S.A.C.C., R.Y.C., and O.R.S.Y.C.

Just home from Spokane where I spent time with three young choirs (the Spokane Area Children's Chorus, Ranier Youth Chorus and Oregon Repertory Singers Youth Choir) from Washington and Oregon at the Spokane Area Children Chorus' Choral Festival and conducted the first performance of SWEET ARE THE LIPS OF ALL THAT SING, written in celebration of their 25th anniversary, in the Bing (yes, Crosby) theatre.   What an extraordinary group of singers -- smart, focused and joyful!  Their work with festival conductor Judith Herrington was inspiring and she was a teaching model for all of us.  The performance of the new work was feelingful and heartfelt and brought a real resonance to the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Other highlights of the weekend were seeing old friends, sipping Yaah bittersweet hot chocolate at the Chocolate Apothecary, enjoying a northwest salmon dinner alfresco on the outside patio of Anthony's in full view of the spectacular falls of the Spokane river, and experiencing their tremendous power walking across the supsension bridges just feet above the water -- a tremendous accumulation and release of energy in a surge of sound and spray.  I hear it still.