Dear friends,
Thank you for so generously, graciously sharing so much time with the choir this week as we have moved forward with our intensive preparations of this beautiful, magical Christmas concert. We have the gift of a Saturday to rest our bodies, minds, spirits, and voices before we find our way back together to share all of our individual and collective efforts with our Abendmusik community. Even on a third consecutive evening of singing, you came with abundant energy and focus tonight-- thank you all so much. We did struggle with pitch-- almost on contact we would sing a half-step low. However, we always held tune with one another across the ensemble-- we didn't pull apart. This is a sure symptom of our fatigue which caused production problems as we tried to make things happen, rather than just allowing the sound to sigh and spin. As frustrating as falling flat together is, it is also something to celebrate-- that we TOGETHER maintained our tuning even as we fell down in pitch. If some rest and restored energy can fix our production problems and keep us on pitch, we know our aural sense as a group will keep us beautifully entwined across the choir loft! : ) And, more importantly by far, we are beginning to know our music well enough to allow it to have meaning and commitment to expression. What a terrific, joyful experience we are beginning to have even with a very challenging arrangement of WAKE, AWAKE. The last few times those last 3 pages were bubbly and effervescent, and boy could they get labored and heavy if we let them... When we start to trust ourselves and one another to be easy, free, and refreshed with generous cleansing breaths, we allow the music to flow, the spirit is set free, and our voices become an instrument of the message! What a blessing to be a part of some of that transformational work this evening! : ) Every piece on the concert has a deep, rich message, and our hard work these last few days will enable us to bring meaning and heart to those messages.
Here are a few gentle practical reminders:
1. We will assemble at 2:45 on Sunday in the choir room. Jeremy and I have made an attempt to move our low basses to the center of the choir, so please do not be surprised if your chair is an a new place. We hope this will help us all anchor ourselves upon a rich foundation! : )
2. Concert dress is solid bright color, longsleeve shirt (no tie or coat) and black pants or long skirt. Please avoid fragrances or fancy jewelry or accessories.
3. Be certain that you have a black folder and that your music is gathered and organized before our Sunday warm-up.
4. Sunday morning we will sing WAKE AWAKE and WELCOME ALL WONDERS for 10:30 worship. We can meet in the choir room at 9:30. If any Abendmusik Chorus folks would like to come sing with us, you are most welcome. Please just RSVP via e-mail if you'd like to come. This will give us a few more opportunities to sing some of our more intrepid pieces together.
5. Keep on practicing! : )
Thank you all for the gift of your time, talent, energy, and enthusiasm towards our Christmas celebration, and know that I am grateful for all that we will share together and with our family and friends on Sunday.
Grace and peace and many thanks for all you are and all you do!
