Indy Sings

WHAT THE MUSIC TELLS US-a note is worth a thousand words

2012-02-17T11:35:00.004-05:00

In the choral world, music and text go hand in hand. The powerful majesty in Handel's Messiah: "King of King, and Lord of Lords." The stupefying terror of Verdi's Requiem: "Dies irae, dies illa." The countless examples of word painting in the Baroque.

But not always.

Our friend Brahms, already known to us to color outside the lines (a requiem with no Latin text, c'mon??!!), has another approach in mind when writing his very last work for chorus and orchestra, the Gesang der Parzen (Song of the Fates), in 1882.

Musically dense, Brahms gives us a score heavy on the browns, grays and blacks as he sets Goethe's poem from the play Iphigenia in Tauris. It's a song Iphigenia recalls from her childhood that describes the all powerful gods and their callous disregard for the human race.

Mostly, Brahms's writing synchs with the ominous text...the crashing orchestral introduction, the rapidly shifting harmonies, the overlapping rhythms.

Yet the fifth verse...so sublime, so soothing. Marked in the score "sehr lebhaft und gebunden" ("very soft and legato") he shifts to major and 3/4 time. It's achingly beautiful, and quite disjointed from the text which says:

The rules turn away

Their blessing-granting eyes

From entire generations,

And refuse to recognize in the grandson

His ancestor's

Quietly speaking features.

Which they once loved.

Huh? This is the Brahms of "Selig sind die Toten," of "Auch ein Klaglied zu sein im Mund der geliebten ist Herrlich"?

What gives?

Thanks to my teacher Jan Harrington, who pointed me to a short blurb by Peter Petersen in the Deutsche Grammophon CD. "The discrepancy between the hounding of whole generations described in the text and the lovely, lulling character of the music is so obvious that the purpose of the setting must be to express rejection of the idea contained in the words."

I love that. Music and text in a tug of war...

It's a reminder that of the power of music's "voice," that can speak volumes over even the most potent words.

HOLY COW! My Week with Madonna...SERVING AS CHORUS MASTER FOR SUPER BOWL XLVI

2012-02-06T00:33:00.008-05:00

Blog author, chorus master, singer and DANCER(!) Eric Stark on stage to wrap up this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show

I. SETTING IT UP

This definitely goes in the category of "things you never imagine you'll do but that you love every minute!"

Two weeks ago, while changing planes en route to DC, I received a call from Jennifer, casting director for this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show. One of her choral groups was suddenly unavailable, and she asked if I might be able to help find some willing singers to take the vacant spots. Each would have to commit to ALL rehearsals (and there were a lot of 'em), but in exchange they'd share the stage with Madonna, singing for nearly 70,000 fans in attendance and a worldwide viewing audience of over 100 million people.

My singers were thrilled, of course, at the opportunity. But it came with another complication...none of us could tell anyone what we were up to. In fact, we all had to sign a 5-page non-disclosure agreement. As the days went on, it was a challenge for all of us to keep this incredible news under our hats!

II. REHEARSALS BEGIN

A day before our first rehearsal, in one of our phone calls Jennifer told me they didn't yet have anyone to teach the choir of 200 the music they were to sing (Madonna's "Like a Prayer"). Glad to help out, I told her to send me the music for a little homework on my part.

Turns out, however, we were never granted permission to have printed music--copyright concerns, apparently--and when I arrived at the first rehearsal, my first job was to notate the choral parts from a pre-recorded track.

20 minutes later, scribbled notes and my iPhone's piano app in hand, I strode to the center of the basketball gym where a single microphone and 200 singers in bleachers were waiting for me. Then, borrowing the time tested techniques I've learned from watching Gospel greats Rodnie Bryant and Tim Bratton, I sang each of the vocal lines to the singers. With some repetition, they got them pretty handily. And then we were off to learn our dance moves.

While the singers were being "auditioned" for moves, Jennifer came to me with profuse thanks for my help, and a suggestion that I join the group. They were one singer short, and so she was inviting me to be the 200th person in the cast. She sweetened the deal for me, saying I wouldn't have to be at every minute of every rehearsal...that did it, and I was soon being fitted in the wardrobe department for my black and white robe.

Rehearsals continued, via lots of repetition. Gradually, we got better and began to look like something with some sort of coordination. We were looking forward to arriving at the stadium on Wednesday night for our final rehearsals, and to see what the stage would look like.

Once in the stadium, we were all blown away by the elaborate set-up, lighting, costumes...and even more the talent. And, Madonna was there with us every night. She was the hardest working person on the field. Always scrutinizing, practicing, trying it again. At one point she gave a very heartfelt thanks to the hundreds of us who were volunteering our time...nice touch!

Madonna and I had a special "moment," too! On Thursday, she was inspecting all our costumes and had us arrayed on the stage in our spots. She approached my group, and after adjusting the copper laurel sprig on the head of the woman ahead of me, she started up the stairs where I was standing, headed for the main stage above. Wishing to steady herself, she reached out and grabbed my right bicep. Then, (obviously enjoying the sensation!) she put her other hand there as well...and for a brief second, in that vast arena, it was "just" the two of us as she glided by (well, okay, that's a reach for sure...but it WAS pretty neat!!).

Madonna, backed up by members of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and the Butler University Chorale

III. The Big Show

One of my singers from the Symphonic Choir told me he figured that, for every second of music we sang, we were in rehearsal for 30 minutes. That's his way of saying we had a LOT of rehearsal time.

But on game day, everything went fast! After checking in at Ben Davis High School and eating our box lunches, we donned our robes and boarded about 25 school busses for the ride into town (it was the choir members, the gladiators, the drumline and the stage hands).

Once in the Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of the full-to-capacity crowd was breathtaking...twinkling lights from all the cameras, and the energy! It was electrifying.

After a brief wait in an underground hallway, it was time to take the field. Madonna was escorted out by the gladiators, and the show was underway.

Waiting our turn in the end zone, we were all giddy with the moment, watching and singing/dancing along and waiting for the finale when we would take the stage.

At last we were moving toward the 50 yard line. The crowd had been given flashlights, and requested to point them to the stage for our song. The sight was truly beautiful! All the little lights undulating to the music.

Good news for me...I remembered my steps, and didn't stumble, or sing along with Madonna's solo verse, or scratch my nose (all errors I had committed in the rehearsals).

Too soon, it was over, and we were racing through the tunnel and out the door. Screams of excitement were everywhere, as were high fives, hugs and congratulations. It was incredible, and all agreed it had been the opportunity of a lifetime.

"Miracle" Mass

2012-01-29T11:06:00.003-05:00

Pianist and composer Stephen Hough

"My car screeched out of control-swerving, spinning...then suddenly it was tumbling in somersaults across three lanes. As it turned over four of five times many thoughts raced through my mind...I would never get to hear the music I had written that week."

So writes composer and pianist Stephen Hough, about the car accident that inspired the title "Missa Mirabilis" (Mass of Wonders, or Miracle Mass). Most fortunately, he survived the wreck, and lived to hear the work's premiere (with organ accompaniment) months later at Westminster Cathedral.

The Symphonic Choir is learning this amazing piece for our performances in April with the Indianapolis Symphony and conductor Nicholas McGeegan. It will be the premiere of the fully orchestrated setting of the work.

If you like the lush harmonies of Fauré, or the inventive mélodie of Poulenc, you'll enjoy this piece. Likewise if you are a fan of jazz. It's beautifully crafted, inventive and fresh, familiar enough to reward the the listener, surprising enough to delight at the same time.

Hough writes a lot in addition to his work as a performer and composer. You can get a glimpse at his website: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/author/stephenhough/

"When Soft Voices Die"

2012-01-21T12:42:00.002-05:00

Composer Drew Shearin, 1994-2011

Music, when soft voices die, Vibrates in the memory.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Yesterday's performance of the Butler Chorale was one I'll probably never forget. Invited to perform at the Indiana Music Educators Association state conference, we traveled north to Fort Wayne with two busses full of singers, members of the Butler Symphony Orchestra, and school of music faculty. I was most proud of our students, who sang and played with polish and fervor.

What made this so memorable for me, however, was the very real reminder of music's ineffable timelessness.

One of IMEA's important functions at this conference was a composer's competition for high school musicians. Numerous works were selected for performances by solo and chamber ensembles, bands, orchestras and, of course, choirs.

Drew Shearin's work, "The Sweetest Air is Most Often the Thickest," was selected as the winning choral work in the fall of 2011. Tragically, this talented and inspiring young man was killed in a car accident shortly thereafter.

The Butler Chorale was honored to perform the world premiere of "The Sweetest Air." Though neither I nor my students had the opportunity to know Drew personally, we did have a connection, through Butler alum Dave Elliott, on the faculty at Drew's high school (Knox, IN), and through Butler alum and staffer Kristin Flodder, who had worked with him at a summer band camp. From these first hand accounts, I learned very quickly what an extraordinary young man and musician Drew had been.

When I learned that some of Drew's family, including his mother, would be in attendance at our performance, I spoke with my singers about what to expect...there would be an emotional energy in the concert venue (the beautiful sanctuary at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Wayne). It would be up to us to communicate Drew's music and words as sensitively and accurately as possible. And we should prepare ourselves to see, and possibly become affected by, the range of emotions the occasion might invoke.

Before beginning to conduct Drew's piece, I spoke briefly to the audience, saying how honored we were to be entrusted with the work of one so obviously talented and special. I also admitted that, though none of us on stage had the chance to know Drew, I was certain that he had family and friends in the audience. And so for them, for all of us, we wished to hold a brief moment of silence in tribute and memory to Drew.

Then, we sang. The room was as quiet as I've ever experienced, except for some subdued sniffling. I was touched to see my students' tender reactions observing the audience response as they performed. Finally, the work drew to its tender, poignant and cathartic close ("I awake to find my fall forgiven.") I kept my arms extended for a prolonged moment after the final cutoff, then very slowly allowed them to drop to my side. The silence persisted, probably for a full 90 seconds. I remained motionless, allowing "the room" to dictate the moment. Finally, the applause began, slowly at first, then quite strongly...and certainly not for us, but in honor of a young man whose presence was felt through his music by all who were there.

Speaking with Drew's family after the performance, I was honored to receive a gift from his mother: a framed poem that had been read at his funeral. It contemplated the beauty of an unfinished musical composition, asking finally, "is it unfinished, or is it endless?"

Though tragically short, Drew's life continues to touch and move us. I am grateful to him for this reminder...music remains, the heart and the spirit triumph over the messy mortality of our physical selves. Thank you, Drew Shearin.

(Read more about Drew and hear his music at www.drewshearinmusic.com)

Heading for a CELEBRATION!

2012-01-09T11:30:00.002-05:00

After a much appreciated break for the holidays, the Symphonic Choir kicks it back into high gear with one of our most eagerly anticipated concerts ever, CELEBRATION! This year, we are honored to commemorate the life and triumphs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by holding our gospel concert on the MLK Jr. holiday, next Monday, January 16.

You'll hear the ISC perform some favorites, including "How Lovely Is thy Dwelling Place" and "Praise His Holy Name." And, you'll thrill to the sounds of the Celebration Massed Choir under the direction of grammy nominated recording artist (and Indy's own) Rodnie Bryant in some of the best gospel works of all time.

Our performance takes place in one of Indy's most historic venues, the Madame Walker Theater. I look forward to seeing you there!

The Words We Sing--The Message We Bring

2011-12-19T23:38:00.006-05:00

On This Day Earth Shall Ring

The Symphonic Choir at Festival of Carols, 2011

(Tim Carlson, photo)

Tonight at our meeting of the Board of Directors of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, I used part of the time for my Artistic Director's Report to reflect on some of the beautiful and potent lyrics we hear in our favorite carols.

"What Child Is This," with words by William Chatterton Dix is familiar to us all of course in the GREENSLEEVES tune. It was the text selected by Shane Monds, a young composer commissioned to write a work for the Symphonic Choir's Festival of Carols performances this month. Shane's beautiful treatment of the words brought contextual poignancy to the Passion reference in verse two: "Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross be borne for me, for you."

GK Chesterton's text "A Child of the Snows" was the lyric for the ISC's other world premiere this month, and beautiful anthem by California-based composer Christina Whitten Thomas. Her masterful treatment brought into sharp relief the oh-so-humble rustic-ness of the Christ-child's birthplace: "We follow the feet where all souls meet at the inn at the end of the world....The gods lie cold where the leaves lie gold. And a Child comes forth alone."

Finally, an old favorite, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," from American poet Edmund H Sears. As a choir director, I'm especially drawn to the final line of each of the five stanzas: "...the angels sing"! Sitting around the board room table this night, we looked at the poem, verse by verse. We noted its frank assessment of humanity's struggle at establishing a lasting peace: "Yet with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; Beneath the angel strain have rolled two thousand years of wrong" (sadly this verse is often omitted from hymnals). And we were warmed by the hopeful message of the final verse: "When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing."

