Summer in a bottle

Direct from Capri to me (via my friend, Laura):

Limoncello e Crema di Limoni.

The RHS Chorale spent their Spring Break singing their way through southern Italy. Sigh. Laura brought this back for me as a grazie for shuttling her to the airport for their early departure. Mmm.

Many mumbling choral singers

Today is the 105th birthday of Theodor Seuss "Dr. Seuss" Geisel!.

As a child, I fell in love with the inventive language in his books. Even today, I still have ample opportunity to enjoy his alliterative powers. Karle Erickson (a name I never thought I'd type into my blog, but that's another story) wrote an oft-used set of choral warmups using the text from Dr. Seuss's A-B-C. "Many mumbling mice" makes multiple manifestations in rehearsals at St. Paul's. I dare say this collection has become a choral classic.

(And a big thank you to Google for pointing this out - so informative, they are.)

Palm Sunday

BLOGGER'S NOTE: Sorry for the premature posting, those of you on the feed. Don't know exactly what keys I pressed, but all of a sudden I was done before I started. "This never happens to me, honestly."

Meema is tired, and it's only the first day of Holy (H*ll) Week. Much music was experienced today, and I am more than happy to start crossing things off the proverbial calendar.

The incense at church this morning about did me in - I had to keep reinserting my expectorated lungs (graphic, yes, but correct image). The choir sang well, and even read our dramatic roles in the Passion convincingly; I think the rest of the week should be equally pleasing, if not great.

This afternoon I wore my soprano soloist hat for Franz Schubert's Mass in G with The Edina Chorale, an ensemble I sang with many moons ago. I was pleased with the concert.

This evening St. Paul's Episcopal was the third concert venue for Illinois Wesleyan University's Collegiate Choir's spring tour. Holy cow - what a versatile group. I had brought my knitting with me because, well, college choir on a Sunday night... but I never touched it. I was thoroughly engaged for the program. An Estonian work was particularly amazing. It was a powerful, gripping 20th century composition, and I'm hoping it will be posted to YouTube soon so I can share more with you. Words can't express where it took the audience. I helped arrange home stays for about 30 students, and I feel much relief that they all found their hosts.

Teaser: tomorrow I will have such a photo for you - one of the choir members is a baloon artist, and that's all I will say. Squee!

Have a lovely evening, all. My pillow calls.

Church Choir and YOU

Have I mentioned that I excessively enjoy my church's parish choir? Yeah, I guess I have, but it bears repetition.

I always look forward to rehearsals on Wednesday nights. The choir has grown much under Going40's leadership, and serves as a family-away-from-family for its singers; a more supportive group of musicians I have yet to find. J'aime le St. Paul's Choir!

P.S. We don't actually wear Stetsons.
P.P.S. I don't actually speak French.
P.P.P.S. You figured that out all by yourself, didn't you?

Holiday Mayhem

No drawing results yet?!? Oh well. There's so much more to share...

Holiday Mayhem Weekend (#1 of __) started with a dress rehearsal for my church choir's service of Lessons and Carols on Saturday morning. Then Kidlet and I were off to my extended family's Christmas gathering. Between my cousins and me, there are six great-grandkids between the ages of two and eight (seen burying my 91-year-old grandmother on the couch). They all play together so well - I think we're in the Golden Years of cousinage.

One of the main events of this winter gathering is making lefse. Put a lot of Norwegians in one house, and that's generally what happens. Everyone gets a turn at rolling out the dough, and the resulting stack of lefse is divided out amongst the families. Kidlet's intensive Play-Doh training regimen paid off - her technique was greatly lauded.

Sunday morning's sermon was pre-empted by the youth Christmas Pageant. This year's was based on the book, Who Is Coming to Our House? (one of Kidlet's fave holiday books). She was the littlest Piggie in the stable, and very cute to boot. After church there was the requisite exploration of the pulpit, a.k.a. The Princess Tower.

Princess segue... here is Kidlet's favorite joke to tell of late: "How many princesses does it take to change a light bulb?" (How many?) "Would you change this light bulb for me please?" She cracks herself up. Me, too.

A Festive Service of Lessons and Carols was sung on Sunday afternoon, and it was lovely. The choir was as solid as we ever have been for a performance of this magnitude. Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols was amazing, with a gorgeous baritone solo provided by Eric with a C.

(The woman on the left is Cate, who, like the BVM, is great with child. Kidlet's best buddy is her first child, Bea. Oh yeah - Mark with a K is Bea's papa.)

This service is followed by a tea reception (we are, after all, Episcopalians), and then the choir graciously slips out to the afterglow party at Brian and Richard's house. My host gift for one of their many trees:

pattern: Marie Mayhew's Woolly Nest ornament

yarn: Frog Tree Alpaca, blue roving

Such a pity their home isn't a more festive locale:

(at right: eWAC
and Going40)

Have I mentioned how much I love singing with all of these people?

p.s. I'm now an official employee at my LYS of choice. Training was today. How much trouble am I in now??