November 30, 2005
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Thank you for your prayers, Tuesday was a great day to see God’s power displayed. It was one of those days where I hardly got a chance to breathe or take a restroom break until about 9:30PM…but I could see all throughout the day how the Lord was guiding our rehearsals and preparations. Thank you for praying! God worked and His glory and power were evident to me! MPC+O practice was awesome! There was an intern from the San Diego Chamber of Commerce who observed almost our entire concert because their group is responsible for the Winter Walk in La Jolla where we will be preforming on Dec 10th at 7PM. She thought we were awesome! She really raved about us, which was nice of her! Thanks…
speaking of the concert, here’s a list with my descriptions…
1) Overture: Sing We Now of Christmas- Arranged David Hamilton. Very film-score-ish with some wonderful stuff in it. A great opener while choir is walking on stage…obviously, it’s an instrumental…
2) Christmas Fantasia- also Arr. David Hamilton. I love this arrangement. I sang it probably 7-8 years ago in a small church but have never tackled it with a choir of my own until now…the coda of this song is one of my favorite parts of anything ever…I love the ending…
3) Spirit of the Season- yes, the same that UCO is doing, and a soon to be xmas classic..it’s like the quiintessential Christmas song. I didn’t like the first time I heard it, but then it REALLY grew on me. Now I love it…also arr. David Hamilton (I love that guy).
4) Silent Night- Arr. Shakleton. Most definately the best version I’ve EVER heard in my life. Kudos to Shack.
5) Carol of the Bells- the traditional 4-part version. Love it. (A Capella)
6) Festival of Carols- Arr. Lari Goss, definately a sing-a-long type.
7) First Noel- Arr. David T. Clydesdale. A cool version with, yes, many many parallel 4ths in the song (Debussy style). I was immediately drawn to this arrangement. Good stuff…
8) Night of Miracles- of course the UCO one…this one just has something that is exciting about it. I love it. Also notice how the beginning of that one is a tidbit from the First Noel, and we’re just coming out of a 1st Noel song…oooooo…
9) Mary Did You Know- yes, also the classic UCO one (Arr. Bruce Greer), I mean, are there any other arrangements out there?? Just kidding, yes there are a thousand…
10) Gloria- yes, Michael W. Smith. What else is there to say. It’s only the best song EVER! And the hardest to memorize…
11) We Three Kings- another David Hamilton. Needs timpani. But is still incredible without them. Very late 19th century sounding, with a middle-eastern/russian sound to it. Again, a favorite of mine…
12) Winter Medley- our closer. Also arr. Lari Goss. This has Sleigh Ride, and Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells, it’s fantastic. It is by far our strongest, most fun song! Audience will leave with a great taste in their mouths with this one. Definately an audience pleaser…
Wow- that was from memory…awesome…It’s gonna be a great show. I’m really excited about it now.
Another hard day ahead! Another dress rehearsal tonight! Will it all come together? Please pray that it does! OH- and a shout out to Val for finding more ties for me AND praise the Lord that Pastor Baize picked them up in Carlsbad on his way back from LA so no one had to drive all the way up there to get them! Hallelujah! Thank you Lord!
PRAY!!!
Comments (9)
GOD IS GOOD!!!!
we did sound pretty awesome last night…inspite of me hanging onto notes longer than anyone…ooops.
Have to really really practice GLORIA, Three Kings, and Silent Night. So I am!
See ya ta-night! Yippee. I love getting to get together to make music. It’s such a blessing.
I am praying!!! I got to hear a small bit last night and it sounded WONDERFUL! So much wish I was singing with you all! Stay in God’s strength through it all!
Here’s my un-official song review:
1) Overture: Sing We Now of Christmas- sounds fine.
2) Christmas Fantasia- Ummm… this runs together with the other two medley’s. They’re all the same song to me. I have no idea what songs are actually in this one.
3) Spirit of the Season- Not bad. It’s grown on me, but still not one of my favorites. Gotta keep those verses straight. I think ahead during the instrumental interludes just to be sure.
4) Silent Night- For some reason this is the song that I have memorized the best. I don’t even have to think about it when we’re singing; it just comes out.
5) Carol of the Bells- I’ve always wanted to be able to sing this one in parts so it’s very cool that we’re doing it.
