Sadie's Prezi

Sadie asked me to post this . . . A beautiful project of truths!

Five Things I've Learned from Dr. Copeland on Prezi

The Power of Truth

Many of us attended the funeral service of Madison Holler's mom today.

It was a powerful service for the mother of our beloved Madison.  I was prepared for a couple of the truths that I knew that I would face:

• Feeling the pain that Madison is going through - and reminded of similar pains that others have had in recent days.
• The strong parenting urge I felt - that I must be there for my children.
• The reminder that life is brief - that we all are subject to a certain fate.

I wasn't prepared to see and hear the UAB Choir - that took me by surprise.

I have seen members of the choir since our last moments together, but today was the first time that I saw you as a group and I wasn't ready for it.  I didn't realize that I would get so caught up in the strong emotions that I felt throughout the service - it was all there - empathy and love for Madi, a feeling of mortality, fatherhood.

And then I experienced the overwhelming specialness of the people I was fortunate to conduct and teach and mentor and love for a certain number of years.  There is a special feeling that comes from leading such a unique group of people - when you are gathered together there is a very present and invisible force that I felt very strongly.

As time has passed since our last time together, I have received numerous confirmations that I made the right decision to leave UAB . . .  it was the right time and I am in the place I need to be.

But as you sang today, I experienced one very clear and consuming truth:  that it was a privilege to have been a part of your lives - especially as your leader - for a brief time.

Tell me where is the road I can call my own,

That I left, that i lost, so long ago.

All these years I have wondered, oh when will I know,

There's a way, there's a road that will lead me home.

After wind, After rain, when the dark is done,

As i wake from a dream, in the gold of day,

Through the air there's a calling from far away,

There's a voice I can hear that will lead me home.

"Rise up, follow me, come away," is the call,

With the love in your heart as the only song;

There is no such beauty as where you belong,

Rise up, follow me, I will lead you home.

Thank you for the time that we spent together - both today and for the last few years.

I miss you, and I love you very much.

plc

Friends HS

This would be the blog post about Friends High School getting straight superiors at State Festival.

Welcome, Brian Kittredge

Welcome, Brian Kittredge, as the Interim Director of Choral Activities at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

You have a great choir to work with and I am sure you will do an outstanding job.

And for the rest of us, a little about Mr. Kittredge:

Brian is a native of Binghamton, New York, but has lived in south Louisiana for the past four years. He is currently a doctoral student in the choral conducting program at LSU. Prior to LSU, Brian taught middle and high school general music, conducted three choirs, and directed the annual musical production at the Louise S. McGehee School in New Orleans. He holds a Bachelors of Music from Mansfield University in Mansfield, PA; and a Masters of Music in Choral Conducting from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. In his spare time, Brian enjoys practicing yoga and attending LSU sporting events. 

strange sight

Strange to see my former position advertised:

There is already "buzz" about the position - what recent DMA graduate wouldn't want a position with a great choir that just performed at ACDA?

The New UAB Choirs are Tweeting

A great idea, whoever did this!

UAB Choirs are Tweeting.  I'll be watching close!

Congratulations, Charles!

Charles Henry was named the new director of choral music at Spain Park High School.  Needless to say, I am very proud.  As a student, Charles always did the "right thing."  He was hard-working, respectful, and thorough.  He's carried those qualities (and much more) into the early years of his career and he's done a fantastic job at Pinson High School for the past few years.  He was officially named as Spain Park High School's new choral director - and that speaks highly of several things:

• Charles' talent, ability, and personality
• His hard work at Pinson High School
• His excellent background in choral music with Carl Davis at Decatur High School
• His training in music and choral music education at UAB.

Congratulations, Charles.