Current Happenings

Preface:
I need to apologize to those of you who actually follow this blog. I'm a horrible blog sinner and I haven't updated in forever like all good little boy bloggers and girl bloggers should. For this, I apologize.

Getting You Up to Speed:
Family - I just got back from Washington D.C. where I went with my family to celebrate with my grandmother, Bettye Kimbrell, receiving the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. We are so very proud of her and what all she has accomplished with her quilting. D.C. was marvelous. I loved all the history that was there. We toured the Capitol Building and got to sit in the gallery in the House of Representatives, courtesy of Representative Spencer Bacchus. We also went to the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights. This was a favorite moment of mine. We also toured the major monuments. I loved the Lincoln Memorial. It was awesome. We went to Arlington National Cemetary and walked around there. We saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers as well as The Eternal Flame at JFK's tomb. This was a very somber event. I really enjoyed spending time with my family in Washintgon.

School - Wow, I am super busy with classes this semester. Music History, Conducting I, and Theory III are seriously testing me. These three classes are not easy and require much study time. I also am in three performing ensembles which require much rehearsal. UAB Concert Choir - we are getting our repertoire ready for our trip to Cincinatti to participate in the NCO Convention. UAB Chamber Singers - are preparing for Video Games Live!, an event we will sing at with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. UAB Opera - This semester, I was chosen to be the Assistant to the Director for our production of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. I am also in the chorus for this opera and I have auditions for our spring production of Mozart's The Magic Flute that are coming up in a week or so.

Life - Things are going alright overall right now. Two weeks ago, I joined the Birmingham Concert Chorale, the official chorus of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. I rehearse with them on Monday nights and will perform with them on Handel's Messiah and Orff's Carmina Burana with the ASO. I am also being saught after for being hired as a paid musician for some local churches to sing in their church choir. Although the extra income would be nice, I have not agreed to any present offers just yet because I really do not want to leave Mountaintop. I love my church and I just cannot see myself not serving there right now. Btw... the new website for Mountaintop Community Church is awesome! Check it out at http://www.mountaintopchurch.com if you get a chance.

Well sports fans, I guess I'll wrap this blog entry up. Comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Later!

B

Do You Hear The People Sing?

Today started with a rehearsal at the Cork School of Music. We met there and rehearsed for our concert at the Carrignafoy Community College in Cobh (about 30 minutes outside of Cork). Now, when I say we went to a Community College, it was not like Jefferson State Community College. Here in Ireland, a college is similar to a high school. The University is relative to an American college or university. So today we performed in the gymnasium of the college (which had amazing acoustics). The concert was great! We have had so many wonderful performances since we've been here. I'm pumped about tomorrow night's competition.

Tomorrow night is the real deal. The reason we're here in Ireland. We have 12 minutes to sing our hearts out and make magic with the wonderful music that we're performing. We're ready. Our Spring concert back at home was just the start for this choir.

Here is a picture of us after yesterday's concert at the Cork City Hall for the National Competition for Schools. We were one of the featured international choirs that closed out the competition.



Also, to view the pictures that I've taken so far while in Ireland, head over to Brian's Ireland Pictures to view them. I haven't tagged them yet, but they are up for you to see. Enjoy!

I'm also taking some video while over here and I'm uploading them to YouTube as often as I can. Internet is pricy and slow over here, so bear with me.

One thing I thought was interesting about today was after our concert at Cobh, we went to the Heritage Center at Cobh. This place is where nearly every Irish immigrant to the United States departed from. This was also where the Titanic and Lusitania both made port last before their untimely ends. Cobh, as it is now known, was once known as Queensland (during the Titanic era) and Cove previously (Cobh is gaelic for "Cove"). There was of course a memorial to the victims and survivors of the Titanic there.



Well, I'm about to start winding down for the night. It is almost 10:00 p.m. here. Tomorrow, some friends and I are taking a trip to Blarney to visit Blarney Castle, home of the famous Blarney Stone. I'll post pics!

Love and Miss you all! Leave comments! They are very encouraging!

These are a few of my favourite things...

Notice, I spelled "favorite" with a "u" as it is spelled here in Ireland and the UK.

One thing I love about Ireland is that they offer tea and coffee at every meal. I have always been a lover of hot tea, but to have authentic Irish tea is a good thing. I'm digging this!

Hmm... patton leather tux shoes were not made to leisurely walk around the city. My feet are sore after today, but I am going to have to get used to it because we will be walking in our tuxes alot while here.

Daytime vs. Nighttime is weird here in Ireland. Yesterday, the sun set around 8:30 p.m. and this morning when we woke up at 6:30 it was already up. I guess since we're so far up in the northern hemisphere there are little nighttime hours.

Today we performed three times. This morning we performed at the Bishopstown Library in Cork. We performed our competition pieces and three other pieces. We were well received there. We were actually the first choir to perform at that library. It was a great performance even though we had little space to perform in.

After our performance, they had a reception for us with muffins and water. It was interesting because you had to make the distinction between what type of water you wanted, flat or sparkling. After talking with the locals, Patrick decided to tell us a story.



