Drawing to a Close

Yes, Summer is beginning to end for me. I've taken all of my final exams save one which I will take tomorrow. After that, I'm just working MWF for the next two weeks and I will probably take off a day or so from work just to relax some before the Fall semester begins.

I finalized my Fall schedule yesterday. I'm taking 18 hours this semester as opposed to the original 20 hours I was going to take. Here is a rundown of my classes I'm taking:

MU 321 - Music Theory III - Ms. Dale Reynolds
MU 324 - Aural Skills III - Ms. Dale Reynolds
MU 329 - Conducting I - Dr. Jeff Reynolds
MU 471 - Music History and Literature to 1750 - Dr. Howard Irving
MUP 001 - Performance Attendance - Dr. Gene Fambrough
MUP 124 - Class Piano - Ms. Rosalind Rust
MUP 125 - Piano Proficiency - Ms. Rosalind Rust
MUP 132 - Class Woodwinds - Dr. Denise Gainey
MUP 136 - Class Percussion - Dr. Gene Fambrough
MUP 220/220L - Concert Choir - Dr. Philip Copeland
MUP 240 - Private Lessons: Voice - Dr. Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk
MUP 320 - Chamber Singers - Dr. Philip Copeland
MUP 420 - Opera Workshop - Dr. Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk

So as you can see, my schedule is full this semester. Not to mention, in September I am traveling to Washington D.C. with my family for my grandmother's acceptance of the National Endowment of the Arts Lifetime Heritage Fellowship, traveling to Cincinnatti in October with the UAB Concert Choir to sing at the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference, and travel to Joe Wheeler State Park in Langston, AL for Thanksgiving break with my family.

Overall, I am looking forward to what the fall brings: great music and reconnection with great friends.

Until next time,

Brian

Hmm... let's see here

Okay... does this work too?

Check One... Check One...

Okay, so here is my first attempt of updating my blog other than going to blogger.com to do so.  I am attempting to update the blog by sending this post through my email.  I will next attempt to update my blog from my cell phone.  Here goes nothing...

B

Catching up!

Okay, so I'm really loving the fact that I can get online now for free at Starbucks now. I'm sitting here sipping my second cup o' coffee typing away on my blog while I have some time to kill before class. Dr. Copeland would be proud...I'm having a Venti BOLD with Cream. :)

I NEED AN ESCAPE! I'm getting tired of this routine I'm in of Work-School-Work-School-Work-Work-REST (Just in case you're trying to figure that out, that's my schedule Monday-Sunday of any given week during this summer). I can't wait till the Fourth of July weekend. I'm going up to Guntersville with my family for a whole weekend of rest and relaxation. Its going to be great!

So, this Saturday, my dear beloved friend Janna Stevens is getting married to Michael Bradt. I have the wonderful honor of being an usher in her wedding. :) This is a first for me. In the past, I've been a ring bearer when I was a youngling and I've also performed at many a wedding. I think being an usher will be fun. I told Janna that I wanted to have a security ear piece and have a microphone in my cuff. She said that it wouldn't be that kind of wedding... sad day.

Well, I'm about to do my devotion for the day before I go to class.

I hope you have a VENTI-BOLD-DECAF-ORGANIC-TWO PUMP MOCHA-DOPPIO-WITH WHIP-DAY! (Warning: You probably shouldn't order this drink).

Brian

p.s. Check the bottom of my blog for a slideshow of pictures from my recent trip to Ireland with the UAB Concert Choir!

My Memaw

I'm so proud of my grandmother. Check out this article from The Birmingham News:

Mt. Olive quilter wins NEA award
Posted by Alec Harvey -- Birmingham News May 28, 2008 9:29 AM

Bettye Kimbrell of Mt. Olive is one of 11 recipients of a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The National Heritage Fellowships are the country's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, according to the NEA.

Bettye Kimbrell

In 1979, Kimbrell organized a quilt show to raise money for the Mt. Olive Community Center, and out of that came the North Jefferson Quilters' Guild.

