'tis a nice gift
There once was a store in Manchester called Craftings, and it sold products from this state only. Twelve years ago I'd say, my father picked up a Christmas CD and bought several for gifts. We kept a copy and listened to it every year. It was a nicely done CD, and it was my first introduction to the Manchester Choral Society. 5 or so years later my high school choir director gave my parents and me tickets to their Christmas concert at St. Anslem's Abbey.
I don't really remember what brought me to my first audition, or how I even knew where it was, but at some point right when I moved back I decided that singing in such a group would be good for me right out of college. That first gig I even played my trombone for a song. I enjoyed it the first year, especially the Bach b minor mass in May. The next year I convinced Blake and Lauren to join.
I never knew that MCS would become such a large part of my life, and a hook into other aspects as well. Most notable of them is Grace Church, our rehearsal space, and my new home church. The pastor sat next to me in the tenor section, and through him, MCS, and other things, I've developed a community that is a large and happy part of my life. As far as time commitments go, MCS & Grace Church are second only to school. I've really fallen in love with it. It's a gift in my life
Today was our final MCS concert of the semester. It went well, except for when the cello gave us the wrong starting pitch. Enough of that... Our conductor, Lisa Wolff, has an ability to always make us nervous beforehand. She just won't stop picking things apart, and this week we had 3 long rehearsals at night. I hope that not too many others in the choir weren't too fed up with the stress level, because after a show like today's, it's so so worth it.
I've also learned a thing or two from Lisa. She's a wonderfully manic person, and I love her. She's a Grace Church member as well, and we sat together today. Peace be with HER. These MCS programs are her pride and joy, and even though the show was 100% Baroque and very difficult, I respect the thought she put into programming it. I will never hear her say to an audience, like Dr. A. did once: "today we're going to explore the magic of food, what it does to us and how it makes us feel".
I don't really remember what brought me to my first audition, or how I even knew where it was, but at some point right when I moved back I decided that singing in such a group would be good for me right out of college. That first gig I even played my trombone for a song. I enjoyed it the first year, especially the Bach b minor mass in May. The next year I convinced Blake and Lauren to join.
I never knew that MCS would become such a large part of my life, and a hook into other aspects as well. Most notable of them is Grace Church, our rehearsal space, and my new home church. The pastor sat next to me in the tenor section, and through him, MCS, and other things, I've developed a community that is a large and happy part of my life. As far as time commitments go, MCS & Grace Church are second only to school. I've really fallen in love with it. It's a gift in my life
Today was our final MCS concert of the semester. It went well, except for when the cello gave us the wrong starting pitch. Enough of that... Our conductor, Lisa Wolff, has an ability to always make us nervous beforehand. She just won't stop picking things apart, and this week we had 3 long rehearsals at night. I hope that not too many others in the choir weren't too fed up with the stress level, because after a show like today's, it's so so worth it.
I've also learned a thing or two from Lisa. She's a wonderfully manic person, and I love her. She's a Grace Church member as well, and we sat together today. Peace be with HER. These MCS programs are her pride and joy, and even though the show was 100% Baroque and very difficult, I respect the thought she put into programming it. I will never hear her say to an audience, like Dr. A. did once: "today we're going to explore the magic of food, what it does to us and how it makes us feel".