New York
So much has happened I'm not sure what to write about first. I guess the beginning would be the best!
Wednesday the 13th of June I flew out of San Jose airport to JFK. Of course flights these days often being what they are my plane was about 2 hrs late. Oh well. The next couple days were spent relaxing mostly, but Sarah and I did have a chance to do some shopping! Not much as we had the kids with us and there is only so much that 3 children 4 yrs and younger can take. :)
Saturday I headed into "the city" (Manhattan) by way of LaGuardia airport where I met up with a couple of the TAs. We were to early to be able to check into the Grand Hyatt Hotel so we checked our bags and started walking. And walking. We were able to kill about 5hrs before having to be back at the hotel. My Uncle, Aunt, and cousin arrived later and we crashed.
Sunday was a big day. There was a practice for the choir in the hotel and we sang through the music. (I got to sing the soprano solos in the practice-so I can say I did sing a solo in NY) We got done earlier than expected, but not quite early enough for me to get to the AM church service. :( Ben (bro-in-law) was at GA and Sarah had gone upstate to her in-laws. I spent the early part of the afternoon deliberating as to whether I would be able to make the evening service and whether I could do it alone. :0 I mapped out my route carefully and asked questions of the front desk personnel, and decided to tackle it!
The route was as follows: From Grnd Cntrl Stat. I took the Shuttle to Times Squ. From there I took the subway 1,2 or 3 downtown to Penn Stat. Catch the Long Is RR for New Hyde Park. Picked up by a lady from the church and remember the instructions backward to be able to get back o.k. Nerve racking yes, but lots of fun!
The pastor welcomed me from the pulpit mentioned my two sister's names so everyone would make the connection, and announced that I was single. Can anything be more embarrassing? O.k. I know there are things more embarrassing than that, but I sure could feel myself color up!
I did make it back to the hotel safely after only one wrong subway ride. The whole experience was most instructive and I am happy that I had a grand adventure so early in my NY stay.
There were more grand adventures but my internal clock is still on NY time. I shall have to save the telling of them for another post.
Labels: Carnegie
The Poetry of "The Peace of Wild Things" Vol. 3
The last 3 ~ here goes!
"The Year Turns Away From Me" by Morton Marcus (This one is kinda cool ~ it is another womens 3 part choral piece)
The year turns away from me,I'm here on the other side of the hill,Where winds are flames, blue wings in the meadow,Tall steeples of ashes diminish at the meadow's edgeAnd far down the hillsideA deep chorus of boulders is singing the pebbles awake."The Stars" by Morton Marcus (and my personal worst)
The stars are grains of salt thrown over God's shoulder
They fly from us and we fly after
But the heart that dark star, the heart that heavy planet
Is all that we can know of heaven."may my heart always be open" by e.e. cummings (I'm not sure I make sense out of this one either)
may my heart always be open to little
birds who are the secrets of living
whatever they sing is better than to know
and if men should not hear them men are old
may my mind stroll about hungry
and fearless and thirsty and supple
and even if it's sunday may i be wrong
for whenever men are right they are not young
and may myself do nothing usefully
and love yourself so more than truly
there's never been quite such a fool who could fail
pulling all the sky over him with one smile
One of the practice nights Morton Marcus (who lives in Santa Cruz) came to talk to us about the poetry. Never have I spent a more boring 3 hours! There was more than one person who wanted to know what he meant in "The Stars" And after his expounding I was thoroughly confused. He said there was no heaven in the poem for one thing. I thought it was actually funny at that part because after he explained the poem he asked if that made sense. There were a few noises of meaningful accent around the room while I was more lost than ever! I wasn't the only one in that boat either. :)
Labels: Carnegie
The Poetry of "The Peace of Wild Things" Vol. 2
"Returning" by Wendell Berry (this one is probably my favorite piece of music in the whole work)
I was walking in a dark valley and above me the tops of the hills
had caught the morning light.
I heard the light singing as it went among the grassblades and the leaves.
I waded upward through the shadow
until my head emerged,
my shoulders mantled with the light,
and my whole body came up out of the darkness,
and stood at the new shore of the day.
Where I had come was home,
for my own house stood white where the dark river wore the earth.
The sheen of bounty was on the grass, and the spring of the year had come."i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)" by e.e. cummings (This one is a trio for women's voices and I do like this one.)
i carry your heart with me (i carry it inmy heart) i am never without it(anywherei go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling) i fearno fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)and it's you are whatever a moon has always meantand whatever a sun will always sing is youhere is the deepest secret nobody knows(here is the root of the root and the bud of the budand the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which growshigher than soul can hope or mind can hide)and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars aparti carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)And one more for this post:
"The Old Country" by Morton Marcus
Below the steep slopes inside usThere are mountain valleys with red-tiled roofsSurrounded by plowed fieldsStaked patches of grapevineAnd domed churches in whose tiny graveyardsthe slim cypress trees spiral toward memoryLabels: Carnegie
The Poetry of "The Peace of Wild Things" Vol. 1
These are the first three songs of the work that we are doing in Carnegie. There are nine in all. Personally I really don't care for them. They have their redeeming qualities which is mostly in the actually music and the picture painting that the notes themselves to.
IF (among) by e.e. cummings
if (amongsilent skiesbluer than believing) alittle gayearth openingis all the flowers of his eyes:april's theythis if nowor this (youngtrembling any) into flametwig or limbexplodes and oeach living ablaze greenly thing;may has comelove (by yesevery newbird no bigger than to sing)leaf is wingand tree is voicemost leastfully than i am you,we are spring"The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,I go and lie down where the wood drakerests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.I come into the peace of wild thingswho do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.I come into the presence of still water.And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light.For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free."A Song Sparrow Singing in the Fall" by Wendell Berry
Somehow it has all added up to song--earth, air, rain and light,the labor and the heat,the mortality of the young.I will go free of other singing, I will gointo the silence of my songs, to hear this song clearly.BTW: I can't really make sense of the poetry. But it is modern and apparently you are supposed to find your own interpretation.
Labels: Carnegie
Carnegie Hall
Yes indeed. I have the opportunity of singing there with my college choir this coming June. So if I can scrape up the required funds for the group package payment I will be there. I still can't quite believe it myself ~ but I am very excited and praying for guidance.
This is my BIG news.
Labels: Carnegie