And would you believe it, my courageous, trusting board members joined me in singing an a cappella verse, right there in our spartan meeting room. We got some respectable harmony going too! Amen to board members, angels, choirs, kids, audiences, anyone who keeps these great songs alive.

Christmas, December, the holidays...a season for singing.

Merry Christmas, friends!

On the Fourth Day of Festival of Carols, My Dear Choir Gave to Me...

2011-11-18T15:39:00.003-05:00

...splendid intonation, heartfelt text delivery, wonderful dynamics--and a gorgeous tone that lingers in my ear!

Yup, we've finished our fourth Festival of Carols rehearsal just this past week, and boy, how the show is coming together! The large group of singers (not certain about this, but it feels like we've got the biggest Festival of Carols group ever this year) is singing so beautifully. Wednesday morning, I awoke with the sounds of ISC still playing in my head. It was fantastic!

A couple highlights thus far: Healy Willan's "The Three Kings" with its jaw-dropping drama and beauty...imagine, a humble new-born baby with the power to compel royalty to remove their shoes and bow down; Jackson Berkey's "Il set Né" (you may remember this from our recording FROM EAST TO WEST)...the familiar French carol over a bolero rhythm is so beguiling; and "A Child of the Snows" by Christina Whitten Thomas...this piece is this year's composition contest winner, and what a piece! So moving and honest. We can't wait to share it with you.

Tom Scurich, baritone

We have a number of special elements in this year's performances: the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the talented singers from our very own Manual High School (Spencer Lloyd, director), TWO world premieres, and other surprises as well. And we're delighted to be joined by an old friend, Tom Schurich, baritone, who will join the Choir and Orchestra for Vaughan Williams's "Fantasia on Christmas Carols." Whether you join us on Friday night at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church (downtown, across from the convention center) or on Saturday at Saint Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church (in Carmel, on Haverstick Road), I know you'll love how the ISC sounds in both these superb spaces. Surrounded by friends, family and the beautiful music of the Symphonic Choir, it's sure to be a great way to kick off the holiday season! (Tickets and more info at the Choir's website: www.indychoir.org)

In Search of...a Few Good Tunes!

2011-10-24T11:55:00.002-04:00

BEHIND THE CURTAIN
PREPARING FOR FESTIVAL OF CAROLS | DR. ERIC STARK

This year the Symphonic Choir celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding, so we knew we had to plan a Festival of Carols concert that would be worthy of this impressive milestone. And, since having an orchestra on hand to accompany the choir always makes us feel special, we knew that having a group of professional orchestral musicians was the first step. Once our good friends at the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra confirmed they were on board, it was time to start the long process of choosing the music!

I suppose every choral conductor is always on the prowl for good Christmas music. In fact, at nearly every conducting conference I attend, “What’s your favorite Christmas piece?” is a question my colleagues and I ask each other...suffice it to say, the bartenders at the conference watering holes are probably surprised to hear their conductor-patrons talking about antiphonal anthems, Renaissance motets and Latin prayers over their fermented beverages!

For me, those conferences can yield a trove of potential works for our concerts. I usually fill my carry-on bag with CD’s I’ve picked up, as well as stacks of printed music. Then, over the summer months, I wade through it all...listening, playing, singing and studying to see what will work the best.

This year’s process was unique, since I did most of my music study at my suite at the Hotel Santa Cruz during my 2-week residency in Bolivia in July. In between rehearsals, interviews and master classes, I studied and listened. And, since fortunately my hotel room had wi-fi, I had the entire World Wide Web at my fingertips for further exploration if a composer or text interested me. I suppose you could say it was the South American winter that inspired me...high temps just in the 50s each day, and no heat in any of the buildings anywhere. I was bundled up in my sweater and a borrowed jacket, so it sure felt like Christmas was just around the corner.

I’ve always loved the way British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams sets familiar tunes for voices and orchestra. I’ve been hoping to do his “Fantasia on Christmas Carols” for chorus, orchestra and baritone soloist for some time, and thus we have our first winner for this year’s concert!

Other works you’ll hear and in many cases recognize: John Rutter’s setting for chorus and orchestra of the exuberant “On This Day” made famous by Holst, a nod to Bing Crosby with “White Christmas,” the beautiful “Ubi Caritas” sung at the April wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton, and a haunting work by one of the founders of The King’s Singers, “Put Memory Away,” by Bob Chilcott. This year will be the third year of our composition competition...a way the Symphonic Choir can highlight the impressive work being done by the new generation of composers...and I’m delighted to say that our winning composer will be with us to hear the world premiere of her creation (we’ll “unwrap” that present later!)

The singers in the Symphonic Choir look forward to rehearsing Festival of Carols every year. This is music that speaks to us, that evokes special memories, and that communicates our common wish for hope and peace. And of course, the singers - and I - will be thinking of YOU during our rehearsals, eager to share the music, the joy and the spirit of season at one of our Festival of Carols performances. Whether you choose to hear us in downtown Indianapolis at St. John Catholic Church or on the north side at St. Elizabeth Seton in Carmel, we look forward to sharing the Choir’s 75th anniversary, the magic of the season and the music with each of you.

Come Sing with Us!

2011-07-21T10:37:00.003-04:00

Indianapolis Symphonic Choir auditions for new singers, Aug. 12-13, 2011

Want to join in the fun? Eager to sing beyond the confines of your shower or car? Then come audition for membership in the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir!

This year, the Choir will celebrate its 75th anniversary season, with major works including: Carmina Burana, Messiah, Holst's Planets, Brahms Gesang der Parzen, the world premiere of Stephen Hough's MASS, and the Berlioz Requiem. Additional concerts include a Martin Luther King Jr Day "Celebration" tribute, and the annual holiday favorite Festival of Carols.

To learn more about auditioning for the Symphonic Choir, and to schedule an audition time, visit the audition link (in the "ABOUT" tab) at www.indychoir.org.

Day 12: One Down, One to Go!

2011-07-07T10:58:00.007-04:00

It was a great concert last night! Felix and Jorge played beautifully in the "Sinfonia Concertante" by Mozart. Roland led his orchestral charges with expert clarity and passion. The audience demanded an encore of the soloists even before the intermission.

Patrick (orchestra) and Felix (soloist) backstage before the performance

The Chorus did a great job...sang with beauty, focus and energy. The concert hall is a lovely, comfortable room. However, the singers had to work extra hard to project the text into its dry acoustic. They were successful, and the enthusiasm and joy on their faces was wonderful to see.

This evening, our concert will go head-to-head against the nationally televised tv broadcast of the soccer game between Bolivia and Costa Rica...numerous musicians have already requested a tv be placed backstage so we can watch and cheer!

Soprano soloist Diana Azero

Post-concert dinner at "La Suisse" last night; delicious beef medallions in a boursin cheese sauce, Bolivian Cabernet Sauvignon (it's really, really good!) and chocolate mousse for dessert.

Looking on as Jorge orders his dessert, called "Amor Caliente"!

Jorge plays the 1/8 size violin for Victoria

Days 10-11: Dress Rehearsal and Opening Night

2011-07-06T14:40:00.007-04:00

Final rehearsal for tonight's concert

After a rehearsal two days ago that was filled with work--and working out (bowings, adjusting dynamic levels, tempo changes)--last night's dress rehearsal was one of good effort and smart music making. We made great progress through my "punch list," attending to the items left over from the night before. By the end, I think we were all feeling good about our preparation, and an energetic anticipation for tonight's opening filled the room.

Vocal soloists Eduardo Linares, Rocio Juanes, Jose Luis Duarte and Diana Maria Azero

Our four soloists are from La Paz, and were auditioned by Charlie Houmard and Roland a year ago, for the choir and orchestra's performance of the Beethoven Choral Fantasy. I've enjoyed getting to know them, and the choral singers are delighted to have them back in Santa Cruz.

Yesterday afternoon, Roland, the instrumentalists and I were the guests of a few of Roland's board members for lunch out in the countryside. "La Rinconada" looks a little like a very elegant country club, with beautiful gardens, a small lake, and numerous palapa-like thatched-roof structures where groups can dine "al fresco." We enjoyed the grounds for a bit, then shared generous helpings of Pique Macho, a native Bolivian dish of beef, veggies, and a mildly spicey sauce.

Two views of our lunching place, "La Rinconada"

And on other food related topics, our dinner last night at a local french restaurant, "Le Coin," was one of the best meals I've ever had. The Chicken Cordon Bleu was incredibly rich and satisfying, served with a side of fettucine alfredo. Our hosts begged us to have dessert, so naturally I had to try the chocolate mousse. So now...off for a jog to burn all that off!

Yummy French cuisine at "Le Coin" after dress rehearsal

Day 9: Weekend, and Final Rehearsals

2011-07-04T10:29:00.006-04:00

Ready for the cameras at this morning's TV interview

We're in the home stretch. Rehearsed yesterday with two of the soloists, who had just arrived from La Paz, and with the orchestra, most of whom arrived yesterday morning on the overnight flight from Miami. They had been in south Florida for several weeks of a string festival. And, cancelled yesterday's choral rehearsal...voices needed a break, and besides, the preparations were going well (thanks Charlie, for your advance work!).

Conducting Masterclass

Today, early morning TV show, followed by yummy coffee and breakfast at Alexander Cafe. It's been really cold here the last few days, overcast, strong winds, temps in the 50's. No buildings are heated, actually, so it's chilly everywhere. However, this is their winter, and at least there's no snow!

Over the weekend, met with a chamber choir that wanted to sing for me...worked some King's Singers arrangements of a couple Beatles tunes with them...fun!

Chamber Choir rehearsing "Michelle" by Lennon/McCartney

Happy July 4th to all in the US!

Roland and his "Princesses," Victoria and Sofia

Days 4-5: Getting in the Groove!

2011-07-01T09:51:00.006-04:00

So if Monday and Tuesday were days of gradual immersion into the Mozart/Bolivian routine, Wednesday and Thursday have brought a kind of hair-is-now-all-wet/I'm-fully-commited-to-this-thing experience. Writing this in my hotel room late on Thursday, the last two days have brought a total of 10 different masterclasses/rehearsals, for a total of over 15 hours of musical/linguistic engagement in two days... We're all getting our money's worth now :-)

I'm glad to be so active...and the singers and students here (some are adults, some attend the Catholic or Evangelical Universities here in Santa Cruz, some are high school age) are certainly eager to work. Today, despite a driving rain, 5 guys from the chorus trudged across town and were waiting for me at the conference room in our hotel we are using for afternoon classes.

I'm teaching a combination of conducting and singing masterclasses...not really with a lesson plan per se, rather asking the students what they want to work on, or what questions they have. Teaching is so often about reinforcing the good lessons students already know--I'm certainly relying upon that philosophy a lot this week--and the good news is folks keep showing up for more.

Singing the "Benedictus" in our voice masterclass

We were joined yesterday by another guest musician for the concerts next week. Jorge (from Honduras, but now living and teaching in Jacksonville, FL) arrived on the overnight flight from Miami. He (viola player) and Felix (violin) will be featured in the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante. I got to hear them rehearse a bit tonight...their playing is certainly wonderful.

Felix and Jorge with Roland and Orchestra

Roland has been making sure I'm eating very well. Yesterday's lunch was a buffet with potato soup, cooked veggies, and chicken. Last night it was a delicious Cuban restaurant for Ropa Vieja and the best sauteed plantains I've ever had...sugary glaze on the outside. And today, with one of his board members, we were treated to a wonderful sushi lunch.

Rehearsals are going well; we are making progress, and despite the fact that the 50 or so singers come from different places (some are already in other choirs, some are in no choirs), we are building our unique choral instrument. Tonight we sang through the entire mass, taking time to remind them about the importance of looking up, working on pronunciation of text (the "B" sound is hard for them to make) and working on transitions from one movement to the next.

Rock n' Roll, Mozart style! Our accompanist, Jacinth, is a student from Princeton University doing a summer study abroad program here...and he's a great help to us!

Day 3: A Run, My Ears and Mozart

2011-06-28T11:32:00.009-04:00

The one window I have in my hotel room faces the east, and even with the curtains drawn, the morning sun peeks in. A good thing...my own self-setting alarm clock! I think the maids must work according to the sun, cause each day they knock at my door just about 30 minutes after it appears, ready to clean: "disculpe señor, podemos regresar mas tarde!" No telling when they must rise each day to be at the hotel ready to go by 7:30.

After the breakfast buffet, I took a stroll around the downtown neighborhood while my hotel is located. Just about two blocks from here is the main Plaza, with a lovely large brick cathedral.

Cathedral and Plaza in Santa Cruz, two blocks from my hotel

Managed to find my way to the grocery store I remembered from my last visit, and picked up some provisions for the room, and some Powerade to take with me to classes and rehearsals. Three sacks full of stuff for less than $10.

