Seraphic Fire: The iChoir

Pictures from Recording Monteverdi Vespers

2009-05-06T10:13:00.012-04:00

Here are some of the photos from our Monteverdi recording sessions in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Just in time for our next performance of Monteverdi (and Rossi!) on May 14 - 17, 2009!

We started out the trip rehearsing for two days in my hotel suite at the La Quinta at the O'Hare Airport. I promise you, the room has never seen so much Italian Baroque music before. It was the O'Hare La Quinta Premiere of the Monteverdi Vespers. :)

Once we arrived in Kalamazoo, MI, our home for our recording sessions was the Holy Family Chapel. What an a-MAZING acoustic. Huge thanks to James Bass, our chorusmaster, for finding such a great room.

Peter Rutenberg, our producer, and Jamie Tagg, our recording engineer, loaded in enough recording equipment into that chapel to record the soundtrack for Jurassic Park. :) Here's us with the full group recording.

Our continuo group consisted of Scott Jarrett and Karl Shrock on continuo organs, Phil Spray on the violone and Joel Spears on the lute and theorbo.

Here's tenor Derek Chester recording one of his solos in the Vespers.

Seraphic Fire soprano Gabrielle Tinto marks her score while we take a break in recording.

It was VERY late after about 10 hours of recording when this picture was taken. We were SO CLOSE to having it all finished.

Around midnight of the second day of recording, we wrapped. Here's James Bass, Peter Rutenberg and me beaming knowing that we got an awesome recording.

And a post-session toast finished the project.

Preparing for "Portrait of a Mother"

2009-04-07T11:15:00.002-04:00

I'm currently in medias res preparing for next week's concerts of Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater" and Paul Crabtree's "Sedebat Mater" (with two arias by Vivaldi and Bach thrown in for good measure). I've been asked by a number of y'all how I prepare for these premieres of commissioned works, so I thought I'd sortof give a glimpse of my (very quirky) process.

The big (and probably obvious) difference between learning a work that is in the standard repertory and learning a work that was written for you is that, for the latter, there is no received wisdom in performing the piece -- no colleagues who have performed it before, no recordings with which to agree or disagree, no list of errata in the score and parts....nada. You're on your own here...

Fortunately, when working with Paul Crabtree (a great friend and the genius composer of "Sedebat Mater"), the last of the four (errors in parts/score) tend to be nonexistent, as he is a meticulous editor of his own work. This still leaves the fact that there is no roadmap of what to expect once you open the package of scores and parts from the composer.

In the case of "Sedebat Mater," I received the full score and parts about two months ago. Initially, when I receive a new score, I try (as much as possible) to spend a considerable time reading through the score and hearing the music in my head. I prefer not to, initially, play through the music at the piano or listen to a MIDI-generated recording of the work. I find that this helps me get an overall concept of what the arc of the piece will eventually resemble.

After a few weeks of silent study and singing through all the parts without the aid of a piano, I begin to start to learn the work at the keyboard, figuring out the important harmonic landmarks in the piece. With new works, this can be challenging, as rhythms and counterpoint are often purposely at odds with traditional Western musical theory, so much of my time is spent trying to anticipate what will be difficult when actual live musicians are rehearsing/performing the piece.

Once I have a reasonably good handle on the harmonic structure, I take out my colored pencils (it's like kindegarden!) and mark the hell out of the score. Everyone has a different shorthand when it comes to marking their scores -- mine is mostly to overcome my astigmatism so that I don't have to wear my glasses in rehearsal or performance. :) Big red, blue and green marks thoughout my score remind me of what I've been studying for the past few months so that I can just glance down and know what's coming next.

Finally, once my preparation is mostly done, I'll call up the composer (in this case Paul -- EXPECT A CALL SOON!) and ask him or her what THEY really feel are the most imporant musical ideas to get across. I don't really like to have this conversation until I've developed opinions of my own, based on the notes on the page.

So, yeah... A bit of insight on how a World Premiere goes from score to first rehearsal with Seraphic Fire.

-PDQ

New Orleans: Part 1 (PDQ)

2008-10-22T15:30:00.003-04:00

Growing up in New Orleans is one of those things that is hard to explain. It is mostly like living in America, just with more parties. People in New Orleans have a very specific view on life: it is meant to be lived. From all walks of life, citizens of New Orleans conduct daily business and personal interactions with a certain joie de vivre that always seems to say, "Life is not about work -- life is about living."

