, I tried out for the Collegium Musicum, which is the – it was the inaugural year of that organization. It’s the premiere choral SATB group at Harvard. And I tried out for that. And I tried out for the chorus, which was like anybody can sing, just because I wanted to cover my bets. And then I was going home from the choral audition, and I saw Memorial Church, and my teacher’s words rang in my head. And I thought, so I’ll go in and talk to the guy. Well, they were holding choir auditions. And I was like, “Meh, I tried out for two groups today, I might as well try out for a third.” So I sit down, and they have these things where you fill out your experience, so I’m like, you know, “Sang in this choir, did this, blah, blah.” It was like a two hour wait, and there were all these people in the waiting room. And I got in this conversation with the woman next to me. She was a soprano, and we chatted, she said, “So, what’s your background?” and I told her, “Oh, I was in the select group in my private high school, and what about you?” And she said, “I’m a graduate student in voice at New England Conservatory,” and I said, “Oh, my God.” This isn’t just any choir. I mean, here’s this woman, really nervous. So, the door opens, it’s my turn to audition, and it’s John Ferris. So I don’t know if you know that name, or if you’ve heard anything about him, but to a person, people who have sung with John Ferris would tell you that their lives have been changed by him. I don’t know anybody who wouldn’t say that about him. So I went in and tried out for him. And I found out much later that he was not going to take me because I’d been the alto section-leader in chorus in high school, so I had a voice like a buzz-saw, so everybody would hear me. Like, “MEHHHH!” It was very instrusive in a choral sound, and so I don’t blame him, he wasn’t going to take me. But the guy who was his secretary said, “Take her, because she’s very enthusiastic, and she wants to study organ, and she’ll be good for the morale.” And I thank him. Because I basically lived in Memorial Church for my four years at Harvard. I sang every day in the morning choir. I sang in the regular choir. And then after I graduated I kept coming back for special concert things, because I just couldn’t – you just can’t explain it. I don’t know if you’ve ever worked with someone that’s been just transformative. And it’s interesting, because he died a year ago, and Jeremy Eichler asked if he could interview me about him. And you know, we’re trying to get at the essence of what made John Ferris John Ferris, and you know, basically it wasn’t just his musicianship, it was his whole sensibility as a person. You felt like you were singing Schütz, and Schütz was speaking to you through John, and you were speaking to the congregation, Schütz was speaking to the congregation, and it just was an extraordinary circumstance. So, in my hubris – I mean, everybody who sang with John, the sad thing, the tragic thing about people who have sung with John is that most of them don’t sing. They’re like, “Oh, I can’t replicate that experience, so I’m not going to sing again.” I’d love to know that that was wrong, but at least the people that I hung out with, that was it. “I”ll never have another conductor like that, so I’m just not going to sing.” My thought was, hubristically, “I can’t sing under somebody like that, I’m going to conduct.” Now, in the meantime, summer school of my sophomore year, he taught a conducting class at the summer school, and I audited it. And so now you come to a series – so the first serendipity is that I walked into his office. The second serendipity is that I was accepted. I had a lot of older people sort of sitting next to me, counseling me. The four years I was there, John would say, “I’m just going to name names. Mary, you stand out.” Every time. I tried out for every solo there was, I never got one. So I always tell my singers, “I know what it’s like. I know what it’s like to have the least good voice in a chorus, and to never get the solos.” And I just don’t have a very nice voice. But it’s made me a much better conductor, because I have to figure out how to make people sound the best they can sound.
But anyway, back to the serendipity. I took this class. And one day my junior year John couldn’t warm up the choir, so he asked me to do it. And after I warmed up the choir, there was an alto that he trusted, and she went up to him and said, “You know, she’s very good, she can warm us up anytime.” Because you know, some people, they’re not very efficient, so – yes. So that was one serendipity. Number two serendipity was that I was really good friends with a guy in the choir who had a brother who was two years older than me who lived in Lowell House, and directed this group caleld the Harvard-Radcliffe Graduate Chorale which was open to any members of the Harvard community without audition. He did, I think, a masters at Harvard, so he was finishing up his Masters as I was graduating. And the tradition of this chorale was to have the present conductor pick the successor. So he was bitching one day to his brother that he didn’t know what to do about this chorus, and Chuck said, “Well, why don’t you ask Mary, maybe she’d be interested.” So he did.
