A few days ago, a longtime friend who is a faithful reader of this blog sent me this message:

“… I haven’t read a blog from you for quite awhile. Everything ok? 🤗💕”

I pointed out that I had written a post just five days prior, but apparently she hadn’t received the notice. People who subscribe to my blog receive an email notification every time I publish a new post.

This is how I answered:

Everything is fine but so busy. I am getting ready to give a big concert in December in Kaua’i; I have been spending hours working on my neighbor’s songbook; I need to layout a postcard and program for Early Music Hawai’i; i have to produce a newsletter for my condo this week; I am hosting a potluck for organists next Saturday; I am leaving next Monday to spend my birthday in California!! And of course I am still spending at least 4-5 hours a day practicing Spanish! Whew!

She answered, “Oh! the usual Katherine Crosier controlled mayhem!! 😊”

This past weekend, I did design a new postcard for the upcoming Early Music Hawaii concert, “The 14th Century Avant-Garde” performed by Ensemble Les Délices. I needed to update the Early Music Hawaii website to set up a new ticketed event where people could buy tickets. It also means that I’ll have one of the group’s members as a houseguest!

Last week, I faithfully practiced every day of the week and on Saturday, and I even spent several hours on Saturday practicing for a concert with the Kauai Chorale on December 16. I feel that finally, I’m making progress! I’m having to spend the most time on my solo piece, “Dieu Parmi Nous,” by Olivier Messiaen plus a fiendishly difficult duet on “For unto us a child is born” by George Frederick Handel, in addition to 14 other carols and anthems.

This past weekend as a member of my condominium board, I convened a meeting for our annual Christmas party, with at least 400 people expected to attend. As you can imagine, there are lots of logistical problems to solve with this many people, and it seems every year, we have to reinvent the wheel because catering options are different. I also worked on the quarterly newsletter, which means not only doing the layout, but having to write at least half of the articles myself!

I went right from the Christmas party meeting to a performance by the Hawaii Opera Theatre called “An American Dream.” Here’s a description of the opera as posted on the HOT website:

Treasured possessions become symbols of home in this Seattle Opera commission written by composer Jack Perla from a libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo and inspired by true stories from our painful history. Set during World War II, this opera explores the lives of two women: a Japanese American forced to leave her home and a German Jewish immigrant preoccupied with those she left behind. An American Dream is accompanied by a four-piece chamber ensemble, and while this opera is a piece of fiction, the story was crafted from interviews with residents of Puget Sound, Washington, who experienced the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

WHAT’S THE MUSIC LIKE?

“It’s a triumph. It’s riveting. It’s unsettling and uncomfortable. It’s strong. For many, it will be emotional… “…an atmospheric score which surrounds but never overwhelms the voices….”The whole was a tour de force…” – City Arts Magazine

It was an extremely powerful opera, only 65 minutes long, but I absolutely loved the music and the story, although it was painful. My friends, Sarah Lambert Connelly and her husband, Pat, were in it and posted this photo of themselves in costume. She played the German Jewish immigrant who only found out after the war that her parents had been shot. Pat had a non-singing role as the FBI agent who informed the Japanese family that they had to leave their home.

This coming weekend I’m also hosting a potluck meeting for the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists. It seems like our numbers are fewer and fewer and more pressure is put upon us to cover the churches who choose to use organ as the principal instrument for their services.

I’m not at liberty to disclose the details of my next adventure, just suffice it to say that I’ll be taking on some major musical responsibilities starting this week! And it all stems from the organist shortage! Supposedly at my age I should be taking it easy and just watching the sunsets … I wish!