-- Post From My iPhone
Monday, June 29, 2009
Checking Out Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Just one last thing before we head home...
-- Post From My iPhone
-- Post From My iPhone
Sunday, June 28, 2009
We need a box!
PARENTS: We need one volunteer to bring
us a box (the size of a banker's box, or larger) when we arrive at Oakland Airport tomorrow. We'll need the box to collect music from the boys before they go home.
If you would be willing to help us out, please email me ASAP. Thanks!
joejazz27@gmail.com
-- Post From My iPhone
us a box (the size of a banker's box, or larger) when we arrive at Oakland Airport tomorrow. We'll need the box to collect music from the boys before they go home.
If you would be willing to help us out, please email me ASAP. Thanks!
joejazz27@gmail.com
-- Post From My iPhone
Celebrate Good Times -
-Come On!
We're at the after party right now. Hundreds of kids having cupcakes, sodas, and sharing stories, laughter, and lots of honest hugs.
I'll write more about the concert later (it was absolutely fantastic), but for now please enjoy these pics!
-- Post From My iPhone
We're at the after party right now. Hundreds of kids having cupcakes, sodas, and sharing stories, laughter, and lots of honest hugs.
I'll write more about the concert later (it was absolutely fantastic), but for now please enjoy these pics!
-- Post From My iPhone
Festival Day 3 (Sat.)
After breakfast, we had our first individual rehearsal in the Newman Center For The Performing Arts.
The rehearsal went well, and afterwards we were blessed with some free time. While the boys enjoyed some competitive rounds of hacky sack, I managed to escape the group for a while and take a little hike around the surrounding area of DU (Denver University).
After lunch, the boys had a combined rehearsal with the full festival choir. While they rehearsed, Mr. Kula and I attended a conducting workshop that was taught by the director of choral music here at DU. I forget her name, but she was very good. I was one of the few volunteers to conduct a piece. And she helped me to realize that I definitely have a lot to learn as a conductor! So much so that I've finally decided that it's time to take private lessons from an experienced and well-established conductor. Hopefully I'll find an excellent mentor, because next year I'll be assuming the directing position of Intermezzi (PBA), and I want to be ready to direct choral music at a very high level!
The day ended with a "skit night," which was akin to watching a variety or talent show. Since we're at a choir festival, most of the groups did "skits" that included some singing and dancing. It was a very fun and entertaining night!
The rehearsal went well, and afterwards we were blessed with some free time. While the boys enjoyed some competitive rounds of hacky sack, I managed to escape the group for a while and take a little hike around the surrounding area of DU (Denver University).
After lunch, the boys had a combined rehearsal with the full festival choir. While they rehearsed, Mr. Kula and I attended a conducting workshop that was taught by the director of choral music here at DU. I forget her name, but she was very good. I was one of the few volunteers to conduct a piece. And she helped me to realize that I definitely have a lot to learn as a conductor! So much so that I've finally decided that it's time to take private lessons from an experienced and well-established conductor. Hopefully I'll find an excellent mentor, because next year I'll be assuming the directing position of Intermezzi (PBA), and I want to be ready to direct choral music at a very high level!
The day ended with a "skit night," which was akin to watching a variety or talent show. Since we're at a choir festival, most of the groups did "skits" that included some singing and dancing. It was a very fun and entertaining night!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Festival Day 2 (Friday)
The Sing A Mile High Festival in Denver has been a mostly enjoyable experience so far. There are some things I find border line unbearable. For example, everywhere we go there are lines that you have to wait in. And I mean LONG lines.
This is the line for yesterday's lunch in the cafeteria. The pic above is the beginning of the line, and the one below is just before the halfway point. It doesn't help that we (400 kids at the choir festival) are sharing the dorm(s) with other groups (sports camps, etc.), and some meals we have are at the same time.
The rehearsals yesterday were also quite long, but understandably so.
The kids rehearsed for a good hour and a half in the morning (after breakfast), and then they rehearsed for another two and a half hours after lunch. Can you imagine the kind of crowd-control needed for 400 kids rehearsing in the same room for such long periods of time?
After the afternoon rehearsal concluded (and after the rain had subsided!) all the kids at the festival hopped on buses, and headed to a water park. Riding on a bus is a great time to practice some simple hand games, like Chopsticks.
Here are some pics of our boys at the water park.
