Singing Along the Journey

Music

Posts that relate to making or listening to or thinking about music

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More

Feelings…

Over the past week or so, I have been thinking a lot about my experiences at the song festival in Granada.  In particular, I have been thinking about the last masterclass that we did. It took me a while during that class to realize that, what the guest teacher was trying to get from me was, well, more feeling in my singing.  He used a number of interesting techniques -- walking me about the stage while I sang about "going to the fair" in Manuel Garcia's song, "Floris";  having me close my eyes while I sang "Parad Avecillas" to imagine for myself the feeling of protecting a sleeping person I…
Read More

It is well with my soul…

Yesterday, the congregation at the Calvary Baptist Church gave me a present.  They probably don't know that they did, but they did...a great big, warm, sloppy wet kiss of faith and love.  And all they did was do what they do best -- be the best they can be at being the community of Jesus in that moment and in that place. What did they do?  They sang, spontaneously, the most beautiful four-part harmony on the hymn for our call to prayer, "It is Well With My Soul".  The congregation has grown so over the last couple of years, that, on any given Sunday, there are many faces that belong…
Read More

May the circle be unbroken…

Yesterday, I filled in for Pastor Leah at Thomas House.   My adventures at Thomas House, have, well, been very formative for me in this my spiritual quest (you can read about my first solo visit here).   And I have high hopes that my organ playing will improve now that my friend Elaine pointed to me this great book:  100 Hymns with Just Three Chords.  So yesterday, I prepared "Open My Eyes", "I Need Thee, Oh I Need Thee," and "Blessed Assurance", and despite my less-than-elegant playing, well, it seemed to work. But yesterday, the surprises for me were not in the music, neither the singing nor the playing, but in…
Read More

Those little choices in life…

There are moments when we face a seemingly little choice, but how we choose can change the whole course of our lives.  Funny thing, we don’t always see those moments when we face them.  Luckily, yesterday, I did. Right now, I’m on the train between Granada and Madrid on the final leg of my journey here in Spain.  In two days, I will finally board the plane and return home. But yesterday, well, yesterday wasn’t such a good day, at least in the beginning.  I was so dreadfully tired, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t totally happy with the way I had sung on the concert the night before. …
Read More

It was not a mistake…

Last year, I declared a moritorium on two things:  taking classes and travelling to sing.  And it served me well...I needed to sit and listen.  From that decision to basically stand still, a lot of good things came...I heard more clearly the call of God in my life, I was baptized, I was licensed, I made a CD, and I calmed down enough that I started to, finally, sing pretty well. And once all that happened, I was feeling pretty good and pretty grounded -- so I immediately went back to taking classes and travelling to sing.  By the time I had finished my class in Music and Social Justice,…
Read More

Thinking about…

I've been thinking alot about the reasons why we as singers sing.  Obviously from the other entries here in this blog, you know that I think about that topic alot.  But being in a context in which I am watching a lot of other people sing, and singing myself, certainly makes it come to the top of my "think" list. When we sing in worship, the reason is obvious.  But what about the other times?  The concerts? The masterclasses?  The opera?  Just in private for ourselves? I have a good friend who often, after a concert, will say -- well, it was nice, but wasn't that concert for the singer? …
Read More

Buenas tardes…Day 29

[caption id="attachment_362" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Museo del Prado"][/caption] Yes, I have arrived.  Greetings from Madrid. My trip itself was, gratefully, uneventful.  Interesting seat mate that made the first part of the journey less than comfortable, but that is flying in the modern world for most of us.  The biggest problem I have at the moment is where to have dinner and, oh yes, the fact that I haven't slept for about 30 hours straight. I don't sleep on planes under the best of conditions.  And my tried and true method for combatting jet lag is, well, don't go to sleep until your normal bed time.  Make yourself walk and be in the…
Read More

Last Night…Day 25

Last night, my beagle Gracie went to her first "yappie hour" with the DC Beagle Meetup Group. For those of you who don't do the doggie ciruit, a "yappie hour" is really a happy hour, just for dogs AND people.  There are biscuits, AND hors d'oeuvres, and bowls of water all around. These events are held all over town, sometimes in pet stores, but last night's gathering took place at the fabulous Hotel Monaco in Alexandria, VA.   Another thing that you probably don't know if you aren't that in to dogs is that Alexandria is a great dog town...many of the merchants allow you to bring your dog into their…
Read More

Organists, organists, everywhere….Day 24

...well, maybe there was a choir director or two there as well. Yesterday, at my beloved Calvary Baptist Church, we played host to a series of sessions that were part of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) national convention, which was held here in Washington, D.C., this year.  It was a fine day devoted to worship for children, wrapped up with a workshop by a noted local youth choir director about [caption id="attachment_336" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mueller organ at Calvary Baptist Church, DC"][/caption] skills for working with young singers, particularly in a choral setting. And, we are in middle of the worst heat wave in years here in Washington.  It was…
Read More

Snowflakes….Day 23

If you've been reading some of my ramblings here, you understand that I have a pretty strong "observer-self"...I long ago developed a pretty dispassionate way of stepping back and taking a look at my behavior patterns and seeing what they tell me about my life, my spirit, and my sense of balance.  And one of the patterns that comes up over and over again is well, my excellent talent at procrastination.  If there is a task to be done, I will, I repeat, I definitely will, leave it to the last possible moment, and complete it in one long flurry of activity.  I have outgrown the college "over-nighter"--I may work all…
Read More