Thoughts from Alison that might at least entertain you!

Galant, tu perds ton temps

This group (a French-Canadian a Capella women's group from all around Quebec, plus percussion by the partner of one of the singers) performed at The Ark this past Thursday evening.  All I can say (at least with only a few words) is that they are FANTASTIC!  This was one of the best shows I've seen in a long time, and I can't wait to have them back again and hopefully build a better audience for them because everyone should know them!  Two clips from YouTube here - one a full length video of theirs, and the other a clip from a live performance (on-air radio, I believe).  The shorter on-air clip gives really nice perspective of their personalities on stage.  Even singing the entire show in French, and being a bit nervous about their English - the show was beautiful, and the audience loved them!

Galant, tu perds ton temps

This group (a French-Canadian group from all around Quebec) performed at The Ark this past Thursday evening.  All I can say (at least with only a few words) is that they are FANTASTIC!  This was one of the best shows I've seen in a long time, and I can't wait to have them back again and hopefully build a better audience for them because everyone should know them!  Two clips from YouTube here - one a full length video of theres, and the other a clip from a live performance (on-air radio, I believe) of theirs.  The shorter on-air clip gives really nice perspective of their personalities on stage.  Even singing the entire show in French, and being a bit nervous about their English - the show was beautiful, and the audience loved them!

I do not know what Water means

I seem to have stumbled on a revelation during our Masterworks Chorale rehearsal last week.  As I have written before, I have an ongoing dialog with myself about song texts, especially choral texts since so much of what I have sung in the choral world is sacred text.  So many of the texts I sing are important to me, but not often in exactly the same way they may be to someone else.  I can quickly draw up a short list of some of the most beautiful, fantastic, and moving things that I have sung many times and that I will never grow tired of singing.  I realized in a split second last week that nearly every text I would count on my “love these the most” list relates in some way to water.

Coming to the water for replenishment or cleansing.  Being pulled, lifted, or saved from the water when sinking.  Going to water to pray.  Going to water as part of a study or practice.  Hearing eternal music on a distant shore.  Clinging to a rock with inner calm while a storm rages.  Wide water that one cannot cross – without a boat and love.

Oh let all who thirst, all who have nothing, all who seek, all who toil, all who are weary, all the poor, all who are laden, all the children…  Let them come to the water.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown… Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.  And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.

As I went down to the river to pray, studying about that good ol’ way, and who shall wear the starry crown?  Good Lord, show me the way!  Oh sisters, let’s go down – down in the river to pray.

Hark, I hear the harps eternal ringing on the farther shore, as I near those swollen waters, with their deep and solemn roar.

What though the tempest loudly roars, I hear the truth it liveth.  What though the darkness round me close, songs in the night it giveth.  No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I’m clinging.  Since I believe that love abides, how can I keep from singing?

The water is wide, I cannot get o’er.  Neither have I wings to fly.  Give me a boat that can carry two, and both shall row, my love and I.

It’s interesting to me that suddenly I have made the water connection between several different texts – especially when I am ultimately and primarily afraid of water.  I can’t swim, and have a fear of drowning.  When I look at the individual texts and poems, I can identify with some of them and not as much with others – but I love them all in their sung settings. 

I haven’t begun to touch on anything this might mean, but it does not seem insignificant to me that there’s a theme here I hadn’t noticed before.  And it’s a fine theme for my ever-conversing-with-itself mind to think on.

 

(And just so you know, I laughed myself silly as I was wrapping up the yammering nature of this post - when I decided I needed a glass of wine.  Water into wine!)

Music is Good

The Reeds of Prune Ridge have a freshly tuned piano!  This was John's request for Christmas gifting this year. 

Olive was especially pleased with the piano tuner's visit (our tuner Ernie also tunes the piano at The Ark - and she knows him from tuning visits at the club).  Olive was not, however, particularly helpful and perhaps a bit disappointed that Ernie wouldn't play with her.  She did seem to enjoy growling along now and then in an attempt to get Ernie's attention.

I'm hoping for a little tinkling of the ivories tonight after John is home!

3 year old conducts Beethoven

Mom, this one's for you - you need to see this video and this is where I know you'll find it!  I don't know this kid, but his Youtube video link has been traveling around Facebook these last few days.  His name is Jonathan, and he's conducting to recording (reportedly of his favorite conductor) of the 4th movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony.  Turn up your sound and enjoy - pure joy and hilarity!

Giving Thanks

Simply put,  I can hardly describe the gratitude I have for music.  But here goes: 

How lucky I am to have been born to parents who loved, performed, and listened to folk music.  How blessed I am that Mr. Miller at Southview Highschool recommended I have some private voice lessons.  How different my life might be if I hadn't come of age listening to U2, The Violent Femmes, and The Smiths.  How perfect it is that so much of my Self was discovered by studying music, meeting and loving other musicians, and performing.  How strange and full circle it is that I now work in a fantastic acoustic music venue that at once challenges me, engages my brain, and enriches my life.  Thank you, Music.

