Over the last two weeks or so, Carl has been meeting with the new Director of Music and Liturgy, Miguel Felipe, to share resources and show him where to find pertinent files in the office. Even though Miguel doesn’t officially come on board until September 1st, 2011, he has already become well acquainted with the choir’s repertoire and history, a lot of which is on the church’s website. You can find the choir repertoire lists by clicking here.  Most people would be overwhelmed at the amount of information that Carl has shared, but Miguel is already aware that Carl has spent 38 years putting all together — more years than Miguel has been on Planet Earth!

Miguel has assured us that “things won’t look substantially different from what it is now, but perhaps the mix and balance of Renaissance, Baroque and Contemporary repertoire will change slightly.” I myself am looking forward to learning some new repertoire which I’m sure Miguel will be bringing to the table.

At Carl’s last Sunday, August 21st, there was a ceremonial “handing over of the baton,” but in reality, that actual baton is all beaten up, and Miguel has his own, much nicer one.

People have also asked me, “What will it be like to work with a new director?” And I answer, “I’m looking forward to it!” As you know, at LCH the organist can only look at the director obliquely or through a mirror, so I’m hoping Miguel will take this into consideration.(I’m also old enough to be his mother! I say this in hopes that he will have patience with me. ‘Just call me Mom.’)

This week we are continuing the task of cleaning out Carl’s office, and I’m having weird feelings about determining what gets thrown out and what should be saved. It’s a little like closing up the barn after the horse has left. “Nobody has does things on paper anymore” Carl says, and even Miguel says he dreams of the LCH Choir being the first all-iPad church choir — everyone using an iPad instead of paper choral music!

By the way, we will be having our first choral rehearsal on Thursday, September 1st at 7 pm, instead of waiting after Labor Day. Mark your calendars now!