It's just a bit past 9.00 pm, and I am feeling very sleepy. Actually, I was falling asleep on the keyboard as I was leading a Harry Potter canon read-through earlier this evening...
I've been a bit short on sleep lately, having lots of projects to complete. Not surprisingly, I've fallen behind on my music lists... and I haven't yet even begun to think about Advent. (Most of my friends have already planned all the way to Ash Wednesday. :P )
I was hoping for a morning lie-in, but it looks like I might not be able to have one tomorrow, either. Hope springs eternal that I'll be able to catch up on sleep... eventually.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
It's that time of the year again.
It seems that the churches around here seem to use the period before Thanksgiving to start their giving campaigns (or stewardship campaigns or whatever they may call it). I didn't have the Monday morning lie-in I was hoping for because I had to cover for a sick co-worker to prepare stewardship materials for a congregational dinner for the Presbyterians. (I just barely got the job done in time for the dinner...) My Catholic parish is also in the midst of their giving campaign—in fact, I think we're to make our pledges of Time, Talent, and Treasure within the next couple of weeks. The Episcopal church for which I play the occasional service and sing with the Compline choir is in the midst of their capital campaign. Even SQPN, the Catholic New Media organisation with whom I podcast, is currently carrying out their annual giving campaign.
I suppose this a good time for it. Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks. It's a time for us to stop and reflect on all the things for which we are thankful. Even though the economy has been sluggish, people are still being generous.
This is amazing... I'm at the annual congregational dinner as I write this, and the people broke out into song, singing Amazing Grace from memory. They're also harmonising as well. And here I am, thinking, "I wish Catholics can do that." (Catholics don't really have much of a tradition of congregational singing, and most of what you hear in the American Catholic churches today is not, in my opinion, conducive to good congregational singing. But that's a topic for another post.)
Anyway, back to the theme of generosity. There is a passage from Luke where a poor widow gave money to the temple: "This poor widow put in more than all the rest... she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood" (Lk. 21:3-4). She probably needed that money for basic living expenses and the like, but she gave it to the church. I don't think they ask you to give until it hurts (although in some traditions, they ask that you give at least 10% of your total income) but they do ask for prayerful consideration.
What do we have to be thankful for? It's a good question to ask any time of the year.
Sent from my iPhone
I suppose this a good time for it. Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks. It's a time for us to stop and reflect on all the things for which we are thankful. Even though the economy has been sluggish, people are still being generous.
This is amazing... I'm at the annual congregational dinner as I write this, and the people broke out into song, singing Amazing Grace from memory. They're also harmonising as well. And here I am, thinking, "I wish Catholics can do that." (Catholics don't really have much of a tradition of congregational singing, and most of what you hear in the American Catholic churches today is not, in my opinion, conducive to good congregational singing. But that's a topic for another post.)
Anyway, back to the theme of generosity. There is a passage from Luke where a poor widow gave money to the temple: "This poor widow put in more than all the rest... she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood" (Lk. 21:3-4). She probably needed that money for basic living expenses and the like, but she gave it to the church. I don't think they ask you to give until it hurts (although in some traditions, they ask that you give at least 10% of your total income) but they do ask for prayerful consideration.
What do we have to be thankful for? It's a good question to ask any time of the year.
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ah, Sunday!
So I'm not the most creative with my titles. Oh well.
This will be a short post as I'm composing it on the iPhone.
It was a long day for me. It started with cantoring the 7:45 am Mass at Immaculate Conception. And I managed it on a little less than 3 h of sleep. So the sleep deprivation continues. (I'll definitely catch up on the sleep tonight.)
Then I had my usual service at St. Joe's. After a short nap, I headed for the hymn festival. I want to thank the choirs of First Presbyterian and Watts St. Baptist for lending their voices to the Hal Hopson arrangement of Dona nobis pacem. I received many compliments about my direction of this massed choir and how wonderful the blend of voices were. They did beautifully, and I was proud of these choristers for being able to perform the piece as well as they did with only one 30-minute rehearsal.
Reception, followed by dinner with David D. and his brother, Mike, and his lovely wife, Michi, followed by Compline at Chapel of the Cross. Et voilà—the end of a very long day.
Sleep awaits. I'll post my music lists tomorrow. Time for a visit to the land of Nod.