Alright, Just Watch It. This one made me cry!

If you click on the "YouTube" icon @ lower right corner you can see the explanation there, or just watch this lovely 4 mintues and be charmed!

Masterworks Chorale Update

Good evening, Friends!  Just a quick update and listing for you.  Masterworks Chorale is a couple of weeks into our rehearsals for the holiday concerts at this point.  I thought I would offer up a reminder of dates and some of the music for anyone who'd like to know!

Performances will be on Saturday and Sunday, December 6th (8:00pm) and 7th (4:00pm) in Toledo - let me know if you'd like more specific location information.  I will likely have a pair of tickets to offer free to someone for the Saturday night concert, but won't know until a bit closer to the shows for sure.

Our program is called "Ancient and Modern," and features different settings (yes, ancient and modern) of many traditional texts and poems.  The program is more than this list, but will include:

• O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria
• O Magnum Mysterium by Lauridsen (one of my favorite pieces ever!)
• Lo, How a Rose by Distler
• Lo, How a Rose by Praetorius/Sandstrom
• Lo, How a Rose by Gawthrop
• The entire Rutter "Gloria"

You get the idea...  there will also be settings of Balulalow, Ave Maria, My Dancing Day, Adam Lay Ybounden, and more - plus a couple of traditional pieces for us and some carols!  I think the program will have something for everyone, and would love to host as many friends and family in the audiences as possible!

Happy Wednesday Evening, All!

Masterworks

Well yesterday brought a fun and longgggg adventure for me.  Masterworks sang Monday evening at the Ohio Choral Directors Association annual conference in Columbus.  We boarded a bus in Toledo at 3:00pm, which meant I left home about 2:00pm.  I pulled into the parking lot at Prune Ridge at exactly 2:00am.  Wheee!  The day was a bit of a throwback to college choir tours for me.  We had a fancy bus, boxed lunches for dinner, and a quick stop to rehearse, sing for 35 minutes, listen to another group, eat some tasty snacks at the reception and chat a bit, then back on the bus to head back north!  Whew.  I got to chat briefly with my college choral director from Capital.  It was nice to be introduced to a colleague of hers - she said "she's one of MINE!"  Singing is good.  Happy Mid-Week and Happy Things That Make Your Heart Sing, Friends!

(And be sure you read the post after this one if you haven't already - it's worth it, honest!)

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything

A big (and somewhat overdue) Hello to All!

I'll start by telling you that this is a weird one for me - for several reasons.  I'm writing a few words to share one of my FAVORITE CDs in the world with you - and it's a Veggie Tales CD.  (And, if you aren't familiar with them, Veggie Tales is a cartoon for little ones, with a decidedly Christian message to a lot of their tales - morality tales and such.  While Christian messages are fine and good, they're not necessarily the first thing I'm generally drawn to.)  Veggie Tales happens to be one of the funniest things I've encountered in animation in a long time.  They have a feature film out now - "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," which I might just have to go see.  Actually I think I do need to go see it, but I might have to go by myself.

If you're at all curious, consider looking up the Veggie Tales' CD called "Silly Songs With Larry."  Larry is a cucumber.  The CD includes songs like "Oh Where Is My Hairbrush," "I Love My Lips," and "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything!"

Some lyrics from the Pirates tune to send you off to sleep (or wherever you're headed):

"We are the pirates who don't do anything; We just stay home and lay around, and if you ask us to do anything we'll tell you...  We don't do anything!"  The song goes on with verses and verses listing all the things they've never done.  Each verse ends with "And I've never been to Boston in the fall!"

It's terrific humor - check it out!  So there you go.  Happy Day, Friends!  I promise to be back "here" in better force next week.  The Folk Festival is this Friday and Saturday, and then I can collapse!

Dialog with Myself

Hello and Welcome, Friends!  I'll try to make this shorter than the long-and-rambling thoughts that are in my head, but here's a bit of my inner dialog.

Every year at this time I find myself knee-deep in vats of thought about Christmas, religion, children, and specific to all of those bits - the sacred text of music (especially choral).  As a singer (solo, church, choral, collegiate, etc) I have sung countless pieces of music with sacred text.  As a spiritual but perhaps-not-very-religious liberal individual, I can think and talk for hours on end about the texts, the poems, the religious images, and all the other bits and pieces that go with them.  The shortest version of my thoughts I can offer comes from a writing I did a few years ago for a Masterworks newsletter: 

"As for the larger world... I can't donate even close to what I would consider to be an appropriate amount of money.  I can, however, sing.  I can gather with folks from several walks of life and create glorious sound where there didn't used to be any.  I can focus on the text, dissect its meaning, and choose the interpretation that speaks to me."  That's it, really.

