Cleaned, Packed, And Ready

Yesterday afternoon I did laundry and dusted my entire apartment. This afternoon I cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and vacuumed the whole apartment. I can give the entire apartment a good cleaning in about two hours, so spaced over two days, it's not a big chore. Usually I do a little bit of basic stuff every day and the major stuff every couple of weeks. Except when I travel. Then I give the entire place a thorough cleaning a day or two before I leave, put clean sheets on the bed and clean towels in the bathroom the morning of departure. It's always nice to come home to a clean apartment and fresh sheets.

Once the apartment is clean, I begin packing. Actually, I start the packing process days before I pack the bags. First I make a list. I make piles. I winnow the piles. Certain things get taken to the office to be shipped with the meeting supplies. If it's going to be a lengthy trip, or I'm taking stuff that can't be shipped (when we go to Central or South America, for instance), I borrow a large suitcase from Mom. I also run to the library or the bookstore to get a couple of paperbacks to read while travelling (and during free time, if any). Packing day--that day before departure--the piles get moved to the bed, and the suitcases come down from the storage shelf. Usually by this point, I have a pretty good idea of which bag, or bags, are going on the trip. I winnow the piles one more time and then pack everything but the last minute stuff that goes in right before I go out the door.

Not today. I'm only going for four nights, so I could go carry on. Except I'm taking my flute. I'm too close to a gig to miss an entire week's worth of practicing, and my boss has said that I will have time to practice. So, I'm checking one bag and carrying on one bag with the flute as the one "personal item." Frankly, having to "overpack" and be able to take a little piece of sanity with me this trip is worth the checked bag fee.

I will need that sanity. Bronwyn (our "new" boss), Ruth-Ann and I will be making presentations to our networks about goings on at the Church Center. I've told them that they will have to talk about the reorg.... ummm... reconfiguration because I'm just not ready yet to be a cheerleader again. I'll be doing a lot of biting my tongue and taking notes. Or something. We have coloring pages for participants, and I may throw my crochet stuff in my bag before I leave. Keep busy, stick to the script, and don't talk about the stuff management doesn't want us to talk about.

I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be.

The shuttle comes at 6:45 tomorrow morning. I think we'll have Internet access in Kanuga, so I'll keep you posted.

Peace,
Jeff

More On Breaking The Record

Two weeks later stories are still popping up on the web about the record breaking performance at the National Flute Association Convention in New York City.

Here's a short video taken by someone in the ballroom during the performance.

And a longer one focusing primarily on one participant, but you can see from some of the shots taken from the back of the ballroom that the room with 2,000 chairs was standing room only.

Finally, the one from James Galway's official site. Note the number of "assistant conductors" helping us keep together while playing.

Here are some of the stories:
Breaking a Guiness world Record
Flutist's performance one for the record books

Peace,
Jeff

Update: We Did It!

According to this article on a Tampa, FL media site, we broke the world record for the world's largest flute ensemble with an official number 1, 989. You can see a video of the performance on James Galway's website.

And I was part of it!

Peace,
Jeff

Next Year In Anaheim?

After 15 days in Anaheim, California, last month for General Convention, and I'm already considering going back there next year. Why? Because the National Flute Association's annual convention is scheduled to be there next August--in the same hotel I stayed at for those two weeks. Any final decision on attending will depend on what is offered next year, and I'll have more to say about that later.

Saturday morning I planned on taking the 6:34 train into the City but overslept. The 7:34 arrived in Grand Central at 8:34, and I still made it to the hotel meeting room in time for the 9:00 a.m. Flute Choir Reading Session, the last one of the convention. The session had a travel theme, which the sponsoring flute choir's director put together to show how one might program a concert. One of the things I appreciated about the reading sessions was that the music folders we were given were not all one part. For the first piece you might have the first flute part, for the second fourth flute, second flute on the third piece, etc. Not only does that give participants a better feel for the music, no one gets frustrated with always "getting stuck" with the fourth flute part. I'll have to see if there are any flute choirs in our area.