Sent from my iPhone
This will be a short post as I'm composing it on the iPhone.
It was a long day for me. It started with cantoring the 7:45 am Mass at Immaculate Conception. And I managed it on a little less than 3 h of sleep. So the sleep deprivation continues. (I'll definitely catch up on the sleep tonight.)
Then I had my usual service at St. Joe's. After a short nap, I headed for the hymn festival. I want to thank the choirs of First Presbyterian and Watts St. Baptist for lending their voices to the Hal Hopson arrangement of Dona nobis pacem. I received many compliments about my direction of this massed choir and how wonderful the blend of voices were. They did beautifully, and I was proud of these choristers for being able to perform the piece as well as they did with only one 30-minute rehearsal.
Reception, followed by dinner with David D. and his brother, Mike, and his lovely wife, Michi, followed by Compline at Chapel of the Cross. Et voilà—the end of a very long day.
Sleep awaits. I'll post my music lists tomorrow. Time for a visit to the land of Nod.
Sent from my iPhone
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Soldiering On
I am so very sleepy.
I've been running on a sleep deficit today, having only slept for four hours last night. There's no rest for the weary though; I am still working on the NC-ACS newsletter.
I'd have to remember to have an earlier night tonight as I cantor the 7.45 am Mass at Immaculate Conception tomorrow morning.
We had our dress rehearsal at Grace Baptist Church this morning. I was very happy that the choirs of First Presbyterian and Watts St. Baptist will be joining my choir in singing the Hal Hopson arrangement of Dona Nobis Pacem. (Members of St. Philip's Episcopal Church were also invited to join my group; however, I don't know any of them by face, so I have no way of knowing if they were amongst those who joined us this morning).
They picked it up pretty quickly. They also appreciated that I replaced the last page, which consists of an Amen setting with two-equal parts, to a reconstructed SAB Amen. Why reconstructed? I sang this anthem whilst a member of Montgomery Junior High School's choir. (I'm pretty sure I was in the choir as Adeline Hernandez and Gary Thomas, who were the student accompanists, were still in the choir at that point.) We sang an SAB version of it, so had a three-part canon (as opposed to the two-part canon we'll be singing tomorrow). When I first introduced this anthem to my choir, I was very disappointed at how... well, thin the Amen section sounded. I was happier with the more full SAB version. So one day, I sat down at the piano and reconstructed that section. And it works well.
I am looking forward to this hymnfest. And I'm glad the Durham-Chapel Hill chapter of the American Guild of Organists is able to help out by contributing the trumpeter to this festival.
I should get back to work. Knowing how busy I'll be tomorrow (two morning services, hymn fest in the afternoon, dinner with the main organisers of the hymnfest for afters, followed by Compline), I will probably not have any time to work on the newsletter tomorrow.
I've been running on a sleep deficit today, having only slept for four hours last night. There's no rest for the weary though; I am still working on the NC-ACS newsletter.
I'd have to remember to have an earlier night tonight as I cantor the 7.45 am Mass at Immaculate Conception tomorrow morning.
We had our dress rehearsal at Grace Baptist Church this morning. I was very happy that the choirs of First Presbyterian and Watts St. Baptist will be joining my choir in singing the Hal Hopson arrangement of Dona Nobis Pacem. (Members of St. Philip's Episcopal Church were also invited to join my group; however, I don't know any of them by face, so I have no way of knowing if they were amongst those who joined us this morning).
They picked it up pretty quickly. They also appreciated that I replaced the last page, which consists of an Amen setting with two-equal parts, to a reconstructed SAB Amen. Why reconstructed? I sang this anthem whilst a member of Montgomery Junior High School's choir. (I'm pretty sure I was in the choir as Adeline Hernandez and Gary Thomas, who were the student accompanists, were still in the choir at that point.) We sang an SAB version of it, so had a three-part canon (as opposed to the two-part canon we'll be singing tomorrow). When I first introduced this anthem to my choir, I was very disappointed at how... well, thin the Amen section sounded. I was happier with the more full SAB version. So one day, I sat down at the piano and reconstructed that section. And it works well.
I am looking forward to this hymnfest. And I'm glad the Durham-Chapel Hill chapter of the American Guild of Organists is able to help out by contributing the trumpeter to this festival.
