We are starting to rehearse the Praetorius Christmas Mass for Christmas Eve . . . and if you liked Monteverdi, you are going to LOVE Praetorius! Like the Monteverdi, no instructions were given by the composer as to which parts are covered by soloists and which are sung by choir. So Carl has spent many… Read More Praetorius Christmas Mass
Tomorrow morning, December 11th at 11:45 am the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir will give its annual Christmas concert at the Hawaii State Library. We’ve given this concert annually for many years now, ever since David Del Rocco, in the bass section, used to work there. Even though David now teaches at Punahou School, we… Read More Music in the Stacks
One of the stories in the news today is an article on how music can affect you in such a way as to give you chills. Quoting from the article, “Musical chills, write the authors from the University of North Carolina, are “sometimes known as aesthetic chills, thrills, shivers, frisson, and even skin orgasms [who… Read More Messiah gives you chills?
This is the week that was . . . sigh. Five different choirs in at least as many days! Last night (Tuesday), I had a late rehearsal with the Honolulu Handbell Ensemble at St. Theresa’s, which is performing with the Hawaii Sacred Choir on Saturday. Then this afternoon, I was at home working on a… Read More Five Choirs in Five Days!
A few weeks ago, we went into an art gallery at Aloha Tower Marketplace and I saw an especially striking and memorable painting. The artist depicted scenes in which real people are “shadowed” by important figures in their history. I remember one particular painting in which there is a young child with her teacher at… Read More Mr. Regnal Hall, 1926-2010
Today a number of people at church mentioned that they had seen my name in yesterday’s newspaper. In a story about the newly-formed Hawaii Sacred Choir, I was listed as the organist for this group which will debut next Saturday, December 11th, in their 3pm concert at St. Theresa’s Cathedral. Yes, it’s true, and I… Read More The Part Time Church Musician
After a super busy weekend filled with rehearsals and the TONS of music we did for Advent I and Advent Procession, “The Great ‘O’ Antiphons,” (plus Thanksgiving thrown in there), this week has no extra rehearsals or concerts and is somewhat of a relief. I say only, somewhat, because I finally got around to doing the… Read More The calm before the storm
You would think, after doing Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols for thirty-six years in a row (I know that previously we said this was the 35th, but in actuality, it was the 36th), that we would have learned certain important lessons. But Sunday night, they came home to roost. The lessons we learned were:… Read More Advent Lessons Learned
I forgot to mention that in addition to the four pieces of Peter Hallock that the choir is singing at 10:30 am on the First Sunday of Advent, and the seven pieces of “The Great ‘O’ Antiphons,” at 7:30 pm, there is yet ANOTHER Hallock piece we are doing on Sunday night—”Behold, a mighty Prophet.”… Read More Behold, a mighty Prophet
Today is Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year! Last night, the Lutheran Church of Honolulu and our Episcopal neighbors at St. Clement’s had a joint service as has been our custom for a number of years. We alternate venues so last night was St. Clement’s turn to host. That means the clergy… Read More It’s Thanksgiving