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- by Joe Mish
Co-Director of Music
jmmbass (at) pitel.net
You'll never know everything about anything, especially something you love. - Julia Child
I have been consumed by the task of selecting music for our choir, the Walden Hill Vocal Ensemble the last couple of weeks. I have often been asked, “How do you pick music for the choir?” I have never worked out an answer this inquiry. It is a balancing act: science v. art, words v. music, diversity v. coherence, style v. substance, ability v. possibility. I do sense that it is a bit like another of my favorite endeavors, cooking.
The main thing is to have a gutsy approach and use your head. - Julia Child
When I cook, I follow a recipe, but often my experience and intuition trump things that do not feel right or fit my taste. I also consider who I am cooking for. How much time do I have to cook this meal. What have we made or eaten lately? What foods would be well-paired on the menu? What would be healthiest for us to eat? What is in the pantry? What needs to be used up or what do I need to get from the market? I do not just cook for myself, it is more pleasing to cook for others, for family or friends. This, of course, can make matters even more challenging.
Selecting music for the choir works the same way. The minister provides a service topic, a recipe, a theme that I follow. I try to find balance as I work it out. What kind of a service will it be? What has the choir sung lately? What pieces go well together? What pieces are worthy of being performed? How much time will we have to prepare it? What music do we have in our files or what might we need to order? I also need to find music that appeals to the musicians and the congregation.
Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need. - Julia Child
I think I first learned this lesson the hard way. When I am stuck trying to find the right piece, it is usually because I have not looked at enough music. The only substitute for knowing a large amount of repertoire is luck. When time gets short, relying on luck hardly ever works for me, so I start early and look at more music than we will need. I collect pieces and ideas, sometimes for years. They sit and ripen, waiting for the harvest: the right opportunity to be rehearsed and performed.
There is something more difficult about programming choral music over instrumental music, the words. They can be helpful, but more often than not in our Unitarian Universalist faith, words can be problematic. Often sacred music contains baggage for both members of the congregation and the choir. Secular music often does not address the tenor of our services. When I encounter a difficult text, at best it is a chance to explore deeper meaning and metaphor. At its worst, some great pieces of music must be left behind. Words are important because finding the right ones, like the right music creates a powerful resonance for performer and listener. Like a sumptuous meal, the right song can more than satisfy our hunger, it can sustain us.
Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought. - E. Y. Harburg
--Joe
WHO: At least 12 children (ages 6-12) directed by Co-Director of Music, Joe Mish
WHEN: between services on the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month, 10:15 a.m.- 10:45 a.m.
WHERE: Children's Chapel in the RE Wing
WHY: To sing at services on October 4 and December 20
HOW: Contact Joe Mish, jmmbass@pitel.net or Gwen Hendee, DRE, dre@uurochmn.org
Our adult choir, the Walden Hill Vocal Ensemble meets in the Sanctuary on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. We welcome members or friends of the church ages 15 and up who have an interest in singing to join us. Many choir members bring dinner and meet in Commons together starting about 5:15 p.m. Being in choir: singing, breathing, thinking, experiencing, being together is not just nice to listen to, it is also fun to do. Childcare is available.
Go to the church website to view a list of the choir’s 2009-2010 repertoire.
Performance dates for the Fall:
Sunday, August 30
Sunday, September 13
Sunday, October 4
Sunday, October 11
Saturday, October 31 9AM-Noon Choir Retreat
Sunday, November 1
Friday, November 13, IHN Choir Concert
Sunday, November 22
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