I should get back to work. Knowing how busy I'll be tomorrow (two morning services, hymn fest in the afternoon, dinner with the main organisers of the hymnfest for afters, followed by Compline), I will probably not have any time to work on the newsletter tomorrow.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Good Things Friday, 11.12.2010
I'm sitting at my desk with a glass of iced citrus green tea and lots of papers scattered everywhere. As I'm putting together the latest issue of the TarHelium, I'm getting a thorough review of HTML, which is a good thing. I may have mentioned that whenever I compose my posts in Blogger and LiveJournal, I always use the "Edit HTML" function, as opposed to composing my posts using Real Text or whatever other option is given.
I'm a bit concerned that my favourite app on iPhone, ProHDR, has been crashing every time I try to use it. This greatly disappoints me; there are lots of beautiful fall colours on the trees now, especially down in the Research Triangle Park area. At least I know it's not just me; a few people have left reviews at the iTunes App Store, complaining about the program crashing on them. I hope any updates would help alleviate this problem.
Oh, but I did title this post "Good Things Friday", didn't I? So here goes.
I should get back to the editing. Before I go, however... today was Jay Presa's funeral. I'm sure friends and family are still gathered now, remembering him and celebrating his life. A couple of days ago, Jocelyn Vinluan-Pujeda had shared a PayPal link with her Facebook f-list that would lead to a Memorial Fund that was set up in memory of Jay. As far as I know, donations to this fund are still being accepted. I'm sure his family would appreciate any gift you can make. Click here to contribute.
God willing, I'll be back tomorrow. On tap: more work with the newsletter and a dress rehearsal for the Hymn and Choir Festival at Grace Baptist Church.
I'm a bit concerned that my favourite app on iPhone, ProHDR, has been crashing every time I try to use it. This greatly disappoints me; there are lots of beautiful fall colours on the trees now, especially down in the Research Triangle Park area. At least I know it's not just me; a few people have left reviews at the iTunes App Store, complaining about the program crashing on them. I hope any updates would help alleviate this problem.
Oh, but I did title this post "Good Things Friday", didn't I? So here goes.
- I am taking this opportunity to catch up with podcasts that have been sitting around in my queue. I've been listening mainly to Secrets of Middle-earth and Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! My backlog for WWDTM stretches back to... July... but once I catch up with that one, I'll work on my backlog of A Way with Words.
- November 19 is quickly approaching. That is the release date for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I. I am planning to see it next Saturday. I am hoping that my fellow Secrets of Harry Potter panelists and I will have the opportunity to record another episode soon to react to this latest film. According to Tom Felton and Warwick Davis, this latest film should be the best Harry Potter film yet. This is what Warwick says about it: "It is a VERY good film. More thriller in genre. Technically brilliant & visually stunning. I thought it was the best 'Potter' movie yet." He adds, "In 'HP7', I also love the animated sequence that visualises Hermione's telling of 'The Tale of The Three Brothers'... very Tim Burton-esque." Yeah... really looking forward to the film. I'm just hoping I won't be disappointed by it, but as I had mentioned in previous episodes of Secrets of Harry Potter, I just have to separate book canon from film canon. I heard that the performances of the young actors were very good, and I am looking forward to being entertained by it.
- Going back to iPhone apps... Father Roderick had tweeted that an app, Zen Bound, was free on iTunes. I will admit: I am not a gamer. It never really had much fascination for me. Well, okay, perhaps I liked such games as Pong and Moon Patrol and even admit to playing a bit of Tetris every once in a while. (Does that date me?) So what brought me to Zen Bound? I'll admit: it looked interesting, and it was a free app, so I decided to download it. I can see why it's addicting: it describes itself as "a meditative puzzle game of wrapping rope around wooden sculptures." You go about it slowly... zen-like... and once you pass a certain percentage of rope wrapped, you can go on to the next level. The graphics are beautiful and the music very complimentary. Thanks for the recommendation, Fr. Roderick!
I should get back to the editing. Before I go, however... today was Jay Presa's funeral. I'm sure friends and family are still gathered now, remembering him and celebrating his life. A couple of days ago, Jocelyn Vinluan-Pujeda had shared a PayPal link with her Facebook f-list that would lead to a Memorial Fund that was set up in memory of Jay. As far as I know, donations to this fund are still being accepted. I'm sure his family would appreciate any gift you can make. Click here to contribute.
