music – Import complicated

Big Boy Piano Lessons

I’ve decided to further my education in piano. It pertains to my work as a voice teacher and choir director, and I just want to get better for the fun of it. There are many good teachers in town. The pianist I work with at church is fantastic but she is beyond capacity, and IContinue reading “Big Boy Piano Lessons”

The Old Hymns

Sunday morning, I led the congregation in singing Victory in Jesus.My wife grew up singing this hymn in the Free Will Baptist church, as did my pastor. I grew up singing all the old Presbyterian hymns. And now we sing the Methodist hymns. Between the two of us, we know hundreds of old hymns. And although,Continue reading “The Old Hymns”

The Shoulder-Shaking-Emphatic-Nodding-Know-it-all-at-Every-Lecture-You’ve-Ever-Attended Guy

I recently went with my dad to see the Dallas Symphony’s production of Act 1 of Wagner’s Die Walkure. We showed up early enough to catch the tail end of a lecture on the opera. It was a very good lecture, and it has enticed me to want to see more. Something caught my eyeContinue reading “The Shoulder-Shaking-Emphatic-Nodding-Know-it-all-at-Every-Lecture-You’ve-Ever-Attended Guy”

Jesus Christ Superstar: A Holy Week Tradition

When I was in high school, I was a member of a youth Sunday school class which consisted of my brother, my two best friends, a Cameroonian girl, and a Venezuelan girl. The girls tolerated us at best and didn’t come very often. Our teacher was a very sedate and patient man who nurtured us inContinue reading “Jesus Christ Superstar: A Holy Week Tradition”

Bach’s Good Friday

I’m singing something a little unusual for Good Friday this year. My church is more accustomed to traditional, gospel, spiritual, and contemporary sacred music. Classical is rarely sung or played. I sang an aria from Handel’s Messiah a few years ago and it was welcomed very warmly, so I’m going to try an arioso by J.S. Bach.Continue reading “Bach’s Good Friday”

A Tuba Named Boots: The Audition

Before my grandfather died, he bought me a new tuba. I was in a period in my life where I was stepping out beyond my comfort zone to to ask for what I wanted. My wife had often said to me, “It never hurts to ask.” But I had long since believed, and still believe, thatContinue reading “A Tuba Named Boots: The Audition”

Full On Countertenor

I wrote this post a month ago and immediately took it down because, in some ways, it is a sad story. I was worried that someone might feel bad for me or the reasons I made the decision that I made. I want you to know that although there were regrets for awhile, I nowContinue reading “Full On Countertenor”

Salvation and Hot Dogs

Being a twin means sharing. We sometimes shared Christmas presents. We shared a room together. We wore the same clothes, but with different colors. Paul always got the crap colors. We shared friends. We shared many childhood memories. And we shared crushes. I have an important shared memory with Paul. I called him this morning toContinue reading “Salvation and Hot Dogs”

In the Band: A Dying Refrain

My wife and I attended a couple fundraisers for Parkinson’s a few years ago organized by a fellow high school classmate. Both times we sat with another couple of classmates who were married. I knew the wife pretty well. We went to middle school, mid high, and high school together. I knew her husband from the footballContinue reading “In the Band: A Dying Refrain”