Dear friends,
It is such a blessing that we are approaching this long-awaited weekend when we are invited to breathe out together to bring life to some of the world's most elegant, passionate, inspiring music. We will sing side-by-side with a beautiful college choir. We will be accompanied by a colorful orchestra and an awesome organ. We will luxuriate in the acoustics of our holy sanctuary. We will share all of this with hundreds of family, friends, and neighbors. All of our combined hours of preparation-- score study, individual practice, rehearsal, listening, advertising, marking scores, selling tickets, blogging, researching, proofreading programs, stage set-up, enrolling singers, and on and on-- come together in the fleeting moments we share Sunday afternoon. Our time Sunday will be a culmination but also a commencement. It will be the culmination of all that we have been so far. It will be the commencement of everything we can become. WOW!
I mentioned on Sunday morning as I drew your attention to our full schedule of gatherings this week that there is not one single bit of stress involved with any of it. If we had one rehearsal left, we might have a reason to be stressed-- that would not be enough time to be fully immersed in our ensemble or in the wholeness of this experience. We have several rehearsals here in this last week-- not to increase our stress-- but to decrease our tentativeness. Our time together will enable us to become more comfortable and connected with this repertoire so that, come Sunday, we can sing it freely and expressively with our body, mind, spirit, and voice to communicate the message that God has inspired the composers and poets to write for us to share. Mozart is revived by our breath. WOW!
I consider it an honor and privilege to have opportunities like this, and I believe it is a miracle that God has guided us to share in these extraordinary experiences together. Let's spend our extra time together this week with thankful hearts for the patience, grace, joy, hope, and peace that have unified and connected us. Let's spend our extra time together this week with gratitude for the many souls alongside us who have given themselves fully to our process and project. An event exactly like this has never happened before, and one will never happen again. It's God's gift just for us! WOW!
I hope to see you many of these times:
Tuesday: 3:15-4:30 p.m. optional rehearsal in choir room
Tuesday: 7:00-8:30 p.m. class on Mozart's REQUIEM (history, composition, etc.) in choir room
Wednesday, 7:15-9:30 p.m. choral rehearsal in Choir room
Thursday, 7:00- 9:30 p.m. combined choral/orchestral rehearsal in sanctuary (Please plan to come early to find your spots in the loft)
Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.- combined choral/orchestral rehearsal in sanctuary (Please plan to come early to find your spots in the loft)
Sunday, 9:45 a.m.- call for MEN of the Plymouth Choir to sing for 10:30 worship.
Sunday, 3:00 p.m.- call for 4:00 concert
WOW!
Grace and peace,
TT
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Free tickets and free reminders 3.17.2011
Dear friends,
Thanks for another wonderful Wednesday night! A few freebies for today:
FREE TICKETS
Kim Hinrichs, one of our terrific pastors, has 4 tickets for Sunday's Lincoln Symphony Orchestra concert (which includes a light show!) at 2:00 in Kimball Hall at UNL. If you would like to use these, please contact her at your earliest convenience. I should think there is time to go to the concert, have a quick dinner, and get to Doane College for our evening rehearsal! : )
FREE REMINDERS
Sunday morning we will meet in the choir room at 9:30 a.m. We will be singing Howells: Like as the Hart and Hobby: Psalm 121 (the first section).
Sunday evening we rehearse on the stage in Heckman Auditorium at Doane College. A sign-up sheet for a carpool is posted on the inside choir room door if you wish. Be sure to connect with your drivers or passengers on Sunday morning if you have not done so already. Our rehearsal there with the Doane Choir is from 6-9 p.m. It should be a very exciting time to galvanize our choirs for the last few weeks of our practice and preparation. YAY!
Sunday evening is the deadline for returning your "We're off to Minnesota" forms. Please let us know even if you are unable to attend the trip. EVERYONE who needs a scholarship will be granted one, so please do not allow the cost to dissuade your response. If we do not hear from you on Sunday, I will check in with you on Monday. We want to be sure no one is left behind!
