Monday, December 17, 2012
Bad...
Friday, November 2, 2012
One month until Christmas...concert!
Born in Paris, France and best known for his composition Carnvial of the Animals, Saint-Saëns quickly learned music theory, piano, several languages, math, and various other academic subjects. After his intelligences were discovered, his teachers were quick to help nurture his abilities. Saint-Saëns soon became friends with many other composers such as Liszt and Fauré. In addition to his many natural abilities, Saint-Saëns supposedly also had perfect pitch!
What is perfect pitch? The best way to explain this gift is to imagine how fresh (or un-fresh) your brain is in the morning. If you were asked to sing or identify a 'G' right after waking up, most people would not be able to produce the correct answer. However, a select few are able to do this without any trouble. Identifying or producing a pitch is as natural and easy as identify or producing a commonly spoken English word. It is important to consider this talent in light of the morning because many people have something called relative pitch. Relative pitch means that once you know that you have successfully identified a note, you are able to successfully identify every note you hear afterwards. This means that at any point during the day you can relate the pitch you already know to the pitch you are hearing and you are then able to identify it. When you wake up in the morning however, you have nothing to refer to thus making it impossible to identify a pitch without a prior reference point.
Saint-Saëns is rumored to write his Oratorio de Noël, or Christmas Oratorio in less than ten days in order to meet pressures from his employer. It includes a small string orchestra, organ, harp, soloists, and choir. Because there are no harp players who live in Medicine Hat, we will substitute some sort of keyboard instrument for the harp. Also, in order to allow the choir (and audiences) maximal enjoyment, the majority of the solo, duet, and trio parts will be sung by the entire choir. Saint-Saëns modeled several movements after the most famous (even at his time) Johann Sebastian Bach, including the initial Prelude and movements echoing the same theme. Written in 6/8 time, these 'pastoral' movements are reminiscent of shepherds in their fields who played instruments like flutes and recorders while tending their sheep.
Perhaps the most famous movement of Saint-Saëns' Christmas Oratorio is the last movement. Familiar to most choral music fans, it is a strong, triumphant, and fitting end to the joyous re-telling of the Christmas story.
We look forward to you joining us at this joyous concert! Join us on Sunday, December 2 at 3pm at Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church to hear some glorious music!
Merry Christmas!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Back to School, Back to Singing!
First Rehearsals
MHC Adult Choir - Tuesday, September 11, 7pm
MHC Girls' Choir - Wednesday, September 12, 7pm
MHC Children's Choir - Wednesday, September 12, 5:45pm
Reportoire
MHC Adult Choir - Christmas Oratorio (Oratorio de Noel) by Camille Saint-Saens. Check out some info on Saint-Saens, and listen to a sample here.
MHC Girl's Choir - A selection of music composed by Canadians including an a cappella Latin Mass by Stephanie Martin, We Rise Again which was made popular by the Rankin Family, and two modern motets about being female, Sisters and This Morning by Gwyneth Walker
MHC Children's Choir - a bunch of fun yet challenging stuff, just like always!
Concert
All three groups will share a Christmas Concert this year. Sunday, December 2, 3pm, Fifth Avenue Memorial United Church
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Medicine Hat College Girls Choir takes passion from director - Medicine Hat News
Medicine Hat College Girls Choir takes passion from director - Medicine Hat News
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Zimbe!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Adult Choir - Fall 2011 - Gustav Holst
Christmas Day, A Choral Fantasy on Old Carols - Score! - Listen!
Lullay my Liking - Score! - Listen!
Four Old English Carols - Score!
1. A Babe is Born - Listen!
2. Now Let Us Sing
3. Jesu, Thou the Virgin Born
4. The Saviour of the World is Born - Listen!
Personant hodie - Score! - Listen!
Psalm 86: To my humble supplication - Score! - Listen!
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence - Score! - Listen!
This is not an exhaustive list of reportoire for our concert, but it should give you keeners a good start!
Looking forward to seeing you all Tuesday, September 13, 7pm at the Cultural Centre!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Concert: Mozart's Missa Brevis in D minor
You will also be treated to several other of Mozart's shorter works and the sounds of a saxophone Sonata performed by Brendan Catalano and Elaine Dobek-Shandro.
Tickets available at the Cultural Centre office or at the door. $10/$5.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Adult Choir TOUR!?!?!?!?!?!?
From July 27 - August 5, 2012, the festival takes place again, this time in Torio, Italy. The website (Europa Cantat Torino 2012) is still under construction, however, you can get a good idea of what the festival will look like by checking out the Utrecht 2009 link above.
Because the Girls' Choir (and all of the accompanying adults) enjoyed the last festival so much, I am proposing that the MHC Adult Choir attend the 2012 festival in Torino. I realize that the summer of 2012 is quite far in the future, however, because of the logistical nature of a trip such as this it is important to start thinking about it as early as possible.
