It was already going to be a really busy week. Today, I spent the day teaching on Kauai, and then had an orchestra and choir rehearsal scheduled for tonight, plus two other nights this week in preparation for the Early Music Hawaii concert, “From Venice to Dresden” on Saturday night, May 7th at 7:30 pm.… Read More A hole in my head
I was privileged to watch a livestream of Naomi Castro’s graduate recital today—if you look at the Tag Cloud on the right column, I’ve written about her frequently. She grew up at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu (in fact, I played the organ for her parents’ wedding!), and her mother and father sang in the… Read More “All in one piece!”
One term my late husband used to say before any of our deadlines is “It’s going to be a race to the finish!” On May 12th the plan is that I’ll be getting on the plane to England and Portugal, but what I have to do in the meantime is almost an unending list of… Read More A race to the finish!
The next few weeks I’ll be out of my comfort zone as extensive renovations at Nuuanu Congregational Church will move the worship services to the church gymnasium until perhaps the first week in June. That means I’ll be playing a digital piano instead of organ for the service — DEFINITELY out of my comfort zone.… Read More Out of my comfort zone
Last week, I was tasked with trying to find an image for Early Music Hawaii’s last concert of the season, “From Venice to Dresden,” which will feature the music of Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672). Here was the text I was given by Ian Capps, President: Heinrich Schütz was the most prominent of many German composers who… Read More From Venice to Dresden
The number of organists has dwindled so much that when I wear this T-shirt through airport security, I get comments! Yup, I was wearing this shirt when I went to Kauai last month, and the lady at TSA asked me, “Are you an organist?” (DUH!) “Yes,” I answered. “My brother is an organist.” I didn’t… Read More Remembering Ruth
The night before last, I attended “Sophia’s Symphonic Send-off,” a fundraiser for the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, featuring Sophia Stark, the daughter of Darel and Georgine Stark, shortly before she travels to Tennessee for the national Miss Teen Volunteer American Pageant. In the fall, Sophia will also be attending Manhattan School of Music in New York… Read More Sophia’s night
I have this fantasy that when you’re retired, you’re able to throw away your alarm clock! No such luck, I still get up at 5:30 a.m. every morning, even though I may have stayed up past midnight to watch Spanish language telenovelas! It’s a fact of life, like death and taxes, that a musician’s life… Read More Delusions of retirement
Congratulations to you and Jieun on a magnificent finale to your organ week! Not only was the music beautiful, it is amazing how the two of you can stay so perfectly in synch throughout long periods of complex music. (Ian Capps) Thank you for all your work preparing the concert last evening. I was struck with… Read More Zimbelcam?
This afternoon was Alcee Chriss’ phenomenal recital at Central Union Church, and all I could say about it is “Wow. Just Wow.” Calling him a virtuoso is woefully inadequate. Not only did he bring infinite colors to the tonal palette, his use of the organ and his jazzy improvisatory technique was so far beyond human… Read More Wow. Just Wow.