My conductor friend Charlie Houmard recommended a jogging route from the hotel to the Parque Urbano, about 3 miles round trip. I checked it out on the map and with Roland to make sure it was safe, and ended up having a pretty good run after the grocery store. The main thing is to keep your eye on the sidewalk...lots of uneven sections, big curbs, etc., waiting to turn an ankle. That and the traffic...pedestrians definitely are NOT the priority at the intersections! The urban park is large, probably 6 city blocks, with basketball courts, an oval cement track, skateboard area and fountain.

My run to the Parque Urbano

For lunch, Roland, Melissa, Felix and I went to a nearby coffee shop, and I had a hamburger with a fried egg on top of it. Pretty tasty!

For the afternoon, I had been approached by three singers from the choir about having coffee together, then a voice class for the three of them. They took me from the hotel to the "Horno Caliente" ("Hot Oven") where we sampled numerous yummy pastries, empanadas and tamales.

The singers, all women, wished to practice their English, so our conversation was bi-lingual, since I tried always to answer in Spanish. I think we all learned a bit in the process!

One thing I noticed during our coffee shop time was that my ears are gaining some traction with the language. In fact, when I speak with some people, it's starting to feel kind of easy to understand them. Others, however, still can be a challenge. In general, Bolivian pronunciation of Spanish is pretty standard. However, some folks speak with a distinct accent that makes it a bit harder to follow. For them, final "s" consonants are not only omitted, but the vowel that precedes them is sort of nasalized (kind of like nasal "n" in French). Take the word for "more" which is "mas." Usually when pronounced we hear all three parts of the word: the "m" consonant, the pure vowel "a", and the "s." However, I often hear it like this (IPA rendering): [mã]. Perhaps it's an influence of the Portuguese language...Santa Cruz is only a few hundred miles from the Brazilian border, and that language includes a lot of nasalized vowels. Regardless, it's reassuring to know my ears have made the trip to Bolivia with me!

Finally, we took off for our evening choral rehearsal. There was a little confusion, since I was to have had a class before for choral conductors in the group, but the room was scheduled by someone else. We'll try to make that up later in the visit (the singers are truly eager to learn, and it feels like I'm going to be doing numerous masterclasses in voice and conducting while I'm here...fantastic!).

Our rehearsal started out a bit casually, as many folks were late. However, by the second hour, we had a good group of 45 or so, and really made some progress. Eventually, we even got to the end of the mass, so now we've covered everything and can begin to refine and polish. There's a variety of skill levels in the group, so naturally that's a challenge to everyone. But, since we still have a week of rehearsals before the performances, I bet we can help everyone learn and grow.

Sometimes we all need a reminder-"Don't forget: get close to the urinal. Thanks!"

Day 2: First Rehearsals

2011-06-26T22:59:00.004-04:00

Working on some of the solo quartets in Mozart's "Coronation" Mass

I had a lot of fun today! After a good night's sleep in a very large bed in my room at the Hotel Santa Cruz (just 3 blocks from the Cathedral and civic plaza), I ventured to the hotel's breakfast buffet. Plenty to eat--sliced fruit, some cheese and ham, cereal, pastries, yogurt, juice and coffee. Shared my table with Felix (violinist from Germany who will be a featured soloist on the first part of the concert that "my" choral work will conclude) and Melissa (his friend and dancer/choreographer, whom Roland has asked to help prepare a project for an upcoming season). Felix and Melissa arrived on the AeroSur overnight flight from Madrid, landing at 2 am, and arriving at the hotel around 5. They looked pretty good considering all that!

Fred took me to the rehearsal hall, in a privately owned community center. It was a large room with lots of wood surfaces. Good space for singing and making music. There, I taught a morning masterclass to some singers...folks from the choir interested in working on the various solos found in Mozart's "Coronation" Mass. (Though we are bringing in professionals soloists from La Paz, Roland and I agreed the singers would gain a lot from the experience of preparing these solos.) They were an eager bunch, willing to try things a different way. I can only imagine how foreign it must feel to "put oneself out there" vocally speaking, and so cooperatively try things that may feel new or different. I'll continue my work with them throughout the two weeks as time permits.

Lunch was served at Roland's house, prepared by his wife (Marcella) and also his mother. Some German food (in a nod to Felix), vegetables, chicken, and a lesson in "Brazilian" coffee.

Roland, Melissa, Felix and Marcella

After a restful stop back at the hotel, it was over to the rehearsal site again, for my afternoon 3-hour session with the chorus. About 40 folks attended, and they had done their homework (thanks Charlie!). We reviewed the first two movements of the mass, and took some time to introduce the third (the Credo).

It was great to meet the singers...many have worked with me during my trips in 2005 and 2008--it is great to see them again! And some are new...evidence of the continued community interest in vocal performance, and what I take as a growing sense of the possibility that collaboration brings.

There was a lot of good work and learning taking place...and lots of laughing and enjoying the process as well. Of course my linguistic "chops" provide their own moments of disarming fun (I call it, "Guess what the conductor is thinking now"!). And I did have to remind everyone of the now infamous gaffe I made last time I was here, confusing the verb "disfrutar" ("enjoy") with "disculpar" ("excuse") (hence my introduction to our final performance of the Mozart Requiem was prefaced by my request to the audience "That you might excuse our performance this evening".)

Following rehearsal, Roland took me, Melissa and Felix out for a yummy meal at a nearby Irish Pub. It was fun to be crowded in that hopping joint, surrounded by happy Bolivians!

Day 1: Arrival in Santa Cruz

2011-06-25T22:29:00.005-04:00

View of the Andes Mountains shortly before landing in Santiago, Chile

As overnight transcontinental trips go, it wasn't too bad. Two layovers in Chile gave views of the eerie landscape of the western side of the Andes Mountains range...completely desert climate, sandy, with snow capped peaks.

Had great service at the Santa Cruz airport, where I was met by my host conductor Roland Schlieder (former Butler student of mine, and now conductor and music director of the Orquesta Sinfonia Juvenil de Santa Cruz de la Sierra) and singer and horn player Fred Alba (who has become a good friend to me, with his wife Claudia, in my earlier trips here). We stopped by Roland's home so his young daughters Victoria and Sofia could say hello to their "Tio Eric," then it was off to dinner for the three of us. Conversation included the schedule tomorrow (soloists rehearsal/coaching in the morning, then I meet the chorus for the first time tomorrow afternoon), and recent job/musical goings on for each of us. You woulda been proud of me...we conducted about half of our conversation in Spanish (I reminded them, "I need all the practice I can get!"). Some sentences were a mixture of Spanish and English vocabulary, but it all seemed pretty natural to the three of us!

Conductor Roland Schlieder and Singer/French Horn Player Fred Alba take me to dinner (...and beer!)

"Attention on the Concourse..."

2011-06-24T15:18:00.003-04:00

So, it's 3 pm on Friday...the exact hour I was to be stepping off American Airlines flight 922 at my final destination of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, just in time for my first rehearsal later this evening.

Instead, I'm sitting at gate B9...in the Indianapolis International Airport. Sigh...

What was to have been my first flight yesterday, Indy to Miami, was cancelled due to a flight crew issue. No other flights were available to get me to Miami in time for my midnight flight south, so home I went. At least I got to catch up on some sleep!

My rebooked ticket had a first flight at 12:45 today, Indy to JFK. At the very moment I arrived at the gate, that flight too was cancelled. Apparently weather-related.

Back at the ticket counter, at first they were going to book me for something tomorrow...but after a little negotiating, we found an evening flight out tonight to Dallas. From there, overnight flight to Santiago, Chile (never been there before!) then two more connections to arrive in Santa Cruz around 5 pm tomorrow.

What's your favorite way to spend time in an airport? I'm transferring my marks from one Mozart "Coronation" Mass score to another, so I can use the newer Barenreiter edition for my rehearsals and concerts.

Soy, Fui, Era...

2011-06-21T07:15:00.004-04:00

IRREGULAR VERBS

On my counter in my kitchen, I've had open a book I bought 24 years ago. When I was living/studying in Madrid, I found a "Handbook of 4,500 Spanish Verbs" at a bookstore and picked it up. Granted, it's not the most riveting of texts to read, but it IS a great source of information, especially when one is on the eve of a trip to South America.

I'll be arriving in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, at the end of the week. With last week's Beethoven rehearsals and numerous other tasks taking my time, opportunities for Spanish review have been few and far between.

But I've managed to get some homework done! 1) created a small document of three common irregular verb conjugations (for the infinitives "ser/estar"--"to be" and "ir"--"to go") AND posted it to my iPhone for handy viewing; 2) spent a lovely hour chatting in Spanish with Patricia Camacho, a member of the Symphonic Choir originally from Mexico (she was very patient with me!); and 3) dug up the aforementioned verb textbook.

On my previous Bolivia trips, I've had to hit the ground running, usually having either a rehearsal or media interview within a few hours of stepping off the plane. I'm sure this one will be no different. Stay tuned to see how it plays out!

BEETHOVEN

Singing the mighty 9th Symphony of Beethoven is always a thrill. Our past weekend's three performances with the Indianapolis Symphony and conductor emeritus Raymond Leppard were a great way to finish the Choir's 74th season. Leppard, now in his 80's, brought plenty of his trademark wit to the proceedings. His was an expansive 9th, and though some might have wished for a more sprightly take, it did give the opportunity to savor Beethoven's delectable inner voice writing.

"Music Made Me" is the title of Leppard's just released autobiography, which concludes with a chapter about coming to and working in Indianapolis. I've read that chapter first (quite enlightening viewpoint of our city) of course, and will let you know about the other chapters in the coming posts.

FLASH!

2011-05-31T16:54:00.002-04:00

They had no idea what was about to happen...75 singers, two grand pianos, crash cymbals, bass drum, a set of timpani and glockenspiel. It was a stunning event by the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir at Indy's International Airport this past Saturday, timed to coincide with the arrival of thousands of race fans for the next day's 100th anniversary running of the Indy 500. Check it out!

It's Official...

2011-05-24T08:44:00.005-04:00

Rehearsing Mozart Requiem with the OJSC in 2008

... I'll be going back to Bolivia this summer to conduct Mozart's "Coronation" Mass! Some of you know I've been twice before; it'll be great to return and see the talented singers and instrumentalists I've come to know over the last few years.

My first trip to Santa Cruz de la Sierra (now having surpassed La Paz in population, SC is Bolivia's largest city...over 1 million inhabitants) came in 2005. Roland Schlieder is conductor of the Orquesta Juvenil de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and an alum from Butler, where he studied conducting with me. Knowing of my (somewhat rusty) Spanish skills, he invited me down for that first visit to help him prepare his chorus for performances of Part One of Messiah. In that week of rehearsals, workshops and masterclasses, I was very impressed by the eager dedication to learning the singers demonstrated. And, they were a most friendly lot...treating me like a king, taking me to the best restaurants in the city, and making sure I felt welcome.

One of our many live tv interviews in 2008

I returned in 2008 to rehearse and perform Mozart's Requiem. With Roland's great orchestra, and a talented quartet of soloists (from Bolivia, Panama and the U.S.), and the great choral singers, we had a great experience together. Jon was even able to fly down for a few days and join us for some of the concerts.

So I'm looking forward to going back. I'll be there for nearly two weeks, so that will be my longest stay thus far. I'll teach masterclasses in conducting, voice and score study, in addition to leading rehearsals for the choir and orchestra. Now to start scraping off some of the rust from my Spanish!

Dining out with my Bolivian friends!

Sondheim and Kennedy Center

2011-05-09T17:39:00.005-04:00

Wrapping up a long weekend in DC...and a break from the rain! Got some needed yard work done (finally!).

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to get the last two tickets to the brand-spankin'-new production of Sondheim's "Follies" at the Kennedy Center. With a $4 million budget, this production has been purported to be the largest musical ever presented at KC, and possibly headed for NYC after its local 6 week run concludes.

Set in the early 70's, the story revolves around a reunion of former Broadway showgirls, who reprise their song and dance numbers, and revisit old yearnings and loves.

We loved the show. From beginning to end, everything was top notch. But nothing was more impressive than the glittering cast--Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Jan Maxwell, Ron Raines, Linda Lavin (you remember the 70's TV show "Alice"?), Terri White...and on and on. They were terrific.

Elaine Paige

Among the great many numbers in the show are "Too Many Mornings," "Losing My Mind," and "I'm Still Here."

The set was hauntingly beautiful. One staged element that was particularly effective was the inclusion of theatrical "ghosts" that wore glamorous if faded glittering gowns...they slowly, silently skulked about the catwalk and periphery taking in the deeds of the "living" characters. In several production numbers, the ghosts shadowed the dancing of the real actors...a wonderful "split-screen" effect that left one to ponder the relationship between events some decades apart.

I found some great YouTube clips online of the 1985 concert production of "Follies" with Barbara Cook, George Hearn, Mandy Patinkin and Carol Burnett. You'll be glad you checked it out. Also, I need to give a special shout out to the very kind and understanding folks working the main box office at KC...I'll spare the details, but they very graciously got me out of an pickle of my own making...THANK YOU!