Sunday's rehearsal will include: Domine Jesu Christe, Dies Irae, Lacrymosa, Confutatis, Requiem (p. 7-8), Kyrie fugue (p. 9)/ Cum sanctis fugue (p. 75 ) Benedictus fugue (p. 67) and From Darkness to Light (focusing on pgs. 12-25)
Grace and peace, and many thanks for all the joy your ministry brings to me and to many.
TT
Thanks for another wonderful Wednesday night! A few freebies for today:
FREE TICKETS
Kim Hinrichs, one of our terrific pastors, has 4 tickets for Sunday's Lincoln Symphony Orchestra concert (which includes a light show!) at 2:00 in Kimball Hall at UNL. If you would like to use these, please contact her at your earliest convenience. I should think there is time to go to the concert, have a quick dinner, and get to Doane College for our evening rehearsal! : )
FREE REMINDERS
Sunday morning we will meet in the choir room at 9:30 a.m. We will be singing Howells: Like as the Hart and Hobby: Psalm 121 (the first section).
Sunday evening we rehearse on the stage in Heckman Auditorium at Doane College. A sign-up sheet for a carpool is posted on the inside choir room door if you wish. Be sure to connect with your drivers or passengers on Sunday morning if you have not done so already. Our rehearsal there with the Doane Choir is from 6-9 p.m. It should be a very exciting time to galvanize our choirs for the last few weeks of our practice and preparation. YAY!
Sunday evening is the deadline for returning your "We're off to Minnesota" forms. Please let us know even if you are unable to attend the trip. EVERYONE who needs a scholarship will be granted one, so please do not allow the cost to dissuade your response. If we do not hear from you on Sunday, I will check in with you on Monday. We want to be sure no one is left behind!
Sunday's rehearsal will include: Domine Jesu Christe, Dies Irae, Lacrymosa, Confutatis, Requiem (p. 7-8), Kyrie fugue (p. 9)/ Cum sanctis fugue (p. 75 ) Benedictus fugue (p. 67) and From Darkness to Light (focusing on pgs. 12-25)
Grace and peace, and many thanks for all the joy your ministry brings to me and to many.
TT
Rehearsal Updates 3.13.2011
Dear friends,
In less than than three weeks we will have the unusual opportunity to sing two of the most beautiful choral/orchestral works in the literature-- one, a Requiem mass, left unfinished on the deathbed of one of the great genius composers in the history of the world; the other, a piece by one of the most prolific women composers (also one of the most significant Canadian composers) of our time to be performed in our state for the first time ever. It is an extraordinary opportunity to be called together to give voice to these profound masterworks. We have such abundant talent, rich experience, and bright intellect among our choir (and also within our orchestra)! We have been given all of the gifts necessary to effectively process and then communicate the message that these inspired composers have entrusted to us. There is no limit to our potential and possibility!...as long as...
As I have suggested many times before, no matter how talented, experienced, and intelligent we are, our ability to fully live into great music like this comes only from our willingness to offer it the discipline that it invites, requires, and deserves. It is our discipline and preparation (individual and collective) that make it possible for our (individual and collective) talent and experience and intellect to sound and soar. Our personal and communal preparation creates a space for the spirit to flow, helping us to engage in the music with more confidence, presence, and facility. We can then becomes servants of the music-- not just singing note by note-- but vessels open to become channels for communication with our audience and with one another. You must not practice to make me or Jeremy happy-- it's possible we won't ever know if you do or don't. You must practice in gratitude for the gifts you have been given-- the gift to sing, the gift to experience great music, and the gift to share all of that with a roomful of wonderful, amazing people. Allow the music to become a part of you-- fully immerse yourselves, swim in it, luxuriate in it, soak in it.
What are some ways to immerse yourselves in this piece, for example:
Frequent www.firstplymouthchoir.
