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Merry Christmas

Stephanus and Maximus apologize to Mendelssohn

Dear Mr. Mendelssohn, (may we call you Felix?) We feel the need to inform you of some very disturbing occurrences in our local grocery store: a place where people from many lands gather to enjoy the liberty of carefree shopping for hard cheese, Panettone, and obscure pasta shapes. But lately there have been some… unfortunate developments concerning your music. We have always been big fans of your Christmas carol “Hark The Herald Angels Sing.” You must be pretty proud of it, since the tune bears your name in capital letters, and those old words by Charles Wesley – my goodness,… Read More »Stephanus and Maximus apologize to Mendelssohn

Nursing Sisters WW1

Writing Llandovery Castle (the opera) Question #1

I’ve had lots of questions about our upcoming opera project ‘Llandovery Castle’ so I’ll use the forum of my blog to attempt some answers. I welcome your feedback and further inquiry! Question #1. Why are there 3 male characters in an opera about 14 women? It’s a great question. I’ll confess I was surprised when Paul Ciufo’s scenes began to emerge. I never really imagined that I would be compelled to write music for the bad guy! But I’ve come to trust my librettist’s dramatic instincts. He understands that opera needs contrast; good theatre requires dramatic ‘chiaroscuro’ and our objective… Read More »Writing Llandovery Castle (the opera) Question #1

Nursing sister Mary Agnes McKenzie

Those splendid girls

These are the names of the 14 nurses who died on June 27, 1918 when their Canadian hospital ship ‘Llandovery Castle’ was torpedoed in the Atlantic. Matron Margaret “Pearl” Fraser (New Glasgow NS) Christina Campbell (Victoria BC) Carola Josephine Douglas (Toronto ON) Alexina Dussault (St-Hyacinthe QC) Minnie Asenath Follette (Port Greville NS) Margaret Jane Fortescue (York Factory Man) Minnie Katherine Gallaher (Kingston ON) Jessie Mabel McDiarmid (Ashton ON) Mary Agnes “Nan” McKenzie (Toronto ON) Rena Maude “Bird” McLean (Souris P.E.I.) Mae Belle Sampson (Simcoe ON ) Gladys Irene Sare (Montreal QC) Anna Irene Stamers (Saint John NB) Jean Templeman (Ottawa… Read More »Those splendid girls

Llandovery Castle

The Llandovery Castle

It’s now no secret. I’m writing an opera. The subject is the Canadian hospital ship ‘Llandovery Castle’ and her doomed voyage to Britain in 1918, with 14 Canadian nurses on board. I will tell you more very soon, about how this came about, how I found my librettist Paul Ciufo and collaborating producers of the Bicycle Opera Project, but I just wanted to share this article by Cassandra Szklarski of the National Post because it is so cool and terrifying to have press before we’ve finished writing. Click here to read Cassandra’s excellent write-up. http://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/opera-to-focus-on-great-war-nurses-100-years-after-hospital-ship-sinking

Requiem mvt I

Requiem for All Souls

My sabbatical has opened up a vast frontier of unstructured time…[cue tumble weed,.. wind on the prairie,… nervous clearing of throat…] No courses to design, no choir rehearsals to prepare, no volunteers to recruit, no meetings to attend, no music to practice. What on earth to do with all of this lovely, precious, exquisite, empty time? Thankfully, it seems that just the right projects have come along at just the right time. I am putting the finishing touches on a Requiem mass for an Episcopal parish in California. Dr Ruben Valenzuela is the music director of All Souls’ San Diego.… Read More »Requiem for All Souls

Holiday

Time for a rest

I returned home from the Montreal Organ Festival full of beans. What a stimulating 10 days it was, with hundreds of events including recitals, workshops, competitions, exhibits, tours, services, fabulous parties. With over 800 convention delegates from Canada, the USA and beyond, it was a great gathering of people all crazy about the amazing instrument we call the organ and the diverse musical galaxy that spins around it: choirs, congregations, clergy, instruments, entrepreneurs, artisans, composers, publishers, performers, educators, and big, beautiful buildings. Also contributing to the greatness was staying with my splendid hosts, who are also my splendid Montreal family… Read More »Time for a rest

Elgar’s ‘The Apostles’ video

I hope you’re enjoying your summer. This short blog is just to let you know that our Pax Christi Chorale video of Elgar’s masterpiece ‘The Apostles’ is now live on Youtube. This was my swan song, April 29 and 30, 2017; a sweet farewell after 20 years conducting this large oratorio choir. I am indebted to everyone for bringing this performance to life. It represents the culmination of two decades of work for singers, instrumentalists, board members, committee volunteers, audience members, donors, and supporters of all sorts. Thanks so much to our whole Pax Christi community from the bottom of… Read More »Elgar’s ‘The Apostles’ video

Sundial, Mount pleasant cemetery

Finding Willan’s grave

Sometimes I receive correspondence from people in far off places wanting to learn about Healey Willan, our great 20th-century Canadian composer. It’s because I was music director at the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene for a short time, and I’ve done some Willan research in the Library and Archives Canada, delivering some academic papers and performing lots of his choral music. Last week one such visitor came to me from San Diego California. We had done the usual round of Willan sites, visiting churches and talking to people who knew Willan well. But when my guest suggested we visit the… Read More »Finding Willan’s grave

In search of Shofar

Way back in my university days, my professor suggested I write a paper on the Jewish ceremonial instrument the Shofar, since I was interested in this sort of thing. I never took up that assignment, and now I wish I had. Years later, Bruce Hill would come home from leading choirs for High Holy Days at Holy Blossom Temple, and tell me how stirring and impressive the sound of the Shofar had been. I never attended one of those services, so regrettably never heard the thrilling ‘Tekiah’ call of the Shofar, and I wish I had. Now I’m preparing to… Read More »In search of Shofar

work station

Nimrod, rabbit holes, and the King of the Saxons

Score study for a big work like The Apostles often leads me down research rabbit holes, and I end up in unexpected places. My workstation, as you see from the photo, includes the full score, the vocal score, Jaeger’s analysis, ‘Letters to Nimrod’ ed. Percy M. Young, the Holy Bible, and coffee. Google, YouTube and iTunes are also frequently consulted. My goal today was to study Elgar’s system of leitmotifs, which he uses to unify The Apostles but those serendipitous bunny tunnels lead from one discovery to the next, and I learned a bunch of cool stuff instead. Our performance… Read More »Nimrod, rabbit holes, and the King of the Saxons