Jon takes in the view from the Kennedy Center Terrace. National Cathedral and Georgetown appear over his right shoulder.

Top Ten Bach List

2011-04-26T14:31:00.002-04:00

TEN THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THE ISC’S B MINOR MASS

1) Our dedicated board didn’t shirk from the challenge of mounting TWO PERFORMANCES of this masterpiece…in Hilbert Circle Theatre…with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

2) This has given nearly 100 of our most dedicated and talented singers the chance to hone their skills far beyond that which any other work may have offered…we will accrue musical benefits from this for a loooong time to come.

3) The board home events—truly fabulous events, intimate, warm, fun, classy…a wonderful way to engage a new cadre of friends to the organization.

4) Our soloists….wow! What a quartet of INCREDIBLE musicians! They were terrific to work with…fun, easy, so professional and musical.

5) Community marketing effort for this event was TOP NOTCH…we had terrific saturation, community-wide event recognition, and we spent our $$ incredibly wisely.

6) THE ISC STAFF IS WORLD CLASS! I can’t imagine any organization anywhere that’s blessed with such talented, dedicated employees. We are incredibly blessed indeed in this regard.

7) Great audiences…quantity AND quality. How about those “War Whoops”(as Michael Davis calls them) for the singers in the choir??!!

8) We showed our collaborating partners, and the community at large, that we are fully capable of bringing works like this to life…with authenticity, and artistic, musical and financial success.

9) We gave life to the voice of Bach for nearly 2,000 people…most of whom heard this piece live for the first time at our performances.

10)Exposed to this incredible repertory, each of us was challenged in ways we could never have anticipated, and rewarded with a surprising abundance of riches we are still discovering on a daily basis.

WOW! That was amazing (ite missa est)

2011-04-20T15:34:00.007-04:00

Photos in today's post courtesy of Tim Carlson

I've waited several days to write this post, simply due to the fact that I've been struggling for the words I might actually use. Performing this work...finally, after so many years of study, questioning, waiting...is beyond anything I've done before!

The experience of bringing the B minor mass to life was exhilarating. Final rehearsals, coachings with the fabulous four soloists (from left to right, above: Maria Jette, Jennifer Lane, Brian Stucki and Derrick Parker), and working with the magnificent musicians of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. After all that prep, the final "putting together" went smoothly. And boy, did it sound great!

Sharing a moment with Scholar-in-Residence Vance George

It's a good thing all was in such good shape. Our time in rehearsal with orchestra, soloists and chorus on stage did not permit any unplanned minutes. In fact, our final rehearsal, calculated at 2.5 hours (7:30-10 pm) had to include a mandatory break for all (not that we didn't appreciate it!), leaving just 2 hours and 15 minutes to "rehearse" a work that is 1 hour and 55 minutes in length. I always like to do a full run-thru on dress rehearsal night, and we finished that up at 9:43 or so. Spent the next 10 minutes touching up a couple of transitions and balance place, and even let everyone go about 45 seconds early!

ISC troops in action!

On performance night...I was just so proud of everyone. Soloists, orchestra, audience who came to hear one of the most amazing musical works ever. But mostly I was proud of and happy for the singers in the Symphonic Choir. They've worked so hard to achieve this, learning this most demanding repertoire alongside Rachmaninoff Vespers, Handel's Messiah, our Festival of Carols, Haydn Creation and a wonderful ISO Pops concert in March. Their work, dedication and talent guaranteed our success.

In my own preparation, I wondered how it might feel to conduct--finally--the "Dona Nobis Pacem," the last movement of Bach's mass. How would it be to lead and hear the brilliant musical strains of that D major "Palestrinian Arch," with the glorious trumpets on top? It was miraculously incredible! Though all on stage were exhausted, somehow each mustered the energy to bring this piece to its magnificent conclusion. And the crowd was with us...standing ovations and (as Michael Davis says) "war whoops" for the chorus. It was amazing.

After Saturday's performance, I was surprised with a beautiful gift from my singers and ISC staff: a pair of sterling silver cufflinks from Tiffany & Co., engraved with the initials "S.D.G." for Soli Deo Gloria, Latin for "To God alone be the glory." Bach was in the habit of inscribing the last page of each of his manuscripts with those initials. It was a perfect way to commemorate such a significant occasion.

S.D.G.

It's Time!

2011-04-15T09:51:00.002-04:00

Phenomenal week of rehearsals this week. So gratifying to see all this coming together in full form!

I can't wait for you to hear our soloists! When soprano Maria Jette sings (you might recall her memorable appearance with us a couple years ago in ISRAEL IN EGYPT), joy flutters across the stage. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Lane possesses a beautiful rich voice that lends such warm beauty to the Agnus Dei, and her exuberant Laudamus Te is amazing. Tenor Brian Stucki really commands the hall with his rendition of the Benedictus. And bass Derrick Parker's midnight-hued voice makes the Quoniam so memorable.

And our instrumental soloists...the players in the Indianapolis Symphony...wow! Principal flutist Karen Moratz is incredible! So is concertmaster Zack DePue, whose obbligato playing in the Laudamus will lift you out of your seat. Roger Roe's oboe solo in the Qui sedes is simply gorgeous. And Robert Danforth's horn work in the Quoniam...well, you simply have to hear it to believe it. Finally, let's not forget the brass...the entire section of three trumpets, and especially principal trumpet Marvin Perry, are the icing on the cake of the numerous virtuosic choruses, casting a radiant brilliance upon all in the Hilbert Circle Theater.

What a thrill, to get to hear this and be so close to it! You can join us...tonight and tomorrow, Friday and Saturday April 15-16, 2011, at 8 pm at Hilbert Circle Theater. www.indychoir.org

See you there!

-Eric

Five Days and Counting! Guest Author-Dr. Michael Davis

2011-04-10T20:56:00.004-04:00

Artistic Director Eric Stark, Bach Scholar-in-Residence Vance George and Assistant Artistic Director Michael Davis--the artistic leadership team at the helm of this week's performances of the MASS IN B MINOR

I've been blessed for over 10 years to have at my side my best musical partner, Dr. Michael Davis. Michael brings decades of experience in professional music making to our work with the Symphonic Choir. For many years a member of the professional Robert Shaw Festival Singers in residence at Carnegie Hall, Michael and I are in constant dialogue regarding the progress of the Symphonic Choir. From auditions to rehearsal planning, repertoire to scheduling, Michael's contributions span many areas of the ISC. During one of our regular "post rehearsal seminars" (which often involve libation and a late dinner!) we were looking back at the years of work that so many people have given to this organization...years of work and dedication that make taking on a masterpiece of the magnitude even possible. With Michael's permission, I wanted to share some of his eloquent thoughts with you readers.

Michael Davis: Can you believe it.....production week for the B-minor Mass is finally here! We started talking about this day during our initial conversations for ISC many years ago now. We started rehearsing this piece with the choir 7 months ago--compared to our typical 6 week cycle. We started doing actual musical run-throughs two weeks ago. After all that time, planning, and preparation, Bach's voice is really starting to dance around the room.

The energy that continues to accumulate is astounding! As I reflect on what lies ahead of us in this next week I feel my personal artistic spirit rejuvinate and re-engage, eager to meet the unique demands and rewards that only this piece can offer. That energy and excitement seems to be overtly shared by the chorus. The room is literally buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Everyone feels something special is happening with us and to us.

If you'll pardon my mixed comparison of sports and finance, bringing this work to life has been a longer term investment with a deferred return. We all have been carefully budgeting, sacrificing, and investing substantial amounts of personal time over many, many months to create this nestegg of musical richness. And that discipline is truly starting to release the magic of this work and there is no question that all of us will be deeply rewarded on many levels as we put these performances up next week.

This process has also reminded me of marathon training. We have spent so much time building techniqe and learning how to negotiate the most difficult of vocal terrains. As with endurance training, this deliberate process has built quiet strength that is so subtle it is barely noticable until we start kicking the tempos closer and closer to performance standards and realize..."ok that felt like a longer stretch, but give me one more pass and I'll keep that pace."

There is no question this coming week will set new watermarks of artistic achievement for this organization. As always, I am thrilled and equally humbled to be a part of it--so bring it on coach and see you Monday!

S.D.G.

-Michael

ES: Well said, MD! (And I particularly like his usage of Bach's abbreviation of "S.D.G."..."Soli Deo Gloria" To God Alone Be the Glory.)

ONE WEEK!

2011-04-08T08:17:00.003-04:00

One week...that's the time remaining before our performances of Bach's MASS IN B MINOR! It still feels far away-maybe that's an indication of the work yet to be accomplished.

Here's the schedule for the week:

Monday and Tuesday nights-final choral rehearsals with the most dedicated singers a person could hope to work with

Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning-solo coachings with Maria Jette, Jennifer Lane, Brian Stucki and Derrick Parker

Wednesday afternoon-rehearsal with orchestra and soloists

Wednesday evening-rehearsal with orchestra and chorus

Thursday afternoon-Choral Colloquium with Vance George and the students in my MH 520 Seminar in Choral Literature class (public invited! 2:25-4 pm in Lilly Hall room 141 at Butler)

Thursday evening-final dress rehearsal for chorus, orchestra and soloists

Friday and Saturday-8 pm performances, preceded by our Words on Music with Vance George and me at 7:15, Hilbert Circle Theater

One never undertakes a project of the complexity lightly...and the MASS IN B MINOR requires the very utmost in preparation from all participants. Demanding, yes...rewarding, without question!

The Promise of Living

2011-03-30T15:32:00.003-04:00

We've been singing some Copland lately...on tour especially, where we closed our concerts with two choruses from his opera THE TENDER LAND. Its story centers on family members at a farm in the midwest, as daughter Laurie graduates from high school and ultimately leaves her family behind to see what the world has in store for her.

The chorus "The Promise of Living" closes act I. We performed it on tour with our chamber orchestra, and have now decided to use it as our "anthem" for this spring's commencement exercises at Butler. Though its theme is farm life and bringing in the harvest, it is very meaningful in a graduation setting as well. I like it as a metaphor for our lives "in the academy," as our university president Bobby Fong likes to call it. ...by working together we'll bring in the blessings of harvest.

The lyrics are by Horace Everett:

The promise of living with hope and thanksgiving

Is born of our loving our friends and our labor.

The promise of growing with faith and with knowing

Is born of our sharing our love with our neighbor.

The promise of loving, the promise of growing

Is born of our singing in joy and thanksgiving.

For many a year we’ve know these fields

And know all the work that makes them yield.

We’re ready to work, we’re ready to lend a hand.

By working together we’ll bring in the blessings of harvest.

We plant each row with seeds of grain,

And Providence sends us the sun and the rain.

By lending a hand, by lending an arm

Bring out the blessings of harvest.

Give thanks there was sunshine, give thanks there was rain,

Give thanks we have hands to deliver the grain.

O let us be joyful, O let us be grateful to the Lord for his blessing.

The promise of living, the promise of growing

The promise of ending is labor and sharing and loving.

Butler Tour-Final Pics Post

2011-03-22T08:17:00.009-04:00

Got home last night (late). Great to be back, enjoying the warmth of so many terrific memories. More pics below. Thanks for following!

First morning in Napflion, Greece

Men of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia at Epidaurus

Kendra, Taylor, Megan and Dr. Kelton touring the tombs at Mycenae

'Bones performing with the Wind Ensemble at Parliament House in Napflion

Dan and Eric at the Parthenon

Final performance venue: Sant' Ignacio Church in downtown Rome

Butler Greece & Italy Tour--It's a Wrap!

2011-03-21T09:20:00.007-04:00

Writing this from the departure lounge in Munich, awaiting our Chicago-bound flight. It's been a fantastic trip!

This will be a short post, and I'll try to put up some pics. Yesterday, Henry Leck and I took a group of singers on a walking tour of downtown Rome...Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Pantheon. In the midst of it all was the Rome Marathon, so we ended up ducking under the police tape and dodging the runners several times as we criss-crossed the route. Coming back to the subway station to catch the train back towards our hotel, we heard an Italian community brass band playing "Stars and Stripes Forever" on the Spanish Steps!

Yesterday afternoon, the singers sang Mass at the Vatican, an inspiring and wonderful experience. We performed 5 pieces for a large crowd, including numerous cardinals. The Vatican staff runs the services very adroitly, and we were hustled from our waiting area to the choir loft very quickly.

I'll re-post with more details, but for now some pics.

Advisor (ES) and Advisee (Max Wellman) in Rome

Team Butler inspects the Trevi Fountain

Red (Casey Brege) and Black (Rachel Wendte) in Bologna

Sunbeams across the Bronze Canopy in St Peter's Basilica

Singers preparing to perform at Mass at Vatican

Butler Tour-Florence and Bologna Concert

2011-03-19T03:09:00.010-04:00

Just a quick post...will put up a few more pics. Had a great concert last night in Bologna, singing our final two selections with members of the University Choir and Orchestra. Large and appreciative audience.

