For the last three days, I’ve been staying with my husband’s cousins and sister in Leavenworth, Washington, called “a Bavarian style village located in the beautiful Cascade Mountains,” about a three-hour drive from Seattle. Everything here has a Bavarian theme, and all signs have to “look Germanic” using a traditional font. Many buildings have painted… Read More Three words
So how was the Polish Renaissance concert? Here are a couple of notes I received: I REALLY enjoyed your solos last night! The whole concert was great, but especially the instrumental numbers. (Mark Russell) Aloha Kathy, Thank you for the excellent concert. What hidden gems you all put together! Interesting to me, having sung in… Read More An inspired performance
I am in Washington as I write this … it’s the morning of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral and the Lutheran Church of Honolulu’s chosen candidate for Director of Music and Organist has just announced it on Facebook: Sometimes, life is very clear that it is time to move on. This felt right and a new opportunity… Read More Moving on
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… Read More One last push
Early Music Hawaii’s season opener is called The Polish Renaissance, and will be held on Saturday, September 17th at 7:30 pm at the Lutheran Church of the Honolulu. You may have already received this postcard: The graphic shows a medieval view of Krakow from 1493 in a woodcut from Hartmann Schedel‘s Nuremberg Chronicle; view facing west, with Casmirus… Read More The Golden Age of Polish culture
Out of the blue, yesterday, I received an email from a young organist in France, whose name is Eric Cordé, the organist at Dol-de-Bretagne Cathedrale in Brittany. He apparently is doing research on local organists and came across the name of “Jack Norman,” who after some investigation, determined that it was my first organ teacher,… Read More Out of the blue
After my huge weekend (three big services: a 90-minute double funeral on Saturday, a service at Nuuanu Congregational and a Solemn Mass at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church) I wanted to let you know that I was given a special “honoraria” from the parish of St. Mark’s—a five-strand pikake leí! (In addition to a check, of… Read More Five-strand pikake lei!
The countdown has now begun on all the work I need to do before playing the next Early Music Hawaii concert on September 17 — the Polish Renaissance, with music by composers I have no idea how to pronounce (or even type!) Here is the list of composers whose works will be performed: Marcin Leopolita… Read More All those itty bitty numbers!
People probably don’t know that I was once a Major League Baseball fan in my childhood and I faithfully listened to all the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball games with broadcaster Vin Scully who recently passed away. In baseball, a doubleheader is a set of two games played between the same two teams on the same day. Historically,… Read More Double or triple doubleheader?
Do you remember Blue Light Specials at K-Mart? Here’s a description to refresh your memory: Kmart® is a discount department store best known for its iconic blue light special sales gimmick, consisting of surprise announcements when price-cuts were offered for a limited time on specific merchandise. At the beginning of each random sales blitz, the phrase “Attention Kmart® shoppers…”… Read More Attention, K-Mart Shoppers… !