All of our rehearsals EXCEPT for the one with the University of Hawaii Chamber Singers have been completed and we are ready to go for Monday’s “Happy 337th Birthday, J. S. Bach” concert, March 21st at 7:00 pm at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. As it turned out, our planned rehearsal with the choir had to be postponed until the day of the concert because of a Covid exposure. Here’s the email message I received from their director, Jace Saplan:
“…unfortunately my department will not be able to release the students for an off campus rehearsal on 3/18. I just found this out this morning. This is due to a potential COVID case. We ARE cleared for Monday 3/21 during our rehearsal time of 1:30-2:30 prior to our call at LCH.
Was I worried? Not at all!
Last Wednesday and Friday we rehearsed Bach’s Concerto in D minor, BWV 1060 with violinist Darel Stark, yesterday Jieun Kim Newland rehearsed with oboist Alex Hayashi. Here’s a sneak peek at the rehearsal which Alex posted on his Instagram account.
Today, Jieun and I “went back to basics,” and practiced our Brandenburg concerto at a moderately slow tempo on just 8′ and 4′ stops—the objective was to “hear all the notes.” It’s so easy to get lost! I told Jieun that for me I’m just on “automatic pilot,” and have NO idea what notes my fingers are playing! They just move on their own!
It was McNeil Robinson who long ago suggested that I practice on a 4′ stop to hear the notes more clearly, and we carried this out on our rehearsal today.
You can hear a snippet of our rehearsal here. Just know that these are NOT the stops we’ll be using, and the organs will be separated across the church. AND — At the concert, I’ll give you a “heads up” for you to listen carefully for a “bonus” surprise at the end of the third movement of the Brandenburg No. 3! (not in our rehearsal … this is just a “teaser!”)
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0acdFiLPx8tPY3vIFro_VM8Bw
The Bach concert will be livestreamed and archived on the Hawaii Chapter American Guild of Organists Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/889505511710783/
Don’t forget Katelyn Emerson’s concert livestreamed from All Saints Episcopal Church tonight, Saturday 3/19 at 6:00 pm. The concert will be archived on the church’s website, allsaintskauai.org.
Tomorrow is Alcee Chriss III’s concert at Central Union Church, 2:00 pm—another concert not to be missed!
And in the midst of all these rehearsals and concerts, the pipe underneath my guest bathroom cracked, forcing management to turn off the water in the guest bathroom, meaning, no toilet flushing, no sink usage, no shower usage, and no laundry! —just what I needed for my houseguests, Jieun and Ben Newland, who have had to shower in the gym facilities downstairs! GROAN!
Your concert will be Fabulous! jb