It starts with learning the music:
tempo, dynamics, practice at home
and in rehearsals. Weeks of
preparation and driving to and
from rehearsals including dress rehearsals.
Count, breathe, phrasing, self-correction.
An endless list of individual work
in private lessons; group work
in rehearsals. Prescribed music
folder, black attire or black and white.
Concert attire for the stage and rehearsals
with the orchestra. Then performances.
Singing choral music is rewarding and
challenging at the same time. We learn
to listen to others and come in at the
precise moment: not early; not late.
Our reward is the satisfaction of a
job well done. The audience applauds.
Years of piano practice and choir
singing and individual music lessons
have paved the way and prepared me
for the BIG moment when it all comes
together. The same holds true for
vocal recitals. This language of the
soul called music nourishes me. It
makes me happy and others too.
The next chapter will be in Baltimore
where the Berkshire Choral International
performs The Seasons by Haydn. Eat,
sleep, live, breathe and sing!
Ah! the power of music can only be felt deep within! You are blessed to be amongst the singers, nourishing your soul with those performances! Stay blessed and live your dreams. 🙂
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Balroop, your kind comment is much appreciated. I continue to nourish my soul with each note and performance. I do believe I am living the dream! Thank you. Enjoy the weekend!
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I can feel how music in any form has a rejuvenating and energizing effect on your life, especially in a choir, Mary Ann. Have a great weekend!
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Thank you, Peter, for your insightful comment. Quite simply: music makes me happy and keeps me healthy! I sing for the sheer joy of it. May you have a music-filled weekend!
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Mary Ann, I am originally from Baltimore, how interesting. Your writing is so igniting, in the matter of a fact, I am going to put on classical music right now before I go to bed. Its so nice to see such enthusiasm. Loved how you mentioned, “music nourishes the soul” -I can’t live without music either.
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Thanks you for the lovely comment, Luda. Or Ms. PlantsandBeyond. We will be staying on the Goucher College Campus and I hope the taxi ride from the airport doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. I love, love, love classical music and really all forms. What a way to fall asleep too. Happy music this weekend!
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Oh, yes, Goucher College, wonderful. If you have a chance pls visit lock raven park. It closes for pedestrians on weekends and the lake/forest views are serene. This is my fave Baltimore nature place. It’s not too far from there.
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Thank you for the wonderful comment filled with great information. I don’t know if we can visit the nature park this trip but perhaps once the concert is over and on Sunday before we drive home.
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Mary Ann, a wonderful poem celebrating music, I feel the power and strength from your words, the fulfilment and joy it brings to yours and others lives! Creativity is so rewarding, music makes the soul soar to new heights, the challenging music testing and concentrating all your skill. It sounds wonderful and uplifting … enjoy your music, concerts, rehearsals.
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Your wonderful comment is much appreciated. Ready or not, here I come Baltimore and the Berkshire Choral International. I hope to have a memorable experience with people from around the world. Our common bond is music! May we all soar!
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It sounds amazing and you’re ready!! I’m sure of it. Just have a fabulous time – and a chance to put all your languages into practice! 😀
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Oh so true about all the languages. We’re singing Haydn in English, but the German text is there too. Of course the most important this next week will be the language of music and the love it expresses to everyone present.
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Liebe Mary Ann,
es ist faszinierend zu sehen welche Bedeutung Musik für Dein Leben hatte und heute noch von prägender Bedeutung für Dich ist. Die Harmonie Deiner Seele ,Deine Ausstrahlung,die Herzlichkeit,die in Deinen literarischen Werken,in Deinen Schilderungen über Dein Familienleben zum Ausdruck kommen sind sicherlich auf Deine Liebe zur Musik zurückzuführen. Deine Erfüllung in Deiner musikalischen Betätigung kann man gut nachemfinden.Genieße jeden Augenblick der sich Dir mit Deinem musikalischen Engagement bietet. Für Dein Engagement wünsche ich Dir und Deinem Chor für den Auftritt in Baltimore viel Erfolg ,viel Freude und viel Spaß und behalte die schönen Momente in Erinnerung und Deinem Herzen. Alles Liebe und Gute wünscht Dir ,Deiner Familie und Deinen Musikfreunden,Dein Arno
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Dear Arno, your flowery words touch my spirit. I would encourage you to also write a blog. I truly appreciate the fact that you have noticed the harmony of my soul as you described it so aptly. My commitment to family, friends and music is indeed great. I hope to make memorable moments in Baltimore this next week as I sing with others from around the world. Our common bond will be Haydn’s The Seasons sung with an orchestra. Ah, life is good! My best to you and Lilly this weekend. Enjoy some music in Germany! Deine MaryAnn
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Mary Ann,
The world is blessed by your living example of making music a regular part of life. Have fun!
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Why thank you, Laura, for you kind words about music in my life. It is an integral part. I could not imagine a world without music. I hope it is a fun learning week for me. You are so kind, Laura.
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:Oh, the pleasure and power of music–“This language of the soul…” Beautiful, Mary Ann!
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Awesome comment, Bette. Thank you.
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Like you, I sing in a choir, in London, and in wonderful places like the Dartington international Summer School in Devon, UK. Have occasionally blogged about it too! I wish you joy with your music. Was alerted to your blog by Michael at OIKOS Redaction who regularly reblogs my posts.
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How lovely to know that kindred spirits are singing in choirs. I would love to learn more about your choir. Just returned from an exciting and invigorating week of singing Haydn’s The Season with Betsy Burleigh who inspired me to learn more of Haydn. Performance on stage at Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College was a wonderful venue. I will be blogging more about my adventures in music. Thank you so very much for your comment. I will have to read more about you. Michael has also reblogged several of my posts. What a small yet huge world blogging and music present. A thousand thanks.
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Well, we are a London choir, Hackney Singers, and should you ever be in the UK you can find our next concert at http://hackneysingers.org.uk/. Yes, singing together is so therapeutic (especially when in tune!) Shortly my partner and I go off to dartington International Summer School, another lovely experience. It’s a pleasure to read your articles. as you say, lovely connections through blogging.
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Thank you for your lovely comment. Do you singing groups accept anyone outside the UK? Our Berkshire Choral International does and in Baltimore we had singers from the UK, Canada and Singapore to name a few. Most times no audition is necessary, and we are expected to learn the music in advance using our practice CDs. Then we have one week of twice/daily rehearsals, classes, sectional rehearsals, dress rehearsal with orchestra and finally the concert. Unique group in that we will never sing as a group again. We make friends though, and next season, my husband and I plan to sing in Prague. Music and blogging connect peoples from around the world. I firmly believe that we make the world a better place through our music. ^__^
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Some do, some don’t. We’ve occasionally done exchanges with whole choirs from elsewhere in the world, where we host each other and each choir sings its own thing in a joint concert. Or at places liek dartington, you register as an individual and its a week long workshop together but with very high calibre (word famous) musicians. Or check out http://www.runbysingers.org/ for good European singing holidays (if your husband is a tenor you may get a discount!)
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How kind of you to give me such excellent information. Much appreciated. I will investigate further. Enjoy the weekend.
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I love this! I love how you say, “Music is the language of the soul.” I believe it truly is!
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Thank you. I firmly believe music is food for the soul and is its language. A truly universal language! Enjoy a music-filled weekend out in nature and listen to its sounds. Bird conversations are a beautiful language too!
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Enjoy your music this weekend.
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