At noon I attended Ivana Zahirovic's performance of flute music by Croation composers. I liked a couple of the pieces well enough to keep them in mind to look at if I ever had the opportunity to perform solo.

Next I went to the 30+ Open Amateur Masterclass with Linda Chesis. This workshop was part of a series of three organized by the NFA's Amateur Resources Committee. A Masterclass is where a student musician performs a piece of music (or a portion of it) and then a "master teacher" works with the musician to improve technique, performance, etc. Usually a small number of students are chosen by audition. At conferences and other events, Masterclasses are done in a larger venue with an audience--the Masterclass James Galway taught at convention took place in one of the ballrooms. An open class is one where people in the "audience" can volunteer to work with the teacher, or be called upon by the teacher to ask a question of their own. This particular class was specifically for amateur flutists over 30--people like me! Linda showed us how to use a drinking straw to work on airflow and articulation. She also demonstrated a more relaxed posture for playing and gave us some good ways to practice scales, exercises, and performance pieces. It was amazing to see and hear immediate results from her teaching. As a result of this workshop, I did go to the Exhibit Hall and make another purchase--a small tuner.

Here is the description for the last workshop I attended on Saturday:

Kinesthetic artist Zara Lawler, featured on Thursday’s Gala recital, gives a performance workshop on incorporating dance and story-telling into your playing.

"Interesting, I thought, I'll go see what it's like. I can always leave." Wow! Zara and dancer choreographer C. Neil Parsons performed and led workshop participants through a series of exercises that ended up with a choreographed playing of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Dancing while playing your instrument; what a concept! Storytelling in instrumental performance isn't new (think "Peter and the Wolf"), but one person doing both the narration and the playing? I came away lots of ideas for storytelling in church settings and things that might be interesting to try in contra dancing and even ballroom. Zara also contra dances--she and her partner had contra dancing at their wedding--and plays for English Country Dancing down in Greenwich Village. She was very interested in the Lavender Country and Folk Dancers second Friday dances at the LBGT Center in the City, too, so I may see her again.

I stuck around late because I wanted to go to the Cabaret Concert of the NFA Jazz Flute Big Band, which was selected through competition. Ordinarily, Jazz is not my thing, but Jonathan was one of the winners, and I figured I could go see him perform. Unfortunately, in order to catch the 12:07 p.m. train home, I had to leave the concert early and missed his solo (though I didn't know he was playing one...).

I got about four hours of sleep before getting up Sunday morning to catch the 6:34 train, so I could attend the 8:00 a.m. Targeted Strategies for Amateurs workshop led by Lisa Fahlstrom, chair of the Amateur Resources committee. More really good ideas for practice, especially when you have limited time to practice. Two of the things that stand out from the session are don't avoid the "icky stuff" (scales, etudes, and exercises), because you do need to work on technique, and play something you like and can play well last, so you can end your practice time feeling good. We also had a conversation about where to find opportunities to play. Lisa asked again and again for ideas and input for programming for amateurs at future conventions. She said that while the NFA had been founded by professional flutists, the majority of the membership consists of amateurs, even if they don't might not admit it. Her definition of an amateur? "Anyone who isn't playing the flute to pay their mortgage." I spent a couple of minutes after the workshop in conversation with Lisa, and I volunteered to participate in the Amateur Concerns Committee, which could affect my decision on whether or not to attend the convention in Anaheim next year.

Next on the schedule was a Mini Flute Spa with Patricia George. The program described it this way:

No time to practice? This participatory masterclass will explore several exercises to keep you playing well. Suitable for all ages and playing abilities.

While I learned a couple of interesting things, Patricia seemed to have designed her workshop with teachers of young flute students in mind. I did walk out of this workshop early.

I was really looking forward to Fenwik Smith's From Urtext to Your Text:

Using a Telemann Fantasy in the Bärenreiter Urtext edition, Fenwick Smith will guide you through the options of dynamics, articulation, tempo, phrasing, and style to come up with a viable and stylish “edition” of your own.

