Tuesday, June 28, 2005

GREETINGS FROM CANTERBURY!

It’s the BIG day and the kids have a full line up. Off to early breakfast, arrive at Canterbury Cathedral, joint rehearsal, morning workshop with Ronald Corp, loo break, recital in the Cathedral Quoir, lunch on the Cathedral lawn, dress rehearsal in the Nave of the Cathedral, rush back to the university campus for dinner, get into formal dress, back to Canterbury, festival concert performance, reception, back to the university to collapse! WHEW!!

Now for the details:

Rehearsal went very well and the workshop with Ronald Corp was really neat. As did Mr. Stroope, Mr. Corp took a couple of pieces the kids have performed and picked out parts to work on, sometimes rhythm, diction, tone, and was able to make improvements on their parts. Although the kids’ voices were holding back in anticipation for the busy afternoon to follow, they really got a lot of his workshop as well. Onto the Cathedral to perform in that majestic building for 10 minutes accapella. One of the other choirs’ accompanists told Margaret that she had just entered the Cathedral at the other end of where we were and was immediately frozen in place by the beautiful music she heard and then sought out the source. She was incredibly impressed and told Margaret, “This is how Cathedral music should sound.” Wow. Very cool.

The dress rehearsal in the actual Nave of Canterbury Cathedral also went very well. Aaron and Margaret were so pleased with the sound of our kids and especially Sarah Maslin and Aileen Wall who had been asked to accompany the festival choir on their instruments for “Psalm 23”, the piece Randall Stroope wrote. Aileen had to translate her notes to fit her clarinet as he originally wrote the piece for oboe.

In the actual festival concert performance, we were overwhelmed with the magnificence.

The first half of the concert was each individual choir performing three of their own pieces separately. The kids went up and off the Nave stage so smoothly and quietly, and with the exception of a phantom music stand which kept sinking down to thigh level, everything was perfect! Our kids sang “Had I the Heavens Embroidered Cloth”, “Hey, Ho, the Wind and the Rain”, and “Go Where I Send Thee”. You know they were SPLENDID and full of life and vigor! Hooray!

The concert was actually a benefit performance for the local children’s hospice which is supported only by donations. We hope they did well!

Following the intermission, the first piece was performed antiphonally (another new word I have learned on tour!) – for those of you who were like me before this, that means half the choir is in the rear of the Nave and the other half in front. The front would sing, then the back would answer. So absolutely beautiful. Breathtaking.

The festival directors traded off between directing. When “Psalm 23” was up in the program, Stroope was to conduct (obviously since it was his piece), but he confused the heck out of the accompanists, Aileen, Sarah and Aaron, as he started directing a different piece further down in the lineup. The next time he was up to the stage, out from the crowd came Aileen and Sarah. They sounded fantastic! Don’t know how many other opportunities our girls will have to be backed up by over 200 choristers!

All of the pieces were incredible. Very well sung and the sound in the Cathedral phenomenal.

The last piece performed was “We Rise Again”. Each choir selected 3 first sopranos to sing together the solo part that Margaret sang during our spring concert. Krystal, Laura Sweeney and Laura Meinholz represented WCC. Their smiling faces as they so meaningfully sang was so special to see. Sniff sniff sniff

We were all bursting with pride at Aaron’s accompanying art. As you all know, he is so delightful to watch and this was no exception….it was even more so in this incredible Canterbury Cathedral. Simply beautiful! We felt special since we claim him as ours! Way to go!!

This was our last performance of the tour, and it was quite emotional for a number of kids. We’ll be saying good bye to Erynn, Emily and Laura M. for sure and there may be other changes ahead -- never easy! But what a special, fantastic, incredible last concert for these fine choristers and never one they will forget. The months of hard work and commitment really showed tonight.

We all paraded into the dormitory and an impromptu performance for the dorm residents. Amazing what some great concert adrenaline does for some pooped and tired kids!

Marvelous day.

Til next time,
SUE