God willing, I'll be back tomorrow. On tap: more work with the newsletter and a dress rehearsal for the Hymn and Choir Festival at Grace Baptist Church.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Stream of Consciousness and Honouring the Veterans
Oh! Looking at the time, I'd better get a post in before the clock turns midnight. (However, I rather suspect I'll finish writing this post after midnight, but at least the post will be registered as Thursday, November 11. ;) )
First thing's first: for the last remaining moments of November 11, 2010, I'd like to take the time to thank those of you who have served or are now serving our country through the military. I've had a few relatives whose service to this country was through the United States Navy, and I have several friends who are serving through the other branches, such as the Army, Air Force, and Marines. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made so that we could live in freedom.
Secondly: Happy Birthday to my cousin, Lito Yalong! Hope you have many more to come.
Today, I had the chance to taste the phenomenon that is chicken and waffles. A place opened up around six blocks west of where I work in downtown Durham, and they specialise in chicken and waffles. If you're in the Triangle area, you should try Dame's Chicken and Waffles. I had their Red-Crested Rose Comb. Here is how they described it:
Destined for ATF stardom! We pair a crispy fried Chicken leg quarter w/ our crisp and fluffy Classic Waffle shmeared w/ sweet, fresh Strawberry Crème.
So what I got wasn't exactly a leg quarter; they had given me two chicken drumsticks, but they were flavoured quite nicely and had a strong hint of sage. They were fried perfectly, not greasy at all, and very tender. The waffle was very nice, and the schmear complemented the whole thing. I know, I know, I had that infamous Krispy Kreme cheeseburger at the NC State Fair. This one is different. It's not cloyingly sweet. There was the maple syrup, but I didn't use the whole container. There was even a small container of hot sauce, which I used for the chicken.
I'd be curious to try their other offerings. Click on the link above and check out their menu. Let me know what you think of it if you ever decide to give it a go.
I'm looking forward to a Hymn and Choir Festival that will take place at Grace Baptist Church this Sunday. I'm a bit disappointed that my group will be small, but for good reason; one of my choristers has a death in the family which will prevent him from joining us as originally planned. We're planning on performing an easy choral anthem: Dona Nobis Pacem, a traditional canon arranged by Hal Hopson. It was a piece I remembered singing in junior high school choir. I am cautiously optimistic that the choirs of First Presbyterian Church and St. Philip's Episcopal Church can join us.
Now for a little bit of geek talk. Usually, whenever I compose these blog posts, I am using the "Edit HTML" option. I've always done that whem composing posts here on Blogger or over on LiveJournal. I feel like I have more control over the formatting and such doing it that way as opposed to using the "Compose" feature.
Right now, I'm trying my level best to get an issue of the newsletter for the local chapter of the American Chemical Society published. It's taking me a while to do so. First of all, the articles were trickling in very slowly. Now that I have most of the articles that I would need (minus one that I'd have to write, introducing myself as the new Editor of the TarHelium), I settled in to figuring out how to lay out the newsletter for publication on the web. I was hoping to access the last issue published and merely edit out the old stories and put in the new.
It wasn't so simple. I couldn't even access the old issue. The thought had crossed my mind to look at how the old issue was coded, so I had a look at the source code. Yikes. I think it was generated by some sort of an editor not unlike that encountered in Blogger or LiveJournal. Since I couldn't figure out how to even access such an editor, I decided to just grin and bear it and check the code.
It'll be a bit more tedious doing it this way, but at least the issue will get published. Even though this will be a very busy weekend for me, I'm optimistic I'll have it ready for publication by Monday, November 15. Wish me luck!
At least once that's done, I'll be able to sit down and learn more about how the site which hosts the local ACS website works so hopefully, the next issue won't be as painful to produce.
Lest I go on and bore you to tears, I'll end right here. Before I go, however, I want to remember my uncle, Aurelio Yalong. Tomorrow would have been his 70th birthday. He had passed away March, 2001, a little over four months after his 60th birthday. Even though I didn't know him well (and that was just because I was born and grew up in a place that separated us by an entire ocean), he was always very kind to me, and I remember and cherish the times we did spend with each other. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.
