This post serves as notice that further writings on this blog may not be forthcoming for several days, owing to the authors of the suppositious posts have a choir concert on Sunday, for which they have been rehearsing a couple hours every night of the past two weeks.
This concert will include:
1) About 20 African pieces, some of which have only a passing resemblance to what I have been taught for 23 years constitutes acceptable rhythm.
2) Two hired soloists.
3) A 6-movement Mozart mass so that the soloists can have some solos to sing.
4) A uniform consisting of black slacks and a red short-sleeve shirt with black and white zebra trim. Don't worry, I'll take pictures.
5) A conductor, the only non-Muzungu in the choir who can read music, who has a strange relationship with rests that causes him to pretend they don't exist half of the time.
6) An accompanist who can sit down and compose a 150-measure 4-part baroque-style piece (which we will sing at the concert) in a single day.
7) Handel's Messiah, because no one's told them it's a Christmas and not an Easter piece.
8) Songs in about 7 different languages, only one of which is European.
9) Two goofy white dudes pretending to know how Africans clap.
10) The absence of abject failure*
So if any of our faithful readers (hi, Moms!) happen to be at or around Bbiina Parish, Kampala, Uganda at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, we'd sure love to see you there!**
* I can make no guarantees about to the presence of this absence.
** I appreciate the gesture, Mom, but no, you don't have to buy a plane ticket just to come see my concert.
This concert will include:
1) About 20 African pieces, some of which have only a passing resemblance to what I have been taught for 23 years constitutes acceptable rhythm.
2) Two hired soloists.
3) A 6-movement Mozart mass so that the soloists can have some solos to sing.
4) A uniform consisting of black slacks and a red short-sleeve shirt with black and white zebra trim. Don't worry, I'll take pictures.
5) A conductor, the only non-Muzungu in the choir who can read music, who has a strange relationship with rests that causes him to pretend they don't exist half of the time.
6) An accompanist who can sit down and compose a 150-measure 4-part baroque-style piece (which we will sing at the concert) in a single day.
7) Handel's Messiah, because no one's told them it's a Christmas and not an Easter piece.
8) Songs in about 7 different languages, only one of which is European.
9) Two goofy white dudes pretending to know how Africans clap.
10) The absence of abject failure*
So if any of our faithful readers (hi, Moms!) happen to be at or around Bbiina Parish, Kampala, Uganda at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, we'd sure love to see you there!**
* I can make no guarantees about to the presence of this absence.
** I appreciate the gesture, Mom, but no, you don't have to buy a plane ticket just to come see my concert.
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