For those who like to plan or who will need to miss upcoming rehearsals, here are the items which will be covered:
Tonight:
Dies Irae
Lacrymosa
Sanctus
Benedictus: Osanna fugue
From Darkness to Light--pgs. 12-25
Sunday:
Domine Jesu
Lacrymosa
Dies Irae
Benedcitus: Osanna fugue
Confutatis
Kyrie fugue, p. 9 (Cum sanctus fugue p. 75)
From Darkness to Light--complete
On a more practical note: tonight a carpool sign-up sheet will be posted, and directions will be available for our Sunday evening rehearsal with the Doane Choir in Heckman Auditorium at Doane. It is a rare opportunity to have the chance to gather our choral forces together before the 'last-minute.' Please do everything you can possibly do to take part in this experience. It has the potential of galvanizing (even transforming) us for the final push towards finish line! Realize that in the many years we have benefited from the collaborations with college choirs, we have rarely traveled to their turf. It is a great opportunity for us to 'make the trip' this time around.
Grace and peace, and many thanks for offering me the opportunity to be part of your community. You are (individually and collectively) a blessing!
TT
In less than than three weeks we will have the unusual opportunity to sing two of the most beautiful choral/orchestral works in the literature-- one, a Requiem mass, left unfinished on the deathbed of one of the great genius composers in the history of the world; the other, a piece by one of the most prolific women composers (also one of the most significant Canadian composers) of our time to be performed in our state for the first time ever. It is an extraordinary opportunity to be called together to give voice to these profound masterworks. We have such abundant talent, rich experience, and bright intellect among our choir (and also within our orchestra)! We have been given all of the gifts necessary to effectively process and then communicate the message that these inspired composers have entrusted to us. There is no limit to our potential and possibility!...as long as...
As I have suggested many times before, no matter how talented, experienced, and intelligent we are, our ability to fully live into great music like this comes only from our willingness to offer it the discipline that it invites, requires, and deserves. It is our discipline and preparation (individual and collective) that make it possible for our (individual and collective) talent and experience and intellect to sound and soar. Our personal and communal preparation creates a space for the spirit to flow, helping us to engage in the music with more confidence, presence, and facility. We can then becomes servants of the music-- not just singing note by note-- but vessels open to become channels for communication with our audience and with one another. You must not practice to make me or Jeremy happy-- it's possible we won't ever know if you do or don't. You must practice in gratitude for the gifts you have been given-- the gift to sing, the gift to experience great music, and the gift to share all of that with a roomful of wonderful, amazing people. Allow the music to become a part of you-- fully immerse yourselves, swim in it, luxuriate in it, soak in it.
What are some ways to immerse yourselves in this piece, for example:
Frequent www.firstplymouthchoir.
For those who like to plan or who will need to miss upcoming rehearsals, here are the items which will be covered:
Tonight:
Dies Irae
Lacrymosa
Sanctus
Benedictus: Osanna fugue
From Darkness to Light--pgs. 12-25
Sunday:
Domine Jesu
Lacrymosa
Dies Irae
Benedcitus: Osanna fugue
Confutatis
Kyrie fugue, p. 9 (Cum sanctus fugue p. 75)
From Darkness to Light--complete
On a more practical note: tonight a carpool sign-up sheet will be posted, and directions will be available for our Sunday evening rehearsal with the Doane Choir in Heckman Auditorium at Doane. It is a rare opportunity to have the chance to gather our choral forces together before the 'last-minute.' Please do everything you can possibly do to take part in this experience. It has the potential of galvanizing (even transforming) us for the final push towards finish line! Realize that in the many years we have benefited from the collaborations with college choirs, we have rarely traveled to their turf. It is a great opportunity for us to 'make the trip' this time around.
Grace and peace, and many thanks for offering me the opportunity to be part of your community. You are (individually and collectively) a blessing!
TT
Sunday 9:30 a.m. 3.10.2011
Dear friends,
Thank you for your WONDERFUL singing last night in worship and in rehearsal, and how special to have some time to talk with Jim Keck. I echo his gratitude for your contributions to a memorable and meaningful Ash Wednesday and to each and every week of the church year.