First thing's first: for the last remaining moments of November 11, 2010, I'd like to take the time to thank those of you who have served or are now serving our country through the military. I've had a few relatives whose service to this country was through the United States Navy, and I have several friends who are serving through the other branches, such as the Army, Air Force, and Marines. Thank you for all the sacrifices you have made so that we could live in freedom.
Secondly: Happy Birthday to my cousin, Lito Yalong! Hope you have many more to come.
Today, I had the chance to taste the phenomenon that is chicken and waffles. A place opened up around six blocks west of where I work in downtown Durham, and they specialise in chicken and waffles. If you're in the Triangle area, you should try Dame's Chicken and Waffles. I had their Red-Crested Rose Comb. Here is how they described it:
Destined for ATF stardom! We pair a crispy fried Chicken leg quarter w/ our crisp and fluffy Classic Waffle shmeared w/ sweet, fresh Strawberry Crème.
So what I got wasn't exactly a leg quarter; they had given me two chicken drumsticks, but they were flavoured quite nicely and had a strong hint of sage. They were fried perfectly, not greasy at all, and very tender. The waffle was very nice, and the schmear complemented the whole thing. I know, I know, I had that infamous Krispy Kreme cheeseburger at the NC State Fair. This one is different. It's not cloyingly sweet. There was the maple syrup, but I didn't use the whole container. There was even a small container of hot sauce, which I used for the chicken.
I'd be curious to try their other offerings. Click on the link above and check out their menu. Let me know what you think of it if you ever decide to give it a go.
I'm looking forward to a Hymn and Choir Festival that will take place at Grace Baptist Church this Sunday. I'm a bit disappointed that my group will be small, but for good reason; one of my choristers has a death in the family which will prevent him from joining us as originally planned. We're planning on performing an easy choral anthem: Dona Nobis Pacem, a traditional canon arranged by Hal Hopson. It was a piece I remembered singing in junior high school choir. I am cautiously optimistic that the choirs of First Presbyterian Church and St. Philip's Episcopal Church can join us.
Now for a little bit of geek talk. Usually, whenever I compose these blog posts, I am using the "Edit HTML" option. I've always done that whem composing posts here on Blogger or over on LiveJournal. I feel like I have more control over the formatting and such doing it that way as opposed to using the "Compose" feature.
Right now, I'm trying my level best to get an issue of the newsletter for the local chapter of the American Chemical Society published. It's taking me a while to do so. First of all, the articles were trickling in very slowly. Now that I have most of the articles that I would need (minus one that I'd have to write, introducing myself as the new Editor of the TarHelium), I settled in to figuring out how to lay out the newsletter for publication on the web. I was hoping to access the last issue published and merely edit out the old stories and put in the new.
It wasn't so simple. I couldn't even access the old issue. The thought had crossed my mind to look at how the old issue was coded, so I had a look at the source code. Yikes. I think it was generated by some sort of an editor not unlike that encountered in Blogger or LiveJournal. Since I couldn't figure out how to even access such an editor, I decided to just grin and bear it and check the code.
It'll be a bit more tedious doing it this way, but at least the issue will get published. Even though this will be a very busy weekend for me, I'm optimistic I'll have it ready for publication by Monday, November 15. Wish me luck!
At least once that's done, I'll be able to sit down and learn more about how the site which hosts the local ACS website works so hopefully, the next issue won't be as painful to produce.
Lest I go on and bore you to tears, I'll end right here. Before I go, however, I want to remember my uncle, Aurelio Yalong. Tomorrow would have been his 70th birthday. He had passed away March, 2001, a little over four months after his 60th birthday. Even though I didn't know him well (and that was just because I was born and grew up in a place that separated us by an entire ocean), he was always very kind to me, and I remember and cherish the times we did spend with each other. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
A plea from Jay Presa's family
FRIENDS and FAMILY—ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED
The death of Jay Presa was untimely and unexpected. Unfortunately, none of us were prepared for this tragedy, and we are all saddened by his loss.
During this difficult time, we would like to ask for any monetary donation. On behalf of the family of Jay, we will be... happy... to accept any amount. All funds raised will be applied to the cost of the viewing, funeral service, and reception. A donation unit will be available at the viewing location today and Thursday. If you would like to mail in a check or make a credit card payment, please contact Jocelyn Vinluan-Pujeda. (From Lyn F.: since I screen all comments, please feel free to comment in the combox with your name and contact details so I could forward them to Jocelyn.)