A few words about how the festival is organized:
Each registrant chooses an "atilier" or a choir that he/she will join for the duration of the festival. The choice of atiliers is amazing; choirs range from hip hop to classical to stage production and more. At the end of the week, each atilier performs what they've prepared. Each atilier is conducted by a world renowned guest clinician.
Entire choirs can register for the festival and therefore have the opportunity to put on several concerts of their own repertoire throughout the week. As the MHC Adult Choir, we would likely have a very Canadian repertoire list and perform concerts dressed like Canadians (whatever that is...).
The great thing about this set up is that we can determine our level involvement depending on how many people are planning to go. If we have a group of people who constitute a viable choir (that is, enough sopranos, altos, etc.) then we can register as a choir. If not, then we register as individuals, but still attend as a group.
There are certainly many things to consider regarding an Adult Choir tour. At this point, I'd just like you to consider whether this would be an option for you. Spouses, families, and friends would all be invited, of course, and they could determine their own level of involvement. There would also be opportunity to extend our tour to include other Italian destinations if we want.
Consider it and email me with your thoughts!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Mozart Missa Brevis in D minor
As you know, we are going to tackle Mozart's Missa Brevis in D minor this semester. I've put together a playlist of some good videos on YouTube that will help you learn this piece. Click here to check it out!
Because the Missa Brevis is short (it is literally translated as "short mass" and only includes the Mass Ordinary) we will have to learn something else in order to fill out a concert. I am currently considering a few options, but haven't come to a final decision. You can, however, expect something that will compliment Mozart for the first half of our concert.
Enjoy the videos and we'll see you back for our first rehearsal on
Tuesday, January 11, 7pm, MHC Cultural Centre!
Happy New Year!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
MHC Christmas Concert
College Theatre
Tickets $5/$10 at Cultural Centre or at door
Join the MHC Adult Choir, Girls' Choir, Children's Choir, and Junior Children's Choir in a choral celebration of Christmas! Hear Christmas carols old and new, and from near and far! This will be a sold out show, so get your tickets early!
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Dreadful Practice - a MHC Choir Halloween Concert
College Theatre
Tickets $5/$10 at Cultural Centre or door
Join the MHC Adult Choir, Girls Choir, and Children's Choir as we sing about witches, trolls, dragons, and more! Featured works: The Witches' Scene from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, The Witches' Chorus from Verdi's MacBeth, and Hall of the Mountain King from Grieg's Peer Gynt.
Happy Halloween!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Conservatory Class Dates and Times
Junior Choir A (ages 5-6) - Wednesdays, 4:00-4:45
Junior Choir B (ages 7-8) - Wednesdays, 4:45-5:30
Children's Choir (ages 9-14) - Wednesdays, 5:45-6:45
Girls' Choir (ages 12-19) - Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00
Adult Choir - Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00
Rudiments of Music Theory - Tuesdays, 4:00-5:00
Music Theory and Harmony - Tuesdays, 5:00-6:00
Overview of Music History - Tuesdays, 6:00-7:00
The theory and history classes are intended for all ages. Many adults will find the Overview of Music History course very informative and enjoyable. There are no formal grades or tests given in class; success is based on the time and effort each student devotes to reading and homework outside of class time. Students may wish, however, to register for a Royal Conservatory examination, and these classes will prepare students to write these exams successfully.
The Royal Conservatory of Music has recently changed the names and levels of their theory and history classes - I have not included these names in this information. If you are unsure which course to enroll in, or what level would be best suited for you, please contact me.
Looking forward to a fantastic year of music!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Impressions
Our first week was in the small city of Entebe where the prominent religion is witchcraft. Our second camp was in the heart of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where the kids were noticeably more needy. Our third week was also in the heart of Kampala but in the slums. News about this camp spread faster than any western media could achieve and our original 80 kids turned into 250 by day four.
Our western ideals and attitudes had to quickly change as we were reviewing and planning for each day. Time is merely estimated by most local people here. Therefore, the beginning of camp changed from day to day. Lunch was at no particular time, we ate when it was ready. People are much more relaxed and laid back, it seems as if no one rushes for anything. In fact, if it rains here, it is acceptable to show up late to work because you have been waiting for the rain to stop before leaving home.
(I suppose I can think of a few exceptions. People seem to be rushing if they are driving. The rules of the road as we know them do not apply here. What seems to be 2 lane traffic can easily split into 5 or more lanes depending circumstances. In this city of 1.4 million people there are only 8 traffic lights, most of which also have traffic police standing underneath them. The police frequently override the lights and direct traffic causing huge traffic jams which they think they are helping. The city is littered with crater sized pot holes, and a whole variety of speed bumps. These only slow people down somewhat, in fact, the solution to this obstacle is to buy yourself a 4x4.)
(AND, when kids line up for food, or line up for anything for that matter, there is utter chaos. We had injuries due to lining up. My theory is that normally if they don't push their way to the front, they don't get anything. We, of course, always planned so there would be enough for everyone, including those at the back of the line.)