In 1995, Kimbrell received the Alabama Folk Heritage Award.

Here is a quilt that Memaw created based from a design my Mom created:

Back to the Ordinary

Wow, I really meant to update daily while over in Ireland, but internet was really expensive over there.

Okay, so I know everyone who reads my blog but doesn't have Facebook is dying to see all my pictures from Ireland. So you can check them out here in my online album (http://picasaweb.google.com/briankdenton/Ireland).

I love my parents! When I got home around 3 in the morning from Ireland, my apartment was clean and Mom and Dad decorated my room in addition to giving my XTerra a complete tune up and work over. It was great! Here is a good picture of them from Christmastime:



Well, of recent happenings, I have recorded the first song I plan on using for a cd I will put out sometime in the near future. My friend Marcus recorded and mastered this song. So as a treat, here it is for your listening pleasure:



More later! I hope all this works!

Brian

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

Across the Waters

WE MADE IT!! We're in Ireland!

First things first...

Jet lag is not fun. I'm so tired right now as I'm typing this, but I must stay awake so I can sleep tonight and regulate my sleep cycle. I was able to sleep some on the plane, but the crying child would not allow me to sleep peacefully while we crossed the waters.

So here we are in Ireland. I'm in Cork, Ireland to be more specific. Tomorrow starts the various singing events that we are performing in for the Cork International Choral Festival (http://www.corkchoral.ie/). We have our first rehearsal since the last time we met in the States in a little while. I'm excited to see how we sound. I'm taking many pics while I'm here (thanks to my best friend Roxy for letting me borrow her camera). I'll try and post some as I'm over here. However, I'm not sure when I'll be online as we have to pay for internet usage at the hotel. It is 10 euro for 24 hours of internet usage. But I might possibly find a public venue with free wifi.

Well folks, I have to get ready for rehearsal.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for our safety while we're away.

Much love,

Brian

The Return of Brian

Yes, I know it has been forever since I last posted anything on here, so I apologize to all of you who read this (Especially Dr. Copeland... because we all know he likes to keep little tabs on all our lives... j/k).

I am leaving for Ireland in 3 days.

Final exams are done with, Juries are over with (thank God), AND I don't have to write a paper until the end of May. So I am somewhat content with life right now.

I have so much packing and preparation to do before Tuesday morning. Here is a semi-run down of the coming days:

Tuesday (4/29): Leave UAB on a charter bus to Atlanta. Fly from Atlanta to Chicago, then fly overnight from Chicago to Shannon, Ireland.

Wednesday (4/30): Arrive in Shannon, Ireland then take a charter bus to Cork, Ireland.

Thursday (5/1)- Monday (5/5): Compete in the Cork International Choral Festival.

Tuesday (5/6) - Wednesday (5/7): Arrive in Dublin, Ireland for sightseeing and fun. Leave on Wednesday to go back to the United States.

Thursday (5/8): Begin Summer classes.

So as you can see, I have no downtime from Tuesday on through the rest of May (until my Foundations of Education II class ends).

But I am really excited about our trip.

I am going to try and update this blog regularly while i'm in Ireland so friends and family back home can hear about my exploits as an international choral star! Hah!

You can also check out our choir's blog at http://uabchoirs.blogspot.com, as I'm sure that Dr. Copeland will update it frequently while we're away.

Well, I hope everyone is well and I look forward seeing everyone when I return.

Much love,

Brian

Well...that's SOMETHING...

Check this out. This is Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy socialite from New York. She has a plethera of money, so she would hire the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on a whim just to sing with them and perform concerts. However, Mrs. Jenkins does not have the "best" of voices. Watch this as she sings the Queen of the Night's aria, "Der Holle Rache," from Mozart's The Magic Flute.

A New Readability Level

Movie Reviews

Hooray! My word usage has improved, so now my blog is rated on a College reading level. Smashing!