Thank you in advance. God bless.
Edited to add: Donations via Paypal are being accepted. Click here to help out. Thanks!
The death of Jay Presa was untimely and unexpected. Unfortunately, none of us were prepared for this tragedy, and we are all saddened by his loss.
During this difficult time, we would like to ask for any monetary donation. On behalf of the family of Jay, we will be... happy... to accept any amount. All funds raised will be applied to the cost of the viewing, funeral service, and reception. A donation unit will be available at the viewing location today and Thursday. If you would like to mail in a check or make a credit card payment, please contact Jocelyn Vinluan-Pujeda. (From Lyn F.: since I screen all comments, please feel free to comment in the combox with your name and contact details so I could forward them to Jocelyn.)
Thank you in advance. God bless.
Edited to add: Donations via Paypal are being accepted. Click here to help out. Thanks!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Brian Coggins, organ
Today, as part of Bach's Lunch at the Chapel of the Cross, Brian Coggins presented a masterful program featuring the works of Couperin, Buxtehude, Mendelssohn, Messiaen, and Langlais. It was very obvious he enjoyed performing these pieces, and it was a joy to listen to him.
Here is the program.
Here is the program.
Messe pour les paroisses Offertoire sur les grandes jeux Tierce en taille from the Gloria François Couperin (1668–1733) Praeludium in a minor (BuxWV 153) Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707) Sonata No. 4 in B-flat Allegretto Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847) L'Ascension Alleluias sereins d'une âme que désire le ciel 'Serene Alleluias of a soul that desires heaven' Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) Hymne d'Actions de grâces: Te Deum Jean Langlais (1907–1991)
Information for Jay Presa's funeral services this week
Passed on to me by Arlyn (Angel) Muñoz.
Dear Friends & Family:
Here is the information for Jay Presa's funeral services this week. They are all being held at El Camino Memorial Park & Mortuary, 5600 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92121. The phone number there is: 1-800-352-2646.
Please spread the word out to everyone who knew Jay.
Thanks!!!
This might be a good place to link back to a post I did a couple of years ago after the tragic passing of a young Filipino medical student. I had blogged on Filipino funeral traditions, which you may read by clicking here.
RIP, Jay.
Dear Friends & Family:
Here is the information for Jay Presa's funeral services this week. They are all being held at El Camino Memorial Park & Mortuary, 5600 Carroll Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92121. The phone number there is: 1-800-352-2646.
- Wednesday 11/10/10 and Thursday 11/11/10 viewing from 4-8pm
- Friday 11/12/10 funeral service at 2pm
- Reception to follow. Location: Ono's Café, located at 4154 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902.
Please spread the word out to everyone who knew Jay.
Thanks!!!
This might be a good place to link back to a post I did a couple of years ago after the tragic passing of a young Filipino medical student. I had blogged on Filipino funeral traditions, which you may read by clicking here.
RIP, Jay.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Mobile Blogging?
I decided to try Blogger's mobile blogging, so I followed the instructions. Well... it made up another blog for me, which I really didn't want, and when I said I wanted to switch to my usual one, it brought me to the usual version. I'm not really sure if texting what I want to appear on the blog would really work. I'm not really keen on the idea of texting my blogposts anyway. Why couldn't they come up with an app that would facilitate this process?
For me, this was a FAIL. So much for mobile blogging with Blogger.
In other news... perhaps those of you in SoCal and Nevada know much better than I do about what happened to our friend, Jay Presa (God rest his soul). I noticed all the hits this blog is receiving from those trying to find out what had happened to take him away from us so soon. The only thing I know (and which was mentioned by a friend) is that his passing was peaceful.
Please pray for Jay's family that they may have much support in this time of sadness.
Sent from my iPhone
For me, this was a FAIL. So much for mobile blogging with Blogger.
In other news... perhaps those of you in SoCal and Nevada know much better than I do about what happened to our friend, Jay Presa (God rest his soul). I noticed all the hits this blog is receiving from those trying to find out what had happened to take him away from us so soon. The only thing I know (and which was mentioned by a friend) is that his passing was peaceful.
