The Voca People

Another a cappella phenom group. I'm not too certain about the costuming though - looks a bit like a spin off of the Blue Man Group, without the blue paint.

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree

Christmas wishes from Michael McGlynn of ANUNA

Michael McGlynn of Anuna has a one-hour PBS television event coming up and they are traveling around the USA promoting the event in Border's stores.

Here it is, straight from Michael himself:

We've pushed that boundary even a little more this year with a new project called "Christmas Memories". It comprises of a PBS one-hour TV special broadcasting across the USA this December with a CD and DVD release exclusive to Borders. Six of the choir are traveling across the USA to promote the project in Border's Stores stores with short performances. While the show features a number of Christmas favorites and original songs written by myself, it isn't just a series of choral performances. Think of an old Bing Crosby Christmas special with hammy dialogue, and you are nearly there...


Please come and say "hi" to us on the tour - we would love to see you all. Mark your diaries for the broadcasts which began last Sunday. I can guarantee that you may never look at Anuna in the same way after seeing the show.

Season's Greetings to you all.

Here's the remaining US schedule:

Borders Baltimore #043: Friday, December 5th 7:00 PM, 170 W. Ridgely Rd.,
Suite 220 Lutherville, MD 21093

Borders Rockville #010: Sunday, December 7th 2:00 PM, 11301 Rockville Pike
Kensington, MD 20895

Borders Fairfax #112: Sunday, December 7th 7:00 PM, 11054 Lee Hwy Fairfax,
VA 22030

Borders Westlake #062: Tuesday, December 9th 7:00 PM, 30121 Detroit Road
Westlake, OH 44145

Borders Ann Arbor #421: Wednesday, December 10th 7:00 PM, 3140 Lohr Rd, Ann
Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Borders Oak Brook #020: Thursday, December 11th 7:00 PM, 1500 16th Street,
Suite D Oak Brook, IL 60523

Borders Dallas #032: Saturday, December 13th 2:00 PM, 10720 Preston Road,
Suite 1018 Dallas, TX 75230

Borders Fort Worth #414: Saturday, December 13th 6:00 PM, 4601 W. Freeway
Fort Worth, TX 76107

Borders San Antonio #186: Sunday, December 14th 2:00 PM, 255 E. Basse Rd.,
Ste. 350 San Antonio, TX 78209

Borders Thousand Oaks #118: Tuesday, December 16th 7:00 PM, 125 W Thousand
Oaks Blvd Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

Borders Union Square #057: Wednesday, December 17th 7:00 PM, 400 Post
Street San Francisco, CA 94102

Borders Beaverton #152: Thursday, December 18th 7:00 PM, 2605 SW Cedar
Hills Blvd Beaverton, OR 97005

Borders Seattle #066: Friday, December 19th 1:00 PM, 1501 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101

Great Thanksgiving Moment

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it . . .
Prone to leave the God I love . . .
Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it for Thy courts above.

Here's one of my favorite choral/orchestral scenes of Thanksgiving. What a moment:

Advent Conspiracy

Choralgirl, author of Choral Reef, points us to this wonderful reminder of what is important in the upcoming season of madness. See more of her posts here.

Inserting Diacritical Marks

A question on ChoraList prompted this post.

The question:

Colleagues,

We have a Dvorak piece in our fall concert. Can anyone tell me how to type the diacritical "hatchick" that goes over the R? It appears in the title as well.

Kayla Werlin

The solution, for Microsoft Word users, is found in the "Insert Symbol" menu. The following YouTube video gives a good tutorial on the procedure:

Hindemith's Happy Birthday

Today is Paul Hindemith's birthday, and we almost missed it.

Borm: 16 November 1895
Died: 28 December 1963

America's Choral Journey

Alan Davis has started a series of YouTube videos on the history of choral music. He describes it this way:

I am starting a Series of Posts called "Americas Choral Journey" which timelines the big events in the forming of today's choral traditions and education. It follows from 1900 to today. Covering 15 Video's averaging 5 mins each. ALL VIDEOS WILL HAVE SOUND INCLUDED.

I will cover several topics within these videos, but to not give any of that information now, will leave you suspense and curiousity. So please return as my new videos shall be every week or every couple of weeks.

I think it's a great idea . . . and I think more of us should begin creating more content on YouTube for others. It's a fantastic medium and Alan is showing us the way.

Here's Chapter Two of the series:



Hat tip . . Allen Simon. Thanks Allen!

Advent Conspiracy

This is a YouTube video I found on Choral Reef by someone who calls herself Choralgirl and describes herself as a 40something choral geek, book lover, poet, theology junkie, and partnered lesbian Lutheran.

It's a video that is slightly religious in nature . . . but it points to messages we choral musicians resonate with this time of year. Enjoy.

(and, thanks, Choralgirl, for pointing us to this)

Now that the election is over, choral bloggers have returned to posting substantive posts about choral music. In this post, ChoralGirl gives us ten YouTube videos that comprise her theological beliefs.

In her words:

And so, I got to thinking. If I could choose ten hymns that together have truly shaped me, that speak to me, that comprise my theology, what would they be? It's really a tough exercise for me, because there are so many wonderful candidates in the history of Christian music. But I think I have a fair representation here of texts and tunes that will always live in me, and the reasons for each.

Check out her post.

"Alles Vergängliche" from Mahler's Eighth.

Greatest Serial Hits

Be watching: ACDA reveals new website tomorrow!




Apologies if I've posted this before . . .

You Must Use the Force

I love things like this. Enjoy!

Elegy

Let us honor the passing of all those we love on this All Saints Sunday.

Requiem Aeternam

Giving it your all

Happy Birthday, RVW

Everyone is celebrating the death of Vaughan Williams this year, so I thought it would be a good idea to celebrate his birth.

RVW was born on October 12, 1872

We celebrate it with one of his most performed compositions, "The Truth from Above."