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billeylerNotwithstanding my feelings about the new chorus director, a much improved sound and professionalism definitely is showing after his first full year with the group. I know part of that is from his bringing in his posse of under 23 year old singing majors from the university. They're getting ready for GALA in July, so whoever they can bring in to up the ante, all the better.
There were 21 singers listed in the program, a goal that the previous director Paul (and the board) never was able to get up to again after our heyday in the late 90s. Only 19 were on the stage for their final concert of the season, but the blend of the sound was great. The accoustics of the Presbyterian Church they performed in sucked the sound out; the few soloists were barely able to be heard.
Someone must have coughed up some bucks for our impoverished chorus. There was a Jazz-style trio for the 1st half, then a harpsichordist for the 2nd half. I don't know what happened to our old accompanist and pianist, Joe (although I know that he and Matthew didn't get along at all).
The program:
Original Music:
"Why We Sing" Greg Gilpin
"The Winds of Change" Patti Drennan
Broadway:
"Mister Cellophane/Razzle Dazzle medley" from 'Chicago'
"In Whatever Time We Have" from 'Children of Eden'
Pop:
"Yesterday" Boyz II Men version of the Lennon/McCartney song
"Change the World" Eric Claptopn (the soloist was uncomfortably flat)
Folk:
"Loch Lomond" Traditional
The GALA program:
"All Natures, Even Mine" Timothy Takach commission
"Dirait-on" French, Rainer Rilke
"Amor de Mi Alma" Spanish, Garcilaso de la Vega
"Me Haces Falta" Spanish
"Cancion del Mariachi" Los Lobos
Encore:
"Over the Rainbow"
The theme of the GALA concert is centered around Mariachi...and they were able to get the world's only Gay Mariachi group ( Mariachi Orgullo de Nuevo Mexico) to play for the last couple of numbers. They were great and wowwed the audience...they'll definitely make a splash at GALA.
Even the program cover was commissioned this year...a gay Seattle artist, Scott Ward, did the colorful art.
For the first time, there was a (hired?) MC, Chris Ramirez, a report for local channel 7 news.
The Timonty Takach piece was the third of three NMGMC-commissioned works I've heard over the past 10 years. And as with the others, it failed to make any impact on me emotionally. It always sounds like these commissioned pieces are just someone noodling around with random notes to put to some poem or other, without a lot of investment in the piece. I guess it keeps starving composers working!
I'm rooting for the chorus for sure. I'm undecided about singing in the Fall...4 months of again working on non-gay Jesus-y music just doesn't sound like fun. The Spring term next year, does, though...it's already set for early May at the Albuquerque Little Theatre with a Modern Musicals theme...I'm so there!
There were 21 singers listed in the program, a goal that the previous director Paul (and the board) never was able to get up to again after our heyday in the late 90s. Only 19 were on the stage for their final concert of the season, but the blend of the sound was great. The accoustics of the Presbyterian Church they performed in sucked the sound out; the few soloists were barely able to be heard.
Someone must have coughed up some bucks for our impoverished chorus. There was a Jazz-style trio for the 1st half, then a harpsichordist for the 2nd half. I don't know what happened to our old accompanist and pianist, Joe (although I know that he and Matthew didn't get along at all).
The program:
Original Music:
"Why We Sing" Greg Gilpin
"The Winds of Change" Patti Drennan
Broadway:
"Mister Cellophane/Razzle Dazzle medley" from 'Chicago'
"In Whatever Time We Have" from 'Children of Eden'
Pop:
"Yesterday" Boyz II Men version of the Lennon/McCartney song
"Change the World" Eric Claptopn (the soloist was uncomfortably flat)
Folk:
"Loch Lomond" Traditional
The GALA program:
"All Natures, Even Mine" Timothy Takach commission
"Dirait-on" French, Rainer Rilke
"Amor de Mi Alma" Spanish, Garcilaso de la Vega
"Me Haces Falta" Spanish
"Cancion del Mariachi" Los Lobos
Encore:
"Over the Rainbow"
The theme of the GALA concert is centered around Mariachi...and they were able to get the world's only Gay Mariachi group ( Mariachi Orgullo de Nuevo Mexico) to play for the last couple of numbers. They were great and wowwed the audience...they'll definitely make a splash at GALA.
Even the program cover was commissioned this year...a gay Seattle artist, Scott Ward, did the colorful art.
For the first time, there was a (hired?) MC, Chris Ramirez, a report for local channel 7 news.
The Timonty Takach piece was the third of three NMGMC-commissioned works I've heard over the past 10 years. And as with the others, it failed to make any impact on me emotionally. It always sounds like these commissioned pieces are just someone noodling around with random notes to put to some poem or other, without a lot of investment in the piece. I guess it keeps starving composers working!
I'm rooting for the chorus for sure. I'm undecided about singing in the Fall...4 months of again working on non-gay Jesus-y music just doesn't sound like fun. The Spring term next year, does, though...it's already set for early May at the Albuquerque Little Theatre with a Modern Musicals theme...I'm so there!
