Giant-Size Blog-Thing

As further proof that the Lord God Jehovah has a sense of humor that is, to say the least, skewed, Yours Truly has recently been named the Director of Choral Activities at Trinity High School in River Forest, Illinois. Why skewed, you may ask? Well, Trinity is a rather tony suburban Chicago college preparatory school…for girls. Yes, my friends – especially my friends who drooled over Brittany Spears in her Catholic schoolgirl come-hither attire – this high school, run by Sinsinawa Dominican nuns, has just hired the safest man in Christendom to wrest exquisitely beautiful sounds out of their brightest and best en ensemble. I have been spending the last several weeks finding treble choir repertoire – something of a challenge in that I have always had men in the choirs I directed, and never had to peruse the SSA bins in my friendly neighborhood music store. Adding no small amount of complexity is the fact that I have long held that women should teach voice to women, men should teach voice to men, and anything else is jest purt near unnacherul, dagnabbit. I have my work cut out for me. Also, in addition to directing the choirs – a full ensemble, two chamber choirs and a liturgical / gospel choir -  I am also teaching music history, vocal pedagogy and music theory, because the classes are almost 90 minutes in length. Yikes, that’s a lotta time to fill! I am also still at St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, so this candle, most likely three-headed, will be burned at all ends. I am very excited, though, for this means that, after far too many years in the wilderness, I finally have a choir – indeed choirs – of my own. My first piece on my first day? John Willams’ “Exsultate Justi” from the soundtrack of “Empire of the Sun.” I just think that’s cool. Plus, I am in the process of doing something to Billy Joel’s “Lullabye” that is either going to sic his attorneys on me, or will get him to visit the school for a very special concert. Wish me luck, everyone