6) Festival of Carols- Again, one of those medley’s. What songs are in this? Don’t ask me…
7) First Noel- My favorite that we’re doing, but by far the hardest to sing. Ouchie on my vocal chords.
8) Night of Miracles- Don’t like this song. Next.
9) Mary Did You Know- I never used to like this song. It was so over-recorded by every artist and their brother. But I really love singing this arrangement now for some reason. It’s very powerful.
10) Gloria- Hard to memorize, fun to sing.
11) We Three Kings- Love it.
12) Winter Medley- Again… what songs are in this? Who knows. No one knows, I think. It’s all a big mystery.
Shout! See ya tonight!
I like Mikes review, but really Mike how could you not tell all mixes apart? Don’t they all have Silent Night in them? Or ummm…. do they .. gotta go study again.
Can I do a list? (silence.) THANKS! i will!
1. overture – still surprises me…all those funky cuts and scribbles, and….what?! molto ritardando at the end?!?!?! hehe…..memo to the brass: look up!
2. christmas fantasia – freakishly fast intro….really daniel, I”m just playing those octave g’s as fast as I can. if they fall into some kind of pattern or tempo…that must be God. and I am planning on the elf dance at measure 102…or whatever number….you know which one…..
3. Spirit of the Season – I’m sick of listening to Chris sing it. it’s def not a solo piece.
4. silent night. love playing it love hearing it love everything.
5. carol of the bells. honestly? could do without….. but it is sounding better and better I must say.
6. Festival of Carols: eh…neutral.
7. first noel – makes my ears go crazy with the parallel 4ths. and my fingers for that matter. they’re so used to octaves and when I only have to play parallel M7th’s…it’s wierd. my hands rebel if I don’t concentrate…
8. Night of Miracles. please slow down. it’s like a snowball effect. really though, guys, listen to it as you’re singing. we start one tempo and almost as soon as the basses come in, it’s starts gaining and gaining and gaining, and then my left hand wants to fall off. be kind…slow down. (that doesn’t rhyme, but….whatever.)
9. Mary did you know? like it. gets in my head though.
10. Gloria – you really think i can do those piano licks after night of miracles? at least it’s not my left hand that has to do the fast stuff….. loooove this song. laughed really hard tonight because chris was all getting into it and I totally caught him making this wierd face and not knowing the words at the same time. it was hilarious. like he was all into it but he had no idea what he was supposed to be singing. great song.
11. we three kings – love it….now. makes me happy. just gotta get it movin’ at the beginning…..
12. winter medley – let’s be honest. who doesn’t love this song? that’s all I’m sayin.
why am I still up?
Umm…I like them all- except I hate Festival Carols…a complete waste of a song, in my opinion. Of course, that could be influenced by the fact that for the past, like, 8 years i have hated all Christmas Carols- too much performing in my life. So, carols are all that song is to me- nothing unique to redeem it.
1. Overture- Fun, there is a freaky moment near the end- but then that cool part.
2. Christmas Fantasia- Like it- lots of creative voicing and parts
3. Spirit of the Season- fun and different
4. Silent Night- Used to love it, now I tolerate it- too many times ,what, 5+++ years?
5. Carol of Bells- I’m extremely impressed with how the choir sounds from the audience, on this song. One of the best I’ve heard.
6. Festival of Carols- see top comment
7. First Noel- Fun, hard.
8. Night of Miracles- I like it alot better now that we have a great piano player and percussion.
9. Mary Did you Know- I just go on Auto-pilot
10.Gloria- Also auto-pilot, but I try to antipate when people will freak out/mess up and then I sing really loud.I must say, though, I was thinking last night that out of, probably 6-7 people that I have heard playing the piano (and I may not be accurately remembering one or two) I think that Melody is doing an AMAZING JOB- best I’ve heard.
11.We three kings- Very fun song
12. Winter Medley- Also a great choice- very fun and a wonderful closer.
I’d write a list, but I’m afraid I’ve already written one. And I’ve never heard your choir. But funny story is that Shack just got back the rights to “Silent Night”. The company went out of business, sold to another company, and I guess they said, “You have full rights back, just let us keep the copyright- but do whatever you want with it.” Odd. I’ve never heard of that before.