The annual Historic Organs of Richmond Hill progressive recital will be held at 3.00pm, Sunday 21 October. Entry is by gold coin donation, which supports the work of the Richmond Hill Churches Food Centre.
The day includes three recitals on the instruments at St Stephen's Anglican Church, St Ignatius Catholic Church, and Richmond Uniting Church (in that order!). I have been invited to play the second recital at St Ignatius, which will start somewhere around 3.50pm.
The programme at St Ignatius will include Mendelssohn's Prelude and Fugue in c minor (Op. 37, No. 1), and Bach's Sonata IV [BWV 528].
29 September 2012
27 September 2012
Out and about
The locum continues at St Stephen's, Richmond, this week. Only a couple of weeks left, and then I move on to another locum.
Here's this week's organ pieces:
Andante from Sonata IV [BWV 528] -- J.S. Bach
Prelude in c minor (Op. 37, No, 1) -- Felix Mendelssohn
Here's this week's organ pieces:
Andante from Sonata IV [BWV 528] -- J.S. Bach
Prelude in c minor (Op. 37, No, 1) -- Felix Mendelssohn
20 September 2012
Out and about
Locuming continues at St Stephen's, Richmond, this week.
I'm preparing a concert program for sometime in October, so the next few weeks will be cruising along with ready repertoire. More information about the recital to follow.
Here's this week's sampling:
Schmucke dich, O liebe seele [BWV 654] -- J.S. Bach
Fugue in E flat [BWV 552] -- J.S. Bach
I'm preparing a concert program for sometime in October, so the next few weeks will be cruising along with ready repertoire. More information about the recital to follow.
Here's this week's sampling:
Schmucke dich, O liebe seele [BWV 654] -- J.S. Bach
Fugue in E flat [BWV 552] -- J.S. Bach
19 September 2012
Senator Slippery-Slope Strawman
My favourite space cadet in the Senate has been promoting the cause of lunatic nonsense once again. He needs to be reconnected to a steady oxygen supply, although it could be too late. But then again, he seems to have sufficient chemical balance left to do something honorable by taking a long walk off a short pier.
Most people look at same-sex relationships these days and apply the "quacks like a duck..." argument. I don't believe this is an inner-city or left-wing phenomenon. To all intents and purposes, over half the population doesn't see any real qualitative difference between a steady relationship between two men or two women, and an opposite-sex union. We know this because the same agencies that bring us the weekly polling on politics have also taken surveys on same-sex marriage -- even if this is an area of opinion polling the major parties are content to ignore. People don't tend to look at any long-term relationship between a couple of adults in terms of what happens in the bedroom, and would rightly prefer to discuss the weather than brands of personal lubricant. Which is fair enough. What interests me is that the most vociferous comments against Senator Bernardi have come from parents of gay people, who are understandably upset at his insulting of their children's relationships. Bernardi likes to paint himself as pro-families, and where there is a same-sex couple you will find that there are always going to be in-laws, which looks strangely family-like. Here's a little suggestion as to what parents and families with gay children really see.
Surely this is the moment for a step back on all sides of the argument. Bernardi's comments reflect an extremely narrow section of the Liberal Party that happens to be very good at stealing the megaphone. It is sad, and he is more to be pitied than condemned. Laughter would be better still. Perhaps its time groups like PFLAG took a more prominent public stance to offer a more realistic position that would be harder to marginalize.
Most people look at same-sex relationships these days and apply the "quacks like a duck..." argument. I don't believe this is an inner-city or left-wing phenomenon. To all intents and purposes, over half the population doesn't see any real qualitative difference between a steady relationship between two men or two women, and an opposite-sex union. We know this because the same agencies that bring us the weekly polling on politics have also taken surveys on same-sex marriage -- even if this is an area of opinion polling the major parties are content to ignore. People don't tend to look at any long-term relationship between a couple of adults in terms of what happens in the bedroom, and would rightly prefer to discuss the weather than brands of personal lubricant. Which is fair enough. What interests me is that the most vociferous comments against Senator Bernardi have come from parents of gay people, who are understandably upset at his insulting of their children's relationships. Bernardi likes to paint himself as pro-families, and where there is a same-sex couple you will find that there are always going to be in-laws, which looks strangely family-like. Here's a little suggestion as to what parents and families with gay children really see.