Please pray for Jay's family that they may have much support in this time of sadness.
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Compline at Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC—11.07.2010
Compline at Chapel of the Cross.
We've been using the Order for Compline, as set by David Hurd.
Here are our little additions:
I am the resurrection from First Dirge Anthem (Funeral Sentences; Thomas Morley)
Psalm 91 (chanted to Tone 8)
Hymn: Christ, mighty Saviour (CHRISTE, LUX MUNDI, plainsong Mode 7)
In manus tuas (Sheppard; sung in addition to "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit ...)
Lord's Prayer (Robert Stone)
Nunc Dimittis from Short Service (O. Gibbons)
Salve Regina (Marian antiphon right after the Dismissal)
Ave Maria (Tomas Luis de Victoria)
Organ improvisation by the abfab Van Quinn on Aeterna Christi munera (The Eternal Gifts Of Christ The King)
Van is seeking suggestions for the post-Compline organ improvisations. Feel free to send him your suggestions via the comm box below (or if you're reading this in Facebook, leave a comment). Even better, if you're Facebook friends with Van, either PM him or write on his wall your suggestions. :)
We've been using the Order for Compline, as set by David Hurd.
Here are our little additions:
I am the resurrection from First Dirge Anthem (Funeral Sentences; Thomas Morley)
Psalm 91 (chanted to Tone 8)
Hymn: Christ, mighty Saviour (CHRISTE, LUX MUNDI, plainsong Mode 7)
In manus tuas (Sheppard; sung in addition to "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit ...)
Lord's Prayer (Robert Stone)
Nunc Dimittis from Short Service (O. Gibbons)
Salve Regina (Marian antiphon right after the Dismissal)
Ave Maria (Tomas Luis de Victoria)
Organ improvisation by the abfab Van Quinn on Aeterna Christi munera (The Eternal Gifts Of Christ The King)
Van is seeking suggestions for the post-Compline organ improvisations. Feel free to send him your suggestions via the comm box below (or if you're reading this in Facebook, leave a comment). Even better, if you're Facebook friends with Van, either PM him or write on his wall your suggestions. :)
7 November - All Saints' Sunday (Transferred)
St. Joseph's Episcopal Church where I played the usual 10.30 am service. As usual, the numbers are out of The Hymnal 1982.
All Saints' Sunday (Transferred): Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Adagio-Allegro, Voluntary in C Major (Op. 7, No. 2; J. Stanley)
Processional Hymn: 287, For all the saints, who from their labours rest (SINE NOMINE)
Gloria: S-277, New Plainsong (Hurd)
Psalm: Psalm 149 (Simplified Anglican Chant)
Sequence Hymn: 518, Christ is made the sure foundation (WESTMINSTER ABBEY)
Offertory Hymn: 618, Ye watchers and ye holy ones (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
Sanctus: S-125, Community Mass (Proulx)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Fraction Anthem: S-167, The disciples knew the Lord Jesus (M. Martens; Mode 6)
Communion Hymn: 560, Remember your servants, Lord (BEATITUDES)
Recessional Hymn: 557, Rejoice, ye pure in heart! (VINEYARD HAVEN)
Postlude: For All the Saints (W. Held)
All Saints' Sunday (Transferred): Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Adagio-Allegro, Voluntary in C Major (Op. 7, No. 2; J. Stanley)
Processional Hymn: 287, For all the saints, who from their labours rest (SINE NOMINE)
Gloria: S-277, New Plainsong (Hurd)
Psalm: Psalm 149 (Simplified Anglican Chant)
Sequence Hymn: 518, Christ is made the sure foundation (WESTMINSTER ABBEY)
Offertory Hymn: 618, Ye watchers and ye holy ones (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
Sanctus: S-125, Community Mass (Proulx)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Fraction Anthem: S-167, The disciples knew the Lord Jesus (M. Martens; Mode 6)
Communion Hymn: 560, Remember your servants, Lord (BEATITUDES)
Recessional Hymn: 557, Rejoice, ye pure in heart! (VINEYARD HAVEN)
Postlude: For All the Saints (W. Held)
More joys and sorrows
Not long after I wrote yesterday's post, I found out through my Facebook friends-list (f-list) that Jay Presa had passed away. I'll admit that I never really knew him, but I knew of him. I was very sorry to hear of his passing. Many of my Facebook f-listers were friends with Jay. As one of them had put it: "I didn't know him well in school but was happy to reconnect with him on Facebook." Another said, "He had a gift and re-established connections between us all that we probably never would have made without him."
