I have spent a few days now with my 18-month-old grandson, and we have discovered that whenever he hears music, he starts dancing! Whether the music is coming from a music box or a stuffed animal, the sound makes him happy and he just can’t help himself but to get up and dance. Now that… Read More Feeling the music
Already when the Kona Choral Society concert did not start until 4:06, and especially, when it was not until 4:45 when Susan McCreary Duprey gave the downbeat of Handel Messiah, I was worried about getting to the airport for my 6:53 pm flight, knowing that the airport was a half hour drive away. Getting out… Read More Whew! Just made it!
Five years ago I was diagnosed with wet macular degeneration, necessitating monthly visits to my retina specialist for an injection directly into my eye. Many times I’m lucky, and am not affected by this monthly assault on my eyeball, but other times my eye protests with pain and excessive tearing. If you’ve ever scratched your… Read More The show must go on …
Q. What is a 100%, sure fire guaranteed way to have your audience give your concert a standing ovation? A. Program the Hallelujah Chorus as the final piece. Better yet, invite the audience to sing along! Whether or not the audience did join the singing, the Oahu Choral Society concert did indeed end with a… Read More Guaranteed standing ovation!
Have you ever gone to a place where the music was really, REALLY LOUD, and after you left, you heard a ringing in your ears?! According to Medical News Today: Tinnitus can be bothersome, as the sound can make hearing difficult and interrupt daily life. Tinnitus after a concert is usually temporary and should subside within… Read More My ears are ringing!
It was hard to get up this morning, after standing for so many hours at last night’s party, so when I did get out of bed, I turned on the TV to see the funeral of President George H. W. Bush. The service was already in progress, but I think I saw most of it.… Read More For all the saints
Last night I attended the 44th Advent Procession at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, and afterwards, a few people mentioned to me that they had been thinking of Carl Crosier. Actually, I was thinking of both Carl (who died in 2014), as well as the late Peter Hallock (1924-2014) and their influence upon the… Read More Advent Procession, The “O” Antiphons
What kind of nightmares do organists have? I have a recurring dream that I am sitting down to play a recital on an organ that I’ve never seen before—and I’m seeing the music for the first time as well! I’m a good sightreader, but I don’t have the nerve to do it in front of… Read More Organist nightmares!
One week ago I was back at the Iolani School Chorus Room in rehearsal with the school choir under the direction of John Alexander. The instrument I was to play was an ancient 2-manual, Allen organ, with no pistons or other registration aids so that all the stops had to be pulled by hand. I… Read More Five minutes to Victory Te Deum
61 people “liked” my post when I asked this question on my Facebook page with some photos. Only one person, Susan Haas, seemed to know what I was up to when I showed off my dining table. If you count the number of plates, you will come up with the number nine—which is how many… Read More Guess who’s coming to dinner?