Today Naomi Castro posted this photo of bass Keane Ishii on her FaceBook page with the news that he has accepted the position of choir director of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church. She wrote: Bittersweet times this rehearsal. Saying goodbye to my long-time LCH brother, Keane Ishii, who is going on to do great things as choral director… Read More New beginnings
I’m on the Big Island of Hawai’i for two performances of Handel Messiah with the Kona Music Society, conducted by Susan McCreary Duprey. I was met at the airport by Joann Roberts, a soprano in the choir, whose doctor prescribed singing in the choir to improve her breathing following open heart surgery! We met the… Read More ‘Messiah’ comes to Waimea
Last Friday night, Early Music Hawaii presented a concert called “Oratorio,” 17th century sacred drama from Rome to Handel, in the reverberant acoustics of St. Theresa’s Co-Cathedral. Some of the town’s very best early musicians participated — and the dress rehearsal with choir and orchestra was held on Thursday night. The personnel for whom this… Read More Double, triple, quadruple!
Last week was a week of calm for me since I wasn’t able to teach any organ lessons — the reason being was that we hosted organbuilder Hans-Ulrich Erbsloeh from Hamburg, Germany and his colleague, Bernharndt Becker, while they replaced the worn pulldowns on the pedals on the Beckerath organ. It turned out to be… Read More A week of calm before the storm
I wanted to tell you a little about the Bach Chamber Choir which is the ensemble joining me in my upcoming Great Eighteen Chorales concerts. Here is a description of the group as printed in the program: The Bach Chamber Choir is a professional ensemble consisting of some of Honolulu’s finest choral artists, many of whom are… Read More The Bach Chamber Choir
When we found out that a Lei Shower and reception were going to be held on my last Sunday, needless to say our biggest disappointment was that my husband, Carl, would not be there because of his commitment to sing with the St. Andrew’s Cathedral choir. So you can imagine my delight and surprise when… Read More The best surprise
Okay, I admit it — I’m a political junkie and am always trying to catch up with the latest polls and the pundits, red states, blue states and battleground states. So yesterday I couldn’t resist taking a picture of several LCH choristers as they joined St. Andrew’s Cathedral choir in an evensong service in memory… Read More Red or blue?
In contrast to the works of Marcel Dupré for All Saints morning service, tomorrow night at Vespers you’ll hear lots of Bach, not only the works by J. S. but also Johann Ernst Bach (1722-1777), who was the son of Johann Bernhard Bach (1676-1749). That would make Johann Ernst a nephew of Johann Sebastian. Johann Ernst… Read More Bach at night
During the Easter season at the 10:30 service, the choir has been singing Gospel Acclamations by Aaron David Miller, which have trumpet, organ and bells for accompaniment. Our resident trumpet player, Allen Bauchle, has been playing along on all the hymns and liturgy, and Peter Hallock’s This is the Feast, adding to the festivity to… Read More An embarrassment of riches
The Easter music has hardly been put away and it’s already time for our next “biggie,” the Bach Pilgrimage VIII concert on Saturday, April 21st, as part of the Abendmusiken series. The concert will focus on music from Leipzig, in the year 1726. This upcoming concert will herald the return of retired cantor, Carl Crosier,… Read More No rest for the weary