Spent a few hours (!) in Florence, where the architectural and sculptural beauty is quite overwhelming. And, had a huge serving of chocolate mint and nutella flavored gelato mixed together. Yum!

Aboard the ferry boat, cruising from Patras, Greece to Ancona, Italy

Brunelleschi's famous Dome in Florence

Butler Tour Choir performs in Bologna

And we are joined by our new "Bolognese" friends for the finale

GELATO!!!

NOTE: On Sunday, March 20, at 5 pm local time (12 noon EDT) we will be singing for Mass at the Vatican. We will perform four motets in Latin, and it's supposed to be a pretty important day in the Catholic church. We've been told that the Cardinal from Rome will be in attendance this day. The Vatican website seems to have a list of events that are streamed and/or carried live via radio, if you are interested in following us.

Butler Tour Thurs March 17

2011-03-17T20:38:00.005-04:00

Looong day today...arrived via overnight ferry boat in Ancona, Italy, after very stormy and turbulent crossing. One big wave sent ALL the dishes, glasses and bottles of booze crashing to the floor in the bar. Most of the trip, however, was pretty calm and actually relaxing...a welcome relief from the fast pace of the rest of the tour thus far. (And remind me to tell about the attempted stowaways we witnessed crawling under our busses while we waited for our boarding passes!)

We arrived in Bologna around 5 pm today, and took a walking tour of the beautiful old city downtown. Following dinner in a cafeteria at the University of Bologna, we headed to an old church, now owned by the University and used by its music students, for rehearsal for tomorrow's performance. We were joined for the last hour by 10 string players and about 100 singers, all of whom folded in to our ensembles for rehearsal of "The Promise of Living" and "Stomp Your Foot" from Copland's opera THE TENDER LAND.

I rehearsed the chorus and chorus+orch on Stomp Your Foot, even getting to practice my Italiano by asking the men to sing one passage "un poco piu suave, per favore" (!)

Following rehearsal, we drove to Montecatini, where we are spending the next two nights. Tomorrow, before our concert, we have a half day trip to Florence.

Now, since this connection seems to be working quickly, let me try to post a few pics.

Our visit to the magnificent theater at Epidaurus

Graduate Choral Conducting Students Leeann Ashby and Greg Sanders admire the view from atop the Mycenean Acropolis

Stan Derusha conducts the Butler Chamber Orchestra in concert at Napflion

"Fraternity Brothers" Max Wellman and Henry Leck enjoy a post-concert meal and cheer

Butler School of Music Tour-Greece and Italy

2011-03-16T10:27:00.002-04:00

As I write this post, I'm sitting onboard the Blue Star I, our overnight passenger ferry enroute from Patras, Greece to Ancona, Italy. We left port about 90 minutes ago, so we've had a chance to have a snack and a beverage, and settle in to our (small!) cabins. [Note: our wifi connection here is quite slow, so I'm going to resist the urge to try to post any photos at this time.]

Last Saturday, members of the Butler Chorale, University Choir, Butler Symphony Orchestra and Butler Symphonic Wind Ensemble departed campus for our week-long adventure. We are a large group, so we were split into three different transatlantic flights. Despite that fact, we all arrived at our hotel, the Hotel Amalia in Napflion (two hours southwest of Athens) within an hour of each other.

Monday was our first full day, and sightseeing included the amphitheater in Epidarus (where we sang an impromptu concert to test the amazing acoustics of this phenomenal setting), and the Acropolis at Mycenae. It was a beautiful sunny day, with snow capped mountains visible off in the distance. Temperatures were in the low 60's with a gentle breeze...just perfect!

Monday evening, the Wind Ensemble and the Chamber Orchestra shared a concert. The performance took place in the town of Napflion, in what served as the first House of Parliament for Greece in the early 19th century. It was a small space, with very live acoustics. The concert was great...a terrific start to our week of performances.

Tuesday was our day in Athens, where we got to see the two year old Acropolis Museum, just at the base of the Parthenon. It's a beautiful museum, and the top floor is designed to the same dimensions of the actual Acropolis, with a recreated frieze to show an "installed" version of beautiful sculpture one would have seen on the actual building.

Tuesday evening the Chamber Choir and Butler Chamber Orchestra performed, again in the Parliament Hall. The Choir's performance was received enthusiastically, and featured works by Rutter, Handel, Durufle, Kurt Weill and Butler graduate composition student Shane Monds.

Following the performance, a number of us opted to stay in town for a late pizza dinner on the square. Henry Leck, Father Charles Allen and I, joined by our students Greg Sanders, Nora Burke, Pete Weldy, Becky Shields, Tim Jans, Max Wellman, Jacki Thering talked and laughed heartily until the wee hours!

On Thursday, we'll take our busses to Bologna where we'll rehearse for Friday's concert. More updates to come.

Meet Our Scholar-in-Residence

2011-03-09T10:30:00.003-05:00

Meet Vance George, Emmy-winning Conductor Emeritus of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, world traveler, foodie, and Hoosier! We first met Vance when he came in 2005 to conduct our acclaimed performance of the Vaughan Williams DONA NOBIS PACEM. His innate musicianship, inspiring leadership, vocal expertise and wit endeared him very quickly to the Choir. We are delighted to welcome him back as Scholar-in-Residence for our B MINOR MASS performances in April.

Be sure to arrive a little early on concert night, since Vance will be interviewed at our pre-concert talk, starting at 7:15 pm in the Wood Room at Hilbert Circle Theatre. Vance will draw upon his years of study and performance of this work, having conducted it and prepared it for Robert Shaw.

In preparation for Vance's visit, I have asked him to share some of his thoughts and reflections about the work.

Eric: Tell us about your first experience with the MASS IN B MINOR.

Vance: Robert Shaw took the work on tour. I also studied it with Shaw's teacher, Julius Herford. One can only stand in awe at this extraordinary work and extraordinary composer.

E: Do you have a favorite movement in the work?

V: Probably the closing movment Dona Nobis Pacem, though Confiteor is so amazing with the many canti firmi, imitative themes, but then there's the Crucifixus...perhaps for pure mysticism the Crucifixus. I can't choose. Sorry.

E: When conducting or preparing the chorus for the Mass in B minor, what unique challenges does it pose? What lessons does it teach us?

V: It is structure that the conductor must study, understand and teach the chorus and even more the orchestra. the thematic and contrapuntal ideas are so beautifullly worked out.

E: As we know, this is a work surrounded in mystery--why did he write it, why did he choose to create a "Catholic" complete mass setting, the fact he probably never heard the whole thing performed at once, etc. Do these unanswerable questions influence your approach to the work? Are any of your interpretive decisions impacted by them?

V: It may have been finished for a church in leipzig, that remains a controversy. My thought is simply he had to compose it. He wrote The Art of the Fugue, the Goldberg Variations and the Well-Tempered Clavier. He wrote how many cycles of cantatas. It was simply what he did and it was easy for him. No one in music history has come close to Bach's comfortable playfulness in composition, exhausting every concept of counterpoint and composition. And then there are the Passions.

E: Do you have a favorite performance or rehearsal memory of the work?

V: Every rehearsal was a joy to prepare for the performances here in San Francisco. It was however John Nelson's performance when I first came to San Francisco that was for me the most moving. (note from Eric: many in the ISC will remember Maestro John Nelson, the former ISO music director who took the orchestra and Symphonic Choir on tour to Washington DC and New York City.)

E: Some conductors utilize large ensembles for performances of this work, some use very small...even to the point of one singer per part. Do you have a preferred approach?

V: Well one per part I find curious musically and aurally. He wrote the Art of the Fugue and did not specify which instruments should be used in performance. So I think this speaks to the B minor, a very complex work and as it unfolds it moves from 5 part chorus and arias and duets to a six part chorus. The more divisi you make the weaker the effect unfortunately. It would seem a thicker texture would increase the intensity of the work but, this is not true in the mass and thus how to make the work grow in intensity.

BACK to the BACH!

2011-02-21T11:09:00.003-05:00

After a great weekend singing CREATION with the ISO (see the review in the STAR online edition--"ISO, Symphonic Choir Give Robust Performance of Haydn's CREATION"

[http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011102180409]) it's back to work we go.

Tonight we'll focus on the "Cum sancto spiritu," one of the most challenging and beautiful works in the setting. It's like the Energizer rabbit...it just keeps going and going.

Last night, the Symphonic Choir hosted the first of a series of dinners/encounters with Mass in B minor. Held at the beautiful home of ISC board member Martha Schmidt and her husband Paul, a group of about 30 church friends and neighbors gathered to listen to excerpts of the work. We also read a short excerpt from Bach's (in-) famous letter to the Leipzig Town Council in which he bemoans the musical shortcomings of his situation (check it out: "SHORT BUT MOST NECESSARY DRAFT FOR A WELL-APPOINTED MUSICIAN'S HIGH COUNCIL ; WITH CERTAIN MODEST REFLECTIONS ON THE DECLINE OF THE SAME"). We also considered the performance history of this work, likely not receiving its first full performance until more than 100 years after Bach's death. In all, it was a great evening of friends and music.

We're now less than 2 months from our performances...and best of all, I finished all my bowings in the wee hours last night!

CREATION This Friday and Saturday at ISO!

2011-02-17T10:26:00.002-05:00

Though written in the very early 19th century, Haydn's magnificent CREATION pays homage to the monuments of Baroque choral-orchestral masterworks that came before it. Through such might choruses as "Awake the Harp," "The Heavens Are Telling" and "Fulfilled At Last the Glorious Work," Haydn creates a hybrid mix of ebullient melodic panache and a sturdy contrapuntal framework.

With texts drawn from the book of Genesis and fragments of Milton's Paradise Lost, Haydn's masterpiece is a tour de force of programmatic writing ("The Representation of Chaos" which opens the work, the positively radiant orchestral "sunrise," or the bass recitative which catalogs the creation of living beings...down to the lowly worm). Coupled with one joyous chorus after the next, it's a work that sets the stage for beloved works of Mendelssohn, Brahms and others that were to follow.

Friday Feb 18 and Saturday Feb 19 at Hilbert Circle Theater, with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Snow, Ice...and Bowings

2011-02-10T12:05:00.003-05:00

We lost two rehearsals last week (one on Bach, one on Creation) and Butler was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, so that gave me a chance to try to catch up on some of my own score prep work.

Thanks to my grad student Leeann Ashby, markings for the chorus are complete and have been posted online for all choral movements (thus saving us precious rehearsal time!).

Marks for the instruments, however, are another matter. I'm behind schedule to be sure. Had hoped to have the orchestra parts complete and to the librarians by now. I might actually finish in a week or so.

In addition to putting in articulations and dynamics (Bach, like all the Baroque and even Classical composers) put in only a scant few dynamic instructions. Any conductor doing works like this has to make his or her own decisions, and then figure out a way to communicate that to the musicians. So, I put the marks in my full score, then transfer them to the instrumental parts.

Same with the bowings for the strings (see photo above). It's a time consuming process, but one that ultimately saves time, and makes the rehearsal process more efficient. So it must be done.

This week, though it's still pretty cold, at least we're able to get around. We had a great Bach rehearsal on Monday...started with the Sanctus. I'll post more about that movement later, but that may be one of my favorites in the whole work (I know, I seem to say that about EVERY movement in the B minor mass).

Back to it...

About Last Night...Rehearsal Number 4

2011-01-25T17:14:00.003-05:00

At this point in the rehearsal process--just our fourth time singing together--we're still (understandably) chasing notes around the room. The good news is that we already have sung through the entire work, at our rehearsal retreats last fall. That gave us a good context for individual study, as well as a measure of the musical mountain we're climbing!

Though obviously much learning remains, the singers are doing great. Most problems fix themselves the second time through. It's just a matter of working at a deliberate pace that allows the brain to do its work. My job, therefore, is easy. Sometimes in these early rehearsals I just stand there with my hands in my pockets, staying out of the way of the singers.

We did some woodshedding on the "Et in terra pax." This positively TRANSCENDENT movement gets me every time. Its pulsing plea for peace nudges us forward, while the coloratura passages offer a glimpse of the shimmering beauty of "peace on earth."

My teacher Jan Harrington (Professor Emeritus from the IU Jacobs School of Music) told us years ago that Bach is the best voice teacher. And I had a chat with Michael Davis about that fact last night. To sing Bach, one must be master of his or her own voice. And, in the learning of the super-challenging passages Bach has written for the singers, they come to a point of music making where technique meets aesthetic glory. Truly astounding.

And this is the music we mere mortals get to sing every week!

Bring on the Recordings!

2011-01-20T22:36:00.005-05:00

I've been asked by singers and fans of the choir what recordings I "recommend" of the B minor mass. Answering that question is not quite as easy as it sounds, since the reply depends on several things, including what mood I'm in!

Fifty or sixty years ago, during the height of the home "hi-fi" stereo system, audiophiles and classical music fans were collecting recordings made by some of the great conductors and their orchestras. Fritz Reiner and Chicago Symphony, Charles Münch and Boston, Malcolm Sargent and London Philharmonic. Their large ensembles and massive sounds delighted the owners of these hi-fi's, who no doubt luxuriated in the fullness of sound in their own homes.

