Music Performances

This post provides updates on the performances I participated in or attended during the past few weeks.  There are only two weeks left of classes before final exams!  In addition to written exams in Music Theory and Music History, I will have a performance exam in Jazz Piano and Arranging.  Students who are enrolled in applied music lessons have jury examinations at the end of each semester to test their progress.  Since I am taking lessons in both organ and piano, I will play for two juries.  During juries, multiple teachers listen to me play music that I have practiced during the past semester.  This is the first time I will be participating in juries.

The March 30 St. John’s Chamber Choir concert was very spiritual and I was honored to sing this beautiful music with my colleagues. 

 St John’s Chamber Choir.  Photo taken at a previous concert on the steps in front of the altar at St. John’s.  For the March 30 concert, we sang from the choir loft up close to the Hook pipe organ.

The April 1 Chamber Jazz Ensemble Concert was full of energy! 

Chamber Jazz Ensemble performance at Minsky Hall.  

You can see my head behind the piano on the right.

With Dr. Karel Lidral at Pat’s Pizza after the April 1 concert

The Chamber Jazz Ensemble performs again on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at 11 am at the University of Maine Student Union.  This will be the last performance for Dr. Karel Lidral, who founded the Chamber Jazz Ensemble in 2005.  Dr. Lidral is retiring and I will miss him.  Dr. Lidral is also my professor for Music Theory and for Jazz Piano and Arranging.

In her April 4 organ concert at St. John’s Catholic Church, Hatsumi Muira played music that reflected to her the journey that Jesus Christ made through the 40 days of Lent.  Her concert was very prayerful and uplifting.  It was a privilege for me to meet her and to listen to her inspiring performance.

The April 13 Bangor Symphony performance of Carmina Burana with the University of Maine Oratorio Society and the University Singers was magnificent!  It is such an energetic piece with a large dynamic range that was fun to sing.  This is the first time I have sung with the Bangor Symphony.

Lucas Richmond, Conductor of the Bangor Symphony, leading a rehearsal of Carmina Burana

On March 30 and April 6 I led the choir and played the organ music for Masses at St. Teresa’s Church, one of the churches in St. Paul the Apostle Parish.  These were two Lenten services and the music was chants and meditations.  I am preparing Easter hymns to play during some of the May Masses.  The Catholic Church celebrates Easter through the feast of Pentecost, which is June 8 this year.

For Easter, April 20, I cantored for three of the Masses.  The Easter music is very festive, celebrating Jesus rising from the dead.