I was born in Mid City, one of the neighborhoods that received about 8 feet of water during Hurricane Katrina. Mardi Gras parades passed in front of my house. My mother is Cajun, and, like most New Orleanians, we ate red beans and rice every Monday (a tradition which went back to when Monday was wash day).

I heard stories of Hurricane Betsy throughout my formative years. Older neighbors told stories of their roofs being torn off with them inside, flood waters rising to the second story, bringing an axe with them as the crawled into their atics in order to be able to hack their way out in case the water got too high.

In a very "youthful" way, I think we always dismissed these stories as the hyperbole of grandparents. I lived through 7 large storms while in New Orleans, including the downsized version of Hurricane Andrew, and knew of uprooted trees, flooded cars, etc., but the largescale tragedy seemed like an inflation of the past.

So as I spoke to my mother the Tuesday after Katrina, while she and my father were trapped in Memorial Hospital with 2000 other people, it was as if all those stories were coming true. Mom cried a bit on the phone as she told me that the lights were flickering, and that the water had already reached halfway up the first story of the hospital.

To be continued....

Amazing Grace Videos (PDQ)

2008-06-08T19:55:00.004-04:00

I've just uploaded a ton of Seraphic Fire videos to You Tube (we really ARE the ichoir!). Here's one of many from our Amazing Grace program--we'll be repeating it June 18 - 22, so make sure to come and hear us!

Here's Reggie Mobley singing "Precious Lord" by Thomas Dorsey.

There are MANY more videos posted on YouTube. You can access them by clicking here.

NYC Tour Stories and Pictures! (PDQ)

2008-05-21T11:05:00.013-04:00

TOUR DAY 1: We woke up VERY early (for musicians, that's any time before 9:00 a.m.) to get to the airport to fly to NYC. After a few minor issues with tickets, we reached the gate and ate a well rounded breakfast of airport food. Terribly healthy. Here's a pic of Gabby, Scott, Reggie and Vince curbside at MIA.The flight was smooth, but we were told at the end of the flight (after two failed landing attempts) that we might be re-directed to Washington DC, as the pilots could not see the runway in the fog. Ho-boy. Getting from DC to downtown Manhattan for an 8 p.m. concert? Visions of a mad scramble played through my head. Thankfully, on the 3rd attempt, we landed (2 hours late) at LaGuardia airport. Whew...

We jumped in our 4 rental cars (CARAVAN!!) and zoomed off to Manhattan. One of our board members, Daniel Perron, opened his apartment to us, and served us a MAGNIFICENT meal from NYC's Balthazar. Amazing pre-concert fuel, let me tell you. Here's a picture of the entire group after lunch:

We changed into concert black and headed 7 blocks south to the magnificent acoustics of the chapel at St. Bartholomew's Church in Midtown Manhattan. The crowd was enthusiastic, and the ensemble made Miami proud that night. One New Yorker said to us, "Wow...you guys should move to Manhattan--you could compete with any ensemble here!" Don't worry--no plans to move to Manhattan. We love Miami, and know that we couldn't take the cold!

That evening, we jumped in the vans and headed to Connecticut. We reached Branford at 1 am and settled in for 9 hours of sleep--the first we'd had in over a week.

TOUR DAY 2: The guys and gals spent the day in New Haven (Thai food anyone) and then met at Yale's Battell Chapel for an afternoon rehearsal and sound check. We were able to use the amazing balconies there for Victoria's double choir "Ave Regina Caelorum." Beautiful! Here is us in rehearsal:

That evening we went to the incomparable Yorkside Pizza (a haunt of mine when at Yale for grad school) for dinner with some of the students at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Maggie Brooks, head of the Yale choral program. That evening was spent with host families.

TOUR DAY 3: Another early start at 7:45 am! We left the New Haven Green, hyped up on cafine from Starbucks (unofficial mascot of Seraphic Fire). Packed into the vans early in the morning, everyone was a bit giddy--the first annual Seraphic Fire Tour Limerick contest ensued!

No one told me or Gabby that too much caffeine makes for much faster driving than usual. On the road to Syracuse, both Gabrielle and I were stopped for speeding. Argh! Here's a picture of Kathryn Mueller holding my ticket on the Mass Pike:

After slowing down to the speed limit, we eventually reached Syracuse and went directly to Hendricks Chapel at Syracuse University for a quick soundcheck. Again, we were able to use the many balconies to create a surround sound effect for the concert. Awesome. This picture shows us during rehearsal. Tenor Derek Chester comments that we look like the Von Trapp children refusing to sing "The Hills are Alive" after Maria went back to the concert (we were tired, and the coffee was wearing off). Notice Paul Tipton's far-off gaze...

