For those who wonder why we are musicians...

this is why.

Dr. Kris Studio Class: Poetry Day

Friendly reminder: Friday is poetry day, so everyone needs to have a memorized poem to share with everyone. Please choose a poem that you especially love, and preferably from a piece of music you plan on singing this year. Bring a copy of the text for everyone, which you'll pass out AFTER reading it aloud. We'll meet in the conference room. See you then!

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS

The Mother: Jessica Johnson

Kaspar: Shane Bloemetjie

Melchior: Charles Daniel

Balthazar: Ryan Reese

The Page: Micah Brooker / Jake Hemminger

THE CHORUS OF SHEPHERDS

Everyone else who auditioned will serve as our shepherds. You are crucial to the show and we need more of you! Please recruit your friends, especially men. We may discuss moving you from your usual voice part if necessary. Please see me if you are interested in dancing!

Mother and Kings: buy your score online. It’s available at Amazon.com; you might consider ordering scores as a group to get free shipping. Chorus, your music will be provided.

Everyone enrolled in the course is called to rehearsal for the next two weeks for improvisation games. Dress comfortably and come ready to play, with open minds and courage to try new things! We will meet in Hulsey 312 until musical rehearsals begin. Purchase and learn your music in the next two weeks.

Voice lesson schedule: Dr. Kris

After much juggling, I think we've found a voice lesson schedule! Following are times, with your pianist for your lessons in parentheses:

Mondays (Ksusha accompanies all)

10-11 Emkay

11-12 Shane

12-1 Brad

1-2 Callie

Wednesdays

1-2 Valencia (Ksusha)

3-4 Charles (Ksusha)

Thursdays

9:30-10:30 Jake (Ksusha)

12:30-1:30 Jess (Ksusha)

Fridays

9-10 Ariel (Ksusha)

10:20-10:50 Michala (Ksusha)

11-12 Jen (Ksusha)

Remember to have one piece learned for your first lesson, and get Ksusha your music ASAP. If Dr. Adam Bowles is your pianist, please leave me a copy of the sheet music on my door. Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Friday Voice Class Dates

Every voice student is required to attend performance class every Friday at noon. We'll meet as a large group in Hulsey Recital Hall (HRH) each week, except on days otherwise noted. The schedule is:

August 19: everyone in HRH

August 26: poetry day (Dr. Kris's students in the conference room)

September, every Friday except 9/30: HRH (singing begins on Sept. 2!)

September 30: library meeting in Seminar Room 163

October 7: all in HRH

October 14: fall break; no class

October 21: Voice Studio Recital dress rehearsal

Sunday, October 23: Voice Studio Recital, 3pm (HRH)

October 28: all in HRH

November 4: all in HRH

November 11: possible performance of AMAHL in HRH

November 18: all in HRH

November 25" Thanksgiving break

December 2: last performance class before juries (HRH)

Juries: TBA

Dr. Kris Voice Students

I need your schedules to plan lesson times. Please fill one out (on my door) or email it to me ASAP. Thanks!

Amahl synopsis and links

For those of you who would like to know more about our one-act opera for the fall, following is the synopsis of AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS. The show is about 50 minutes long and is the most frequently performed English opera in the world. The first opera commissioned for television broadcast, it was the first network television Christmas special to become an annual tradition.

Amahl, a shepherd who has difficulty walking, tries to tell his mother about what he has seen outside; an enormous star with a long tail. His mother, used to his habitual lying, grows angry; she is even angrier when Amahl tells he that three kings have come to visit them. To his mother's great surprise, Amahl is telling the truth. The kings enter and tell the two peasants that they have come to find a king, and they show the rich gifts they have brought him. While Amahl's mother is out gathering wood for the fire, Amahl asks the kings questions about their lives. The mother returns with her neighbors, and the villagers present their gifts to the visitors. That night, Amahl's mother tries to steal some of the kings' gold to use to help her child; she is caught, and when the kings offer to let her keep the gold, explaining that the king they seek will need nothing but love to rule his kingdom, she returns it. Amahl offers his crutch as an additional gift, and suddenly finds that he can walk. He leaves with the kings to pay homage to the child who has healed him.

The following links are from the 1978 TV version of the opera, with Teresa Stratas as the Mother. For Kaspar's aria, "This is my box," visit this link. The aria begins 2:10 into the clip. The Mother's aria, "All that gold," is at the very beginning of this link. Melchior's aria is 3:55 into the same clip.