Just so you know, here is a rundown of the songs we're performing while here in Ireland:

Competition Pieces
Regina Coeli - Romauld Twardowski (b. 1930)
Nunc Dimitis - Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934)
So Far Ich Hin Zu Jesu Christ - Heinrich Schutz (1585 - 1672)
wITH a Lily In Your Hand - Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

Other Concert Choir Pieces
Song of Triumph - Dale Grotenhuis (b. 1931)
Lord's Prayer - Arr. Jerry Jordan (b. 1946)
Star of the County Down - Arr. Ben Perry (b. 1965)
Silence of Time - Darmon Meador (b. 1953)
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands - Arr. Raymond Liebau (b. 1937)

Chamber Singers Pieces
Haec dies - William Byrd (1539-1543 - 1623)
Michelle - Arr. Grayston Ives (b. 1948)
Country Dances - Arr. Ward Swingle (b. 1927)

After our performance at the Bishopstown Library, we headed over to Cork City Hall to meet the Lord Mayor of Cork and officially be welcomed by him and we performed a private performance just for him inside the City Council Chamber. We performed Star of the County Down, and he was very pleased. He said he knew that piece (since it was an Irish piece) and he was glad we performed a Swingle Singers piece especially since they were the opening choir for the Cork International Choral Festival last year.

After our performance for the Lord Mayor, we performed as the closing choir for the National Competition for Schools at Cork City Hall. We performed Song of Triumph, Silence of Time, and Star of the County Down. They really seemed to enjoy our performance. It was a little while before they stopped clapping at the end of our set.

Here are a few pictures from our day today:

Linc and I are International Choirstars


The two B's


The view from my hotel room in Cork


Well, that is about all for today. I'm off to supper!

Love and Miss you all!

LEAVE SOME COMMENTS PLEASE!!!

Brian

Brahms' Requiem: A Review

Check out Michael Huebner's review for Brahms' Requiem (of which I am singing in again tonight). I'm included in his review for the Tenors. Although I don't quite agree with what all he wrote.

Here is an excerpt from his review. To view the entire review, go to http://blog.al.com/mhuebner/2008/02/alabama_symphony.html.

Some of the finer moments of the work approached greatness. Driven by Brahms' moody, heart-wrenching melodies, the combined Birmingham Concert Chorale and UAB Concert Choir delivered warmth in "Denn alles Fleisch," the tenors belting out a startling "Aber des Herrn Wort." They hit their stride toward the end of "Denn wir habe hie," blending beautifully with the ASO brasses and strings.

Stressfulness is not one of the Fruits of the Spirit...

Stressfulness...

That pretty much sums up my past week. I'm currently employed right now, but might as well not be. FCS (namely the manager) screwed me over. They promised me hours after Christmas was over with and the store opening was done, but now I all of a sudden don't get any hours. So needless to say, I'm hunting another job. Help please...

I've been sick. My voice left me towards the end of last week and I still have not fully recovered. I had to sing today in Performance Class and my voice was scratchy...not good. Plus my asthma is flaring up again. Still not good.

I'm having to conserve every cent I have right now while I'm not working. So I can't go out tonight and hang out with my friends unless they were to come over here and watch a movie or something. Not fun...

School is kicking my butt right now. I'm taking 18 hours and it is very stressful.

Things at Mountaintop are great! God is still my refuge and strength. My faith is about the only thing that is keeping me going right now.

I know this is kind of a downer blog entry, but I just had to write about what I'm going through right now.

But don't worry, I'll make it. God always sees me through. :-)

I did get to see Amber yesterday and that made my day. So that is good. I miss Rachel...really bad. She needs to come home soon and see me. Janna and I see each other at least twice a week now. I am loving that. As always, Roxy rocks my socks off. She is the best neighbor a guy can have. Let's see, other people I miss are:

Brooke
Jessie
Micah
Meghan
Abigail
Kacey

Hmm...that's about all for now.

Bri

Vocal Repertoire (so far)

Ok, so here is my vocal repertoire list so far. I guess I can use any of these if I had to for Juries (which is December 1st...yikes!). Below you'll see what I've got so far. I've listed my vocal coach for those pieces, as well as the ranges for those songs, so here they are:

Spring 2005 – Margaret Heron, Choir Director, Mortimer Jordan High School, Morris, AL:
• Danza, danza fanciulla – Francesco Durante (1684-1755) [A#4-F#5]

Spring 2007 – Jessica Hall, Instructor of Music, Director of Choirs, Jefferson State Community College, Birmingham, AL:
• Black Is The Color of My True Love’s Hair – John Jacob Niles (1892-1980) [D4-G5]

Fall 2007 - Rachel Mathes, Voice Instructor, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL:
• Caro Mio Ben – Tommaso Giordani (1733–1806) [D4-F5]
• Sebben, crudele – Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) [E4-E5]
• Standchen – Franz Schubert (1797-1828) [D4-G5]
• Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast – Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) [G4-Bb5]
• Bring Him Home - Claude-Michel Schönberg (b. 1944) [E4-A5]

I'll try and update this list as songs are added.

So, I've started a new project. I'm cataloging my entire sheet music library. It is a small (yeah, right) undertaking, but it is coming along. I know Dr. Copeland is scanning his entire library. I don't think I could do that right now. That might come later. I'm also updating my iTunes library constantly with new music. It's an addiction...i know.

Well, I might update later tonight. I've got a Music Theory test tomorrow and my Woodwind Methods midterm on Friday...fun.

Later all!