After a FANTASTIC concert (they wouldn't stop clapping!) we packed up and traveled over to Spirito, the marvelous home of Dr. Barbara Tagg, professor of choral music at Syracuse University and director of the fantastic Syracuse Children's Choir. Here are a James Bass, Derek Chester and Abigail Haynes Lennox at Spirito's Inspiration Point.

After an awesome reception, we went back to the hotel where we were treated to a serenade by Misty and Al Bermudez, backed up by the incomparable Paul Max Tipton:

TOUR DAY 4: Before half of the group left to fly home, the entire ensemble acted as a lab chorus while I gave a masterclass on conducting to the undergraduate students at Syracuse University. Bolstered by Starbucks (notice a theme) the Fire-ites sang through movements of Messiah, Haydn's Creation and Byrd's Ave Verum while I worked with some of the conductors. First, the choir at 8:30 am:

And then me with one of the conducting students:
Post-workshop, half of the ensemble flew back to their homes across the country, while the other half stayed and worked with the Syracuse Children's Choir. Our own managing director, Gabrielle Tinto, was a member of the Syracuse Children's Choir for many years.

One of the most memorable moments from this tour happened when Gabrielle Tinto led the senior choir in a version of "I Want to Sing My Own Song," a piece that is sung year after year by members of the choir. By the end of the piece, Dr. Tagg, Gabrielle, all the SCC members as well as the musicians from Seraphic Fire were all in tears. An unforgettable moment:
We had a great dinner afterward at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q in downtown Syracuse, then headed back to reality the next morning. Totally awesome. Totally awesome.

Home again, Home again.

2008-04-08T10:04:00.002-04:00

I'm currently sitting in the Syracuse Airport with James Bass, Gabrielle Tinto, Matthew Tresler and Ben Johns. We're all reconnecting with the real world after a truly amazing first domestic tour. Yesterday, 8 of the Seraphic Folk and I worked with a number of young singers at Syracuse University.

Monday morning began with Seraphic Fire (totally hyped up on Starbucks and sugar cereal) singing for the intermediate choral conducting class at the University, followed a few hours later with a workshop with the Syracuse University Singers. It was really wonderful to see the enthusiasm of the young singers.

The high point of the day, though, was working with the kids in the Syracuse Children Choir (directed by the seemingly tireless Dr. Barbara Tagg). Gabrielle Tinto spent 8 years as a member of the SCC, and when she sang a solo with the ensemble, Dr. Tagg and the entire SF cadre were in tears. Pretty powerful stuff.

I've got a bunch of pictures from the trip that I'll be posting over the next week, so stay tuned. This was an awesome week for Seraphic Fire--I'm excited that we'll be doing this a lot over the coming seasons.

With picture...

2008-04-06T11:50:00.000-04:00

A picture of some of Seraphic Fire at a rest station in upstate New York. Everyone is in a pretty good mood, taking into account that we had to be up at 6 am this morning. Ai!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

En route

2008-04-06T11:49:00.000-04:00

Nice!

2008-04-06T10:47:00.000-04:00

We're currently on the road to Syracuse. New York and New Haven were awesome concerts. Both felt like homecomings--so many familiar faces in the audience.

Will write more when we get into Syracuse, as I think blogging while driving is illegal in new York state.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

So cool... (PDQ)

2008-04-04T07:25:00.002-04:00

We made the event listing in Time Out New York. Totally made my day.

Now to catch my cab...

And they're off! (PDQ)

2008-04-03T23:26:00.002-04:00

Just finished our tour send-off concert in Miami at Corpus Christi, a parish serving the incredibly poor Latin-American immigrant community of Allapatah. It was truly amazing to perform this music (Ramirez's Missa Criolla, Bermudez's Padre Nuestro) for people who speak only Spanish.

Nice to be in front of an enthusiastic home crowd before going away for a few days. We're on a plane for New York tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. It's going to be a long day, with a plane flight, a concert, and then a 2 hour drive to New Haven afterward, so I need to get some sleep so I wake up in time to catch the cab to the airport.

More soon!

On The Road Again (PDQ)

2008-03-28T10:32:00.003-04:00

Pretty much says it all...

We're a week away from getting on a plane to NYC for Seraphic Fire's first domestic tour, and I gotta say, I'm pretty excited. All the members of Seraphic Fire, including myself, travel pretty extensively as performers, but this will be the first time we travel outside of Florida as a group. Manhattan debut on April 4th on St. Bartholomew's Great Music Series? Totally incredible!