This was another mild disappointment. Fenwick was late, and it was another presentation using an overhead projector. However, because we were marking music as we worked through the Telemann Fantasy, it was probably the best way to do it, short of digital pen technology such as Canson's PaperShow, which is still in its infancy. He also allowed a couple of participants to hijack the workshop and turn it into a conversation on judging of performance competitions. I and two other participants ended up shutting that down. I did learn a little bit about looking at a piece of music before preparing it for performance, but not as much as I expected out of an hour-and-a-half workshop.

I had lunch with Jonathan both Saturday and Sunday, and we hung out together whenever our free time coincided. So often the first time you go to events like this you don't know anyone. I never travel without a book, but having someone to hang out with and talk about what was going on at the convention was really nice. Not that we spent all of our free time talking a bout the convention and flutes. We discovered some common interests outside of music. We're planning on getting together to see a movie or something when I get back from Pennsylvania.

Even though I didn't stay at the convention hotel in the City, there was still the sense of being in a different time with its own rhythm similar to the way Lavender Country and Folk Dancers Camps feel. Or any convention or multi-day gathering, I suppose. The last day is always that winding down and preparing for re-entry into the "real world." Fortunately, I'm not doing an immediate re-entry, because I'm spending the week with Scott, Maureen, and the kids.

Peace,
Jeff

Did We Do It?

Another early train into the City and a walk across town to get to the hotel. First thing on my agenda upon arrival at the NFA Convention was the attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Flute Ensemble. I joined some 2,000 other flutists in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis to rehearse, first with one of the event organizers. James Galway was in Times Square filming a segment to introduce the attempt. When he arrived, we played "Happy Birthday" for him in honor of his 70th birthday later this year.




Then Sir James rehearsed us. He seemed to spend more time with the first flutes, but some of us in the fourth flute section decided it was because they needed more work than the rest of us. At 10:05 we did the "official" performance for the record. Did we break the it? We don't know yet, they're still counting the registration forms.

Here's a short story from NPR on the event.

Once again, I found that it makes a big difference playing with other musicians. What I didn't think I could play through, I managed to play with minimal mistakes. Not to mention hearing all four parts live. Incredible!

The lecture I attended after the--hopefully--record-breaking performance was somewhat anticlimactic. More than that, it bordered on boring. Kate Clark's presentation on the Renaissance Flute, which consisted mostly of overheads (yes, she used an overhead projector!) of works of Renaissance art depicting musicians of all sorts and excerpts of Renaissance music, fell flat. It is possible to present such material in more interesting ways, as demonstrated by Rachel Brown yesterday. Perhaps Ms. Clark's performance later in the day was more interesting, but I was playing in the flute choir reading session at the time.

The next workshop I participated in was Brian McCoy's Irish Music on the Boehm Flute (the flute most of us are familiar with today). I learned a couple of things I didn't know before, and it was a fun workshop.

When I checked my phone messages after the workshop (unlike some people, I turn my phone OFF during workshops and performances) I had a message from Jonathan suggesting a place to meet. As I was composing a text response, he arrived outside the meeting room. We walked over to 9th Avenue and had lunch at Island Burgers. We talked a lot. We're about the same age and both college educated. We both work in education--he as a tutor at a college in lower Manhattan. And, of course, we both play the flute, although our specific interests are a bit different--he likes Jazz, while I tend toward Baroque and early classical. He's also an artist. At one point I asked him, "Is there anything you don't do?" He laughed and replied, "Many things."

I'm still not sure what it was that sparked his interest. He said he'd first noticed me in the Exhibit Hall and more or less screwed up his nerve to follow me out and initiate a conversation. I'm glad he did. And I'm glad I was open enough to engage in the conversation.

We're hoping our schedules work out so that we can have lunch again tomorrow.

I did try one instrument in the Exhibit Hall this afternoon. Brian McCoy had what turned out to be an aluminum Soprano D Whistle. I found the booth and asked to see one of the whistles. It played like a dream and had great sound. However, the $190 price is a bit beyond me at this point. If I were playing regularly with a dance band, I'd consider it. My plastic Susato does just fine, and I know a couple of professional Irish musicians that play Susatos.

