Tabishland

Ben Franklin: Wed. Dec. 6th 7PM
Junior High: Wed. Dec. 13th 7:30PM
Senior High: Thurs. Dec. 14th 7PM

An interesting aside: A Capella is NOT performing "Hallelujah Chorus", or anything else from The Messiah.
It's just not the same.
 

My chorus is performing the entirety of the Messiah on Dec 15 and 16. It's spectacular. We're also auctioning off conducting the Hallelujah Chorus at the Saturday night performance.! I'll post it when it goes up on eBay.

I'll sing at services Christmas Eve but I don't know what yet; and I'm singing at a memorial service mid-month as well.

Neither of my kids sing - it's all me. They both have nice voices but they just aren't particularly interested. Oh, well. At least I have fun. :-)
 

I haven't been up to a Sr. High concert in a long time. I didn't know that the Hallelujah Chorus was eliminated. Are they doing anything from the standard traditional repertoire?

My concert is the most multi-cultural that it has been. I found this cool piece that mixes traditional chant from India with a text from Isaiah, believe it or not. And I finally found an Arabic piece that I could do for our Islamic kids. I never go far from my Pecsenye roots...we are doing "Ding Dong Merrily on High" with the Eisenhower bell choir.

Kim, I think it is fabulous that you are doing the whole Messiah!! Are you bringing in the soloists or using kids? Are you using full orchestra, too? What a wonderful accomplishment! You must have an amazing program! Are you recording the performances? I would love to hear it!

Incidentally, I'll be at the Grapevine with my guitar on Saturday night from 6 - 9, if anyone is interested in stopping in.
 

Bell Choir 12/9 at St. Joe's School in Metuchen.

Playing Carol of the Bells, Bring a Torch, We 3 Kings, Mass, Silent Night, Soon and Very Soon, Every Valley...

Wish us luck; we will need it.

Good luck to you all too!
 

Liza: I LOVE bell choirs. Lucky you

Gracie: as far as I know, we're the first to do it. It was the conductor's idea. Starting bid will be $500. I'll post the auction (I'm the one putting it up for the chorus). PS, love the Nutcracker, too!

Julianne: I think it's awesome that you've found music from other cultures to perform for your concert. It's inclusive and educational. You go!

As for our production, it's pretty high level. The chorus itself is over 100 people, with a core of about 10 professional singers (of which I'm one). The orchestra is all professional, and top notch. The soloists are sometimes brought out from the chorus, but are more often hired out. In this case, they're world class. Julianne Baird (!!) is the Soprano soloist. The Times calls her the model for interpreting Messiah. She has about 80 CDs for sale on Amazon - and is simply in my opinion, the best singer I've ever heard.

If you are anywhere near this area that week-end, it is worth the trouble and money to go!
 

I wish I could say this year it was going to be "A Planet of the Apes Christmas"- a special holiday operatta where Cornelius finds an orphan and brings him home for Christmas Eve only to find out it is his Great Great Great Grandfather.

No, instead, our Holiday performance was last week. The Ballet Royale Academy's annual perfomance of The Nutcracker Suite. This year Dora danced the arduous role of "Mother Ginger Child" for which she was applauded and given an after-show dessert treat at a local chain restaurant.

Still, I can dream of the topsy-turvy day when Apes run Christmas.
 

We all can, Ian. We all can.
 

You are SO right...Julianne Baird is the defining voice of these arias today!!!! I first heard her when I was in college and she was in the Waverly Consort. The last time I heard her in person was about three years ago in Pittsburgh, interpreting two short early Baroque operas. She is such a wonderful and rare talent! I love, love, love to hear her on NPR and be able to ID her voice before they announce her! It is so crystalline and technically exceptional! What a thrill to sing with her!

I wish I could hear your production! I know that it will be incredible!

I'm glad to know everyone's holiday concert dates! I will pray for all of these programs!
 

I remember being really into the Planet of the Apes movies. One of my older, more world-wise cousins turned me on to them. They were great fun.
 

OH ALL RIGHT! I'LL DO IT:

You know that one part of Planet Of The Apes? The part where Roddy McDowell goes like this?
[open and close mouth like a ventriloquest dummy three times]
You can tell he's wearing a mask.

Feel better Ian? (Yeah I know, everyone else is sitting in stunned silence wondering just what the heck I'm talking about. Well, I'm not going to explain it 'cause it's moronic. )
 

Kim- you got it all wrong- it's "you know that scene where Roddy McDowell goes like this? [open and close mouth like a ventriloquest dummy three times] Okay, not that scene, but the scene right before that? Well, you can tell it's a mask."

-Great outtakes from the play Hot L Baltimore. A little Holiday gift from us to you. Thank you, good night. Drive safely everyone!
 

Geez Ian, it's been fifteen years since I said it. Give a girl a break.


By the way, you forgot "Try the Veal. I'll be in town all week."
 

Boy, Julianne, you know your stuff!!

Ian...oh, never mind.
 

I've just been quietly looking (reading) on, waiting to make some comment about the cheese blintzes!