It was only a couple of weeks ago that I received a phone call from Nicholas Lee, Director of Music at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, asking me to play today’s two choral Eucharists in which Orlando Gibbons’ “This is the record of John,” was scheduled as the anthem. He had called me to ask whether I… Read More Someone was watching …
I am now at the gate at Kona Airport, having just finished the performance of Handel Messiah with the Kona Choral Society. I had forgotten how many notes fly by in the course of even doing the Christmas portion, plus the “Worthy is the Lamb” and “Amen” choruses. I mean, by even blinking you risk… Read More A whole lotta notes!
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!
When I got the program of the Oahu Choral Society concert two days ago, I noted that the “Hallelujah Chorus” by Georg Frideric Handel was scheduled, and I wondered why I wasn’t asked to accompany it. Well, guess what, yesterday I got an email from Dana Harrison, the Executive Director, that I am to play… Read More Standing for the “Hallelujah Chorus”?
This past weekend I was on the Big Island of Hawai’i with the Kona Choral Society. In past years, I had complained that the audience clapped after every movement in the Handel Messiah, and I was wondering whether they would do the same this year. Lo and behold, I turned to this page in the… Read More They read the program! (mostly)
Tomorrow I’m off to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii for the Kona Choral Society’s annual performance of Handel Messiah. This will be my fifth year in a row that I’ve been in Kona for this annual event and I’m honored to be asked back year after year. For the last two years, during the… Read More Upcoming weekend in Kona
It’s a musician’s worst nightmare… being in the middle of a concert and the lights go completely black! Yes, it happened in Kona last night, right after the Kona Choral Society had performed the Hallelujah Chorus, and we were in the middle of “Worthy is the lamb.” All of a sudden, the house lights started to… Read More …and then the lights went OUT!
I’m soon to get on the plane to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, almost 170 miles away from Honolulu, to perform with the Kona Choral Society on their annual Handel Messiah concert, Sunday, December 4th at the Sheraton Kona Resort. This will be my fourth year performing with this group On the first… Read More Bach in Kona
Today was our last day in Ireland, and those of us who are non-singers had a relatively free day, my first in two weeks! In the morning I went with several others to the National Museum of Ireland (with Viking artifacts the most interesting to me) and the Natural History Museum (The “Dead” Zoo!) In… Read More The view from the organ loft
This weekend I am looking forward to joining the Kona Choral Society in their performance of Schubert, Mass in G and Handel, Messiah on Sunday, Dec. 7th at 4:00 pm at the Sheraton Keauhou Resort. The concert marks the choir’s 25th anniversary with the same program it sang 25 years ago. Although the chorus numbers… Read More On to Kona