Peace,
Jeff

Bright Flutes, Big City

I'm on vacation, yet I still got up this morning to catch a train into the City--one of the same trains I often take when I'm going to work. The reason? The National Flute Association's 37th Annual Convention. For the first time in the 20+ years I've been a member of the NFA, I am attending it's convention.

I planned on doing five things today (other than registering for the conference!): one sight reading session, one workshop, two performances, and time in the Exhibit Hall. I did three. The workshop was cancelled, and I decided to head home before the second performance.

During the Flute Choir Reading Session we read through eight pieces of baroque music under the direction of Linda Kirkpatrick. I have not sight read in an ensemble of any size for a few years, and it has been many years since I've played with a large group. I tend to think I'm not a very good sight reader, but that comes from doing so much sight reading alone. Sight reading in a group is very different. During our read through of a transcription Vivaldi's Spring Concerto for flute choir, I managed to keep up and play with a minimum of glaring errors. What a difference playing with a group makes.

After lunch I attended Rachel Brown's lecture/recital of Joachim Quantz's music. She played excerpts of Quantz sonatas, most of which have probably not been performed in public since the time of Frederick the Great. She played them on a flute "built to the specifications of Quantz's own flute." While I did not learn a great deal about the court of Frederick the Great that I didn't already know, I did learn quite about Quantz and his theories of music and instruments. And, of course, the music was great.

The Exhibit Hall was overwhelming. I don't think I've seen so many flutes an piccolos in one place at one time in my life. And noisy! People trying out flutes everywhere. I can't imagine buying a flute based on how it sounded during a test in an overcrowded hotel ballroom with so many other flutists testing instruments at the same time! It was also crowded. Why did they plan such narrow aisles when they knew that people were going to be stopping to test flutes, look at music, etc.? What a mess!

I did see a couple of books and some music that I've been looking for, but I'm holding off until a little later. The discounts are good, but there might be something else I learn about during convention that I'd like to buy.

After having been at General Convention, it's refreshing to be at a convention where the average age is not 60+. I saw young children, teenagers, college students, and young adults in about the same percentages as adults, middle-aged adults, and seniors. I also observed a child prodigy and his mother. I'm not sure who was the more insufferable individual!

During the afternoon, before I learned that the workshop was cancelled, I took some time to look through the program and plan for the rest of the weekend. While I was at the table another man about my age came up to the other side of the table to do the same thing. He initiated a conversation, and we talked for a bit before a friend of his came to meet him to go to a performance. Before his friend arrived, we made a date for lunch tomorrow. Hmmmmm...

Another early train tomorrow.

Peace,
Jeff

Practicing

I've worked myself up to 30 minutes each time I practice my flute. That's a good length of time for daily practice. I'm not yet practicing every day, but I am practicing regularly. I like to spend about half my time practicing what is called traditional music--Irish, English, Scots, French Canadian, and New England tunes played for Contra Dances and English Country Dancing. Playing traditional music has a very different feel to it than playing classical music. For example, if you play violin, you play fiddle for dances. Same instrument, different approach. I've found that playing traditional music has improved my skills for playing classical music.

Today I spent half my practice time working on one four-line exercise from Das Floetenbuch Friedrichs des Grossen (The Flute Book of Frederick the Great). The book consists of 100 exercises composed by Frederich the Great and Johann Joachim Quantz. The are designed to improve tone and articulation. In other words, lots of sixteenth notes and interesting intervals between notes. These, however, unlike some "daily exercises," have a musical quality to them, so they're rather fun to play.

I also spent a little time on the second movement of the Bach Partita. I may not be ready to audition for the YouTube Orchestra, but one day in the not too distant future I should be able to play the Partita in public.

Peace,
Jeff
(10)

Vacation Ends

Lunch and breakfast await in their brown paper bag in the fridge. The knapsack sits by the door. The alarm clock stands ready to ring at 6:00 a.m. After two weeks the routine begins again. Or perhaps I should say anew. I added a couple of things back into my daily routine, and I hope they become habit. I started last month, well before New Year's Eve, because making resolutions always seems a set up for failure. Lifestyle changes, not resolutions, are what I hope I'm making.

