BBQ, Blues and....Elvis

Just back from the Southern Division ACDA convention in Memphis, which was a huge success.  Congratulations and thanks to Brad Almquist and his convention dreamers and planners.  I was so pleased to hear ISN’T THAT SOMETHING performed with great effervescence and style by Jeff Clayton’s Chorale women from the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts on Friday.  Brava! 

Sandra Snow’s Children’s Honor Choir sang A LIVING SONG as part of their concert, a well-crafted program which highlighted their voices brilliantly.

Paul Caldwell’s work with the Junior High School Honor Choir was awesome -- adventuresome programming, engaged and joyful singing.  A model for all of us.

Jonathan Reed conducted the premiere of BROTHERS OF THE SINGING VOID, the ACDA commissioned work for the High School Men’s Honor Choir.  My time with them in rehearsal on Friday was a highlight of the week.  They were eager and engaged and brought the music to life in a convincing and honest way.

 James Broughton’s wonderful words evoke the music of the spheres, of “star music”.  There are unusual juxtapositions of seeming opposites:  “percussive silences”, “the intimate roar”, “the singing void” and joyful phrases flung from across time and space.  Jonathan said this is the perfect men’s choir text and I agree. The music moves in broad, majestic phrases, with harmonic clusters, a slightly modal feel and echoing refrains of “Brothers!  Brothers!” The high school men sang with power and conviction, intimacy and sensitivity.  A stunning first performance that will be hard to beat!  Congrats to all the singers, conductor Jon Reed and men’s choir coordinator Vic Oakes.

The most unusual musical experience of the week surely came on my birthday night.  Dinner with friends at PIG With An Attitude BBQ came complete with an Elvis impersonator who led the room in a southern style “Happy Birthday to Me”!  Where else but Memphis!