Greetings everyone,
How can it possibly be Thanksgiving with the December holidays rapidly approaching? What happened to 2022? It whizzed past and seems like a blur…not sure if that is a good thing or not. It just IS! But, here we are – we made it this far, albeit older and slower. I am older and slower – and the pandemic has shaped me in ways that I am still working through. The return of in-person workshops, concerts, and playing sessions is absolutely life-affirming and thrilling, yet I need much more time than ever between activities to integrate, assess, and re-balance. One of my 8 year old students said to me a few weeks ago that it was so peaceful being in school all day at the same place, as opposed to rushing around to fit in all the family’s other after school activities!
But I digress…back to Thanksgiving! Thank you, thank you to all our devoted board members past and present, and thank you, dear members, for your continued support of this wonderful organization. I am so grateful to be here in Seattle as part of this thriving music community.
I’m excited to invite our own founding director emeritus Peter Seibert back to the podium on December 2 to lead you in a splendid evening of signature Seibert transcriptions that are sure to please. There will not be a Back Room Gang for this session, but Peter assures us that the parts are accessible for everyone.
From Peter: “the December meeting will focus on some chorales of Johann Sebastian Bach from his Christmas Oratorio. That work is actually a series of cantatas, and each of these contains one or two chorales. We would call these chorales ‘hymns’, and the traditional melodies are for congregational singing. Bach wrote wonderful supporting lines for the alto, tenor, and bass, and they are rich with musical expression. At the end of the meeting, we will play a brand new arrangement of a traditional modern seasonal tune, one that has to do with, um, the weather.”
May your holiday season be filled with joyful people, beautiful music and inspiring events that make your heart swell with delight. I look forward to seeing you in the new year. Stay warm and healthy!
Zoom link and PDFs for December 2 playing session will be sent on Monday, November 28.
In-person attendees, please remember to send me (vickiboeckman@comcast.net) an email no later than November 30 (the Wednesday before the Friday meeting) with your intent to come and desired part.
We are still limiting the number of in-person players to 20, and it helps me (and Peter) greatly to know how many are planning on attending. We can always use help schlepping chairs and various other accoutrements down from the choir loft. Doors will open at 6:15. Please plan to arrive in the sanctuary of Maple Leaf Lutheran Church with enough time to unpack and get settled so we can start promptly at 7:00 pm.
If you have previously attended in person and sent proof of vaccination, there is no need to do so again. If this is your first time attending in person, please read and comply with our health safety protocols.