This afternoon I actually worked on one of the audition pieces for the YouTube symphony--the Bach. If I had two months, I might pull it off. Right now, after weeks and weeks of not playing regularly, I just don't have the stamina to get through the rehearsal time needed in the next 24 days. If I can't make a reasonably good audition, then I don't want to put a video (or two) out there to sit on the Internet for heaven knows how many years into the future. However, I can set the goal of learning the pieces. Who knows, there's always an off chance... And playing music relaxes me. Maybe it's time to contemplate taking lessons again.

So tomorrow it's back to work. Prayers are always appreciated.

Peace,
Jeff
(8)

Happy New Year

Amazing how much better things look on a sunny day! I'm taking a page (or is that a post?) from Elizabeth Kaeton and posting this for today:



And while I was searching for this on YouTube, I saw this interesting project:



Here's the blurb that accompanies the video:

Play your part in music history and join the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. You just need to upload two videos: your contribution to the Tan Dun piece and a general audition video. Good luck!

There's a whole section devoted to it here that includes a link for downloading the music and video master classes for each instrument. After sight reading through the Haydn yesterday, I'm tempted. I've looked at the flute part for the symphony and the flute master class video. One piece I could probably prepare, but two by the January 28th deadline...

The recommended pieces (choose one or two) for the general audition video are:

• Bach: Sonata for Solo Flute in a minor, BWV 1013: Mvt. IV, Bouree Anglaise

• Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E Minor: Mvt. IV, bar 89-105

• Mendelhssohn: Symphony 4 in A Major ("Italian"): Mvt. IV, Saltarello, bar 6-34

While I have been working on the Bach, I've been working on the first movement.

Note to self: See first video in this post. Work from there...

Peace,
Jeff

New Year's Eve Musings

Another winter day, another snowstorm. At least I'm on vacation and don't have to travel in it.

Another New Year's Eve, the end of another year. I can't say this past year has been one of the more pleasant ones. I spent most of it on probation at work. Actually, a lot of employees at the Church Center spent time on probation this year. Is that a management problem or an employee problem? The transition has been rough, but hopefully, we're through the worst of it and moving into some real ministry work. Or maybe just further into a corporate structure. Occasionally, I wonder what would happen if we disbanded the Church Center.

This time of year is often bittersweet. Christmas, followed by the New Year, followed by my birthday. I usually find myself in a period of self-reflection, and if I'm in a particularly bad place, that self-reflection can spiral into depression. It doesn't have to, and I've learned to catch myself talking myself into a depression.

This video is of an ABBA song that is nearly 30 years old. It captures my mood pretty well, and it does have a hopeful note.



The coming year will be one of change. I'm not one to make New Year's Resolutions, as that just sets oneself up for failure. But there will be changes. Hopefully, most of the changes will be positive and/or constructive--personally and professionally.

Blessings for the New Year.

Peace,
Jeff
(274.5)

New Music

One of my Christmas presents this year was a Music Minus One Flute packet of Woodwind Quintets (volume 1). They are taken from recordings made in 1970 by the Camerata Woodwind Quintet of Western Illinois University and have had the flute part deleted, so you can play with the recording. This had been on my Amazon.com wish list for a couple of years, so I was excited when I opened the package from Rachel and saw what it was.

Sunday night I finally opened the book and took a look at the music. For a middling amateur, the printed sheet music looked a little intimidating. But then I remembered that a few years ago I sight read through two Mozart Divertimenti with a professional oboist and a child prodigy violinist. If I could do that, then I should be able to play these. On the other hand, I hadn't picked up my flute in weeks (probably more like months). Playing/practicing often takes a back seat when I don't have a gig or someone(s) to just jam with. So this evening I pulled out my flute and played for about 20 minutes. One of the pieces I worked on was the first movement of J.S. Bach's Partita in a minor for solo flute (BWV 1013).