(to be continued!)
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Interview with Mary Beekman
As you no doubt know from reading the latest Weekend Concert Calendar with a fine-tooth comb (don't ask me exactly how that works) you know that Musica Sacra and The Boston Cecilia have joined forces to present the Brahms Requiem this coming Sunday at 3 pm at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall.
I was lucky enough to interview Mary Beekman, the conductor of Musica Sacra, about the concert and about her background and career as a conductor last Saturday. Here are the sound files; transcripts will be coming soon! (The interview is in three parts; the first and last files are longer, the middle one is quite short.)
My sound files for interviews are always raw, but these are particularly raw. My apologies! You can also download the interview here: part 1, part 2, part 3.
I was lucky enough to interview Mary Beekman, the conductor of Musica Sacra, about the concert and about her background and career as a conductor last Saturday. Here are the sound files; transcripts will be coming soon! (The interview is in three parts; the first and last files are longer, the middle one is quite short.)
My sound files for interviews are always raw, but these are particularly raw. My apologies! You can also download the interview here: part 1, part 2, part 3.
Weekend Concert Calendar, 11/5/09
Wow, Sunday is NUTS. Good luck choosing what to do on Sunday afternoon!
Friday:
7:30 pm: The choir and orchestra of St. Peter's, Weston and the choir of Eliot Church, Newton; Rutter's Requiem; St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Weston.
8:00 pm: Cantata Singers; Schütz's Musikalische Exequien; also Distler, Schoenberg and Bach; New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, Boston.
Saturday:
6:30 pm: Choral Art Society; "Music Man Sing-along!"; St. Mary of the Nativity Parish Center, Scituate.
Sunday:
3:00 pm: The Boston Cecilia and Musica Sacra; "Before, Brahms, and Beyond" (featuring Schütz’s Selig sind die Toten, Brahms’ Ein deutches Requiem, and Eric Whitacre’s "Sleep"); New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, Boston.
3:00 pm: Chorus pro Musica; Duruflé Requiem, Kodály's "Laudes organi" and Brahms' "Geistliches Lied"; Old South Church, Copley Sq., Boston.
3:00 pm: Masterworks Chorale; Britten's St. Nicholas cantata; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.
3:00 pm: Seraphim Singers; "Foundation: German Choral Masterworks"; St. Paul's Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge.
4:00 pm: The Boston Camerata and the Choral Fellows of the Harvard University Choir; "A Symphony of Psalms: Honoring Jean Calvin 1509-1564"; Memorial Church, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!
Friday:
7:30 pm: The choir and orchestra of St. Peter's, Weston and the choir of Eliot Church, Newton; Rutter's Requiem; St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Weston.
8:00 pm: Cantata Singers; Schütz's Musikalische Exequien; also Distler, Schoenberg and Bach; New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, Boston.
Saturday:
6:30 pm: Choral Art Society; "Music Man Sing-along!"; St. Mary of the Nativity Parish Center, Scituate.
Sunday:
3:00 pm: The Boston Cecilia and Musica Sacra; "Before, Brahms, and Beyond" (featuring Schütz’s Selig sind die Toten, Brahms’ Ein deutches Requiem, and Eric Whitacre’s "Sleep"); New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, Boston.
3:00 pm: Chorus pro Musica; Duruflé Requiem, Kodály's "Laudes organi" and Brahms' "Geistliches Lied"; Old South Church, Copley Sq., Boston.
3:00 pm: Masterworks Chorale; Britten's St. Nicholas cantata; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.
3:00 pm: Seraphim Singers; "Foundation: German Choral Masterworks"; St. Paul's Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge.
4:00 pm: The Boston Camerata and the Choral Fellows of the Harvard University Choir; "A Symphony of Psalms: Honoring Jean Calvin 1509-1564"; Memorial Church, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!
Monday, November 02, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday cat post!
