Endless Song

Just finished ENDLESS SONG, a new melody on the text of "How Can I Keep From Singing?" for Josh Phelps and the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City.   OK, there are many, MANY arrangements of Robert Lowry's well-known tune and I never intended to create another.  But, for some reason, a new tune came to mind -- one that I liked a lot.  Josh wanted something different for this collaboration but was not expecting this at all.  Yet he trusted me on this.  The new melody and musical environment - with piano and string quartet - brings a freshness to the text that I rather like. Familiar, yet not.  (All right, Lowry's tune does make an appearance towards the end...)

Caminante at Strathmore

I was in the beautiful Strathmore Center May 29th with the Strathmore Children's Choruses for rehearsal of my new CAMINANTE, which they'll premiere June 10th. Bravo to conductors Michael Wu, Heather Fetrow, Mary Hochkeppel and accompanist Hei Jung Kim!  Love this text about walking your own path.

Miraculous premieres

Bravo to the choirs of Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville and their maestra Teresa Scoggins on their spring concert May 8th and the premiere of my MIRACULOUS, on another one of Scott Lounsbury's beautiful texts. Also met Teresa's daughter Payton for the first time, a little miracle of her own.  Oh, and discovered Duck Donuts while in Knoxville -- warm, wonderful -- slightly greasy -- donuts made to order.  I had maple bacon and keylime coconut. A little guilty...

The Great Smoky Mountains

A terrific day at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on May 4th with choirs from around the southeast and as far away as Indiana and Illinois. Always great fun to be with my dear friend Angie Batey and on the adjudication panel with her.

Heritage Festival in NYC

I returned to Worldstrides choral festival at Riverside church in NYC on April 28th. Always love hearing singing in that beautiful space! Also had great drinks and dessert at the Parker hotel with faculty colleague Noralee Garcia, who was performing in Weill Recital Hall the next day.  And then there was Bernadette. In Hello Dolly.  I'll just leave that there.