Thomas Tallis

I have recently flooded my ears with Tallis' O sacrum convivium, as recorded by The Tallis Scholars. I can't say that I am even slightly an expert on how Tallis should be performed, but this group has done exceptionally well. Though I don't know anything about the group - their education, experience, etc...- at this point in my life and experience, I'll take their word that they are who they say they are: "The Tallis Scholars," and I will learn from them. As I listen, each note does something dynamically...nothing sits or twiddles thumbs. It's very exciting to listen to, and I can only hope to learn to teach people to sing in such a manner as this group. Good stuff.

vibrato

Am I the only one in the world who thinks vibrato can "hide" the voice? I mean, I like it...but I think I like it in moderation. If there is too much of it, I think it can really hide that true quality the voice possesses. If there is only a little, even no vibrato, I think it focuses on the quality. Sure there's the immature sound that comes with no vibrato, but I think a voice can certainly sound mature without vibrato as well. I listen to recordings of straight tone pieces of choral music, and I can tell that adults are singing. I can tell when solid children are singing as well. I may be wrong, but I still think that vibrato can cover up someone's true voice...something to be studied, I guess.

Statistics

I never thought I'd find myself taking a statistics class...I guess as soon as a person doesn't "see themself" doing something, they find they are in the middle of it. So here i am in the middle of this stat. class, and we have talked about the natural phenomena of central tendencies (where most people are average). I in no way exclude myself from "central tendency," for there are a lot of things I have to learn and I cannot ever learn everything there is to know about anything. But since we have talked about central tendency, I have observed my classes differently. Esecially teenagers. Especially choir. Motivating adolesence to go beyond their tendencies is a full time job. Those tendencies so often don't even get to the pinnacle of the bell shaped curve...and sometimes their efforts don't begin to climb it. Now, don't get me wrong...there are teenagers who are motivated and who excell in their work, but I'm talking about the majority of them. It's hard work, but I like it.

I guess I wouldn't have a job if the theory of Central Tendencies didn't exist.

Pummeled

59 - 20. UF - UTK football.

Man.

What's playing...?

And it's been too long since I have laid bare some thoughts...you might start to get the idea I'm not to musical, or mindful...or not too mindful about musical things and vice versa. Yet, where to begin...?

I'll start with what's on my iPod. Recently I put a piece on it by Rene Clausen called Tonight Eternity Alone, I had the privilege of singing it in high school my sophomore year with the All-state Honor Choir. Yeowzers. Quite a piece of choral music. Unaccompanied. Serene. Ethereal. It leaves you with such a solid aesthetic of truly experiencing something beautiful. Not too many words to it, but there are so many fascinating chords that let you hear a great balance of dissonance and consonance. If there is a piece of music that I remember dropping everything else so I could learn it, it's this one. I don't recall exactly what it was that commanded my attention to the piece, but every time I listen to it a whiff of nostalgia passes through my senses. I would do people a disservice if I did not do my best to create memories such as these with choral music.

I also put a really fun piece on my iPod called Betelehemu. The piece is from Africa, and the arrangement is scored for SATB choir, begining with this instrument called a Rainstick. It really sounds like rain! Way cool! Eventually adds some drums as the basses and tenors sing about Christ's birth in Swahili. The altos and sopranos join the fun and it turns into a really fun celebration piece.

The next time you see me, you MUST ask me to let you hear these two pieces!