Concert Weekend

In spite of last Saturday being photo shoot, dress rehearsal AND concert day, it was still the most restful weekend I've had in a LONG time! Saturday morning I had to get up early so I could be in my casual concert attire and to the school by 8:45. We met the photographer at City Creek Rotary Park downtown, took some pictures there, then walked up the street to Memory Grove, one of the hot spots for wedding photo shoots.


We got rained on after taking some pictures there, then we made our way back to the school and took some pictures around the University of Utah sign and then in the concert hall. After pictures we rehearsed for an hour and were dismissed. My wonderful husband had cleaned the entire house top to bottom and done all the laundry and dishes by the time I got home! I had intended to take a nap but ended up watching the last quarter of the ECU vs. NC State game with Layne.
Even though they ended up losing a game which was in the bag, I'm still proud of my Pirates for putting ECU on the map in football this year going undefeated up until Saturday's game.

By the time I got some visiting teaching and young women's calls made, ran to the store, and folded some laundry, it was time to get back into my concert attire and go back to the school. I had to be there by 6pm even though the concert didn't start until 7:30. I got to go up and sit by Layne during the first half of the concert and listen to the other groups perform which was nice.

University Singers opening with Laudate Nomen. (I'm front row 2nd from the end)

For our portion of the concert we performed 7 pieces and it went quite well. Dr. Allred said it was the best first concert he's done in years. To have 7 pieces memorized and performance ready, AND a Christmas CD recording session under our belts after only about 3 and a half weeks of rehearsals is pretty good! They recently posted the concert recording files on iTunes U (a very cool feature at the U that allows students and faculty to download any file from any performance for free using the iTunes platform). Anyway, here are the files from our portion of the concert in performance order, so feel free to give a listen (though if you're going to, I wouldn't recommend laptop speakers. They can't handle it. Pop in some head phones before you listen).

Laudate Nomen - Carlyle Sharpe
Ave Maris Stella - Trond Kverno (I love this one)
What Sweeter Music Can We Bring? - Leo Nestor (Christmas CD preview)
O Magnum Mysterium - Morten Lauridsen (Christmas CD preview)
'Round the Glory Manger - K. Lee Scott (Christmas CD preview, I don't so much love this one)
Alleluia - Ralph Manuel
Mundi Renovatio - György Orbán (the piece we all had to learn for auditions)

We received a long standing ovation and the feedback was wonderful. Half the audience confessed to being in tears during our performance of O Magnum Mysterium which was definitely Layne's favorite (in spite of the blasted baby crying at the end). It was very rewarding, and a relief to have the first real concert under our belts. After the concert there was a social for all the choirs and guests. Layne took off and I stuck around to help fill punch bowls and mingle for a while, though things quickly turned from party to hostage situation once the dancing started.

Stephanie Brown & I with our punch.

Dr. Allred & his wife in a VERY good mood after a solid concert.

Sunday morning I got to sleep in (9:00) for the first time in a LONG time. It was delicious! I attended BYC at 11, then stayed to rehearse with the girls our musical number for sacrament meeting. We had to learn a few songs for girls camp by Jenny Phillips. I had never heard of her before that. Our ward's song was To Become Like Him and after hearing it at camp, some of the ward leaders requested that we sing it in church. It's a pretty song with sweet lyrics, but I must confess, when it comes to musical numbers in sacrament meeting, I'm all about the hymns (with a little more flexibility at Christmas) and songs written by general authorities. I think there is a time and a place to sing such music (non-sacrament meetings, EFY, girls camp) and that it can certainly be uplifting and moving, but I'm really picky when it comes to the music in sacrament meeting. I am of the opinion that only very tasteful (not poppy or jazzy) arrangements of hymns (including the children's song book) should be used, like in general conference. Maybe I'm alone in my opinion, but I'm not afraid to say it! You can listen to a clip of it here and tell me what you think. Anyway, it went really well and the girls did a great job and of course the ward reacted very favorably to it.

This week wasn't much more eventful than usual. I did go see a bunch of my friends from Singers perform in Pirates of Penzance last night which was a lot of fun, and we got to watch the new episode of The Office!! Yay!! I won't say anything in case you haven't seen it yet.