This video from YouTube shows someone playing the Allemande on a baroque flute.



After finding the video of the Bach piece, I went looking on YouTube of videos of some of the pieces in the Music Minus One packet. I found this video of some high school students playing the first movement of the Haydn Divertimento in b flat major. (Don't cringe, it's actually in tune and better than the other video of the same piece that I found!)



Then I put the CD in to hear the quintet--minus the flute--play. Suddenly, the printed music doesn't seem so intimidating, and tomorrow I'll try sight reading the Haydn, and maybe even some of the other pieces.

I forget what a joy it is to make music, even just playing for myself. It changes the vibrations in the apartment, much like frequent prayer affects a space. It lightens my spirits. I need to remember to do this on a regular basis, because it also helps me cope with stress. And given the way things are at work...

Peace,
Jeff

Such A Drama Queen

According to The New Vision, "Uganda's Leading Website," Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi says he's afraid that "he fears for his life because of the campaign he has waged against homosexuals." You can read the full story here.

I have only one thing to say:



I love the title Lisa gave her post about the story: "Holy Homocidal Homosexuals." And Mark Harris had a similar reaction to mine, though I didn't read his "Threatened Prelate or Drama Queen" until after I'd started putting this together. James at The Three Legged Stool has a slightly different take.

Peace,
Jeffri

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Yesterday I spent the late afternoon and early evening at one of the local Barnes & Nobles doing some recreational reading. By that I mean it had absolutely nothing to do with church, religion, or theology in any way, shape or form. I picked up a couple of books on language, mostly because the subject interests me. However, if I happen to stumble across something that I can apply to the development of a couple of conlangs (Constructed Languages, think Star Trek's Klingon and J.R.R. Tolkien's various languages of Middle Earth) I dabble with.

Among my selections for the afternoon was David Crystal's The Fight for English: How language pundits ate, shot, and left (Oxford University Press, 2006). I found several things that I will take into consideration as I continue work on the conlangs. However, I also came across something else of interest.

This is a lesson everyone who studies language eventually learns. You cannot stop language change. You may not like it; you may regret the arrival of new forms and the passing of old ones; but there is not the slightest thing you can do about it. Language change is as natural as breathing. It is one of the linguistic facts of life... If all the energy that has been fruitlessly spent over the past 300 years complaining about language change had been devoted to improving our grasp of the nature of language, and developing fresh methods of language teaching and learning, we would be a lot better off. (pp. 89-90)

What is happening here is change, change, change, but the language is not getting worse as a result of it. Nor is it getting better. It is just--changing. It is keeping pace with society, as it always must, sometimes changing slowly, sometimes rapidly. Today, with so much social change about, especially as a result of increasing ethnic diversity, the spread of English as a global language, and the effect of Internet technology, we find the language changing more rapidly and widely than ever before.

This puts some people in a real panic. They see a disaster scenario. But there is no need. If the language had been decaying at the rate of knots predicted by Dryden et al., there would have been no language left by now! (p. 90)

I could not help but think of the tempest in the Anglican teapot when I read this. First in terms of the prayer book, and then in terms of both Christianity and the Anglican Communion. Just as language changes, so does culture. And as culture changes, so does the church. Recently I heard a speaker at a conference (I wish I could remember who, but I can't find my notes at the moment) say that every time the church went to a new place, it changed. Every place Christianity encountered a new culture, it changed. We even see evidence of this in Paul's letters, some of the earliest Christian writings we have.

As crystal wrote about people dealing with changes in language, we can see the same thing in the the church. What we have here is change, change change. And the church must change or die. No matter how often conservatives point to the megachurches that hold conservative Christian views, or point out that the largest congregations in the Episcopal Church are conservative ones (actually the largest are both the very conservative and the very liberal), they cannot stop the changes that they see as the scourge of liberalism destroying the church.

The church is not being destroyed. It is changing. That may mean the end of the Anglican Communion as we know it. It may even mean the end of Christianity as we know it. But Christianity will survive. It will survive because it will change. It will figure out how to do the things Christ asked us to do in new ways.