Surely this is the moment for a step back on all sides of the argument. Bernardi's comments reflect an extremely narrow section of the Liberal Party that happens to be very good at stealing the megaphone. It is sad, and he is more to be pitied than condemned. Laughter would be better still. Perhaps its time groups like PFLAG took a more prominent public stance to offer a more realistic position that would be harder to marginalize.
12 September 2012
Out and about
This Sunday I'm continuing the locum at St Stephen's, Richmond. We have a bishop visiting this week, so undoubtedly there will be fun to be had...
The main moments for the organ are the prelude and postlude, so here's what I've got planned.
Forlana -- Gerald Finzi
Fantasia super Komm, Heiliger Geist [BWV 651] -- J.S. Bach
The main moments for the organ are the prelude and postlude, so here's what I've got planned.
Forlana -- Gerald Finzi
Fantasia super Komm, Heiliger Geist [BWV 651] -- J.S. Bach
07 September 2012
Out and about
This week I'm continuing the locum at St Stephen's, Richmond. The main moments for the organ in the service there are the prelude and postlude, so here is what I'm playing this week.
Pastorale from Sonata I (Op. 42) -- Alexandre Guilmant
Tuba Tune -- Dulcie Holland
Pastorale from Sonata I (Op. 42) -- Alexandre Guilmant
Tuba Tune -- Dulcie Holland
02 September 2012
Five minutes a day
At the moment I'm taking care of two groups of adult singers while a couple of colleagues are away. Both groups cover the generational spectrum, and include people ranging from 20-somethings up to 80-somethings.
When I do these sorts of locums, a couple of consistent questions crop up in conversations with the singers. How do we sound? What can I do to improve my performance in the group?
One of the particular challenges of singing in a church choir is that Sunday morning simply must mean business. In twenty minutes there is a lot to be dealt with. If there is no weekday rehearsal there is a further degree of intensity to ensure everything is covered in time. One aspect of a singing group's corporate habits that invariably goes by the board is technical development, both of the group as a whole and for individuals who might want to address specific issues. Over the last fifteen years I have often found myself recommending a five-minute routine for the weekdays, and it goes something like this:
When I do these sorts of locums, a couple of consistent questions crop up in conversations with the singers. How do we sound? What can I do to improve my performance in the group?
One of the particular challenges of singing in a church choir is that Sunday morning simply must mean business. In twenty minutes there is a lot to be dealt with. If there is no weekday rehearsal there is a further degree of intensity to ensure everything is covered in time. One aspect of a singing group's corporate habits that invariably goes by the board is technical development, both of the group as a whole and for individuals who might want to address specific issues. Over the last fifteen years I have often found myself recommending a five-minute routine for the weekdays, and it goes something like this:
- Open up the body by stretching gently and slowly for a minute. Make sure your feet are planted securely at shoulder width. One sequence I use a lot is the three trees: stretching up like a Cyprus (with children: "pencil tree"); stretching outwards like an Oak tree, gently swaying in the breeze; and stretching downwards like a Weeping Willow. End by standing tall and rolling the shoulders forwards and backwards.
- Practice deep breathing. This step can take up to two minutes. Breathing through the mouth, try to place your breath so that it feels like you're filling your body right down to the toes: try to make your big toes tingle while feeling your back lengthening and your jaw relaxing downwards. Let the breath go with a sigh, then make a siren sound, starting high and gliding downwards. Activate the sound from the belly (if you're having trouble finding this sensation, try breathing deeply and letting it go with a series of short sharp hisses). Do this four or five times, starting higher each time. Through all of this, check that your posture is relaxed and tall, and that your face is stretching vertically.
- Sing something familiar. Sing it with words, on a vowel, or humming (lips closed, making a ng sound). This step can become the link to practicing new repertoire, or sustaining existing pieces.
01 September 2012
Lego will make just about anything!
I was a Lego kid once. Service stations, railways, and castles were among my construction obsessions at various stages. Now I hear they're doing something even more fantastic...
If you'd like to encourage the project, give it your support here.
If you'd like to encourage the project, give it your support here.
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