Christmas Concert 2006

Well, back to the world of blogging after an exhausting few weeks at work (minus a nice week off for T-giving break).

A huge perk to this new job on a college campus is that my schedule revolves around that of the school year. So in regards to Christmas, all the festivities are at the beginning of December since the students are all gone after finals. So starting tomorrow, I can kick back and relax!

We had our annual Christmas concert last night, my first here as music director. It was wonderful if I do say so myself. All the build up was stressful and a huge hassle at times, but it was all worth it.

Here's the line-up:

Prelude:

Rejoice Greatly (Handel--brass)


Processional:

O Come, O Come Emmanuel (traditional)



Schola:

Rorate Caeli
Ecce Nomen Domini


Sunday Choir 1 (the one I direct personally):

Noe, Noe, Psallite (J. Mouton)
Et Incarnatus Est (Bach)


Vigil Choir:

Gloria in Excelsis (Joncas--Psallite mass)
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (arr. Donohue)


Sunday Choir 2 (contemporary ensemble):

Love Has Come (M. Maher)
Joyful, Joyful (arr. Beal)


Sunday Choir 3:

O Magnum Mysterium (Lauridsen)
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Traditional)


Sunday Choir 4:

Hodie Christus Natus Est (Marenzio)
Hodie Christus Natus Est (Gabrieli)


Festival Choir:

'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (arr. Praying Twice--SA w/divisi, piano, strings)
Alma Redemptoris Mater (chant--men)
Alma Redemptoris Mater (Guerrerro)
The Night That Christ Was Born (K. Franklin)


Congregational carols

O Come, All ye Faithful (arr. Willcocks)
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (arr. Willcocks)
Silent Night (arr. by one of my student directors)


Recessional

Canzon Septimi toni No. 2 (G. Gabrieli--brass and organ)



Check out the Mouton piece at cpdl.org. It's marvelous but hard. I regretted choosing it about 3-4 weeks into rehearsals . . . we were just spending so much time with it and it just wasn't clicking. And then on Wednesday, it just finally came together, thank God. Between that and the Bach, we hardly had time to rehearse anything else the last few weeks! But both came off very well last night, I must say.

I was very proud of the other choirs, who I don't get to listen to on a weekly basis. My student directors did a fine job choosing repertoire and preparing their groups.

The festival choir did a wonderful job as well. Anyone from each choir was able to come to extra rehearsals and prepare some pieces for the concert (I had about 30+). The Guerrero came together better than I had anticipated and the Kirk Franklin piece (performed with a contemporary ensemble) is an absolute show-stopper. And then the Willcocks carols are oustanding, of course, especially with a full complement of brass.

The whole endeavour was utterly exhausting and I'm glad it's over, but I was so giddy afterwards that I only slept four hours last night. One more mass this morning and then a stress-free finals week for me!