I just read an article in the Washington Post, “Fake crowds, real boos: How the NFL is filling each stadium with authentic noise”— a solution professional football teams are employing to recreate a more realistic atmosphere for their athletes in the presence of zero or near empty crowds due to the pandemic. According to Ben… Read More Virtual crowds, virtual congregations?
Was it a hymn festival? Was it a concert? Last night’s presentation with the National Lutheran Choir and David Cherwien was equally both. If you have gone to a “typical” hymn festival, you know that it is usually an opportunity to hear the organist showcase his or her improvisational skills in creating interesting introductions and accompaniments to… Read More Not an ordinary hymn festival
It’s been “Old Home Week” at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN, considered by many Lutherans to be their “Mecca,” where we are attending the Biennial Conference of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians. It’s only the first day, and we have reconnected with many of our Lutheran colleagues from all over the country. I was especially… Read More Mecca for Lutherans
As I reported previously, this week we are hosting young South Dakota organist Wyatt Smith. Wyatt gave a most colorful and interesting recital at St. Andrew’s Cathedral today at noon, including Bach’s Toccata in F, BWV 540a and a 3-movement work he himself commissioned, Missouri Sonata by Kurt Knecht (b. 1971). From his website, I learned… Read More Pay to play