Cleanliness and hygiene are also things that we have had to become used to being different than at home. Washing yourself is something that doesn't happen often. Laundry happens but it requires getting water and washing by hand. This is extremely hard work so it is only done periodically. Shoes are expensive and unnecessary and are therefore not used by many. This leaves kids pretty dirty. We handed out toothbrushes to all the kids and they were more excited about them than western kids are when receiving a video game at Christmas. Body odour is a normal, socially accepted fact of life. There is no kleenex, toilet paper, or towels here, you can imagine the result...
Safety is an interesting subject here. Every mall, hotel, restaurant, bank, church, etc. is in a gated compound with security guards standing by. The guards all have rifles, and many places have metal detectors, devices to check your vehicle for bombs, and other security equipment. Some of you may have heard that there was a bombing in Kampala about 2 months ago. I find some irony in this considering there are more security guards with rifles per capita than anywhere I have ever seen.
Socially we've adapted quite well. We've learned some Lugandan phrases that, when used, go a long way in making a friend. Generally, the African people have shown us great hospitality, often going out of their way to offer is help. We've learned that when someone raises their head coupled with a long blink, they are actually acknowledging, not snubbing. We have struggled, however, with peoples vocal volume. No one here speaks up! We haven't quite figured out what the reason for this is yet.
We fly home tomorrow. I am sad to leave the team, the city, the country, and the continent, but happy that we had such a fantastic experience! Stay tuned for pictures!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
My friend Taylor
After being here for a few weeks, I slowly realized that this is simply another place on earth where humans live happily and comfortably. The local people are not overly concerned about mosquitoes, malaria, sun exposure, robbery, health care, and the like. They simply live their lives. And, after being here for a while, we simply lived ours. All of my concerns faded to a point where sunscreen, mosquito nets, bug spray, etc. didn't seem like such an important detail any longer.
Originally, I wouldn't have dreamed of walking barefoot anywhere here, but, time wore on, comfort levels rose, and I found myself wandering campsites, beaches, and more without shoes on. Everyone was doing it. I know, I know, bad reasoning, but when in Rome, or Africa... Especially when you are staying on the tropical island of Zanzibar, it just seems natural to wander the white sand beaches in your bare feet. Little did I realize that this would come back to bite me (more literally than you might think).
As the island became a memory, my left foot became itchy. I thought it was simply a mosquito bite which needed a moderate amount of scratching. After a few days without change my mind started to drift towards athletes foot. I scratched. My nurse friend took a look, she was not convinced it was fungal. This concerned me a bit, but instead of doing something intelligent, I scratched. Several weeks after realizing my foot was suffering from an ailment that could not be diagnosed using the extensive knowledge obtained from my Bio 30 course, I decided I should have a local medical professional have a look.
I have health insurance. I will leave the name of the company out of this post in hopes they will continue to cover me. I decided I should call Blue Cross (oops) before going to the doctor. My card suggests that I call them collect. It was interesting to learn that the Ugandan telecom company does not offer that service. So after 2 hours of phone drama, I finally reached a human being. She took my information down and I explained, to the best of my knowledge, what my problem was. She politely suggested I see a doctor. After my brain finished calling her names, I used my mouth to ask some further clarifying questions. None of these could be answered however, all I was promised was a return phone call.
My driver and I decided not to wait for the call. At this point I was ready to get this figured out. I scratched. My driver said he knew the place where all the westerners go. Considering my heritage, I agreed this would be a good place for me.
The clinic was called "The Surgery". There were many mzungus, including two white doctors. After about an hours wait, I finally saw a doctor. My ears have become tuned to Ugandan English so understanding him wasn't a problem. The conversation was short and sweet. He asked me what my problem was. I showed him. He asked me if it was itchy or painful. I scratched. He asked me where I'd been. As I was saying Tanzania, he said, "oh, you have a tapeworm. Don't walk on the beach without your sandals on next time."
The doctor's desk was littered with normal doctor things: pens, papers, pictures, a stethoscope, and a few pill bottles of random sizes. He sat down at his desk and asked me if I'd like drugs. YES PLEASE! At this point I thought I'd receive a prescription; instead, he grabbed a huge bottle of pills sitting right on his desk, dumped some into a zip-lock bag, and handed them to me. He said, "take one twice a day. You're lucky, this kind of worm affects dogs badly but in humans it can't get to your digestive system. Your body prevents it." Wow, what a relief. For those nerds out there, I have Albendazole, the same drug used to de-worm just about everything imaginable. I am on a strong dose because the worm is in my foot instead of my gut.
Interestingly, as I write this now, it has become incredibly easy to see the worm under my skin. It is like he has been found out and has no reason to hide any longer. So, you may be wondering, who is Taylor? He is the worm in my foot. I named him Taylor the night before I went to the doctor. There is no reason for the name other than it was the first one that came to mind as I gazed upon the small, but significant eighth member of our team.