UPDATE: Let's assemble on Sunday at 9:30 so that we have luxurious time to warm-up and to fully prepare with the strings for our Mozart "Hostias" and also to practice our movement for the "Processional Kyrie."
Three additional invitations:
1. You may practice your Mozart and Ruth Watson Henderson as much as possible. : )
2. Please see the attached sign up sheet for up-to-the-minute information about our choir tour this summer, and respond by this Sunday if at all possible. Please remember this is not mean to be a trip to compete with the amazing experiences your choir travels have offered previously. We will not be seeing David Willcocks or Mother Theresa or the great European cathedrals on this tour. We will have the awesome experience of spending some time to enjoy being together and to share some of our favorite music with other worshiping communities. We will sing in the beautiful Basilica of St. Mary and at Minneapolis' Plymouth Congregational Church for worship services. We will be certain that every choir member who wants to come is able to come-- do not be shy about letting us know of any financial challenges. We want everyone to join us!
3. an invitation from Sadie: I am currently singing in a choir at Southeast Community College. It's the first quarter for the choir and, for the most part, it's quite an amateur group, but we would appreciate your support in attending our concert. The performance is this Saturday night at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church (40th & C) at 7pm. The concert should only last about an hour, so come support us and enjoy yourselves!
Thank you for your WONDERFUL singing last night in worship and in rehearsal, and how special to have some time to talk with Jim Keck. I echo his gratitude for your contributions to a memorable and meaningful Ash Wednesday and to each and every week of the church year.
UPDATE: Let's assemble on Sunday at 9:30 so that we have luxurious time to warm-up and to fully prepare with the strings for our Mozart "Hostias" and also to practice our movement for the "Processional Kyrie."
Three additional invitations:
1. You may practice your Mozart and Ruth Watson Henderson as much as possible. : )
2. Please see the attached sign up sheet for up-to-the-minute information about our choir tour this summer, and respond by this Sunday if at all possible. Please remember this is not mean to be a trip to compete with the amazing experiences your choir travels have offered previously. We will not be seeing David Willcocks or Mother Theresa or the great European cathedrals on this tour. We will have the awesome experience of spending some time to enjoy being together and to share some of our favorite music with other worshiping communities. We will sing in the beautiful Basilica of St. Mary and at Minneapolis' Plymouth Congregational Church for worship services. We will be certain that every choir member who wants to come is able to come-- do not be shy about letting us know of any financial challenges. We want everyone to join us!
3. an invitation from Sadie: I am currently singing in a choir at Southeast Community College. It's the first quarter for the choir and, for the most part, it's quite an amateur group, but we would appreciate your support in attending our concert. The performance is this Saturday night at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church (40th & C) at 7pm. The concert should only last about an hour, so come support us and enjoy yourselves!
Grace and peace, and many thanks for the ways we, together, are servant musicians in our church.
TT
News and Notes 3.6.2011
Dear friends,
It has been wonderful to share with the dynamic and devoted community of Central Presbyterian here in Atlanta these last several days. I did, however, miss being with you all to celebrate Transfiguration Sunday at Plymouth today. I have heard good news about your contributions to the worship experience. I will be anxious to see the video when I get home. Thanks to Jeremy and Becky (and Chris Marks, too) and each of you for keeping the vitality and spirit high! : )
As we look forward, this week will begin our Lenten journey. Wednesday evening, we should gather in the choir room at 6:30 so that we can be prepared for worship at 7:00 p.m. We will sing the Christiansen LAMB OF GOD rather than reprise the Brahms SCHAFFE IN MIR as we had originally planned. This piece will fit better in the service that has been designed. Following the service, we will flow into rehearsal, including a brief conversation with our pastor, Jim Keck, who has asked for a bit of time to share with you. Our rehearsal will focus primarily on our worship non-Abendmusik music that is coming up these next several weeks. In fact, our Abendmusik Chorus folks will not be present this week. It is important that we all continue our personal preparation of the Mozart and Watson Henderson so that when we reassemble, we can continue building on the wonderful foundation in place! Both Jeremy and I had an opportunity to rehearse with the Doane Choir this past week, and we have total confidence that our groups will entangle in a most beautiful way! What an awesome experience our April 3 program can be.