Today we have the second set of Turkish cats, courtesy of my parents.
My mother captioned this one, "Make me an offer."
My mother captioned this one, "Make me an offer."
Sleeping on the job.
Weekend Concert Calendar, 10/29/09
Here it is, your weekend concert calendar! A little thin, b/c of the holiday weekend, but all the concerts below look excellent - you really couldn't go wrong.
Also, it's not choral, but check out the Post-Meridian Radio Players' presentation of "The Big Broadcast of October 30, 1938." It's two staged radio plays at the Somerville Theatre this weekend. My good friend Mike Veloso composed some of the music.
Friday:
8:00 pm: Exsultemus; "Josquin and his Legacy"; Union Church, Waban
8:00 pm: Zefiro; "Lights and Shadows," featuring music of Victoria and Gesualdo; Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Providence, RI.
Saturday:
8:00 pm: Exsultemus; "Josquin and his Legacy"; University Lutheran Church, Cambridge
8:00 pm: The Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum and the Radcliffe Choral Society; "A Cappella Masterpieces"; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Sunday:
3:00 pm: Exsultemus; "Josquin and his Legacy"; First Lutheran Church, Boston
3:00 pm: The Tufts Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project; "Choral Motets of the Millenium," featuring Lou Harrison's La Koro Sutro, a piece for chorus and American Gamelan; Distler Performance Hall at the Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, Medford. (This concert is FREE!)
4:00 pm: Schola Cantorum; ""Music of the Tudors," featuring Taverner's Small Devotion Mass and works of Sheppard, Fayrfax and Byrd; First Congregational Church, Hancock, NH.
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!
Also, it's not choral, but check out the Post-Meridian Radio Players' presentation of "The Big Broadcast of October 30, 1938." It's two staged radio plays at the Somerville Theatre this weekend. My good friend Mike Veloso composed some of the music.
Friday:
8:00 pm: Exsultemus; "Josquin and his Legacy"; Union Church, Waban
8:00 pm: Zefiro; "Lights and Shadows," featuring music of Victoria and Gesualdo; Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Providence, RI.
Saturday:
8:00 pm: Exsultemus; "Josquin and his Legacy"; University Lutheran Church, Cambridge
8:00 pm: The Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum and the Radcliffe Choral Society; "A Cappella Masterpieces"; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Sunday:
3:00 pm: Exsultemus; "Josquin and his Legacy"; First Lutheran Church, Boston
3:00 pm: The Tufts Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project; "Choral Motets of the Millenium," featuring Lou Harrison's La Koro Sutro, a piece for chorus and American Gamelan; Distler Performance Hall at the Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, Medford. (This concert is FREE!)
4:00 pm: Schola Cantorum; ""Music of the Tudors," featuring Taverner's Small Devotion Mass and works of Sheppard, Fayrfax and Byrd; First Congregational Church, Hancock, NH.
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday link
This is AWESOME. Dad, this one's for you! (Note: I embedded it, but you might want to follow this link and watch it in a wider-screen edition, where nothing is cut off.)
Thanks to PC for the link!
Thanks to PC for the link!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday cat post!
Back in June, my parents went to China, and sent me some pictures of Chinese cats.
A few days ago, they returned from Turkey, and so I have some pictures of Turkish cats! Here are two Turkish Jellicle cats.
A few days ago, they returned from Turkey, and so I have some pictures of Turkish cats! Here are two Turkish Jellicle cats.
Love the tail!
"You want to put a picture of me on your daughter's what?"
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Weekend Concert Calendar, 10/22/09
Make sure you come to the Schola Cantorum concerts this weekend - I am singing in them, they are really great, and how can you resist Byrd's "Though Amaryllis" when it is done well?
Friday:
8:00 pm: Schola Cantorum; "Music of the Tudors," featuring Taverner's Small Devotion Mass and works of Sheppard, Fayrfax and Byrd; St. John's, Boston.
8:00 pm: The Harvard Glee Club and the Princeton University Glee Club; "Harvard-Princeton Football Concert," featuring choral music of Josquin, Alonso, Janácek, Gustafsson, Thompson & Carter plus college fight songs; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Saturday:
4:00 pm: The Boston Conservatory Chorale and Women's Chorus; Seully Hall, Boston Conservatory, Boston.
