For Georgia ACDA

Greetings, Georgia ACDA!

Here's the document that contains the links to the websites/technlogies I mentioned during my presentation.

I meant to also mention this one:  Wiggio.

I'll be trying it out soon.

ACDA 2010

WOOHOO!

The UAB Concert Choir is officially invited to perform at the 2010 ACDA Southern Division Convention in Memphis, TN.

I'm also excited about an invitation for us to perform for the AVA Fall Workshop on Friday, September 11, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church.

More on everything later.

Triplets turn 6 tomorrow (Friday, June 12)

Ah . . . the happiest moment of my life . . . holding those precious babies for the first time.  Think about it . .  those girls spent nearly nine months together growing inside my wife's body and this was their first moment together in their father's arms.  They've been in close proximity to each other ever since then.

This picture caught me feeling something I had never experienced before - pure joy that went to the core of what I am.

I didn't have the slightest idea about how to be a father - but it begins pretty easily theoretically - you just feed, clean, comfort, and change diapers.  Luckily, the girls have helped me know what to do since then.  I occasionally have moments of insight on what I need to say or how I need to be, but most of the time I just try to make them happy.

We celebrate their sixth birthday tomorrow.  Three girls, three parties.  One at Chucky Cheese (Catherine) - one at Sweet & Sassy (Claire) and one at our home in a "Pretend Sleep-Over" Saturday night for Caroline.  (pretend sleep-overs are very popular in the 5 yr. old age bracket)

The girls are drifting off to sleep behind me right now . . . we try to end most days together this way.

"Thank you, God, for these girls. I'm privileged to call them mine."

Whitney nails a job - and confuses Google's transcript ability

Whitney is employed! Either that, or she got the dog she wanted!



This is how Google transcribed her message:

hi this is annie i'm calling to let you know in that hi yes yes i got the dog that i wanted to that you called for me about and thank you so much for doing that so i think but probably did have a lot of wait on it is and his assistant because he mentioned that yesterday so i'm totally sided and i'm to lisa price because i really did did not know i did have a great feeling about yesterday and i have a bad feeling better and have a great feeling so i'm super excited about an awful i'm on cloud 9 so i just wanna let you know in give you a big thank you thank you thank you and just call me i'll let you know details hi

What businesses do you frequent in Birmingham?

Concert Choir,

First a little story:

I ate lunch yesterday at one of the places I visit a lot for meals.  Before I left, I asked to speak to the manager and I told him:

• who I was (uab choir director)
• that I ate there often 
• that I was raising money for a local group
• and I wondered if he'd be interested in buying an advertisement 

He said that he normally didn't do that kind of thing but that he was interested in helping frequent customers to his business. 

So we're in a "raise money" phase in preparation for the France trip next year.

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to enter a "sell advertisements" phase and I'm wondering what businesses you frequent.  I have a group I'm working with in this endeavor and we brainstormed the following:

J Clyde's, Surin, TGIFriday's, Dive Shop, Al's Purple Onion, Twist & Shout
 
Where are the other places you spend money?  Where do you eat?  Where do you get your tux/dresses cleaned?  Where do you spend your money?

Let me know in the comments . . . and please sign your name.  Thanks!

Florilege Rules

Looking ahead:

It will begin on Friday, May 29, 2009 and will consist of three parts:

(I'm hoping the 2010 rules are the same as the 2009 rules - am checking now)

I. Qualifying Rounds
II. Final Rounds
III. Grand Prix

In all events, the order of performance of the works is decided by each ensemble.
All the pieces must be sung in the original language.
Encores are strictly forbidden.
All qualifying and final rounds are restricted to a cappella ensembles (except, possibly, final round a or b). The use of any musical or percussion instrument is forbidden.

I. QUALIFYING ROUNDS

The choice of program is left to each ensemble, but it must include three works:
a) One piece by a composer of the Renaissance, Baroque or Classical period. The Jury will pay special attention to keeping to the style;
b) One piece written after 1900;
c) One piece chosen freely from any period desired.

II. FINAL ROUNDS

The program is left to the choice of each ensemble, but it must include three works different from those chosen for the qualifying rounds.
a) One piece written during the 19th century;
b) One piece written after 1940 by a French composer;
c) One piece chosen freely from any period desired.
One of these two pieces (either a or b) will be possibly accompanied on the piano (a piano will be available on the stage).

In category IV, the program must include, as well for the qualifying round as for the final round, a cappella* freely chosen pieces (maximum 3 and different from the other category) by different composers.
For all categories and in each event (qualifying or final rounds) the total length of the pieces chosen must be between 7 and 11 minutes.
No piece may be longer than half of the total length of the choir’s program. This layout will not apply to the category IV nor to the Grand Prix program.
These Final Rounds will serve also for the awarding of the “Prix du Public” (by the audience).
The non-implementation of the above mentioned regulations concerning these rounds will lead to a penalty and possibly even to elimination.

(*) In category IV (a cappella) and also during the Grand Prix, the use of non-melodic percussion instruments is allowed.

III. GRAND PRIX

Among the choirs which have reached the final rounds, and according to their level during these final rounds, the jury will designate the 4 or 5 best ensembles that must participate in this Grand Prix competition. Please, remember that at the end of this last round, the “Grand Prix de la Ville de Tours” will be awarded to the choir whose performances during the entire competition will have been judged as the best.
The choirs chosen will present a program of their own choice of a total musical length between 18 or 22 minutes. This program must include one piece by a French composer and one piece accompanied by one to five freely chosen instruments (maximum 6 minutes). Each ensemble is responsible for providing its own pianist or musicians and instruments. Only a piano will be available on the stage.
The works chosen should be of at least 3 different periods. The jury will pay special attention to keeping to the style.
Only two works already presented in the qualifying and final rounds may be performed again.
The non-implementation of the above mentioned regulations concerning “Grand Prix” will lead to a penalty and possibly even to elimination.

June 1 update

Greetings again, fair students.

Some information on what I've been doing the past few days:

1. CD#1 and CD#2: I've been compiling recording sessions and recently separated it all out into two CD's worth of literature. I'll clue you in on more of this soon.

2. On May 15, I submitted our performance application for the 2010 ACDA Southern Division Convention in Memphis, TN. I don't have any idea if we will get in, but we are in the running. I'll post the news here whenever I receive the yes or no.

3. Plans are moving forward on our Performance Tour of France in May 2010. I've convened a fund raising committee and I'm working on ideas to make the total price more affordable for those that make UAB Concert Choir for 2009-1010. My ideas include:

* individual contributions
* company contributions (advertisements in our program)
* choir performances
* uab support

By the time you arrive for classes in the fall, I hope to have raised a significant amount of $$$ for our trip. One of the primary ways I'm going to try to raise money is in performances around town. In light of that, I'd like you to reserve these dates now:

* Vesper I - Thursday, Oct. 22
* Fall Concert - October 24 (saturday evening)
* Vesper II - Sunday, October 25 (evening)
* December 13 (evening concert) (maybe December 12 at Catholic church)
* December 20 (evening concert)
* Feb 17 Ash Wednesday concert
* March 24 and/or March 31 Lenten Concert

More later.