This weekend, within the space of 24 hours, I will have performed such a mixed bag of music, that my head is spinning!

On Saturday morning, I’ll be practicing Gabriel Fauré’s Messe Basse (1881, rev. 1906) for treble voices, which will be sung at the ordinary for Sunday morning’s High Mass for “The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.” At the same service, the women in the choir will sing Pablo Casals “Nigra sum” (1942) which I last played on the piano in high school! Unfortunately I’m having to wait until Saturday morning to register these two pieces (choose the organ stops) because this week the choir loft has been off-limits because they’ve been painting the outdoor stairway, the only access. The postlude will be “Antiphon V” by Marcel Dupré.

On Saturday afternoon, I’ll be having a special rehearsal for the St. Mark’s Choir where we will undoubtedly be practicing for our choral and organ concert on October 4, conducted by Mike Dupré. Poster is below, showing that I’ll be playing more Marcel Dupré (no relation!), plus music by movie and film composer, Hans Zimmer, the theme from “Interstellar.” And … I’ve been asked to join the choir in singing three of their choral pieces. (Yikes!)

On Saturday night, I’ll be playing French Baroque music at the Early Music Hawaii concert, where I’ll be playing a lot of figured bass in Henri Dumont’s “Nisi Dominus” and Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s “Te Deum,” plus a solo piece, “Allemande” by Dumont. Man, those chords fly by quickly! There’s a huge cast of performers, including singers, strings, recorders, organ, guitar, and harpsichord, conducted by Scott Fikse who just flew in from Seattle last night. What’s exciting is that there will be dancers accompanying this music from the time of Louis XIV, which surely will be a unique and interesting experience!

Bill Potter and I drafted this notice on behalf of Early Music Hawaii:

We welcome to the podium, Scott Fikse, no stranger to Honolulu audiences, who in addition to conducting the concert tonight, recently assumed the presidency of Early Music Hawaii. The former director of music and liturgy at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, Scott is now pursuing doctoral studies in choral conducting at the University of Washington. Scott is an enormously talented musician, and his leadership represents a new generation for Honolulu’s early music community. 

We are grateful to Ian Capps, our retiring president, for his dedication and commitment over the last twelve years. Fortunately, Ian will continue working with EMH as a board member. 

And speaking of rehearsals, do you know that this week I have 5, count ’em, FIVE rehearsals! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday nights are rehearsals for Early Music Hawaii; St. Mark’s choir rehearsals are Thursday night and Saturday afternoon; and the Early Music Hawaii concert is Saturday. night; meaning, of course, that I’m out five nights in a row!

On Sunday morning, I’ll start the day out at Nu‘uanu Congregational Church, where I’ll be playing music of mostly American composers, Michael Burkhardt, J. Bert Carlson, and David Lasky.

The day will end with Vespers at St. Mark’s where I accompany chant versions of the Magnificat and Tantum Ergo, plus I play two hymns, an extended voluntary at the Benediction and a postlude.

So, between Saturday and Sunday, I’ll be playing such a wide assortment of music that I just hope that I get through it all! And … that I don’t leave some of it at home, like I did last Sunday! (That’s another story.)