I was busy turning this:
into THIS:
Regular blogging both here and on Choralnet to continue today, as I continue to mark a few history exams for the Conservatory, finish preparing a course outline, and finalizing repertoire for November 1st.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Back to the grind
Sorry for the long pause in posts.
I was busy turning this:
into THIS:
Regular blogging both here and on Choralnet to continue today, as I continue to mark a few history exams for the Conservatory, finish preparing a course outline, and finalizing repertoire for November 1st.
I was busy turning this:
into THIS:
Regular blogging both here and on Choralnet to continue today, as I continue to mark a few history exams for the Conservatory, finish preparing a course outline, and finalizing repertoire for November 1st.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Music for the road
Over the weekend, my wife and I went on a short road trip - well, short only in the fact that we left on Thursday evening, and returned on Saturday evening. We did cover 1,240 KM (770 miles) and sat in a car for 14 hours of the 50 hour trip. The trip was a family reunion of sorts in Humboldt Saskatchewan - and it was well worth the drive to see family that I don't see very often, and it is always a great excuse to visit my parents.
The prairie skies didn't disappoint, with a beautiful array of storm clouds, with full double rainbows. The landscape was rolling green with the occasional huge field of bright yellow canola. The kind of yellow you would otherwise only see on paintings (just think of all the biodiesel possibilities!) Our view at times was not unlike this photo (including the vast gray skies, with breaks of sunlight):
Whoever says that driving through the prairies is boring, needs to develop a new understanding of what beauty actually is.
The music was the important part of this trip.
It was all Bach in one direction:
The prairie skies didn't disappoint, with a beautiful array of storm clouds, with full double rainbows. The landscape was rolling green with the occasional huge field of bright yellow canola. The kind of yellow you would otherwise only see on paintings (just think of all the biodiesel possibilities!) Our view at times was not unlike this photo (including the vast gray skies, with breaks of sunlight):
Whoever says that driving through the prairies is boring, needs to develop a new understanding of what beauty actually is.
The music was the important part of this trip.
It was all Bach in one direction:
- Edmonton Alberta through to Vermillion: Angela Hewitt - Bach Arrangements
- Vermillion through to Lloydminster: Angela Hewitt - Well Tempered Clavier Book I #1-12
- Lloydminster to North Battleford: WTC Book I#13-24, WTC Book II #1-4
- North Battleford to Saskatoon: WTC Book II #5-24
- Saskatoon to Humboldt: Jordi Savall - The Muiscal Offering (up to the 2nd movement of the Trio Sonata)
- Humboldt to Saskatoon: Jordi Savall - The Musical Offering (finish) and Bach's Whitsunday Cantatas (Gardiner).
- Saskatoon to North Battleford: continuation of Bach's Whitsunday Cantatas, and Holst's: Planets
- North Battleford to Lloydminster: Liszt piano concertos and Mozart concerto for two pianos.
- Lloydminster to Edmonton: (well, Sherwood Park): Messiah (Paul McCreesh). Although, we had to cut from the B section of Sound the Trumpet to Worthy is the Lamb to make it all fit. We did sing every chorus though.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Stringing together a living in Music
Not sure how August has crept up so fast, but now that it is here, it is time to start the prep work for the season ahead.
In many ways, my year ahead is a bit lighter, I switch from interim director of Richard Eaton Singers back to my role of Associate Conductor. Mostly, I'll be singing with my friends in the 1st tenor section, running a few sectionals, and occasionally a full rehearsal in Len's absence. But otherwise, it's back to being a chorister, something I didn't do much of last year, so I am looking forward to it!
Da Camera has a busy schedule this year to make up for that. We have our regular three concert season, as well as a guest appearance with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble in December, and then two mini trips within the prairies. One to Calgary, and the other as a participating choir at Podium 2010 in Saskatoon. Both the Calgary and Saskatoon trips will be with Spiritus Chamber Choir from Calgary, and both choirs are looking forward to that a great deal!
Unfortunately, do to a variety of circumstances, mostly returning staff members from sabbaticals and other administrative leaves, there is no teaching for me at the University of Alberta this year. This is sad for me, as I've been hired as a contract teacher now for eleven years in a row. I just hope that I'll be able to work my way back in again next year. It is always a challenge to get contract teaching work - and very unpredictable. I was however offered two courses to teach at Concordia University College School of Music - so it does fill that void.
I also still have my most wonderful church position at Holy Trinity Anglican Church - which in many ways is my most stable and important job I have.
This year, in collaboration with an excellent soprano friend, we are combining forces to begin what we hope will be a long standing professional organization designed to bring in world class local and choristers to produce and perform selected choral projects. The projects will range from early music ensembles of one to a part, to larger scale choral projects with chamber orchestra. In this the pilot year of the project, we are planning two concerts, one of relatively under performed English renaissance composers, Like William Mundy, and newer compositions, and the other an all Schütz program, with up to sixteen singers and a theorbist from the Early Music Institute of the University of Indiana. I'm very excited to get this ball rolling, as there is currently a void in our choral market on this type of specialized ensemble. More on this project in a later post.
So, I'll enjoy a bit more golf in the last month of summer, but the spare time will be devoted to preparing course outlines, rehearsal schedules, finalizing repertoire, and securing musicians for both Da Camera, and the soon to be named project ensembles.
Hope your final month of summer and preparation goes well, and you are rested and invigorated to begin the fall season with a fresh outlook!
In many ways, my year ahead is a bit lighter, I switch from interim director of Richard Eaton Singers back to my role of Associate Conductor. Mostly, I'll be singing with my friends in the 1st tenor section, running a few sectionals, and occasionally a full rehearsal in Len's absence. But otherwise, it's back to being a chorister, something I didn't do much of last year, so I am looking forward to it!
Da Camera has a busy schedule this year to make up for that. We have our regular three concert season, as well as a guest appearance with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble in December, and then two mini trips within the prairies. One to Calgary, and the other as a participating choir at Podium 2010 in Saskatoon. Both the Calgary and Saskatoon trips will be with Spiritus Chamber Choir from Calgary, and both choirs are looking forward to that a great deal!
Unfortunately, do to a variety of circumstances, mostly returning staff members from sabbaticals and other administrative leaves, there is no teaching for me at the University of Alberta this year. This is sad for me, as I've been hired as a contract teacher now for eleven years in a row. I just hope that I'll be able to work my way back in again next year. It is always a challenge to get contract teaching work - and very unpredictable. I was however offered two courses to teach at Concordia University College School of Music - so it does fill that void.
I also still have my most wonderful church position at Holy Trinity Anglican Church - which in many ways is my most stable and important job I have.
This year, in collaboration with an excellent soprano friend, we are combining forces to begin what we hope will be a long standing professional organization designed to bring in world class local and choristers to produce and perform selected choral projects. The projects will range from early music ensembles of one to a part, to larger scale choral projects with chamber orchestra. In this the pilot year of the project, we are planning two concerts, one of relatively under performed English renaissance composers, Like William Mundy, and newer compositions, and the other an all Schütz program, with up to sixteen singers and a theorbist from the Early Music Institute of the University of Indiana. I'm very excited to get this ball rolling, as there is currently a void in our choral market on this type of specialized ensemble. More on this project in a later post.
So, I'll enjoy a bit more golf in the last month of summer, but the spare time will be devoted to preparing course outlines, rehearsal schedules, finalizing repertoire, and securing musicians for both Da Camera, and the soon to be named project ensembles.
Hope your final month of summer and preparation goes well, and you are rested and invigorated to begin the fall season with a fresh outlook!
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