-- Post From My iPhone
This is the line for yesterday's lunch in the cafeteria. The pic above is the beginning of the line, and the one below is just before the halfway point. It doesn't help that we (400 kids at the choir festival) are sharing the dorm(s) with other groups (sports camps, etc.), and some meals we have are at the same time.
The rehearsals yesterday were also quite long, but understandably so.
The kids rehearsed for a good hour and a half in the morning (after breakfast), and then they rehearsed for another two and a half hours after lunch. Can you imagine the kind of crowd-control needed for 400 kids rehearsing in the same room for such long periods of time?
After the afternoon rehearsal concluded (and after the rain had subsided!) all the kids at the festival hopped on buses, and headed to a water park. Riding on a bus is a great time to practice some simple hand games, like Chopsticks.
Here are some pics of our boys at the water park.
-- Post From My iPhone
Friday, June 26, 2009
More pics from Downtown Denver
I didn't take many pics at the Denver Zoo - it was raining. Enjoy!
Post From My iPhone
Post From My iPhone
First Rehearsal @ Sing a Mile High
400 kids in one room, singing and making beautiful music. Can you believe it?!
Hard to see, but below is a picture of composer, pianist, director, and teacher extrodinaire, Rollo Dilworth.
Yesterday, it was Matthew Little's (Cantori) 13th birthday. All 400 kids sang Happy Birthday to him! (sorry for the blurry picture. I managed to run into the room at the very last minute to snap the photo).
Happy 13th B-day, Matthew!
-- Post From My iPhone
Hard to see, but below is a picture of composer, pianist, director, and teacher extrodinaire, Rollo Dilworth.
Yesterday, it was Matthew Little's (Cantori) 13th birthday. All 400 kids sang Happy Birthday to him! (sorry for the blurry picture. I managed to run into the room at the very last minute to snap the photo).
Happy 13th B-day, Matthew!
-- Post From My iPhone
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Blog and Walk
We're walking through downtown Denver right now. Let's practice looking tough.
-- Post From My iPhone
-- Post From My iPhone
Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs)
(Wednesday)
The Chapel at the Air Force Academy was an impressive sight to behold.
Hey, look! Some rare pictures of me directing at the main chapel (Protestant).
Pam took these. If you'd like your own autographed copies of these photos, just let me know. They are $20 a piece. Please make your checks payable to...(just kidding!).
Beneath the Protestant Chapel is the Catholic Chapel
And beneath this chapel is the Jewish Chapel
According to our tour guide, the paintings in the Jewish Chapel were each valued at one million dollars! There were a total of nine of them. Can you believe that?!
-- Post From My iPhone
The Chapel at the Air Force Academy was an impressive sight to behold.
Hey, look! Some rare pictures of me directing at the main chapel (Protestant).
Pam took these. If you'd like your own autographed copies of these photos, just let me know. They are $20 a piece. Please make your checks payable to...(just kidding!).
Beneath the Protestant Chapel is the Catholic Chapel
And beneath this chapel is the Jewish Chapel
According to our tour guide, the paintings in the Jewish Chapel were each valued at one million dollars! There were a total of nine of them. Can you believe that?!
-- Post From My iPhone
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Linda Valenti's Place
Linda Valenti, one of the founding board members of the PBA, was our (the staff) host in Laramie.
I had never met her until this trip, but during our short stay in Laramie, I quicky discovered just how wonderful of a person she is. She was responsible, I'm sure, for the many people that filled Trinity Lutheran Church last night to hear the boys sing.
After the concert last night, the staff were treated to a party at Linda's house.
Fernando Tarango (PBA) whom we ran into in Utah, was staying at her house (he's doing a singer-songwriter tour). He's also good friends with Linda's daughter, Shannon. Here he is performing some of his material:
Saying goodbye to Linda was a little hard, because to our staff she is family.
Linda also gives the BEST hugs ever!
Goodbye Linda and goodbye Wyoming!
-- Post From My iPhone
I had never met her until this trip, but during our short stay in Laramie, I quicky discovered just how wonderful of a person she is. She was responsible, I'm sure, for the many people that filled Trinity Lutheran Church last night to hear the boys sing.
After the concert last night, the staff were treated to a party at Linda's house.
Fernando Tarango (PBA) whom we ran into in Utah, was staying at her house (he's doing a singer-songwriter tour). He's also good friends with Linda's daughter, Shannon. Here he is performing some of his material:
Saying goodbye to Linda was a little hard, because to our staff she is family.
Linda also gives the BEST hugs ever!
Goodbye Linda and goodbye Wyoming!
-- Post From My iPhone
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