NAU!!!
Well, tomorrow is my favorite day of the school year as far as choir is concerned (aside from April 7th). Tomorrow, we leave for Northern Arizona University and the Northern Arizona University Madrigal/Jazz Festival and Competition! That's right, three days in Flagstaff, Arizona listening to other choirs sing, competing, seeing alumni from the last two years at Salpointe and ultimately, having way too much fun. Absolutely cannot wait! This trip has been so much fun the past two years, and I doubt this one will be anything less than extraordinary. But, in true Josh Ver Halen fashion, let's all look at the clocks, realize it's 950 and that I haven't even begun my packing yet. Oh well...I'll get it done. I can always just sleep on the trip up to NAU. That takes ages after all. So, yeah, this is the culmination of all our work this year so far. We'll be doing (in this order) "Baci Soavi e' Cari" (Kisses, dear tender Kisses) a love song in Italian that speaks to a woman (from a man's heart) about how much he loves her...so much that it hurts him almost to the point of dying. It's really tender and moving. Following that, "Kyrie Elesion" from Schubert's Mass in G. This song is a heart-felt prayer for forgiveness and continued strength from God. It features Julia Blase as the single most amazing classical vocal soloist I've heard in High School. Our closer is "Hold On", a Negro Spiritual from pre-civil war times. "Hold On" is extremely loud the entire way through, often breaking into six and seven part harmonies. The song is one of hope for the slaves, begging them to "Keep your hand on the plow, hold on, hold on!" Another stirring and very powerful song that every single choir member gets to spit fire while singing. The Advanced Chorus is also singing, but I have no idea what. For the third consecutive year I'm rooming with Matt Brauer and Mr. Morganti (our director). Having just gotten the new keyboard, that room is gonna be ROCKIN'! Anyways, I better start packing before I fall asleep. I'll talk ALL about the NAU Choir Trip when we get back sometime Saturday afternoon. QAPLA!
-Josh
-Josh