Sink or swim, folks. The choice is yours.



Peace,
Jeffri

What Happens To All Those Gifts?

Hymns I'd Rather Not Sing

This morning at Grace Church we celebrated All Saints Day. And, of course, we sang A Song of the Saints of God, possibly one of the most insipid and trite hymns in the 1982 Hymnal. The tune isn't bad, but the text is just awful. Even though it was written in the 1920's, it is full of Victorian English imagery (meeting saints at tea...). Ick.

Victorian imagery haunts us in many of our hymns. "All Things Bright and Beautiful," for instance, where Cecil Alexander's words were set to a melody lifted from a book of dance tunes. Alexander is also responsible for the text of "Once In Royal David's City." It is a popular hymn for Christmas services. I love the stateliness of it, but it romanticizes the conditions in which Jesus was born.

Nor are more modern hymns exempt from odd imagery. It's almost impossible to get through "Earth and All Stars" without giggling, especially when you reach the line about the loud boiling test tubes!

There's a reason I don't write hymns!

Peace,
Jeffri

The Road To Lisdoonvarna

I took this picture during my first trip to Ireland seven years ago. We were actually on our way toward Ballyvaghan, but I couldn't resist taking a picture of the road sign because there is a fiddle tune titled "The Road to Lisdoonvarna." It's one I play on my flute and whistle, and it's a tune played for contra dances.

This afternoon I'm on my way to Woodstock, Connecticut for LCFD's Spring Dance Camp for a weekend of contra dancing, English country dancing and country-western two stepping, which I'll be doing for the first time at this camp. The contra dances will be called by one of my favorite callers, Linda Leslie, with music by one of my favorite bands, The Moving Violations.

Contra dancing is similar to square dancing--both are called--but contras are done in lines with your partner across from you (most of the time). Look at this video to see what a contra dance looks like.

Here is a video of a square dance for comparison. It's of an 8th grade class learning to square dance--memories of grade school gym class, anyone?

And just in case you're curious, go here to see a video of an English country dance. While we won't be in 18th century costume for English dancing, many of us will be wearing hats, gloves and pearls in a variety of combinations.

And here a packing update:

This is what I am taking to Dance Camp. I can go to Ireland for two weeks in a carry-on, but I fill the trunk of my car for a weekend Dance Camp. Bedding (because we are usually at summer camp-type facilities), skirts for dancing, at least three t-shirts per day (because dancing involves sweating!), wet weather gear, warm weather gear, cool weather gear, musical instruments, and more.

This is what I am taking to Ecuador. If we were not taking a bunch of resources down to the diocese, I could pack in a carry-on. In spite of all the books in the two suitcases, neither of them weighs more than 40 pounds, which is 10 pounds below the maximum bag weight before you get charged for overweight bags



I'll be back late Sunday afternoon to check mail, have dinner with Mom, exchange luggage and get some sleep before heading off to Ecuador Monday morning.

Peace,
Jeffri

This Is The Night

I attended the Vigil at my former parish, Grace Episcopal Church here in Norwalk, primarily because they asked me to play flute for one of the canticles and one of the hymns. It was a rare opportunity to play for someone/something other than myself and to play with other musicians. Several years ago I participated in my very first Vigil there and was asked by the rector and the choir director to sing the Exsultet. During my years at Grace, I had the chance to experience a wide variety of music and worship styles that I do not have the opportunity to do at my current parish. Sometimes I miss that, so I jumped at the chance to play for this service this evening.

The music was a mix of the familiar and the new, but it was the Liturgy of the word that proved to be the most powerful and meaningful I've experienced in a long time. The first reading, "The Story of Creation," was done by two people--one reading the story and one acting it out in the front of the chapel. Lois, the priest in charge, adapted a Godly Play story for "Israel's Deliverance at The Red Sea." The "Valley of Dry Bones" was done as a dialogue between two members of the congregation. The final reading was a story, "The Stolen Mother Moon," which became the sermon as Lois used the story as a metaphor and an introduction to the story of Christ's coming among us, his death and his resurrection.