Thirty or forty years ago, some fans of 18th century (and earlier) music, began to question the appropriateness of playing such music with super-large ensembles, and performing it upon instruments that grew in size and sound output in the 19th and 20th centuries. These wonderings eventually led to what became known as "historically informed" performances...playing so-called "early" music with ensembles and instruments that are more akin to what a composer of such music might have experienced.

Soon, listeners could collect recordings with just dozens of instruments instead of over one hundred, and equally few singers. Conductor and scholar Joshua Rifkin was among the first to raise the possibility that Bach used only one singer per part for most Leipzig performances of his work. Though there is not complete agreement on this point, the facts do seem to support Rifkin's hypothesis, at least in part.

So, today, one can hear a wide swath of recordings of B minor mass (and other 18th century works). Some are with huge ensembles, some with very small, and some in between.

Rather than devote myself exclusively to one camp or the other, I like to mix it up. Here's a sample of what I'm listening to, with a little description of what each is like. Happy listening!

Helmuth Rilling, conductor, with the Stuttgart Bach Collegium (there are a couple different recordings out there). Rilling records with a choir of about 50, and "modern" instruments. However, his performers are stylistically very sensitive. The result is a recording that has the power of larger ensembles with the agility of small ones.

Robert Shaw, conductor, with soprano Sylvia McNair and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Choir numbers about 60, but Shaw utilizes a "concertist/ripienist" division which deploys a smaller chorus for contrapuntal expositions, bringing in the tutti a bit later on. Though not everyone agrees with this approach, it is a good way to help underscore the architecture of the music. Tempi are a bit slower on this recording than most of my others.

Masaaki Suzuki, conductor, with Bach Collegium Japan. This group performs with a small choir, probably less than 20, and players utilize period instruments and play at baroque pitch. I really enjoy his recordings...energetic, tempi on the brisk side, high technical mastery displayed by all performers. (NOTE: SUZUKI AND THE BCJ ARE PERFORMING THE B MINOR MASS AT VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY ON MARCH 19...DON'T MISS IT!!)

John Butt, conductor, Dunedin Consort and Players. Choir is one on a part, period instruments at baroque pitch. Very fine recording, if one doesn't mind missing the choral texture.

You probably have your own favorite...and that's great! It amazes me how great music triumphs almost no matter what we do to it; large ensemble or small, modern pitch or baroque, the miracle of this music comes through.

Lunch with the New Maestro

2011-01-16T19:05:00.015-05:00

1 FRIDAY...BERLIN-->BAMBERG-->FRANKFURT

My time in Berlin was coming to an end, but before returning to the US, I had one more day of new sites ahead of me. At the suggestion of Symphonic Choir Board of Directors President Peter Fellegy, and with the help of Kathleen Custer at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, I had been invited to meet Krzysztof Urbanski, ISO Music Director Designate, in Bamberg, Germany today. Maestro Urbanski is conducting the Bamberg Symphony concerts this weekend, so he had traveled there from his current home city of Warsaw.

Leaving Berlin shortly before 8 am, I took the ICE train for a four hour ride south and a bit east, arriving in the small city of Bamberg around noon. Stowing my bags in the lockers at the station, I hailed a cab, and arrived at the concert hall during the musicians’ break. As I got situated in the concert hall, I had a chance to meet the principal viola player for the orchestra, an American woman from Spokane. A graduate of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, she moved to Vienna and has been in Europe for over 20 years, playing in several fine orchestras. We talked about Krzysztof, and she reported that the orchestra had been very impressed with his work.

Rehearsal began, the Lutoslawski Cello Concerto, an aggressive and modern work. It was great to hear the soloist, Clemens Hagen, and the orchestra pull the piece together from what may have been their first reading. I enjoyed watching Krzysztof work very much. Clearly in command of this challenging material, his rehearsal style was direct and effective, moving quickly and always serving as a sensitive accompanist to the soloist.

One favorite moment: the work begins, after an extended cello cadenza, with jolts of very fast, short, sharply repeated notes from different brass instruments, one after the other. They began, trombone played its notes, then it was the trumpet’s turn—“tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat”. Without dropping a beat, Krzysztof called out “it’s just FIVE notes please.” Giggles and smiles all around.

At rehearsal’s end, I re-introduced myself (we had met at the ISO’s public announcement of Kryzsztof’s appointment last fall) and we headed to lunch. Neither one of us knew exactly where to go, but with a little luck, and the help of a friendly cab driver, we ended up in a cozy restaurant in the heart of the “old city.” Our tasty lunch…beef for him and “Schnitzel im Bamberger Art” for me, accompanied by beer of course…was delicious, and a perfect way for us to become acquainted.

We had great conversation, talking about favorite pieces and composers (he’s a champion of Polish composers, naturally), our various paths to music (he didn’t attend music school until age 12, very late in the European system), musical backgrounds, etc. One thing I am always curious to know is how conductors study their scores…such an individual thing, and since that task is a never-ending one, I’m always looking for helpful hints. Krzysztof works from a piano to learn his scores, doesn’t listen to recordings until after he’s made his own interpretive decisions, and marks his own parts with articulations and bowings (his wife, Joanna, helps him with that for now, but I have a feeling he’ll be hiring a scribe/copyist soon, in order to keep up with his fast burgeoning career).

He was eager to hear about the Symphonic Choir, so we talked about our typical seasons (8-10 different productions annually, about half of those with the Orchestra), number of singers (roster of 140-160 typically, all volunteer) and our board. Among the things that make me most proud of the ISC is the enthusiasm and flexibility our singers show. Though I rehearse the singers to within an inch of their lives, they are always willing to try it a different way when an orchestra conductor requests it. So I tried to give him a little sense of what to look forward to as we work together in the coming seasons.

Maestro Urbanski is young…just 28 years old. However he has an impressive resume of experience and work already, conducting in Houston, Chicago and Indy, and in numerous cities around the world. One-on-one, he is naturally at ease, quick to laugh, and very gracious. I felt lucky to spend such quality time with him, and know that my singers, and the musical community in Indy, will become his fans and supporters in short order.

(Old town Bamberg)

2 HEADING HOME, AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BLOG

After lunch, another train ride, this time back to Frankfurt, then flight home next morning.

As I reflect upon the last ten days, I'm left with two "big ideas."

1) I am very lucky. To get to travel, to see and experience places, people and culture, to get to study and play music like this...I am humbly grateful for these opportunities.

And, 2) In this trip, I have encountered the extremes of humanity...from the glorious miracle of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to the unthinkable nightmare of the holocaust. Though separated by 200 years, I realize the juxtaposition of these events underscores the timeless universality of the MASS IN B MINOR. Its closing moments contain a message that is both fervent plea and hopeful assurance: Dona nobis pacem.

Pacem indeed.

Somehow, Bach knew we'd need to hear that in 2011.

2 NEXT UP ON THE BLOG

As promised some posts ago, I'll continue putting up information I find interesting or enlightening pertaining to the MASS IN B MINOR as I prepare for our April performances. Stuff I'm reading, stuff we're working on in rehearsal, stuff my students uncover, interviews with our performers, that sort of thing.

But next time I thought I'd answer a question some of our singers and choir fans have been asking me, namely what recording do I recommend for those wanting to get better acquainted with this magnificent work? I think I own close to a dozen different recordings, and there are way more than that out there. Everything from huge orchestras and monstrous choirs to chamber ensembles and one singer per part. We'll think about the differences between one approach or the other, and hopefully point you toward something you might enjoy.

Till then, thanks again for reading, commenting, sharing with friends.

-Eric

Berlin on Thursday

2011-01-15T15:21:00.015-05:00

(Berlin Opera House)

1 HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM

Wishing to make a further dent in our list, we started our day early, taking the U-bahn and arriving at the downtown Holocaust Memorial before 10 am (well, early by “Vacation Standard Time” I guess). Installed in 2005, the memorial is a composite of over 2,000 rectangular stone monoliths, arranged in neat rows upon an undulating plaza. The stones have no carving or plaques, nor are there any signs to speak of. Instead, the memorial is blankly quiet, as if to invite the visitor’s inquiry and personal reflection.

I had all kinds of images in mind as I walked through the memorial…the lines of barracks buildings I’ve seen in concentration camp photos, columns of headstones in a cemetary, and of course the many victims whose names are yet unknown to us.

(Holocaust Memorial with Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag in the background. The contemporary frame dome atop the Reichstag is the recent addition by contemporary architect Norman Foster, housing an observation deck and echoing the silhouette of the original dome, lost in the 1933 fire.)

Also part of the Memorial is an underground museum, beneath the field of stones. In a striking moment of architectural inspiration, the

museum ceiling is cast as an echo of the above ground stone topography, as if the monoliths above had been pushed up from the space below. The iconic visual device helps keep those whom we honor close to mind.

In addition to presenting some of the facts of the holocaust, the museum helps its visitors understand the tragedy at a personal level, by dedicating two large rooms to historical pictures of families, reproductions of letters, telegrams and deportation orders and information about their fates, if known. Though the facts are devastating to contemplate, we found these presentations did their work in a manner that was effective and honorable.

Across the street from the memorial is large city park, Tiergarten (“Animal Garden,” since the city zoo is contained in it). Among the many monuments it contains are the Goethe Monument and a new Memorial to Homosexual Victims of the Holocaust. The plaque next to it reads, in part: For many years, the homosexual victims of National Socialism were not included in public commemorations—neither in the Federal Republic of Germany nor in the German Democratic Republic….With this memorial, the Federal Republic of Germany intends to honor the victims of persecution and murder, to keep alive the memory of this injustice, and to create a lasting symbol of opposition to enmity, intolerance and the exclusion of gay men and lesbians. The starkly plain construction of this Memorial recalls the design of the Holocaust Memorial just across the street. Through the small opening in the side, one views a looped video image of two men embracing, recorded at the actual site in the park where the monument stands.

2 MUSEUMINSEL

Our next goal was the Pergamon Museum, located on a sliver of island in the River Spree. Walking through the Brandeburg Gate and down the grand promenade, we passed the US Embassy, the Opera House and a very glitzy Mercedes dealership!

The “Museum Island” contains Berlin’s largest collections of fine art, in several classical buildings. Adjacent is the Berlin Cathedral.

The Pergamon Museum houses two significant archeological finds from Turkey: the Pergamon Altar (a nearly 400' long frieze) and the Market Gate of Miletus. The enormity of these two installations is breathtaking.

Also located in the Pergamon is the Ishtar Gate, from the wall that ringed the ancient city of Babylon. Excavated in the 1930's, the gate is 47' high and 100' feet wide. Jon and I liked the shiny animal reliefs installed among the bright blue bricks.

From the museum it was a short walk up the street to the Jewish Synagogue of Berlin. Built originally at the end of the 19^th century, the synagogue was torched during the Kristalnacht raid of November, 1939. Further irreparable damage was inflicted during the bombing raids of the war, and though the bulk of the building was lost, the front façade remained relatively intact. After reunification, a restoration and reconstruction project was undertaken, rebuilding the front part of the synagogue, including the beautiful cupola, 100 feet above street level.

Out and About: Wednesday in Berlin

2011-01-15T01:31:00.012-05:00

1 MORE FOOD

Okay, okay, before the high level cultural stuff, a little more about one culinary experience that was a surprising highlight of the day. At the conclusion of our city tour, we were deposited on one of Berlin's main shopping streets, where we did a little "pre-shopping" and soaking up the local color. Just a block from our hotel is the department store Ka-De-We (an abbreviation for German words meaning "Store of the West"). This eight-story complex reminded us of Harrod's...huge floors of goods for men, women, kids, household items, gifts, and more. Up on one of the top floors is where they keep all the gourmet items. So, up we went!

When we got there, we were greeted with sensory overload. The entire floor was a network of areas, islands, aisles and displays all arranged by food "themes." There were distinct whole areas for cheeses (more than 1,200 varieties in all, the store boasts), chocolates, tea, coffee, wine, bread, caviar, cured meats, seafood, sushi, Chinese cuisine, beer and more. Each area had rows of items for purchase, plus a counter/cooler area attended by store staff, who would cut to order whatever one might request. Food for eating on the spot was also available at these food counters, and drawn by the savory smell of melty cheese, we pulled up to the counter for a bite to eat. We shared a large casserole dish of diced potatoes, bacon and onion in a rich cream sauce, topped with cheese that had been sent to the broiler before being served to us so it had a yummy cheese crust on top. Washed down with glass of ice cold pilsner...we had to pry ourselves away, knowing our real dinner was not too far off.

2 WEDNESDAY SIGHT SEEING

Today would be our first day to work on our “list” of many things we wanted to see in Berlin. At my request, we started off to see Checkpoint Charlie, the infamous border crossing between East and West Berlin. To get there, we took the U-bahn, Berlin’s subway, for the first time. Easy to navigate, we made our way across town in short order.

