The countdown begins

Tomorrow morning brings the last dress rehearsal, and Sunday the final two performances of the pre-Christmas choral concert season for me. It's a record, first off, I'm NOT performing in the annual Messiah show this year (probably the first year since I was about eight years old that I haven't done at least a sizeable portion of Messiah), and to be done all my concerts by the second week of December is one of the best early Christmas presents I've ever had!

I do have a few odd caroling type engagements here and there though - one for the Mayor and the rest of City Council for their final session before the holidays, and a live-to air province wide hour long radio show on the Friday before Christmas. Of course, as a church musician, things don't settle down there until after the 25th.

I also have a concert New Years Eve. However this one is a volunteer gig with a bunch of close friends who met about ten years ago to sing a whole lot of renaissance music for a colleague's Doctoral recital. Since then, which was to be a one shot concert, we've recorded three CD's, done a national and an international tour, and started this tradition of a local New Years Eve concert, complete with champagne and chocolates at intermission. It's become the most talked about New Years Eve concert in the city - ok, likely the ONLY choral concert on New Years Eve. It does end with a great party, which my wife and I are hosting this year at our house. It is a great time for all of us though, as many of us have moved away from the city, it has become a 4 day rehearsal/family reunion of sorts. We are revisiting some old repertoire on this concert, and presenting much of our "first" concert we did ten years ago Including Dufay's "Nuper Rosarum Flores", which is one of my all time favourites. My, have we grown though. The youngest member at that time was all but eighteen years old. We have a few new "younger" singers in this sixteen voice group and for the most part, we all revert back to our younger lifestyle of drinking wine until 3 AM after rehearsals, listening to great music, and reminiscing of years gone by. I can't imagine spending New Years Eve without these friends anymore.

This year for Christmas, my wife and I have decided to buy a new $1,400 fuel pump for my car (you might remember my post about my car trouble earlier this week .... sigh).

In any event, the cold weather that we've had for what feels like an eternity is expected to break on Sunday, bringing with it sunshine, wet slushy roads, and the removal of our toques. Ah yes, nothing like being Canadian, eh?

Beers to you!

I think every day should be "St. Arnold's" day.

St. Arnold is the patron saint of breweries after all. One of the many delights of the church I work at, is that we annually celebrate St. Arnold's day - never actually ON his day, which I believe is the 8th of July. It involves an evening of beer tasting, along with a historical account of St. Arnold, and a description of the beers of choice for the evening, all researched by my most wonderful wife. I wouldn't say that her knowledge and love of Beer attracted me to her in the first place - but it sure doesn't hurt!

This year we celebrated the beers of England and Scotland. Where my wife and I visited this past Summer on tour with my chamber choir. London Porter was the heavy handed favourite of the night, and it even came with a recipe for a stew, to which the first instruction is to "open the bottle and pour yourself a half-pint" for your enjoyment while you prepare the stew. All good recipe's begin this way - or should begin this way. If not beer, then red wine will do nicely.

Cheers!