All are welcome on Tuesday from 3:15-4:30 in the choir room for an optional rehearsal around the concert music. We had a wonderful time with some altos and basses last week! Also, come celebrate Tuesday evening with the Plymouth Brass for Mardi Gras. This will be a fun concert with the brass and special guests like Peter Bouffard, Jack Rinke, and even me.
Finally, if you have not yet heard, I share the sad news of the passing of Catherine Herbener's father. While Catherine has not been around the choir much since I've been in Lincoln, she has a rich history among us, and I know that many of you will wish to reach out to her in some way. We can all hold her family in our thoughts and prayers.
Grace and peace, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.
TT
Learning aids for Mozart REQUIEM 2.22.2011
Dear friends,
As we approach our adventure with Mozart's REQUIEM, I would draw your attention to a few opportunities that may offer you assistance in mastering this piece.
1. We will have Latin diction class this Wednesday and next Wednesday from 6:40-7:05 p.m. before rehearsal. Please note the slight time change to allow us to begin rehearsal promptly.
2. A stream-able recording is available on our choir blog: http://firstplymouthchoir.
3. Performance markings to be copied into your personal scores are available on the choir blog: http://firstplymouthchoir.
4. The www.cyberbass.com website offers note-by-note, part-by-part practice recordings that are stream-able online for free. Here is a direct link to the page you will need. You can then click on which movement you wish and which of the vocal parts you wish to hear singled out. This is not a musical rendition, but it does clearly share notes and rhythms. http://www.cyberbass.com/
5. A class on the compositional construction and on the historical background of Mozart's REQUIEM will be offered here on Tuesday, March 29 from 7-8:30 p.m. Please note the date change.
6. For those who wish to come for additional practice, I will be available in the choir room every Tuesday in March from 3:15-4:30 p.m. to work on any sections of Mozart or Ruth Watson-Henderson's piece that would be helpful to anyone that might come. Attendance is not mandatory, by any means, but it is an open invitation for those who would benefit from and enjoy singing together more frequently in preparation.
7. A translation of the Requiem text can be found here: http://mama.indstate.edu/
I look so forward to sharing in this exciting project with each of you, and I hope it is a meaningful and memorable experience with one of the truly great artistic creations of all time. See you Wednesday!
Grace and peace,
TT
As we approach our adventure with Mozart's REQUIEM, I would draw your attention to a few opportunities that may offer you assistance in mastering this piece.
1. We will have Latin diction class this Wednesday and next Wednesday from 6:40-7:05 p.m. before rehearsal. Please note the slight time change to allow us to begin rehearsal promptly.
2. A stream-able recording is available on our choir blog: http://firstplymouthchoir.
3. Performance markings to be copied into your personal scores are available on the choir blog: http://firstplymouthchoir.
4. The www.cyberbass.com website offers note-by-note, part-by-part practice recordings that are stream-able online for free. Here is a direct link to the page you will need. You can then click on which movement you wish and which of the vocal parts you wish to hear singled out. This is not a musical rendition, but it does clearly share notes and rhythms. http://www.cyberbass.com/
5. A class on the compositional construction and on the historical background of Mozart's REQUIEM will be offered here on Tuesday, March 29 from 7-8:30 p.m. Please note the date change.
6. For those who wish to come for additional practice, I will be available in the choir room every Tuesday in March from 3:15-4:30 p.m. to work on any sections of Mozart or Ruth Watson-Henderson's piece that would be helpful to anyone that might come. Attendance is not mandatory, by any means, but it is an open invitation for those who would benefit from and enjoy singing together more frequently in preparation.
7. A translation of the Requiem text can be found here: http://mama.indstate.edu/
I look so forward to sharing in this exciting project with each of you, and I hope it is a meaningful and memorable experience with one of the truly great artistic creations of all time. See you Wednesday!
Grace and peace,
TT
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