Last night, I went to the Compline service at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, and after talking with director Scott Fikse afterwards, it seems that the “old” Compline is back! Well, at least it’s back on a once-a-month basis. There were so many familiar elements: the procession, the prayers, the chants, the final preces by… Read More “Old” Compline is back!
Yesterday I have to admit that the period between 5:30 and 6:15 pm was pretty frantic. I actually had a relaxing day, as my only task was to find a piece of jewelry to wear to dress up my outfit. And I finally found it—an opal-esque pendant from Walmart that only cost $5! However it took… Read More Clavierübung—so many notes!
Tonight was the dress rehearsal for my Bach Clavierübung concert and I am happy to report there were no train wrecks—at least in my part! As you will see in the program, this body of Bach’s chorale preludes are among his most complex and technically demanding of all his organ works. Thirty-seven years ago, Carl Crosier… Read More No train wrecks!
Last night, I attended Compline at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu which was the first time I’ve been to the service since Carl Crosier sang his last Compline service on August 14, 2011. The weekly service was discontinued in 2012, after Carl’s retirement. I went back and reread my post “Bittersweet Compline” about that 2011 service… Read More Familiar, yet different
Monday night was Dana Marsh‘s first rehearsal conducting the Early Music Hawaii choir for its upcoming concert, “Spain & The New World,” which will take place on Saturday, September 24th at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, at 7:30 pm. Poor Dana—he had been awake almost 24 hours in flying from New York to Hawaii, yet he still had the… Read More Toe-tapping music
Okay, I haven’t yet recovered from jet lag, but it’s now time to switch gears. From French music and organs, now I have to think “Spanish,” for the upcoming Early Music Hawaii concert, Saturday, September 24th. It’s a concert called Spain and the New World, and will feature the Early Music Hawaii choir and orchestra… Read More Switching gears
A couple of posts ago, I used the expression, “Back to the salt mines.” Ever wonder where that expression came from? According to the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer, this means to: “Resume work, usually with some reluctance, as in With my slavedriver of a boss, even on Saturdays it’s back to… Read More Back to the salt mines
Today, more than four months before my concert date of October 30, 2016, I played through my program before an audience of two: Scott Fikse, who will conduct a small chamber choir to sing the four-part chorales, and Todd Beckham, organist. Amazingly enough, I heard myself say many of the things my students tell me: But… Read More Sneak preview
Last night before the Joint Evensong with the combined St. Andrew’s Cathedral and Lutheran Church of Honolulu choirs, director Scott Fikse posted on Facebook: “Come hear two of the finest choirs in Hawaii combine forces for Evensong at St. Andrew’s Cathedral. 5:30pm.” As I listened to all those soaring sopranos and lush harmonies in the… Read More Glorious St. Paul’s Service
I am a hopeless political junkie and we are once again in one of my favorite news cycles —a presidential campaign. I just love the debates, the polls, and the talk shows. And of course there’s a lot of talk about blue states and red states, liberals and conservatives, progressives and establishment. But this weekend, blue and red will… Read More Blue and red