As we approached the checkpoint, we had a chance to view numerous signs along the sidewalk, complete with actual historical pictures. These panels told the story of the wall, from its installation in

1961 to its removal in 1989. There was one of NYC graffiti artist Keith Haring, and another of Mstislav Rostropovich playing Bach(!) on the cello just days after the wall had come down.

Following a double row of bricks embedded in the pavement to trace the wall’s former course,

we made our way to the “Topographie des Terrors,” a museum at the site of the former Nazi police headquarters. There, a section of the wall has been left standing.

Displayed inside the museum are photographs and historical documents preserving the history of the SA and SS, and the inhuman treatment of so many. The excellent presentation, though profoundly sobering in its content, was well organized and rich.

A short walk to Potsdammer Platz brought us to a large, upscale shopping center. Viewing the soaring glass atriums, escalators and department stores, it was difficult to imagine the transformation that has occurred in the last (barely) 20 years.

After a tasty stop at a café for a mid-afternoon meal, we found a great ice cream stand, selling various Italian style gelato flavors. I had a mix of chocolate with tiramisu (complete with actual lady fingers mixed in with the ice cream) and Jon bravely sampled the chili-pepper flavored chocolate…as spicy as any Thai dish we’ve had in a while!

I'll Make this Quick...

2011-01-14T16:36:00.002-05:00

What a week! The sights, the architecture, the art, the food, the language, the fun. If only I had a reliable internet connection to share it all with you!

As I write this, I'm at my airport hotel before tomorrow morning's flight to USA. Apparently I can't upload pictures from here, so I think I'm going to wait till I arrive at home tomorrow and have my speedy connection in my living room to blast pics and stories to everyone.

Just the highlights since last we "spoke": city tour of Berlin, Brandenburg Gate, Holocaust Memorial and Museum, Pergamon Museum, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall, Tiergarten, Museum Island, Berlin City Synagogue, Shopping, Schnitzel, Pizza and oh yeah, beer!

Thanks for following (and commenting!) Till tomorrow...

Good Morning Berlin

2011-01-12T05:02:00.003-05:00

Just a quick post this morning before we head out to do some city sightseeing. We arrived in Berlin Monday evening and made our way to our hotel in the Shoeneberg area of the city. We are one block from Ka-De-We, the largest department store in continental Europe, and numerous additional fun looking shops. Tuesday we took a city tour, giving us the chance to get our bearings, locating such sites as Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, and the Museum Island (home to the Pergamon Museum among others, and where we're headed today).

One of my Butler colleagues, David Murray, was here last fall, and recommended a wonderful restaurant where we ate yesterday, "More," just about a block from our hotel. Decorated in a rich red color with deep arm chairs at every table, it was cozy and delicious. Jon ordered the Wiener Schnitzel (yup, even though we're not in Vienna, this item seems to be on every menu in Gemany!) and I had Rouladen, a beef roll-up in rich dark gravy, accompanied with mashed potatoes and diced red cabbage. The small restaurant felt very homey, with patrons sitting and sipping coffee or a glass of wine till 11:30 pm. We were made to feel very welcome in "our" neighborhood haunt.

Promise that I'll put up some pics at the next post...the upload speed here in the hotel is quite slow, so it'll work better for me to do it when I have a little time to watch the spinning pinwheel on the screen!

Till later....

PS...I had a dream in (very) broken German last night. Just as in my real life experiences on the street, I spent most of the dream apologizing to folks for the fact that I don't speak the language very well!

Bach and Mendelssohn

2011-01-10T13:51:00.012-05:00

1 GOTTESDIENST...

...is the German word for "worship service." This would be my final opportunity to visit St. Thomas, and I was eager to have the full Sunday morning experience in Bach's home church.

Having studied Bach and his music as students, we are taught several hard and fast facts: 1) church started early "back in the day," usually at 7 am; 2) services were long, lasting often more than 3 hours; and 3) the cantata was performed just before (or after) the sermon...or on special Sundays when an extended cantata would have been featured, half before and half after the sermon.

So, none of these was true this day. The worship service began at 9:30 am (reason enough to give thanks!), it was slightly over an hour in length (though the additional service for communion added an extra 30 minutes or so) and the choir did not sing an entire cantata. Rather, they performed the concluding chorale from Cantata #1 WIE SCHOEN LEUCHTET DIE MORGENSTERN. In addition, they sang several other motets and hymns throughout the service.

The sermon lasted about 20 minutes. *I think* the minister was talking about the shift away from the celebrations of Christmastide...it was the first Sunday after Epiphany after all. He also noted the upcoming vote in southern Sudan...I believe framed in reference to the reunification of Germany 20 years ago. However, as I was only able to understand about every fifth word, a lot of this is conjecture!

Following the service, Jon and I found a cafe for a bit of coffee ("milchkaffe"...frothy, smooth and sweet) and a bite to eat. Seated on the main town square, it was a perfect spot to people watch--families, young couples, folks walking dogs (and bringing them inside the restaurant)...all seemed so naturally organic and at ease. Very relaxing!

2 NIKOLAIKIRCHE

The St. Nicholas Church was one of the four in Bach's care, and during his lifetime one could see one from the other. They're not very far apart, in fact. However, the many tall buildings, hotels and shops constructed in the last 200 years mean one has to thread one's way through the streets and alleys to get from one to the other.

The Nicholas Church is actually a bit bigger than St. Thomas, though the exterior is less ornate.

Once inside, the 18th century renovations are immediately evident. The entire interior has been recast in a classical motif. Bright, airy colors and lots of natural light. Even the gothic columns have been given roman treatment, with ornate green palm leaves on top.

3 MENDELSSOHN HOUSE

As my time in Leipzig was nearing its end, I knew I wouldn't be able to hit all the places on my wish list (Opera, Gewandhaus Orchestra Hall, Schumann House). Figuring we had time for just one more, we decided to go visit the Mendelssohn House, where Felix lived the last years of his life. This way, we'd at least walk past the Opera and the Orchestra Hall.

Guided by well-placed street signs, we work our way to the Mendelssohn house, located less than a quarter mile from the Gewanhaus (Mendlessohn was the conductor of that orchestra in its original home). The Mendelssohn museum, located on the first floor of his house, occupies the same space used by the composer as his living quarters for the final years of his life, and in which he died in 1847.

We saw lots of fascinating items: original furniture owned by Mendelssohn and his family (much of it Beidermeier), gifts (including a beautiful chest from England), handwritten musical manuscripts (including this one from ELIJAH, the Part II aria "Hear Ye, Israel") and watercolors by the composer after his trips to Italy.

Our last full day in Leipzig concluded with a nice meal at "Bar Fusz," a clubby place with typical Saxon fare, plus just about anything else one could imagine...Thai, Italian, pizzas, etc. On Monday, we take the train to Berlin for several days of sightseeing.

A Sunny Saturday in Leipzig

2011-01-08T17:44:00.009-05:00

The sun came out for the first time today! To celebrate, we took this picture from our hotel room, out the window overlooking the courtyard and a beautiful 19th century church next door.

Big day today--haircut (19 euros) and met Jon upon his arrival at the train station. His flight from Dulles (through Copenhagen) deposited him in Berlin at 9 am, and he transferred to the Berlin train station for the 90 minute ICE (Inter City Express) train to Leipzig. Great to have him here!

While he caught up on a little sleep, I attended today's "Motette" service back at St. Thomas. The choir, which performed on the front steps of the chancel yesterday, today was located in its usual spot, the choir loft, up and behind the congregation. They have more room up there, which was needed for members of the famed Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, on hand to provide accompaniment for the cantata that closed the service.

I again arrived early, while the boys were finishing up a little rehearsing.

The service included some of the music I heard yesterday, and added Bach's Cantata #32, "Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen." This work, like several Bach wrote, depicts a conversation between "the soul" (sung by a soprano soloist) and Jesus (sung always by a bass). At first expressing doubts as to the constant presence of the Lord ("Dear Jesus, my longing, tell me where I can find you"), the work ends, as is typical, with a jubilant celebration of Jesus' constant presence in the lives of the faithful (Soul: "Now I will never let you go." Jesus: "And I will keep you always near me.")

After a quick swim in the hotel pool, Jon and I headed into town to give him his first look at the sights. We took in the St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches, the Old City Hall, and numerous architectural wonders, as Jon was quick to point out!

Finally, we arrived at our dining destination, Auerbachs Keller (Auerbach's Cave). This underground restaurant is located within one of the many covered passageways that criss-cross the downtown area. Leipzig having been a major business center for centuries, these enclosed "alleys" are filled with stores, shops and cafes, and give one the chance to escape the wind, rain or snow.

Auerbach's is famous for its inclusion in the famous Goethe tragedy "Faust." This centuries-old restaurant is the first place the devil (Mephistopheles) brings the old scholar Faust in his quest for excitement and life's meaning. "Mephisto" enchants a group of intoxicated students gathered in the restaurant, and Faust rides away atop a barrel of wine.

My interest in this place is especially keen, since my dissertation topic, Hector Berlioz's musical setting of the Faust legend, gave me a chance to research it. And I wasn't disappointed! As you can see from the photos, it's a place that basks in its own history. Faust portraits and trinkets adorn each of the rooms. And the "cellar" atmosphere makes it feel like a cozy hideaway.

We each started with a bowl of yummy french onion soup, waaaay overloaded with tasty cheese and crunchy bread, but who's complaining?? Jon had a venison entree (on the recommendation of a colleague of his) and I had an "au gratin" plate, beef and lamb with potatoes, mushrooms and cheese, served bubbling hot. And all washed down with cold beer...who could ask for more?

Tomorrow morning brings a 9:30 worship service at St. Thomas. Eager to experience the Sunday routine in Bach's church! Thanks to all who've posted comments on the posts...so happy to be able to share the experience with you.

Finally, a photo we took in one of the lobby "salons" at our hotel, the Fuerstenhof, originally a banker's mansion from the 18th century.

Bach Rules!

2011-01-07T16:48:00.010-05:00

1 FRÜHSTÜCK

After a great night's sleep, I started out this on a different route into the heart of the city center. Along the way, I passed numerous antique shops and an enormous construction site (for the city's new major construction project, an underground tunnel from the main train station to the southern part of the city), and found myself in a small, charming little coffee shop/bakery where I had a light breakfast. Tasty "milchcaffe" and jelly-filled pastry (New Year's resolution on hold till I get home). All for about 3 Euros (about $4.50). Not bad!

Next, it was time to "meet" Bach's church for real. Retracing my steps from last night, I greeted the statue, then made a quick detour to the Bach Museum to confirm the time of the museum tour this afternoon.

Signs hanging outside the church entrance helped frame the historical significance.

Following a noisy tour group inside the tour, I was surprised to see an actual wedding taking place at the same time. At the far end of the nave, I realized that the wedding party likely couldn't hear any of the noise of the tourists, so we all quietly looked around, snapping photos.

The huge church boasts a roof pitch steeper than any other in Germany, 63%, and its neogothic design is most readily apparent in the wooden ribbed vaults in the triple nave ceiling.

To the right hand side of the photo above is a series of beautiful stained glass windows, each dedicated to prominent figures in church and city history. Included are Martin Luther, Felix Mendelssohn and (of course) our composer.

One of the advantages to visiting a church during a wedding ceremony is that the lights are all on. Another is that there is music! Though both organs at Saint Thomas were installed after Bach's lifetime, the newer one, from the year 2000, was intended to be typical of the organs Bach would have known. In fact, it was constructed and installed for the 250th anniversary of Bach's death, in 2000. And, it was the instrument being used to provide accompaniment for the wedding.

It was stunning, STUNNING to hear and see it in action. I'll try to get a clip of it posted in the next day or two.

Near the top of the pipe-work, you can see the fancy script design that Bach used, recreated by the organ builder for this instrument. Really nice touch! It was so wonderful simply to sit there and soak it all in, I stayed for about 90 minutes, well past the end of the wedding, taking pictures, listening to more music, exploring. Next it was time for a trip to the giftshop and more pictures around the outside of the church. (ie, statue of Felix Mendelssohn)

2 MITTAGESSEN

Later in the afternoon, I took part in a guided tour of the Bach Museum. Located just across the street from the church, this opened only 6 months ago, and is a wonderful overview of Bach's time and work in Leipzig. The curation is very well done, with English translation of all the signage. There's a great display on paper and ink analysis, too. This is an important area in Bach scholarship, as only recently have experts been able to correctly date numerous works and letters from the composer. An authorized copy of the famed Hausmann portrait of Bach hangs in the first room, where one can also see a copy of the infamous letter of "complaint" Bach wrote to the Leipzig town council. In it, he requests greater funding for his musicians, whom one cannot expect to work for nothing.

3 ABENDESSEN

I made sure I was near the front of the line for entrance to the church for the evening concert/service, called "Motette." Given each week on Fridays and Saturdays, these programs recall Evensong in their construction...some speaking, reading and praying, but mostly lots of music!

