Monday, April 14, 2014

Palm Sunday cantata

Younger Daughter was informed by her music teacher, Mr. B, that she would be participating in a Palm Sunday cantanta as part of a small orchestra accompanying a choral group. (Ahem. Her participation was not voluntary.)

This was a contemporary classical piece by a composer named Pepper Choplin. The students only had two weeks and three rehearsals to get the music down, so Mr. B requested that everyone practice for at least one hour each day. Younger Daughter found the cantana on YouTube and practiced and practiced and practiced.

Apparently so did everyone else. From the first very rough sight-reading rehearsal to the second and then third rehearsals, Mr. B was extremely pleased with everyone's progress. Yesterday was the performance.

Here's the dress rehearsal. The performance took place in a church in a nearby town.



Mr. B was conducting so fast his arm was blurry.



This was Younger Daughter's first time playing with a group of more than one or two, and she carried herself splendidly.


Mr. B is one of the most beloved music teachers in the area, the kind of person who can pull together fifty or more people of different ages and skill levels and do a lovely performance at almost the last minute.




The cantata played to a packed house. Every pew was full and some people were lined up against the back walls.


Younger Daughter did wonderfully.


Everyone did wonderfully.


Thank you Mr. B!

8 comments:

  1. Lovely photos! Wish there was a link to hear the Contata! I can imagine how beautifully it sounded in that church! Even tho Younger Daughter didn't volunteer her talent, her teacher knew very well she was ready! Good for you YD!
    Vera

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  2. That Baby Girl sure looks like her Daddy. :)

    Well done, Mr. B.

    It's hard to look at your chapel and realize anything had ever happened there. For newer posters here, there was a fire there a few years back, which left a real mess. But the parishioners had it cleaned up and repairs made in what seemed like no time at all, and the beautiful little sanctuary lives on. To me it looks like it would be a really good room to play acoustic music.

    Happy Passover, Patrice. Much love to you and yours.

    A. McSp

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    1. Actually, that's not our church. Sure is a pretty place, though.

      - Patrice

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  3. Could you share with us the name of the piece so we can enjoy it on YouTube also? There are quite a number of pieces by Pepper Choplin posted.

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    1. There are a number of separate pieces:
      - Come, Tough the Robe
      - Shine On, Great Savior
      - Hosanna in the Streets
      - Wash Their Feet
      - King of Suffering
      - Soldiers of the Cross
      - O Death, Where Is Your Sting?
      - Worthy is the Lamb

      Hope this helps.

      - Patrice

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    2. If you search YouTube for Pepper Choplin Come Touch the Robe, you can find the whole Passion collection as a playlist

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  4. My daughter played the violin in high school.. One evening the fine arts director called and told her to be at a certain place with her instrument at a certain time. She like, many of the students in the school, was terrified of his disapproval and asked no questions and was at the place prepared to play. Only then did she learn that she had been one of the students chosen to be in the orchestra for the high school musical production that would be performed four times to a total audience of about 3000. It was wonderful for her be able to play with a full orchestra and prepared her for other performances over the years.

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  5. Wonderful pictures. Thank you. The ability to play is such a gift.

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