Over the past six months or so, my sleeping-waking schedule has changed. I’ve found myself staying up late (11:30 pm or after) binge-watching my favorite TV shows on Acorn TV: Doc Martin, 800 Words, Foyle’s War, A Place to Call Home, Midsomer’s Murders and lately, Where the Heart is. Since I usually don’t have appointments… Read More Play something—quick!
Where were you when you heard about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? Where were you when you heard about the Challenger spaceship explosion? How did you hear about the planes flying into the World Trade Center and other events of September 11? It was one of those major life events which shake you… Read More Where were you when?
You may have heard that last Saturday, the state of Hawaii was thrown into a panic when a missile alert threat was sent to mobile phones, with this ominous message: Weeks ago, residents were warned that if a missile came from North Korea, people in Hawaii would have approximately 12-13 minutes notice before nuclear destruction. In… Read More Blissfully unaware
One hundred fifty years ago on Ascension Day, 1867, Queen Emma Kaleleonālani, wife of King Kamehameha IV, founded St. Andrew’s Priory School for Girls. Today’s Ascension Day service combined orchestra, band, choir, organ and congregation to celebrate the school’s founding—and the decibel level in St. Andrew’s Cathedral was so loud that when I played full… Read More How loud is loud?
It was bound to happen on a day like today—I had six appointments scheduled in six different locations (!) and I thought I was prepared. My day was supposed to start with an early morning board meeting of Early Music Hawaii when my cell phone rang. When I saw the phone number on my caller… Read More Too many balls!
By this time Sunday, May 7th, I will have sat on six different organ benches (and maybe even seven!) in the course of my week. Oh, not all of them are large pipe organs, but it just goes to show you that within the course of a week, I play musical benches! Last Sunday, I was… Read More Musical benches
On Saturday night, I fell off the organ platform after the Early Music Concert and sprained my ankle (see my post “Swan dive!“). Witness this text conversation between Georgine Stark and me today. In case you don’t know, classically trained organists use BOTH feet to play the pedals and turn their noses up at amateurs… Read More My left foot
One of the pieces that I accompanied last Sunday at the Punahou Chapel 50th Anniversary celebration was Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus,” from Messiah. The piece was done at the dedication service 50 years ago, and the chaplains wanted to include it in the 50th anniversary service too. Now, you have to understand that when I am… Read More A formidable task
Over 14,000 chapel services, plus weddings, funerals and other services—that’s the estimate of the number of events which have taken place at the Robert Shipman Thurston Memorial Chapel on the Punahou School campus since it was built fifty years ago. Before that time, services were held at McNeil Hall, Dillingham Auditorium, or even outdoors. With 8… Read More 14,000+ chapel services
Last Sunday about 4:00 pm after I had just settled into my seat at the Symphony concert and before the music began, my phone vibrated, indicating that I had a new email message. It was from Chandra Peters, the chapel coordinator of Punahou School, who coincidentally sang with the Lutheran Church of Honolulu choir for… Read More A life of leisure … NOT!