For some reason, I felt like saying this in Latin, “de profundis.” I feel like I’ve been to the abyss and back. However, it’s not because of any “sorrow or anguish” on my part. Why? On Tuesday I had my Covid booster shot and although I had been warned that some people were more deeply… Read More De profundis
You probably know that I’ve been struggling to learn Spanish over the last three years, spending two hours per day with Duolingo, listening to Spanish podcasts, attending online classes, having daily Zoom tutoring sessions and watching Spanish telenovelas every night. And yet … I consider myself an intermediate student with only a moderate fluency. Sure,… Read More It’s not fair!
Imagine my relief when I opened this morning’s newspaper to read the headline: “TIER 3 ON THURSDAY,” saying that Oahu residents will be able to have larger gatherings starting on Thursday, due to the drop in coronavirus cases. The latest 7-day average of new cases has remained below 50 for two weeks and under a… Read More Turning point
From time to time, I’m asked about how many Hawaiian words I know, now that I’ve lived on Oahu since 1973 (forty-seven years)! I mean, you’re bound to pick up some of the lingo in common usage, and even people who have never been to Hawaii know the meaning of “aloha” and “mahalo.” Aloha is… Read More Aloha and mahalo
Last Sunday, I spent the morning at Nuuanu Congregational Church where they honored organist Jieun Kim Newland for her several years of service. It was one of the first services in which the church has resumed in-person services. Everyone had their temperature taken before entering the church and every other pew was blocked off. There… Read More Social distancing
When I first heard the term “flunking retirement,” I thought it was a phrase made up by Betsy McCreary to describe her husband, the late (and great!) organist-choirmaster of St. Andrew’s Cathedral and my predecessor as Chapel Organist at Iolani School, John McCreary. That is because after a long and illustrious career at St. Andrew’s… Read More Flunking retirement
While the numbers of people were few, the enthusiasm was unmistakable of those who were brave enough to come out to a concert in these frightening times of the coronavirus pandemic. There was no problem keeping a “social distance” from other audience members in the large sanctuary. I’m speaking about yesterday’s absolutely phenomenal organ recital… Read More WOW! Absolutely phenomenal!
”You mean, you would play your concert for only one or two people?” Indeed we would, and in fact, Jieun Kim Newland and I actually gave the Dueling Bach concert a total of five times (!) and luckily it has gotten easier each time. We did two run-throughs (in front of a few people) before… Read More Bach—the second time around
A number of people were not able to attend our January 18th concert, and since we put so much work into bringing the program to light (nearly a year’s worth of practice!) we have scheduled an ENCORE CONCERT this Saturday, February 1st at 3:00 pm at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, 1730 Punahou Street. Admission… Read More Dueling Bach -ENCORE!
After last night’s Dueling Bach concert for two organs was over, the videographer, Glenn Yoshida, said to me, “People kept turning their heads from side to side—I thought the audience was watching a tennis match!” Yes, the music bounced from one organ to another, just like a tennis ball (and just as fast)! We placed… Read More Bach tennis match?!