Already the stores are setting out Christmas items...decorations, gift ideas, clothes, candy. Playing non-stop Christmas music in the store will be next. All weeks before Halloween or even Thanksgiving.
This is not such a new phenomenon for musicians, though. We tend to write, arrange, and start practicing Christmas music in July!
Since I am not currently directing a choir, I decided to do a different project in this Christmas "pre-season." I've been working on adding more offerings on my YouTube Channel. A few years ago, I recorded seven of The Mark Hayes Vocal Collection: 10 Christmas Songs. He is a prolific master arranger, composer, clinician, choral conductor, and pianist. The score folio came with a CD of the master himself playing the piano accompaniments. There is nothing quite like singing with the composer himself indicating the exact interpretations.
When I first sang through these pieces with the CD accompaniment, I marveled how "in sync" I felt. It was as though he knew how to anticipate the length of time I needed to extend the phrases and even the time I needed to take a breath. It made me feel like he was following me.
For vocal students and performers, these pieces are excellent repertoire. Perhaps these recordings will help the student learn them easier. For my other followers, I created visuals to help tell the stories of these beautiful Christmas songs.
(Click on the images and it will take you to YouTube to play the videos.)
This is not such a new phenomenon for musicians, though. We tend to write, arrange, and start practicing Christmas music in July!
Since I am not currently directing a choir, I decided to do a different project in this Christmas "pre-season." I've been working on adding more offerings on my YouTube Channel. A few years ago, I recorded seven of The Mark Hayes Vocal Collection: 10 Christmas Songs. He is a prolific master arranger, composer, clinician, choral conductor, and pianist. The score folio came with a CD of the master himself playing the piano accompaniments. There is nothing quite like singing with the composer himself indicating the exact interpretations.
When I first sang through these pieces with the CD accompaniment, I marveled how "in sync" I felt. It was as though he knew how to anticipate the length of time I needed to extend the phrases and even the time I needed to take a breath. It made me feel like he was following me.
For vocal students and performers, these pieces are excellent repertoire. Perhaps these recordings will help the student learn them easier. For my other followers, I created visuals to help tell the stories of these beautiful Christmas songs.
(Click on the images and it will take you to YouTube to play the videos.)
RSS Feed