5:00 pm: Libana (and others); "Playing for the Planet"; First Congregational Church, Cambridge.
8:00 pm: Schola Cantorum; "Music of the Tudors," featuring Taverner's Small Devotion Mass and works of Sheppard, Fayrfax and Byrd; St. Joseph's Church, Providence, RI.
8:00 pm: The Orpheus Singers; "Music of Haydn, Boykan, and Palestrina"; Lindsey Chapel, Emmanuel Church, Boston
8:00 pm: The Master Singers of Lexington; "Cello and Chorus" (with special guest Rhonda Rider); First Parish, Lexington.
Sunday:
4:00 pm: "45th Choir Festival: Service of Ecumenical Song"; Gordon College, Wenham.
5:00 pm: King's Chapel Choir Concert Series; "Happy Anniversary!", featuring works by Purcell, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Handel; King's Chapel, Boston.
6:00 pm: The Bullock Brothers; St. Paul Evangelical Church, Lexington.
7:30 pm: Belmont Open Sings; "Bach's Mass in B minor, Part 1"; Payson Park Church, Belmont.
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!
Friday:
8:00 pm: Schola Cantorum; "Music of the Tudors," featuring Taverner's Small Devotion Mass and works of Sheppard, Fayrfax and Byrd; St. John's, Boston.
8:00 pm: The Harvard Glee Club and the Princeton University Glee Club; "Harvard-Princeton Football Concert," featuring choral music of Josquin, Alonso, Janácek, Gustafsson, Thompson & Carter plus college fight songs; Sanders Theatre, Harvard University, Cambridge.
Saturday:
4:00 pm: The Boston Conservatory Chorale and Women's Chorus; Seully Hall, Boston Conservatory, Boston.
5:00 pm: Libana (and others); "Playing for the Planet"; First Congregational Church, Cambridge.
8:00 pm: Schola Cantorum; "Music of the Tudors," featuring Taverner's Small Devotion Mass and works of Sheppard, Fayrfax and Byrd; St. Joseph's Church, Providence, RI.
8:00 pm: The Orpheus Singers; "Music of Haydn, Boykan, and Palestrina"; Lindsey Chapel, Emmanuel Church, Boston
8:00 pm: The Master Singers of Lexington; "Cello and Chorus" (with special guest Rhonda Rider); First Parish, Lexington.
Sunday:
4:00 pm: "45th Choir Festival: Service of Ecumenical Song"; Gordon College, Wenham.
5:00 pm: King's Chapel Choir Concert Series; "Happy Anniversary!", featuring works by Purcell, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Handel; King's Chapel, Boston.
6:00 pm: The Bullock Brothers; St. Paul Evangelical Church, Lexington.
7:30 pm: Belmont Open Sings; "Bach's Mass in B minor, Part 1"; Payson Park Church, Belmont.
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday link
I am a little behind the times - my father sent me a link to this article six months ago - but have an interview with Texas-based conductor Lois Ferrari. Gotta say that I love her press photo!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Friday cat post!
This is the last from the set of pictures I took last August (August! How time flies.)
This reminds me very strongly of Oomi's ancestors in Greece or Egypt, sprawled out on a patio somewhere sunning themselves, perfectly self-content.
This reminds me very strongly of Oomi's ancestors in Greece or Egypt, sprawled out on a patio somewhere sunning themselves, perfectly self-content.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Weekend Concert Calendar, 10/15/09
Here it is, your weekend concert calendar! Things are beginning to heat up a bit with the performance schedule as the weather cools down...
Friday:
8:00 pm: Blue Heron; Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks; St. Paul Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Hosted by BEMF.
Saturday:
7:30 pm: Marsh Chapel Choir & Collegium with Boston University Chamber Chorus; "Haydn's Die Schöpfung"; Marsh Chapel, Boston University, Boston.
7:30 pm: The Vocal Section (TVS); "Raising the Roof, a program of gospel, R&B and spirituals"; Wakefield UU Church, Wakefield, MA.