The scary part is not the music or the performing--its the actual travel itself. It is one thing to get a group of musicians from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale. It is another thing entirely to get them from Miami to Syracuse, NY, by way of Manhattan and New Haven, CT. Think herding cats....

The music that we're taking on tour is one of my favorite programs: "Sway: Music of Miami!" Many of y'all were at the premieres of these works: Ingram Marshall's magnificent Hymnodic Delays, Alvaro Bermudez's sultry Padre Nuestro, and Sydney Guillaume's Dominus Vobiscum. That, and the Argentine composer Ariel Ramirez's Misa Criolla. Cool COOL music, and music that I really think defines the ensemble.

We're going to be giving a preview of our tour program this coming Thursday, April 3rd, at 8:00 p.m. at Corpus Christi Church in Allapatah. Tickets are only $10, so it would be really cool to have a big crowd to cheer us on to our Big Apple debut. There are details at Seraphicfire.org.

I'll be posting as much as possible while on tour, so check in periodically. Wish us luck!

The Other National Anthem (PDQ)

2007-10-26T08:52:00.000-04:00

In a way, Amazing Grace, a hymn written by an oft' conflicted English sailor-turned-preacher, has become the "other" national anthem for a country whose history has been marked by triumph through strife.

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see."

For a hymn that is a standard in American churches, it is remarkably vague when referencing a specific Deity, but amazingly specific when speaking to the journey through pain and suffering to freedom. John Newton, author of the hymn text, converted to Christianity while working on the slave ship Greyhound. Later, upon finally being made pastor of a Buckinghamshire church after repeatedly being refused ordination as a minister, he set these words to paper.

"Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home."

The words were set to numerous tunes (a number of which we'll sing in our next concert), but it was in "Singin' Billy" Walker's Southern Harmony hymnal, published in the US in 1835, that the words were officially set to the iconic "NEW BRITTAIN" hymn tune.

"The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures."

The hymn became not only a religious touchstone, but also a rallying cry for numerous peoples who were oppressed. Aboloitionist sung the hymn to protest slavery; Native Americans on the Trail of Tears, not given sufficient time to burry their dead, sang the hymn as a replacement for funeral proceedings; Civil Rights leaders sang the hymn for inspiration when fighting segregation in the middle of the 20th century.

"When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun."

The final verse, found in almost every contemporary hymnal, was not written by Newman: instead, it was penned by Harriet Beecher Stowe in her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

Since Stowe's addition, the hymn has come to represent the non-bellicose side of the American dream. In 1971, with the Vietnam war in the background, Judy Collins released her recording of the hymn, which went on to climb the pop charts in both the United States and the Brittain. Collins claimed that the tune had the "power to transform."

"Amazing Grace" has, for two centuries, given hope to Davids facing Goliaths--a fitting anthem for a nation built on the notion that liberty is for all.

Video on Seraphic Fire (PDQ)

2007-10-12T13:31:00.001-04:00

SERAPHIC FIRE ON YOUTUBE!

Home again, home again....

2007-10-02T19:53:00.000-04:00

And the whirlwind week is finished and it was fun indeed. We had such a great time this weekend - little baubles here and there, of course, but that's the beauty of live music. You live and learn and fix and never break a sweat. Well, we all were sweating in Ft. Lauderdale, but that was not due to musical problems. :) I was rather dewy after that show, that's for sure!

The craziest thing is just realizing how soon the next concert is approaching! I'll be back in Miami in late October (perhaps I should buy that plane ticket) for the gospel/bluegrass concert which I think is going to be completely awesome. 'Twill be an ecelectic season as usual and I think that's what makes this group so interesting and fresh.

It was great to see most of you - lots of new faces at all of the concerts! Don't forget to bring all of your friends to the next show too....

sg

Wow, this week has flown...! (Sara)

2007-09-27T17:58:00.000-04:00

The next time we sing all the way through Dido and Aeneas will be a performance - a daunting yet exciting thought! We've worked very hard the last few days on so many different levels of nuance and I think it will add up to be an amazing show. It's very exciting to think that we could sell some of these performances out!