Rainy Day

Yet another Saturday where I'm stuck at work. This week has been my Spring Break and it hasn't been that great. Let's see, I worked Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday I was at the ENT most of the day (They did a Laryngoscopy on me to check out my vocal chords and stuff. Minor swelling, but nothing that some good ol' antibiotics won't cure. I also couldn't hear anything hardly out of my left ear, but now that is better. Stupid ear infections...), Thursday I observed at Minor High School (a joy as always), Friday, I worked, and today (guess what...) I am working again.

Okay, so I am officially in love with Mozart's Requiem. I went to the library on Thursday and I checked out a recording of it done by the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner and it is superb! I also checked out a book called Choral Masterworks by Michael Steinberg. It is a listener's guide to many choral masterpieces. I'm reading it along with listening to Requiem. It is very insightful.

I'm really releived that Pirates of Penzance is over with. It was loads of fun and I was so glad that I got to be a part of it. From what I hear, everyone who saw it loved it and had nothing but positive things to say about it. Congrats to all who were involved!

Well, I don't have much to say at this time, so I shall conclude this post.

Adieu!

Cough...Cough...Cough...

...is all that I've been doing today it seems.

Okay, I'm officially sick, but I'm also officially recovering. I went to the doc yesterday and she diagnosed me with Pharyngitis and an Upper Respiratory Infection. Not fun. So after a steroid shot and some antibiotics and such, I'm somewhat recovering.

But on top of the sickness, Pirates opens next week. We've had a rehearsal nearly every night this week and being sick and having no voice makes it a bit hard to put forth all of your effort and energy into a rehearsal. But things have gone well so far. Tomorrow begins Tech Week (or more affectionately known as HELL WEEK!!!).

So today, also whilst being sick, I had to attend a mandantory fitness lab for my HPE 200 class. At the lab, I had to run/walk 1.5 miles, do curl-ups, and do push-ups. I will say that I am proud of myself for walking the 1.5 miles in 23 minutes and 30 seconds whilst having Asthma and an upper respiratory infection on top of that. Yes, that is not fast at all, but I survived (for the most part) and I'm here to blog about it. We won't go into the curl-ups and push-ups...

Well, I just got in from Pirates rehearsal and I'm whooped. I've got a few things to do before bed, so I'm off...

Comments are much appreciated...

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.

Another Jan and Bri Joint Production...

Okays, so here's another blog entry that Jan and I have done recently, except this time, there's a video or two to accompany it. Enjoy!

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This is another Janna and Brian blog. It will be spirited and wonderful. Please read with utmost care.

“Although it is a rather dreary day in the city, I cannot help but think of the lovely, balmy weather of springtime. It will be the perfect weather for the wearing of cute skirts.”—Janna

“Do you want to hear me sing?”—Brian
“No.”—Janna

These are just a couple of interesting quotes from our day together thus far. We got together today at around 10 at the Hulsey. We got into the car and encountered Jeremiah; afterwards, we persuaded him to come with us for brunch. At McDonald’s, we purchased breakfast items (for brunch, of course), and devoured them hungrily.

We went to the bank. Sadly, Jeremiah discovered he still had no money.

After this, we dropped Jeremiah off at his dorm and traversed back to the apartment. We made coffee and ate biscotti. Having scarfed down the deliciousness of coffee and nnnnbiscotti, we then decided to blog together. This has become a new tradition of ours and it is something people speak of when they read our blogs.

But sad times occurred, when we decided to connect to the internet, we ran into many barricades, so we had to write this blog separately and will have to update it at a later time.

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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

Trick or Treat

By the way, for Halloween 2007, I was a Black Eyed "P".

Coolness...

So I go to Barber of Seville rehearsal tonight and I find out that I have a dressing room at the Alabama Theater. Well, it's not just mine...I have to share it with three other guys, but I've never had a dressing room before, so I thought it was COOL!

My Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

I'm now home through Christmas and perhaps a little after that. I'm not exactly sure when school starts back, I guess I should look that up! So it looks like this year at my house, not the aparment, we're having a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I put it up tonight, 3 days before Christmas and it is much like this video clip.



So here's the pic:



Hope everyone is having a great Christmas!

Brian