Sunday:
3:00 pm: The Paul Madore Chorale; "The French Connection: An Afternoon of French Choral, Solo and Instrumental Works"; St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, Danvers, MA.
3:00 pm: The Chatham Chorale; "Poulenc's Gloria and Fauré's Requiem"; St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford, MA.
Friday:
8:00 pm: Blue Heron; Music from the Peterhouse Partbooks; St. Paul Church, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Hosted by BEMF.
Saturday:
7:30 pm: Marsh Chapel Choir & Collegium with Boston University Chamber Chorus; "Haydn's Die Schöpfung"; Marsh Chapel, Boston University, Boston.
7:30 pm: The Vocal Section (TVS); "Raising the Roof, a program of gospel, R&B and spirituals"; Wakefield UU Church, Wakefield, MA.
Sunday:
3:00 pm: The Paul Madore Chorale; "The French Connection: An Afternoon of French Choral, Solo and Instrumental Works"; St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, Danvers, MA.
3:00 pm: The Chatham Chorale; "Poulenc's Gloria and Fauré's Requiem"; St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford, MA.
Also this Sunday, Sylvia Berry will be performing at my own church, First Parish Cohasset at 4 pm. She is a renowned fortepianist, and she will be playing works of Haydn and Beethoven on a replica of a Viennese piano from circa 1795. Please help me spread the word about this concert - I'm very excited about it!
Did I forget anything? Leave it in the comments!Monday, October 12, 2009
Monday link
Today I bring you two goofy videos!
The first, which I picked up from numerous sources, as it's making the rounds, is Sebastien the Cyber-Conductor. I liked the last bit best, with the options of "Bad Conductor" and "Mean Conductor," but it's all quite funny; made me laugh out loud!
The second is Maestro Cirque du Soleil, via my friend EKR. This one takes a bit of time to warm up, but once he starts actually conducting it gets good. Although I also have to confess that the beginning is not much of an exaggeration of the difficulties of dealing with scores.
The first, which I picked up from numerous sources, as it's making the rounds, is Sebastien the Cyber-Conductor. I liked the last bit best, with the options of "Bad Conductor" and "Mean Conductor," but it's all quite funny; made me laugh out loud!
The second is Maestro Cirque du Soleil, via my friend EKR. This one takes a bit of time to warm up, but once he starts actually conducting it gets good. Although I also have to confess that the beginning is not much of an exaggeration of the difficulties of dealing with scores.
Friday, October 09, 2009
Friday cat post!
One of Oomi's rather striking characteristics that doesn't always come across in photos is that she has an incredibly shiny coat. Shiny!
Thursday, October 08, 2009
Weekend Concert Calendar, 10/8/09
Well, it's Columbus Day weekend, so choral pickin's are slim. In fact, I have only one event to pass on, but it's gigantic!
Sunday, 4:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Gigantic Gospel Extravaganza and Anniversary Celebration for The Blue Hill Gospel MC's of Boston. Special guests to include The Joy Boyz, Little Sammy and the New Flying Clouds of Philadelphia, and others. Victory Chapel, 301 Columbia Rd, Dorchester.
Also, in other special events, please note that on Friday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, the Handel & Haydn Society will open its season with Andreas Scholl in a program called "Viva La Voce!" at Symphony Hall in Boston.
Sunday, 4:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Gigantic Gospel Extravaganza and Anniversary Celebration for The Blue Hill Gospel MC's of Boston. Special guests to include The Joy Boyz, Little Sammy and the New Flying Clouds of Philadelphia, and others. Victory Chapel, 301 Columbia Rd, Dorchester.
Also, in other special events, please note that on Friday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, the Handel & Haydn Society will open its season with Andreas Scholl in a program called "Viva La Voce!" at Symphony Hall in Boston.
Life update
I realize I haven't quite outlined everything I'm doing this fall. I had an e-mail exchange yesterday that I found rather amusing, and that goes straight to the heart of how busy I am.
---------------------
From:Person
To:Allegra
Hi there!