Leading the service was the Choir of St. Thomas, the very choir that Bach led for so many years. Comprised of about 50 boys and young men (ages 6-18, I'm guessing), they started with two movements of the motet JESU, MEINE FREUDE, singing a cappella. I was impressed with the strength of the singing...clear, solid, youthful sounding. And I noticed that many of the boys, including some of the youngest, were singing this challenging repertoire without any printed music. I guess having learned it over 250 years ago pays some dividends!

Other music in the service included the JS Bach arrangement of Telemann's JAUCHZET DEM HERRN, ALLE WELT and a contemporary work for 4-part chorus and string bass by Heinz Werner Zimmerman. This was very intriguing, with the chorus singing in a usual fashion...homophonic, chordal statements, with a recognizable cantus firmus in one voice or another. But the string bass played everything pizzicato, and in a rhythmic way that gave the whole work a slightly jazzy feel. I'm definitely going to check this piece out when I get home. The organ postlude was the Vierne Toccata in D, Op. 14, played at the much larger (and more romantically voiced) organ from the back balcony.

As it was a service rather than a strict concert, the audience ("Gemeinde," as we were called in the program) were expected to participate. We sang Psalms, and chanted the Lord's Prayer in German (grateful that the words were printed..."Vater unser im Himmel....") The participation factor-particular singing and chanting in German-raised the experience to an authentic level. More than a museum piece, I was there, taking part in a continuous history of worship and music that has also been shared by so many...great thinkers, historical figures, and me.

After the service, I stopped by the table to buy a CD, and met a charming member of the choir who was working as "shop keeper." He was probably 11 or 12. I made my best attempt to inquire (in German) if there was a CD with the music of Zimmerman on it, and the young man replied in very good English! Grateful for the help, we spoke for a couple moments...he said he had been in the choir 5 years already, and that they have rehearsal every day for 2 hours. What a life!

Found a great spot down the street for pizza, salad and beer to cap off a great day in the city. Looking forward to my partner Jon's arrival in Leipzig tomorrow...now I may be able to post a photo with one of us in it!

Here It Is!

2011-01-06T15:41:00.006-05:00

Dateline-Leipzig, Germany

Hot off the presses, this picture, taken by me tonight of the famed Saint Thomas Church where Bach worked. Once I got my bearings, it was just about a 10 minute walk from my hotel, the Fuerstenhof, to the church, with a light freezing drizzle as accompaniment. Even in the dark, the edifice impresses. Walking around to the side, one meets the image of the composer, in a bigger than life size sculpture. Pictures of that (and more of the church) tomorrow, I promise!

Bach's "church job" was quite unlike any I've ever had. He was actually responsible for music in several churches in Leipzig all at once, and he (and his compositions) would rotate from one to the next week after week, and give the ability to Bach to pool his musical resources together for special services.

I was able to walk the short distance to the Nikolai Church...one of Bach's such other churcher, and another striking work of architecture (too dark for pics...tune back in tomorrow) before heading back to the Saint Thomas area for a german dinner of schnitzel and beer. Yum!

Just a couple more items for today, since most of the last 36 hours have been spent in transit. Flight from Detroit to Frankfurt was smooth, and the nice thing about the Frankfurt airport is you can catch your long distance trains to other German cities right there, without having to go into downtown Frankfurt and its main rail terminal.

The four hour trip by rail up to Leipzig was great, with stops every 30 minutes or so in numerous small (formerly East German) towns...lots of onion-domed churches to be seen from the window. We even made a stop in Eisenach, Bach's birthplace, as prominently noted on the station sign below.

Next, check out the picture of the arrival hall at the Leipzig train station...I heard someone say it's the largest in Germany.

Underneath the level at which I took that photo, there are three more stories of shopping.

Finally, I'll close with a picture of my hotel, right next to a lovely 19th century church, whose bells were tolling as I walked past on my way to the hotel from the train station. A fitting welcome, I'd say!

Departure Day

2011-01-05T12:15:00.012-05:00

1 MY BAGS ARE PACKED

Today, Jan 5, I'm headed to Germany. Leipzig, Germany, to be exact. About 2 hours by train south of Berlin. And, the city where Bach lived and worked for the last 27 years of his life, 1723-1750.

I've been to Germany before, but never to any of the Bach cities. With some down time before the semester starts at Butler, this seemed like the perfect chance to rectify that situation. In Leipzig, I'll attend services and concerts at Tomaskirche, (Saint Thomas Church) where he worked. I understand that there have been some significant renovations to the building in the 250+ years since his day. Still, it's sure to be a "pinch yourself" moment in person! Stay tuned to this blog for detailed posts about the trip each day.

2 THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MASS IN B MINOR

Most of Bach's works were written for particular events/occasions, which we can positively identify. Cantatas for particular services in the Lutheran liturigcal cycle, secular works for community festivities, keyboard works for teaching, etc.

Not so for the Mass in B minor. It's just not possible to say why this complete work was created (though for many of the movements based on pre-existent material, we DO know for what services/events they were composed). It's likely, in fact, that the complete Mass in B minor was never performed during the composer's lifetime.

I've been intrigued by this notion. What other "great works" of humanity are we unable to explain?

(from upper left: Stonehenge in Great Britain, Nazca monkey figure in Peru, Easter Island figures off the coast of Chile)

Further inquiry turns up further questions. For example, it was common practice in Leipzig for the Lutheran services to contain performances of musical settings of the Missa (Kyrie and Gloria texts from the Roman Catholic Mass liturgy), but complete settings of the entire Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie and Gloria, plus Credo, Sanctus/Benedictus and Agnus Dei) were not the norm. Was Bach's intention to compose a work for someplace other than Leipzig? And, close examination of the composer's manuscript copy shows four distinct, and some have argued "separate" compositions, loosely bound together in one score: Missa, Symbolum Nicenum (Credo), Sanctus, and Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Dona Nobis Pacem. Was it even Bach's intention that all these elements be considered as one complete, very major work (and one unlike anything else he is known to have written)? Or is it possible that the composer viewed them as four distinct compositions, separable in performance, only residing together in the manuscript by virtue of the shared text?

Scholars have given us all kinds of valuable and interesting hypotheses on this, and other, questions. And we'll take some of them up in greater detail in future posts to this blog.

3 A PERSONAL NOTE

I'll end today's post with the following thought: it has been remarked that the Mass in B minor is one of the greatest works of all time. As a 19th century publisher remarked, "The Greatest Artwork of All Times and All Peoples." As an achievement of the human race, it's up there with the Mona Lisa, the Parthenon, Great Wall of China, Shakespeare's sonnets and the Constitution of the United States.

And yet, there's so much we don't know about it.

I'll look forward to learning--and sharing--more about this magnificent creation with you in the posts to follow.

2011-01-02T21:13:00.005-05:00

ENCOUNTERS WITH BACH

I love my job. Not only do I work with wonderfully dedicated and talented musicians day in and out, I get to study, rehearse and perform the greatest music ever written. As conductor of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir (www.indychoir.org) I receive this amazing privilege again and again. Already this season I've led performances of Rachmaninoff's ALL-NIGHT VIGIL and Handel's MESSIAH.

And now I get the privilege of conducting two performances of JS Bach's MASS IN B MINOR with the Symphonic Choir (ISC) and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO), on April 15-16, 2011.

This humbling opportunity is one to which I've aspired for decades. My first experience with this masterpiece came in fall of 1988 when, as a new student in the Master's in Choral Conducting degree program at Indiana University, I had the great fortune of being cast in Dr. Jan Harrington's University Singers (despite the fact that I had no voice to speak of!), and our first concerts were performances of this very work.

In the years since that time, I've had the B minor mass on my "list." Yet I've wanted to make sure I was ready for the many challenges, musical/scholarly/spiritual, it would present. So after many years of training and study, and even more years "in the profession," the time is at hand. Gulp!

Conducting anything--the shortest octavo, the simplest chorale--requires an intense investment of time, energy and effort. The standing up and waving of the arms is, in many ways, the least part of the process (though it IS the part through which the fruits of the preparation are revealed). Conducting a major work like this is a combination of score study, research, listening, more score study, thoughtful reflection, rehearsals, further score study, inquiry, and preparing one's psyche to approach the performances with a centered calm that will admit the impulse of the muse, if one is so lucky.

This process is one that has always been rewarding to me, even apart from the riches of the on-stage experience.

So, for those who may be interested--my singers, my students, fans of this incredible work--I'll endeavor to record on this blog some of my own journey for the next months. Stuff I'm listening to, stuff I'm reading, seeing, thinking, I'll share that here, in hopes that in some way, you may be brought closer to a work which holds so much profound meaning to so many.

2009-03-07T21:46:00.002-05:00

Oklahoma City, OK

We're here for the American Choral Directors' Association National Convention, a biennial event that is this year a celebration of ACDA's 50's anniversary. The organization's HQ is here in Oke City, hence the convention is here this year as well.

First, the important stuff...the weather's been great :) It was in the mid-80's when we arrived on Thursday. Pretty windy, but that's to be expected (remember how the song goes?!). I'm in a hotel in "Bricktown," an entertainment district with hotels, ball park, and a San Antonio style river-walk. It's a short hike to the convention center for sessions, and another ten minutes to the Civic Center Concert Hall for most of our performances.

Second...the concerts, always the interesting part of these events! Each choir gets a 30 minute slot, and concert sessions usually have 4 choirs in a two-hour block. The first day, we heard a group from Great Britain, "Voces8," made up of only 8 singers...six guys, and two women. Interesting way to slice it up, since usually the really top choirs are equally balanced men/women, or all one way or the other. They sang a mix of things, but by the time we arrived, they were doing their "pop" set.

Thursday night, we saw an impressive performance of the Vaughan Williams "Dona Nobis Pacem," alongside a new work from Dominic Argento, "Cenotaph." From an afternoon session I attended featuring the composer, I learned that a cenotaph (literally meaning "empty grave") is a sort of remote grave marker...think the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC, for example. Collecting poetry from WWI poet (and Wilfred Owen mentor) Siegfried Sassoon, Sara Teasdale and others, Argento has created a haunting, effective 30 minute work, if one that is a bit hindered by its consistently moderate tempo. The chorus we heard sing these works was comprised of multiple collegiate and community works, with nearly 300 singers. They had an impressive sound.

Today we heard some really fine groups, including a choir from Lawrence University (WI), a Texas high school choir conducted by identical twin brothers (!), a lively all-female group from Venezuela and a very fine professional group from Incheon City, Korea. They wore beautiful silk outfits, women in light/royal blue, men in a beautiful deep purple. They were probably one of the best groups we heard all convention...they opened with a Korean language piece arranged by the conductor, and their set also included a recent work by US phenom, Eric Whitacre, "When David Heard." The ovation was strong and sustained, and well-deserved.

Friday morning we attended a special "Peace Event" arranged by ACDA. Taking place at the former site of the Murrah Federal Building, the event featured Conspirare, a Texas-based professional group led by Craig Hella Johnson. Johnson's artistic vision is incredible and eclectic. A few years ago, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir performed his setting of Bette Midler's "The Rose" interwoven with the familiar "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming." The event was simply one of the most meaningful things I've ever experienced. As we arrived on site, the morning sun was warming the still-damp ground, and the three churches which surround the site all had their bells pealing. Entering the site, we were immediately surrounded by music, including a beautiful musical jumble of chimes, gregorian chant, and fragments of Durufle's "Ubi Caritas," sung by individual members of the choir in their own, individual tempi. As we angled around the reflecting pool for a place to stand and observe, we noted a troupe of college age dancers, all clad in black. Their slow, measured movements throughout the ceremony added a rich visual counterpoint. Along with the dance there was music ("Requiem" by Eliza Gilkyson, written after the Indonesian tsunami, and "Peace Like a River," sung by all in attendance), and spoken words, read by Eric Whitacre and Anton Armstrong (and others), and by us. One particularly touching moment was our responsive reading of a Hebrew Union Prayer Book litany, "We Remember Them," which was recited back and forth while instrumentalists played a Bach chorale. The music, along with the dancers, pantomiming in turn tragedy, grief, comfort and peace, was simply yet stunningly effective. In fact, Brian (Butler grad student, and my roommate for the convention) and I had to leave off singing a couple of hymns when the throat-lumps got in the way. Through the whole thing was the warm, golden early-day sunlight, and the beautiful sounds of the morning birds chirping in the trees planted among the memorial "chairs," (each of the 180 glass, metal and marble chairs bears the name of a victim of the bombing). Maya Angelou's words helped close out the event:

...We shout with glorious tongues the coming of hope.

All the earth's tribes loosen their voices

To celebrate the promise of Peace.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,

Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.

Peace.

We look at our world and speak the world aloud.

Peace.

And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, my Brother;

Peace, my Sister;

Peace, my Soul.

That morning, with that many people standing and singing and chanting and weeping, together...there may be hope for us after all.