This has been another “Race to the finish” week for me, with many tasks to accomplish before getting on the plane on Sunday to Seattle for a family reunion with my husband’s family. Wouldn’t you know, this is not only the week of The Polish Renaissance concert, but it also was the week that my condo board had a huge project in which I had a major role. (Yes, I have the thankless task of being on my condo association board!) It meant collaborating with another board member for seemingly endless meetings to help write policy. I also had to produce a newsletter, update the website and create posters for all the floor bulletin boards plus the electronic bulletin board on the ground floor. That took a huge chunk of my time!
It was also the week of the Executive Board meeting of the Hawaii Chapter American Guild of Organists, and this year I’m the Dean, a fancy name for the president—in addition to coordinating the annual concert series, contracting the artists, producing an email newsletter, updating the website, creating a meeting agenda, and chairing the meeting. And of course, all that had to happen this week!
In connection with The Polish Renaissance concert tomorrow night with Early Music Hawaii, this week I had to format the program for the printers. Ian Capps, president, This took many revisions with Ian and our proofreader, Bill Potter. I’m so glad I didn’t have to type all that Polish, with its many accents! But of course, all this happened at the same time as all the condo materials I was producing, with its many revisions as well. I went back and forth with several documents on the screen at the same time.
And of course, I had to practice all the music!
Throughout it all, I work on my Spanish. This week I came in second in the Diamond Tournament, which takes place over the course of three weeks. Here are my stats for the tournament:
That’s SIXTY HOURS of Spanish practice in three weeks!
It was also the final week of our Cada Dia Spanish book club, for which I had to finish reading the book, “La Uruguaya”, and complete a bunch of writing assignments for homework. See when I tell you that I don’t have enough hours in the day?!
Tonight was our dress rehearsal for The Polish Renaissance concert tomorrow night, and this morning there was a fairly lengthy interview with Ian Capps, and singer Keane Ishii this morning. In case you missed it, you can click here to hear the interview which has been archived on the Hawaii Public Radio website.
Keane acknowledged the presence of two Polish brothers, Karol and Michal Nowicki, who live here in Hawaii and are choristers in the ensemble. The two of them were key to learning the Polish text. Keane said in the interview that he was with former Early Music Hawaii director Scott Fikse in Poland, along with the two Polish brothers, as well as a number of singers from Hawaii.
In case you want to look at the program (and read all that Polish text!), you can see it here.
Conductor Dr. Alec Schumacker is the first choral director which I’ve worked with whom I would consider a human pitch pipe! As an accompanist, I’m used to always giving the pitches to the choir — which I do on the keyboard. But with Alec having perfect pitch, there’s no need, because he can give them himself!
In the “olden days” when I was with a choir regularly, I occasionally had to give the pitches away from the keyboard, which I did with my voice, of course.
Here are some scenes from tonight’s dress rehearsal:
Tickets may be purchased at earlymusichawaii.org.