This has been a very hard quarter. It's been difficult and long, but thankfully, working in the music department guarantees that through it all there will be music. If I try to pick a piece that has been my focus this quarter, besides the mega-hard, mega-modern Hogan piece, it would be In the Mornin'. Charles Ives' setting of the American spiritual. I sing it every time I'm in the car. It just pours out of my soul and is the perfect range. I love it! I love all my Ives' selections and had a hard time narrowing down the rep I wanted to look at to 7 pieces. Perhaps this is too many for a recital set. I might end up cutting one.
No masterclasses this quarter and it wasn't until February 11 that we had our first vocal event. The voice Convocation was in Geiringer Hall again. It is the perfect venue for this scale performance. All voice students are required to sing in at least two convocations- one being held each quarter. My selection for this convocation was Charles Ives' There is a Certain Garden. I am falling in love with his art songs and this one is no exception. For a long time most of my rep just happened to be about death. But, this setting, of a beautiful poem describing a garden dear to my heart is introducing me to the world of songs about birds, spring, flowers, and love- but I'm a mezzo.
The week of our choir concert Prof. Gervais told us that he had 10 comp tickets for the Sofie Anne von Otter performance at the Granada on the 9th. It turned out to be a performance of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France with the mezzo-soprano soloing in Sheherazade. The entire program, directed by Myung-Whun Chung, featured works by Ravel. His ballets are beautiful and moving. Moments reminding me os Stravinsky. I was a little disappointed when, after the concert, I got in line for a signature by the diva. I was excited to be first in line and I bought one of the cds they had. It's more than I like to spend on a cd when I can buy it cheaper on itunes. Then, 10 minutes later we're told she has already left for the evening. Grr. I would not have bought the cd for her to sign and I even had my camera. Maybe next time. You can watch a video of the performance at http://www.camasb.org/. Click on the 2009/2010 series then scroll down to the appropriate performance.
The end of every quarter is always marked by the Quire of Voyces concert weekend. March 13 and 14 we performed our Rachmaninoff program. This isn't my favorite of his but the audience just raved about this concert. Many loyal qv patrons proclaiming this as their favorite concert ever! And, riding the success wave, we have great momentum as we prepare to leave for Italy in a little over 10 weeks.
On a less personal note, here are the musical highlights for the Winter 2010 quarter:
No masterclasses this quarter and it wasn't until February 11 that we had our first vocal event. The voice Convocation was in Geiringer Hall again. It is the perfect venue for this scale performance. All voice students are required to sing in at least two convocations- one being held each quarter. My selection for this convocation was Charles Ives' There is a Certain Garden. I am falling in love with his art songs and this one is no exception. For a long time most of my rep just happened to be about death. But, this setting, of a beautiful poem describing a garden dear to my heart is introducing me to the world of songs about birds, spring, flowers, and love- but I'm a mezzo.
The March 5 UCSB Chamber Choir concert was titled Ecce! After the Victoria motets in the first half of our program. The second half was Martin's Mass. This is probably the most difficult mass 
I've ever learned and I had to learn it twice. The first time last year with the Quire of Voyces as a first alto. This time I had to learn the second alto. I already knew the progressions and was familiar with the work overall so it was easier than sight-reading a piece from scratch.
We performed the same program in the Santa Ynez Mission two days later. The woman at the mission that publicizes our performances in Santa Ynez has been ill so our turnout was a bit disappointing. But the performance went well and it's always nice to be able to perform a work, that you spent all quarter on, more than once.
I've ever learned and I had to learn it twice. The first time last year with the Quire of Voyces as a first alto. This time I had to learn the second alto. I already knew the progressions and was familiar with the work overall so it was easier than sight-reading a piece from scratch.We performed the same program in the Santa Ynez Mission two days later. The woman at the mission that publicizes our performances in Santa Ynez has been ill so our turnout was a bit disappointing. But the performance went well and it's always nice to be able to perform a work, that you spent all quarter on, more than once.
The week of our choir concert Prof. Gervais told us that he had 10 comp tickets for the Sofie Anne von Otter performance at the Granada on the 9th. It turned out to be a performance of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France with the mezzo-soprano soloing in Sheherazade. The entire program, directed by Myung-Whun Chung, featured works by Ravel. His ballets are beautiful and moving. Moments reminding me os Stravinsky. I was a little disappointed when, after the concert, I got in line for a signature by the diva. I was excited to be first in line and I bought one of the cds they had. It's more than I like to spend on a cd when I can buy it cheaper on itunes. Then, 10 minutes later we're told she has already left for the evening. Grr. I would not have bought the cd for her to sign and I even had my camera. Maybe next time. You can watch a video of the performance at http://www.camasb.org/. Click on the 2009/2010 series then scroll down to the appropriate performance.
The end of every quarter is always marked by the Quire of Voyces concert weekend. March 13 and 14 we performed our Rachmaninoff program. This isn't my favorite of his but the audience just raved about this concert. Many loyal qv patrons proclaiming this as their favorite concert ever! And, riding the success wave, we have great momentum as we prepare to leave for Italy in a little over 10 weeks.For all QV tour updates you can go to the choir's blog at qov-incantatotour.blogspot.com