One of the great things about this group is that even though the cast of characters may change every performance we work very hard to create rapport and camaraderie amongst ourselves. That is so essential in chamber music - we all rely on each other's musicianship and skills and that, in turn, energizes each of our own performances. I think the more I sing with new members of Seraphic Fire the more I realize how small the singing world really is (hello, six degrees of Kevin Bacon!) I have friends and acquaintances in common with just about every member of the ensemble this week. Sure, the world is small, but I really that significantly increases how much we trust each other - you've worked with my friends, so you must be great. At the end of the week we have each expanded our network of connections - our own six degrees - that much further, and it's very possible our paths will cross again in different endeavours (many already have!) I really feel that the bond we create throughout the week makes us the group that we are, and hopefully that will be evident this weekend.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you at the concerts and please stop by and say hello!

P.S. (PDQ)

2007-09-27T08:53:00.000-04:00

3 Notes:

1) Thanks to all of y'all who posted comments yesterday. I've passed them on to the musicians. It is great to get feedback BEFORE the concert!

2) This really is the best-selling concert we've ever had, so if you're planning on coming (especially to the Miami Beach or Ft. Lauderdale concerts) you might want to make sure you have a ticket waiting for you at the door. No matter what, it is going to be an amazing crowd, but those have the possibility of selling out.

3) WHAT IS UP with all this rain? While appropriate for this opera, it would be nice to show these out-of-town musicians some amazing Miami weather at least one day while they're here...

One more lap to go (PDQ)

2007-09-27T08:41:00.001-04:00

We have our final two rehearsals today. [Just in case anyone was wondering, we have a total of 8 rehearsals over 4 days. A typical day is rehearsal from 10 am until 1 pm with a two hour lunch break, and then a second rehearsal from 3 pm to 6 pm. Musicians working during the day? Totally wierd...]

Yesterday afternoon we solidified the "staging" for the concert. Staging is in quotes because it is more stylized movement than true dramatic blocking, although the choir gets to act a bit rowdy at one point (Note: this Monday was international "Speak Like a Pirate" day. Watch for a momentary commemoration of that during the performance).

Today we're going to be really drilling the movements and transitions from scene to scene in the morning, working hard on portraying the stark emotions of the piece. In the afternoon, starting at 3 pm, we'll be having our full dress rehearsal.

Today is definitely a more rock, less talk sort of day...

Whew. (PDQ)

2007-09-25T22:54:00.000-04:00

So, we started rehearsals yesterday. Tonight, after roughly 12 hours of rehearsal in 2 days I’m pretty confident we could do the performance tomorrow morning.

Life, I must say, is very good.

Kellie Van Horn and David McFerrin are just such a joy to work with, my ideal Dido and Aeneas. Expressive, musically inspiring, gorgeous voices—it all applies. David has worked with us a few times before, but this is the first time Kellie and I are getting to work together since grad school at Yale. Her ability to communicate the emotional depth of Dido is simply amazing. (Larry Johnson interviewed her for his feature article in the Miami Herald. You can read the story here.)

Tess Wakim as Belinda brings an incredible Baroque sensibility to the role. She sang her aria yesterday. Wow. Choir and other soloists were agape at her mastery of some fantastic baroque ornaments.

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday), I start working with the orchestra. They flew in tonight from all across the country (just like the singers did on Sunday night). It is, in a way, sortof working with the “Dream Team” of American singers and players.

I’m now going to take solace in two scoops of ice cream then pass out. Making music can take a lot out of you!

PS—Could those of y’all who are reading this post a comment to let us know that you’re out there? It is always nice to know when folks are pulling for us.

Back to the grindstone... (Sara)

2007-09-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

And here I am, posting from lovely Miami. Well, it's gross rainy Miami this morning, but still lovely. It's so great to be singing with these folks again - there are some new faces (one tenor and one baritone) and of course we have Kellie Van Horn and David McFerrin with us as well. I've never had the privilege of singing with David (he's fabulous) but I know Seraphic Fire audiences have seen him before. Kellie is also singing beautifully and, of course, we have our fabulous little band guided by the amazing Henry Lebedinsky.

This production is going to be really fun. We can't stage it, per se, so PDQ is really working on us creating the affect with our voices - the chorus plays sailors and witches among other things and we're really playing with vocal colors to make them distinct. Expect to hear things that you may not have heard Seraphic Fire create before....

These concerts are selling quickly, so if you haven't gotten your tickets you should do so now - we don't want to miss any of you!

Off to fight the morning traffic for a 10AM rehearsal...!

Wow, Purcell really rocks. (Sara)

2007-09-20T20:52:00.000-04:00

He definitely rocked big hair. :)

Seriously, though, I had forgotten how much I really love Purcell. This week I've been digging through my music and my iPod - in his short life (he died in his mid-30s!) he wrote a ton of great stuff. I've got mostly vocal repertoire, of course, and it's been really interesting to listen to a bunch of different singers interpret Purcell. For example, Emma Kirkby and Susan Graham - how different can you get? Totally different voices and some amazingly different stylistic choices. Both beautiful, both musical, both inspiring.

