Mostly Choral Ramblings

So, I just found out there's not going to be a new episode of Glee for another two weeks! What are you doing to me, Fox? Trying to take away my happiness?

I've been getting everything together for nursing school, and I think I'm pretty much done! It's getting closer...just waiting for my schedule for the Spring. We all take the same classes, so it's the first time I don't actually choose my own. I don't know how I feel about that. I like control!

Matt came to visit last weekend, and we had such a blast (besides me passing on my flu bug to him). We went to see Tenebrae at the Cathedral Basilica. Let me tell you...this church is one of the most gorgeous I've seen. I've been to Europe, so I've seen my fair amount of Catholic churches, and this one rivals a lot of them. I'm sure it doesn't have the amount of history those do, but it was worth going out there just to see the beautiful decor of that building. Also, the acoustics in that church are amazing! My choir, the St. Louis Chamber Chorus, is singing a Christmas concert there on December 20th (plug!), and I just can't wait. With that acoustic, we're just going to sound awesome no matter what comes out of our mouths (but only good things will, because we are really good). Anyway, Professor Crouch was so great to get us tickets, and the concert was just outstanding. Everyone I've talked to raved about their perfect blend (of course a group with Crouch in it would have that) and how they were moved to tears at parts. I loved their experiments with the space of the building. I just can't rave about it enough. I was really inspired when we came back to rehearsal this week for my own choir...until we sang Reger, haha.

We're singing these three motets by Max Reger, and I really can't think of a more difficult piece I've ever sung. It's 45 minutes long (!), and there are fugal parts that are just so very difficult. He pushes the envelope of tonality at a lot of places, and it's just chock full of tritones. I'm wishing I had perfect pitch right now, but until then, I really have to just hack at this piece every day to get it in my brain. This piece isn't often performed simply because of its difficulty. We're singing this on only 6 rehearsals, too! I'm really hoping we can pull it off. We're definitely improving, but we are nowhere near where we need to be for this concert that is next weekend! I have faith in us. Beside this piece, there are even some other pieces that are challenging. We're doing a really neat piece that we're commissioning by Claire Maclean, and it has some really tricky rhythmic passages. We'll see! I need to really be on the ball here. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to keep singing and challenge myself.

This weekend, I'm going to Springfield for Matt's Halloween party. Were being a cat and mouse (I'm the cat and he's the mouse). Isn't that cute? We're going to go out to dinner for our 5 year anniversary. I can't believe it's been 5 years already. That's such a nice, round number. I like it. It makes me feel old, and it makes me happy to know that we've stuck with each other through thick and thin this long. I love you, Matt, and I can't imagine my life without you.

I hope everyone's having a good week!