One of the traditions we have in the Crosier household is that we always have guests sign our guest book. We actually started the book at our wedding 34 years ago and we’re now on volume 5! When someone comes to dinner or is a houseguest or comes to play a recital or sing in a concert, we have them sign the book. Of course, we have had the guest book out for choir potlucks and other occasions where the singers are gathered.

Unfortunately I forgot to collect signatures at the Post-Bach luncheon at the Hale Koa, so I’m now trying to have the people who are still here sign our book. I’m so sorry I didn’t get David Newman or Sarah Markovits to sign this time, although I have their signatures from previous visits. I brought the book to choir rehearsal last week, and yesterday Carl went to the airport to pick up Meg Bragle and her husband, Chris, who spent the week after the B-Minor on Kaua’i. Thank goodness he remembered to get her signature in the book.

We went to two choral concerts over the weekend (Saturday we went to hear Jennifer Lane and the Hawaii Vocal Arts Ensemble; and Sunday we went to the spring concert of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral Choir). At both events people came up to us and were raving about the Bach B-Minor Mass, but especially about alto Meg Bragle and her beautiful singing.

A lot of the people who signed our guest book have either played at or sung in concerts at LCH. That’s how I could put together the list of famous organists who have visited us, which I wrote about in an earlier post. As I said then, sooner or later everyone gets to Hawaii.

Right now I’m getting our guest bedroom ready for our next visitor, Isabelle Demers, French-Canadian concert organist who will be giving a recital on Friday, June 10th, 7 pm at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. Even though she won’t be giving a concert at LCH, undoubtedly we’ll bring her by the church to show her the Beckerath organ. Check out her website to find a map of all the places where she’s giving concerts. Quite impressive!

Among our musical houseguests in recent years are organists Bruce Bengtson, J. Melvin Butler, Jonathan Dimmock, Aaron David Miller, Paul Jacobs (who this year became the first organist ever to win a Grammy Award!); composer Peter Hallock; organbuilders Hans-Ulrich Erbslöh and Jens Kirschner; choral conductors, Edith Ho and Richard Larson; singers Jennifer Lane, David Newman, Matthew Tresler, Dana Marsh, Philip Cutlip and Mary Phillips; folk duo, The Braeded Chord; and violinist Yuko Honda. In the early years, we hosted organists McNeil Robinson, Thomas Murray, David Dahl, James Holloway, John Rose and Lynn Zeigler.

So many people have stayed in our guest room over the years, perhaps we could charge admission! “(fill in the blank) slept here!”