Wednesday Musings

The dust has settled now on Holy Week and Easter services, rehearsals and concerts.

Every year while I'm in the furry of rehearsals and such over the week before Easter, I always ask myself "WHY! am I doing this!", and every year after the week is over, and I've had ample time to rest, the answer is made clear. "I do it, because I love it!"

The services at the church were great - from waving palms on Palm Sunday, to washing feet on Maundy Thursday, solemn meditations on the cross on Good Friday, Bell ringing at the Easter Vigil to the myriads of Alleluias on Easter Sunday. The choir was in fine form all week, and showed up in great numbers (even on the nights when I offered them the night off!)

Pro Coro's concert featuring Rachmaninoff's "All Night Vigil" was a tremendous success. I have conducted the work once before, heard it both live and on recording many times, but this was my first crack at singing it, and it was an extremely powerful experience (Thanks Richard)!

We had a great amount of Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, and carrots on Sunday with my wife's family, followed by a good post dinner game. Monday brought with it a good rest, preparation for an evening audition (with whatever voice I had left), and nice afternoon walk in the spring sunshine.

There is a bit of a lull now in the schedule, preparing for a concert with Richard Eaton Singers, which includes "The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace" by Karl Jenkins, and a new powerful work "The Houses Stand not Far Apart" by local composer John Estacio on April 12th, and then two weeks of Adjudicating in Ottawa. Eagerly anticipating that when I return home to Edmonton, the snow will have vanished, and golf courses will opening!