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| Fresno Grand Opera Christmas on Van Ness Concert |
I saw a post on FaceBook the first week of December that said "ahhhh, December... Holidays, rest and recovery, fun with family, relaxation... OH WAIT! I'm a musician!
Definitely rings true for me. But what a great month regardless!
First on the performance list was my Students' annual "Christmas Convocation." We have a public master-class type Convo every month, but twice a year we polish things up, invite friends and family, and perform. The Christmas one is hugely fun, and this year was as diverse as "I Want a Hippopatamus For Christmas" to Jason Robert Brown's "Christmas Lullaby."
Two days later: Fresno Grand Opera Chorus' Christmas on Van Ness Concert!
This was fabulous this year! Not only did I get to conduct a great chorus but also got to bring a group of my best students to perform as a Youth Ensemble. They FGO peeps asked for something "Fresh and Different" from the kids -- so we gave them one traditional-ish "Christmas Canon" based on the Pachelbel Canon and also sang "Better Days" by the Googoo Dolls. A bit of a risk in a somewhat highbrow concert, but very well received!
The second weekend was filled! Sang and played with Christ Lutheran Church's choir and handbell choir at the Visalia Christmas Tree Auction Friday night. Swanky event!
On Saturday I got to watch two fantastic performances: The COS Dance Show, which is the "final" of the students in the dance classes at COS. My daughter was in Ballet 1 -- and has learned so much! Very fun to watch her. We slingshotted out of that theater to Visalia First Presbyterian for the Messiah Sing-Along, conducted by my friend Paul Raheb and bass solos by my favorite baritone. Highlight of that bit of the evening was my 13 year old son's scandalized face during "The Trumpets Shall Sound," since I had sung a very disturbing rendition of it including the words "and the baby shall be changed" many times a day for three kids! The music was incredibly enjoyable, too. :)
Last night was my younger daughter's first of two Christmas dance recitals -- she's really growing, too! Beautiful to watch her and got to see a three year old class as a bonus... wayyyy too much fun!
Coming up: Watching one more dance recital tomorrow... prepped an amazing group of about 50 kids for the Tulare County Symphony Holiday Concert on the 20th... Friends and Family Concert for a Senior Group on the 21st... and all the music for Christmas Eve at Christ Lutheran.
I love my work, no doubt -- but a musician's December is not for the faint of heart! Many rehearsals go into every performance, large or small, and regular student schedules go on regardless!
Christmas Day we will sleep in, stay in our jammies, and eat birthday cake for my daughter. Maybe the day after I'll start score studying Tosca... :) ♥
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| Brown paper packages tied up with strings... a theater family's Christmas Tree! |
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