Back to School

The past summer was filled with music, family and friends.  Some of this music was in other cities and some was right at home.  The last two weeks of August featured special duet organ concerts at St. John’s:

August 21 featured Jacques Boucher with Sophie Poulin de Courval, saxophone, from Montreal, Canada.

August 28 featured Kevin Birch with Anatole Wieck, violin, from Bangor, Maine.  We are so fortunate to have these wonderful organ concerts in Bangor on the historic E. & G. G. Hook organ, Opus 288.  The duets add another dimension to the concerts.

I took private voice lessons from Tina Burns this past summer and learned a lot from her.  I improved my breath control and singing posture.  I also realized that I have a lot more to learn, so I decided to register for voice lessons through school this semester.

To graduate, I need to pass the piano proficiency requirement.  I learned the material for this over the summer, and I passed the last requirement on September 11.  This requirement includes 12 parts:

Major scales

Minor scales

Sight reading of a four-part chorale

Sight reading of a simple piano solo

Playing a prepared piano solo

Playing a short excerpt using a C clef and an instrument transposition

A short figured bass realization

A vocal or instrumental accompaniment, performed with a soloist

I – IV6/4 – I – V6/5 – I in every major and minor key

Harmonization of a simple melody

Transposition of that melody and harmonization

Harmonization of a lead sheet.

Classes at the University of Maine started September 3.  This semester I am taking 14 credits:

Advanced Harmony I

Advanced Sight Singing/Ear Training I

The Art of Listening to Music

Basic Conducting

Applied Music Lessons - Organ

Applied Music Lessons - Piano

Applied Music Lessons - Voice

Oratorio Society, a choral group made up of both students and community members.  This semester, we are singing Handel’s “Dominus Dixit” and “Zadak the Priest” Coronation Anthem.  We will be accompanied by the University Orchestra.  The performance will be on Sunday, November 16, at 2 pm in Minsky Hall.  Mark your calendar!

I am learning something different from each of these courses.  I like the metaphor that learning music is like creating a sphere, and all the facets that I am learning help fill in that sphere.  There are many, many interconnections.

I continue learning to play for Catholic liturgy.  I led the music and played the organ for the Masses at St. John’s and St. Teresa’s the weekend of September 6 and 7, and I will be playing for two of the Masses the weekend of September 20 and 21.