I am continually telling my organ students that when we play hymns, we are the ones taking charge … we are the leader. So it’s important to have a forward motion, like “pretending you are the Crucifer,” I sometimes say. We are the ones who lead the parade. That was absolutely impossible for me this… Read More Just above a whisper
As soon as the Christmas Day High Mass was over at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (about 12:35 pm), I raced home where I already had my suitcase packed and ready to go. My friend, Cindy Scheinert, picked me up and we headed for the airport, where I had a flight scheduled with a 2:20 boarding… Read More Out with the old!
At this time of year, you’ll hear a lot of chatter among organists and other church musicians about waiting with baited breath for “The Chord,” and everyone knows what you’re talking about! I wait for this chord all year, and even though I know it’s coming, when I sing my note and hear the chord underneath,… Read More “The Chord”
When I picked up the mail and my packages this afternoon, my heart skipped a beat when I saw that I had received a parcel from my dear friend, Joan Ishibashi, about whom I’ve written several posts on this blog. Joan was my son’s Confirmation teacher back in the day, and served as the Executive… Read More Early Christmas present!
This is the time of year where you summarize the year in terms of numbers. For example, I received these notifications from Duolingo, the foreign language app, about my progress in learning Spanish. As you can see by the above, I have an unbroken streak of 1955 days — as of November 30, 2024 when… Read More The year in numbers
I love Thanksgiving — my favorite holiday of the year. Partly it’s because I usually don’t have any services to play, and I can concentrate on decorating, cooking and enjoying food and the company of my friends. Every year I try to do something a little different, and this year I bought several new items… Read More A day of feasting
I ask my students to bring a notebook so I can write down their assignments and make suggestions for playing more accurately. I always have to smile when a particular student hands me her notebook. Here’s advice from Marilyn Monroe, and others on this subject! Insofar as playing the organ, you must know how important… Read More With the right shoes …!
It’s All Hallows Eve, also known as Halloween, and three guesses as to where I’ll be tonight?! It’s Thursday, meaning that I’ll be at choir rehearsal! It’s the beginning of a huge, super busy weekend for me — (what’s new?!) — beginning with what is sure to be a long rehearsal tonight with three high… Read More All Hallows Eve
From last week’s Evangel, the newsletter from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church: The days are becoming shorter as the sun rises later and the daylight fades earlier. Soon November will be upon us, and we will be celebrating All Hallows-tide. All Hallows, All Saints, and All Souls have been called the fall triduum or three days,… Read More Triple whammy
In last night’s memorial service for Pastor Jeff Lilley, following his sudden death, he was described by his son, Seth as: a pastor, a chef, a handyman, a woodworker, a sailor, a therapist, a painter, a musician, a protector, a bouncer when necessary, a driver, an EMT, a mechanic, an electrician, a plumber, a photographer,… Read More Larger than life