Saturday, December 17, 2005

it doesn't get much better

had free tickets (thanks for the comps, Lisa!) for tonights performance of Handel's Messiah by the Nashville Symphony and Chorus at War Memorial Auditorium. had to go and at least listen, since i'm not singing with them this season. took my buddy Matt, being the musician he is, i knew he would be as stoked as i was for the evening. they did not disappoint =)

the Chorus was absolutely fabulous (AbFab!). i was a bit disappointed in the hired soloists, particularly the soprano, who i thought lacked energy and support. i may be hypercritical because i'm a soprano or just that i know one of the regular paid soloists for the Chorus who could have done a much better job. i ran into the Chorus' Librarian at Intermission and mentioned that to him, and he told me that the soprano who sang was a last minute replacement for the one they had originally hired for the concert (she called in sick today). he agreed that the regular i knew would have done a much better job, but let me in on the skinny - evidently she copped some attitude recently with the Conductor and has been reaping the consequences ever since. ahhhh, the drama behind the scenes...how i miss it ;)

so Matt and I were rockin out during such rousing numbers as "Glory to God," "Since by Man Came Death," and what we both agree knocks the socks off the "Hallelujah" chorus, the "Amen" chorus. we gave it "two thumbs up"

afterwards, i introduced Matt to the awesomeness that is SATCO (everybody say "mmmmmmm, SATCO"), aka the San Antonio Taco Company. a definite must, for anyone who lives in or visits Nashville.

yes, indeed, it doesn't get much better than a friday night at the Symphony (for free) and noshing afterwards at SATCO.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Godfinds

yes, it is amazingly true and very exciting, i finished ALL of my Christmas shopping last Friday. whoo hoo! stick a fork in me people, i am DONE!

i am singing in the MLK Celebration Chorus again this year, celebrating his fight for civil rights and freedom for all of us. i LOVE that i get to sing with such a spirited and talented group again.

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this past Sunday night, we had our first communion at Eastland Community Church. they decided to light the whole sanctuary with only candles placed in various candleabras (from weddings and such) and one overhead light. just thinking now how good symbolism that is, us the bride, Christ the groom, wedding candleabras very appropriate.

the thing that sticks with me the most from the evening was even more subtle. it was after i partook of the bread and juice and quietly made my way up to the chairs in the choir loft, preparing to sing some more. as i sat there meditating on the music, i heard the candle wax dripping down onto the white paper-squares underneath the candleabras, multiple heavy spatters in rapid succession. as the wax pools build up like tears welling up in the corner of your eye until it the surface tension breaks and suddenly, the liquid spills over and down all at once. it's somewhat like the sound of wringing out a saturated cloth all at once, but the liquid is heavier than water, so you hear each individual droplet hit the ground.

a rapid succession of wax droplets splatter on the paper. then silence, except for light guitar reflection amongst sighs, tears and prayers. then more droplets splatter. i close my eyes and savor the rich sound of the droplets hitting, spattering, splattering. and the thought strikes me...

this is what the people standing, sitting around the cross at Jesus' crucifixion heard. except it was Jesus' blood pooling up, then spilling and splattering in droplets on the ground.

heavy droplets spattering the ground in rapid succession. between sighs, tears and prayers.

Kate says this was an epiphany for me. i am just completely moved, and grateful for such a tactile, audible image i will never forget.