Much more later - I'm in a whirlwind the next few days tying up loose ends with my students and the never-ending drama of packing. Last year I was living in Gainesville so I would drive down which meant I could bring all kinds of stuff, including a tightly-packed suitcase the size of Guam. This is the first concert where I'm flying in and I am a chronic overpacker - how in the world do I get a week's worth of clothes and shoes into one suitcase??? I mean, a girl has to have her options! I bought a luggage scale because I have paid that heavy suitcase fee one too many times...

My next entry will be from Florida!

Less than two weeks... (PDQ)

2007-09-16T18:39:00.000-04:00

7 days from our first rehearsal and I am totally ready to get started.

It is Sunday afternoon and I’m wondering what it would be like to not have to worry about the convergence of opening night and hurricane season… Since Wilma two years ago when we prepared for a concert week without power or hot water, I’ve become a bit obsessive about checking the National Hurricane Center website during the two weeks prior to concerts. What do music directors in Iowa fixate on without hurricanes?

I’m pretty excited that we’re performing with a period-instrument ensemble for this opening concert. I spoke with our concertmaster, Michael Albert, last week about the concert. He sent us his bowings to be put in the orchestra parts, and having looked at them, I’m really psyched about how good this is going to sound. [NOTE: For those of y’all reading who are not orchestral musicians, the concertmaster—aka the first chair violinist—writes directions in the sheet music for all the string players so that their bows are all going either up or down at the same time during the performance. This gives a “crispness” to the sound.]

I’ve conducted Dido and Aeneas before—about 6 years ago for my graduate recital at the Yale School of Music. The majority of the time with Seraphic Fire concerts, I am conducting a piece of music for the first time, so it has been really cool to be able to revisit a piece that I know so well. I’ve been looking at my markings from the last time I performed the work and to notice how much I’ve changed as a musician since that time. Some things I’ll do exactly the same, and some things completely different. Amazing the difference that 6 years makes.

In other news, I was interviewed on WLRN’s Arts Beat on Friday by Charles Greenfield (who is also the music reviewer for the Coral Gables Gazette). I’m really happy about the way it turned out. You can listen to it by clicking here. My portion starts at the 28 minute mark.

Also, Greg Stepanich wrote a great article on the smaller-is-better model for the 21st century orchestra. I’m a little biased, as he gives a great plug for our new chamber orchestra, but I think you’ll agree that it is a cool article.

My first post! (Sara)

2007-09-11T12:36:00.001-04:00

Hello, Seraphic Fire fans!

Welcome to the Seraphic Fire blog! I am excited to be the guinea pig singer blogger and promise to give you all of the inside lowdown. Well, all that's fit to print, at least...!

We're less that two weeks out from rehearsal time, and I'm really excited for this concert. I've only sung with Seraphic Fire since last fall and I've never experienced doing just one work on one of our concerts - should be a lot of fun.

We always spend time in rehearsals trying to find our "sound" for the week, and that often proves to be challenging when we have multiple composers from different time periods on the docket. Our sound for singing Tallis, for example, will be totally different than our sound for a premiere of a new work by Paul Crabtree. In addition, the cast of singers may slightly differ from concert to concert, so it's a constant process. There is fun and skill in that challenge, of course, but on the rare occasions when we sing the work of just one composer (like last fall's Scarlatti concert, for example), it's nice to lock in to that sound early in the week.

Dido and Aeneas is such a beautiful piece and it will be a treat to sing with this group. I've missed them all summer! We'll see how my body handles going from living in an elevation of 6,000 ft to spending a week at sea level!

Seraphic Fire's New Blog (PDQ)

2007-09-08T15:14:00.000-04:00

Dear Seraphic Fire-ites,

Welcome to Seraphic Fire's new blog: ichoir.blogspot.com. I, along with one of Seraphic Fire's singers Sara Guttenberg, will be trying to provide some insight into what goes into putting together a Seraphic Fire concert.

Since Seraphic Fire is an "all-star" group of singers, they live all around the country. We've had musicians fly from as far away as Germany to sing with us. Sara is currently living in Middle-of-Nowhere Utah (that's the name of it, right?) and will be flying in to join us during the week of the concert. Like most of our singers, Sara has multiple advanced degrees in music, and makes her living through a combination of performing around the country and teaching.

I hope you enjoy our postings over the next few weeks!