Last night I went to a choir rehearsal. We have two concerts upcoming for the Christmas season, one on Dec. 2 and another on Dec. 23rd. We are preparing Christmas music --- a few carols and many of the choruses from Handel's Messiah oratorio.
Because my body is still reacting to the change in seasons as well as going back to standard time, I found it hard to talk myself into going to rehearsal last evening. It was dark and all I wanted to do was snuggle up in a blanket.
We began rehearsal with some carols that must feature soloists and orchestra, because all we got to sing on our music were "ooh's and ah's." We didn't even have the full score to follow along. It wasn't very fun.
But then we started singing some of the Messiah choruses. That changed everything. I love singing all of the melismas (quick notes). It's kind of like singing scales for warm-ups, but much, much better. At first our director made us sing these passages slowly so she could check if we could sing them accurately. She finally let us sing at a proper (fast) tempo. Ah! That was better! And I finally felt alive! In fact I had trouble settling down later to sleep.
Because my body is still reacting to the change in seasons as well as going back to standard time, I found it hard to talk myself into going to rehearsal last evening. It was dark and all I wanted to do was snuggle up in a blanket.
We began rehearsal with some carols that must feature soloists and orchestra, because all we got to sing on our music were "ooh's and ah's." We didn't even have the full score to follow along. It wasn't very fun.
But then we started singing some of the Messiah choruses. That changed everything. I love singing all of the melismas (quick notes). It's kind of like singing scales for warm-ups, but much, much better. At first our director made us sing these passages slowly so she could check if we could sing them accurately. She finally let us sing at a proper (fast) tempo. Ah! That was better! And I finally felt alive! In fact I had trouble settling down later to sleep.
I have really missed doing shows for Christmas. I especially miss the rehearsals for weeks in preparation. It made me think of being in Maryland and doing concerts for the Festival of Lights concert series at the Washington D.C. LDS Temple Visitors Center. We performed as a family with two other families and a few singing friends. We didn't always get recordings, but in 2006 we did.
Here are the Bailey, Bullock, and Perry Families (with our 17 children, at that time) and a few friends. Here is one of our favorite numbers. "Caroling, Caroling" a medley of Alfred Burt Carols arranged by Mark Hayes. I directed with my daughter Kathryn Rock on piano. Wayne Perry and I were the soloists. We had so much fun.
Here are the Bailey, Bullock, and Perry Families (with our 17 children, at that time) and a few friends. Here is one of our favorite numbers. "Caroling, Caroling" a medley of Alfred Burt Carols arranged by Mark Hayes. I directed with my daughter Kathryn Rock on piano. Wayne Perry and I were the soloists. We had so much fun.
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