More Concerts!

"Why are you so dressed up?"

"Oh, I had a concert."

I swear, if I've had that conversation once, I've had it a dozen times this week alone. But that's just how it works this time of year.

So tonight was the Heinz Chapel Choir's private concert for the Chancellor and his cronies. I certainly was neither as nervous nor as excited this year as I was last year, but that's okay. Chancellor Nordenberg made a similar speech, we sang through our program, and at the end, a very eagerly expressive smile appeared immediately on his face as he and his wife promptly began what became a standing ovation.

Anyway, the reception was fabulous as usual, and this time I got a picture with a few choir friends and the Chancellor. I heard plenty of complements, and people seemed amazed that college students (mostly non-music majors) could make such beautiful harmonies with such little rehearsal time. And when I think about it, it's true! Most of this year's Holiday pieces were given to us in mid-October, and we've only had 12 two-hour rehearsals since then. It is truly something to be heard.

And you can! WQED-FM will be broadcasting tomorrow night's concert live, and you can listen to our performance online! Here's what you need to know:

Heinz Chapel Choir Holiday Concert
Friday 7 December 2007, 20:00-21:15 EST
(Saturday 8 December 2007, 01:00-02:15 UTC)

Ted Sohier is your host as the Heinz Chapel Choir processes down the aisles for a candlelit concert in the hushed atmosphere of the Heinz Memorial Chapel on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. John Goldsmith conducts the choir in Allegri’s Miserere, with guest coloratura soprano Candace Erb hitting the high C.

Listen live online! (Requires Windows Media Player)

I'm sure this will be rebroadcast, too, at some point, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss out while you've got the chance now. What better way to get in the holiday spirit than listening to holiday songs?

* * *

I know I promised a better explanation about Saturday night's celebrations. That will most likely come with my normal "finals week" post later this weekend. And if I'm lucky, and have extra time, I'll do another "life update" thingy, but probably not until after my last exam on 13 December. Because as fun as they are, they take forever to write.

Random tangent 1: Three inches of snow Wednesday! Yee-ha! Wait... do cowboys even know what snow is?

Random tangent 2: In an organic chemistry review session on Wednesday, a molecule was drawn on the board. The professor asked us to name it, at which point someone said, "Bob." And for those who care, the real answer was cis-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane. Oh, well. At least we got a laugh.