Christmas speaks to me and "gets me" for the child connection.  Here are two bits of text that resonate with me:

(From "Christmas-tide," poetry by Janet Lewis set to choral arrangement by Bob Chilcott - regarding Mary's love for Jesus)  "And did she love Him more because an angel came to prophesy His name?  Ah no, not so, she could not love Him more, but loved Him just the same."

(And a bit of favorite text from a reading in the Unitarian-Universalist hymnal, by Sophia Lyon Fahs)

For so the children come

And so they have been coming...

No angels herald their beginnings.

No prophets predict their future courses.

No wisemen see a star to show where to find the babe that will save humankind...

Each night a child is born is a holy night -

A time for singing, A time for wondering, A time for worshipping.

Happy Day and Happy Season to You, Friends!  Be Warm and Safe and Filled with What Feeds You!

(And to quote an artist from the stage at work several nights ago, "Sorry for the Jesus stuff!")

Carol of the Bells, By Tori

Because it's the first day of Christmas (the day after Thanksgiving, of course), and I just came from the grocery store (where it's All Christmas Music, All The Time), and also because I just read a funny article about the Trans Siberian Orchestra, I have Christmas music in my head.

I was just singing a particularly bad rendition of "Carol of the Bells."

To my surprise, I learned that this must be Tori's favorite carol.  She started singing along joyously in full voice.  Tis the Season!!

George Winston

John and I saw one of our favorites live at The Ark last night!  George Winston played a show for us.  On the one hand, it was a completely different experience seeing him play in the small intimate setting of The Ark (400 seats) vs. when we saw him a couple of years ago at The Max in Detroit (capacity of nearly 2000).  On the other hand, the program was exactly the same as the one we heard him play then!

On the OTHER other hand, John and I both got to MEET HIM, and his record label (Dancing Cat) held a food drive for Food Gatherers and donated a portion of the merchandise sales for the evening to Food Gatherers!  All in all, it was a pretty neat night.

In keeping with the theme of relaxation from last night, I had a massage after work today.  This was a grand day for a massage - coming off two very difficult weeks of work and fighting the end of a cold, I needed it!

Question to the masses:  What do you give your massage therapist for Christmas?

Be Well, Friends - Listen to good music, Relax, and maybe have a Massage!

Holiday Performances

Hello Friends and Family, and Happy Wednesday to You!

I wanted to pass along a bit of information on a few upcoming performances for the holidays.  (Yes, the holidays...  I know we've only just made it through election Tuesday, but musicians will understand - the holidays are in full swing if you're preparing music!)

Next Friday, November 16th, Masterworks Chorale will be singing at the tree-lighting that opens The Lights Before Christmas at The Toledo Zoo.  This is the annual light show at the Zoo that will be open every night from the 16th through the end of the year.  It's a fun display, and the lighting is great fun.  We'll sing briefly for the lighting itself (roughly 6pm, but the timing depends on the media!), and then move around the zoo to carol here and there.  Last year's highlight was singing in the elephant building, with the baby (Louie, I think?).  We woke him up, and then he proceeded to run around in his space throwing things.  I think there was also a display of elephant bodily functions.  What fun!

The first weekend in December will bring Masterworks Chorale's annual holiday concerts on Saturday, December 1 at 8:00pm and Sunday, December 2 at 4:00pm.  These concerts are always outstanding and great fun to present.  The theme this year is "In The Bleak Midwinter" (a traditional piece for us), with the concert programming set in blocks of pieces that reflect the text of the Rossetti poem.  Our concerts will be at Epworth United Methodist Church on Central Avenue in Toledo (across from Wildwood Metropark), and you should know I have a pair of free tickets to offer to someone for Saturday night's show!

Finally (maybe) for the season, I will be singing as part of First Unitarian Church's ("my" church, on Collingwood Ave. in Toledo) Christmas Eve service on Monday, December 24th.  The service is at 6pm and will include a lot of music and candlelight.  The new interim minister at the church is the Rev. Rod Thompson, a good friend of mine and a great person!

That's what I know for the moment, All!  Be Well and Be Taking Care - and Be Warm!!

There Will Be Rest

Below is text from a song Masterworks Chorale will sing on our annual holiday concerts (December 1 at 8:00 and December 2 at 4:00).  Please join us if you are able - the program is wonderful.

The song is a setting of the poem "There Will Be Rest" by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933).  So far it moves me incredibly every time we sing it - and we are really still just learning it.

There will be rest, and sure stars shining

Over the roof-tops crowned with snow,

A reign of rest, serene forgetting,

The music of stillness holy and low.

I will make this world of my devising,

Out of a dream in my lonely mind,

I shall find the crystal of peace, - above me

Stars I shall find.

Peace, Dear Friends.