We renewed our baptismal vows in the narthex of the chapel and then moved into the church to celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter.

It was not the most well-attended Vigil I have ever attended. It was not the most organized, nor the most magnificent. It was, however, full of joy and life, a celebration not only of the resurrection of our Savior, but of Grace Church as well, a parish that has suffered much over the past few years.

Tomorrow I will attend services at my current parish, St. Paul's in Fairfield. The people will celebrate joyously. Some of us will be wearing rainbows as part of the Rainbow Presence, which may cause some discomfort. I am sure it will be very powerful in its own way, but it will lack the intimacy of the Vigil and the connection with the ancient roots of our faith.

How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and we are reconciled to God.

Peace,
Jeffri

St. Patrick's Day Musings

I should have known it was coming. They day that the Triangle Community Center announced the date of the annual Irish Wake--our annual St. Patrick's Day celebration--should have been the first and only clue I needed. For the past few years, the day of the Irish Wake has been Winter's last gasp, a final reminder that it is still Winter, at least for a few more days. And yesterday, beginning around midnight, we got dumped on--rain, sleet, snow. We are still digging out late this monring because, even if it was not a record snowfall, what did come down froze.

In this country St. Patrick's Day is more about celebrating Irish heritage than it is celebrating the saint who, according to legend, christianized Ireland. In my younger days I would occasionally wear Orange on St. Patrick's Day because my Irish forbears were Prebyterians from County Antrim in the north. Talk about vehement, and sometimes violent, reactions! The controversy over the Rainbow Presence often pales in comparison. The Troubles in Northern Ireland show just how tangled religion and politics often are. Which is why it should not have suprised us over 10 years ago when the Ancient Order of Hibernians used religious arguments to keep the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization from marching in New York City's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Using a religious argument to keep a group of people from participating in what is one of the biggest cultural events in New York City. Another fact of life.

Finally, take a look at Clerical Whispers, the blog of an Irish Roman Catholic priest (at least as far as I can tell from what he writes about and what little he has said about himself). In general, it is an interesting outside (i.e., non-U.S.) look at things religious and political. For today, however, take a look at "St. Patrick's Breastplate" in both Irish and English.

Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Peace,
Jeffri

When Wilt Thou Save The People?

Since shortly after my first reading of the Primates Communique Monday evening, "Save the People" from Godspell has been running through my head. The words were written by Ebenezer Elliott in 1850, and appeared with the tune Kendal in The Hymnal 1940 (#496) of the Episcopal Church. A snippet of the Steven Scwhartz tune sung by Stephen Nathan on the 1971 cast recording can be heard by going here, paging down to the "Listen to Samples" section, and clicking on the "Listen" link for whichever media player you have.

And here are the words...the plea...

When wilt thou save the people?
Oh God of mercy, when?
Not kings and lords, but nations,
Not thrones and crowns, but men!
Flow'rs of thy heart, o God, are they;
Let them not pass, like weeds, away,
Their heritage a sunless day.
God save the people.

Shall crime bring crime forever,
Strength aiding still the strong?
Is it thy will, o Father,
That men shall toil for wrong?
"No", say thy mountains;
"No", say thy skies;
Man's clouded sun shall brightly rise,
And songs be heard instead of sighs.
God save the people.

When wilt thou save the people?
Oh God of mercy when?
The people, Lord, the people,
Not thrones and crowns, but men!
God save the people,
for thine they are,
Thy children as thy angels fair.
God save the people from despair.
God save the people.
Oh God save the people!
God save the people!
Oh God save the people!
God save the people.
Oh God save the people!
God save the people!
Oh God save the people!

When wilt thou save the people?
O God of mercy when?
The people, Lord, the people,
Not thrones and crowns, but men!
God save the people, save us,
For thine they are, for thine they are.
Thy children as thy angels fair:
O, God save the people,
Save the people,
God save the people,
From despair.
God save the people!

God save the people,
O, God save the people,
God save the people,
O, God save the people,
God save the people,
God save the people,
God save the people.