This is the first time in 20+ years that I haven’t had a jam packed, stressful, busy, over the top musical calendar. I usually find myself running to watching a performance of the Nutcracker, then running downtown to take in the kids’ symphony Christmas concert, then singing a Messiah performance here or there, and of course keeping up with my own performance schedule: Church services and choral concerts.

But not this year. I can’t even find my Christmas music! Not joking.

We are in lockdown again. The orchestra and choirs across the city are silent and instead of feeling frazzled and sick, I am finding myself calm and peacefully negotiating if I am going to paint or embroider this afternoon…

While I do have two virtual choirs at the moment, and we do have lots of laughter and fun singing on our own and watching our final video cuts, the most real and satisfying choral music I’m involved in right now is when I sit down to edit Cantala’s 2019 recording session of Dancing Day with Erica Goodman on the Harp. That was a magical day, and I am thrilled with the singing. I am so lucky to have all of you. Both singers, listeners, and supporters.

Update: lately I have found three more wonderful advantages to zoom choral rehearsals:

1. You can log in from your car as you race to “rehearsal” and are still able to “participate” and are not considered “late”.

2. Zoom works like a mirror: you can self assess your body, alignment and vowel shapes as you sing. Assessment as learning! Its so important for us to be able to sing in front a mirror. Most hate watching themselves and conveniently, they aren’t usually readily available. But with zoom its very handy….

3. I (and others) are able to annotate right on the musical score in real time during rehearsal to clarify any problems, changes and misprints in the music. It is very clear and helpful for people to see exactly what I am talking about. It beats (love the pun!) having to say “Second stave, measure 9, beat 2 ….).

   Using technology to help us, rather than hinder us, is finally starting to take over.

   Hopefully this season will be bright and merry to you in your own new lockdown way.

   
   I’ll share an edit of our 2019 recording Dancing Day soon, but in the meantime, here is a video of us in performance singing Dancing Day last year in 2019.

Happy Holidays,

Nancy