I was just curious if people are still joining chorus/if you guys are still accepting new members?
Thank you,
Person
---------------------
From:Allegra
To:Person
Yes! We are! Would you like to come to rehearsal tonight? It's TIME to TIME in PLACE. I would love to accept you as a new member.
-Allegra Martin
---------------------
From:Allegra
To:Person
Oh, wait. It occurs to me that I'm not sure which chorus you are talking about. Are you a Lasell student? Or are you interested in Cantilena or The Notables or First Parish Cohasset?
All the best,
Allegra Martin
---------------------
From:Person
To:Allegra
Hi there!
I was just curious if people are still joining chorus/if you guys are still accepting new members?
Thank you,
Person
---------------------
From:Allegra
To:Person
Yes! We are! Would you like to come to rehearsal tonight? It's TIME to TIME in PLACE. I would love to accept you as a new member.
-Allegra Martin
---------------------
From:Allegra
To:Person
Oh, wait. It occurs to me that I'm not sure which chorus you are talking about. Are you a Lasell student? Or are you interested in Cantilena or The Notables or First Parish Cohasset?
All the best,
Allegra Martin
------------------------------------------------------------
Yes indeedy. I am currently an adjunct faculty member at Lasell College, where I am directing the chorus; I am the music director for Cantilena; I am the music director for the Notables; I am the music director at First Parish Cohasset; and I am teaching at Mission Hill Elementary School in Roxbury. And that's just the conducting/directing; I'm also singing in Anthology and Schola Cantorum.
I finally have everything I ever wanted, and I am going insane because I don't know if I can handle it. Isn't that always the way? At any rate, it will be a very tough year, so good vibes, free food, and people coming over to do my laundry for me will be gratefully accepted.
I finally have everything I ever wanted, and I am going insane because I don't know if I can handle it. Isn't that always the way? At any rate, it will be a very tough year, so good vibes, free food, and people coming over to do my laundry for me will be gratefully accepted.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Monday link
It's orchestra-conductors-day today!
Congratulations to Shi-Yeon Sung, who as assistant conductor of the BSO stepped in at the last minute to conduct last Tuesday's performance with commendable poise. (James Levine had to have some unexpected surgery for a herniated disc.) Jeremy Eichler gave her the thumbs-up.
I also recommend this article in Variety about the progress women orchestral conductors are making. It's nice to finally see an article whose sole thesis is not "where are all the women" but instead "hey, here are some women (although they're not yet at the top)." I must admit, however, that using the adjective "female" in these sorts of articles always seems strange to me.
One thing I learned from the article was that Marin Alsop is a MacArthur fellow. How did I miss that? I love the MacArthur awards; one of my favorite daydreams is someday winning one, although I can never quite figure out what it is going to be for.
Congratulations to Shi-Yeon Sung, who as assistant conductor of the BSO stepped in at the last minute to conduct last Tuesday's performance with commendable poise. (James Levine had to have some unexpected surgery for a herniated disc.) Jeremy Eichler gave her the thumbs-up.
I also recommend this article in Variety about the progress women orchestral conductors are making. It's nice to finally see an article whose sole thesis is not "where are all the women" but instead "hey, here are some women (although they're not yet at the top)." I must admit, however, that using the adjective "female" in these sorts of articles always seems strange to me.
One thing I learned from the article was that Marin Alsop is a MacArthur fellow. How did I miss that? I love the MacArthur awards; one of my favorite daydreams is someday winning one, although I can never quite figure out what it is going to be for.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Two audition opportunities
Two quick audition hits.
The North Cambridge Family Opera Company is holding auditions for adults and children for their spring production of Springtime for Haman.
Vox Lucens, a small and snazzy Renaissance choir, is looking for low altos. Or they were; I promised to post this notice a couple of weeks ago and forgot. (Oops.)
The North Cambridge Family Opera Company is holding auditions for adults and children for their spring production of Springtime for Haman.
Vox Lucens, a small and snazzy Renaissance choir, is looking for low altos. Or they were; I promised to post this notice a couple of weeks ago and forgot. (Oops.)
Friday, October 02, 2009
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