She added, "What a wonderful soul; heaven is blessed."
From what I've been hearing about him, I believe that assessment is correct. We're all the more poorer, but our loss is heaven's gain. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.
I had a wonderful time reconnecting with Laura Ellis of the University of Florida today. She brought members of UF's Carillon Studio with her, and we were all standing outside Duke Chapel, listening to Sam Hammond play the carillon postlude pieces. I managed to record a bit of it. If I can figure out how to upload it and link it to this blog, I'll definitely do it. Stay tuned for that.
We ended up having bagel sandwiches for lunch whilst listening to Sam talk about the history of Duke Chapel and about the carillon. He's been there for a long time, and I'm sure he has a lot of wonderful stories to tell.
Unfortunately, I had to dash off after lunch because I had to conduct a choir practice in southeast Durham. I would have dearly loved to see the carillon, but hopefully I'll have the chance to do so sometime in the future.
The bell is back at Chapel of the Cross! I was very happy to ring it as a call to worship once again. It has a different feel, though: I had to pull on the rope really hard to get it to even start swinging, and once it went, it wouldn't stop. I pulled on the rope 13 times, intending to ring the bell 14 times, but it went on and on, stopping after 31.
There were a group of choristers who followed me up to the balcony, wanting to experience the bell-ringing. I have the feeling I won't be the only ding-a-ling ringing the call to worship. And I don't mind that; it's nice to share the wealth.
I'm feeling really optimistic about the Filipino Choir. I'm introducing what apparently seems to be one new piece to them: the Hontiveros setting of Halina, Hesus (Come, Jesus). I figured this group might know it; it was composed in 1973 and is considered one of the classics in Filipino liturgical repertoire. I suppose this might be true of those living and singing in the Philippines, but not necessarily true with those ex-pats in the Filipino Diaspora.
But going over the piece, they picked it up pretty easily, so I'm not worried. Simbang Gabi Mass, for which we are preparing, will be on Friday, December 17, so I'm optimistic we'll get it learnt by then.
I'll just post my music lists in a couple of separate posts and call it a night.
She added, "What a wonderful soul; heaven is blessed."
From what I've been hearing about him, I believe that assessment is correct. We're all the more poorer, but our loss is heaven's gain. Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.
I had a wonderful time reconnecting with Laura Ellis of the University of Florida today. She brought members of UF's Carillon Studio with her, and we were all standing outside Duke Chapel, listening to Sam Hammond play the carillon postlude pieces. I managed to record a bit of it. If I can figure out how to upload it and link it to this blog, I'll definitely do it. Stay tuned for that.
We ended up having bagel sandwiches for lunch whilst listening to Sam talk about the history of Duke Chapel and about the carillon. He's been there for a long time, and I'm sure he has a lot of wonderful stories to tell.
Unfortunately, I had to dash off after lunch because I had to conduct a choir practice in southeast Durham. I would have dearly loved to see the carillon, but hopefully I'll have the chance to do so sometime in the future.
The bell is back at Chapel of the Cross! I was very happy to ring it as a call to worship once again. It has a different feel, though: I had to pull on the rope really hard to get it to even start swinging, and once it went, it wouldn't stop. I pulled on the rope 13 times, intending to ring the bell 14 times, but it went on and on, stopping after 31.
There were a group of choristers who followed me up to the balcony, wanting to experience the bell-ringing. I have the feeling I won't be the only ding-a-ling ringing the call to worship. And I don't mind that; it's nice to share the wealth.
I'm feeling really optimistic about the Filipino Choir. I'm introducing what apparently seems to be one new piece to them: the Hontiveros setting of Halina, Hesus (Come, Jesus). I figured this group might know it; it was composed in 1973 and is considered one of the classics in Filipino liturgical repertoire. I suppose this might be true of those living and singing in the Philippines, but not necessarily true with those ex-pats in the Filipino Diaspora.
But going over the piece, they picked it up pretty easily, so I'm not worried. Simbang Gabi Mass, for which we are preparing, will be on Friday, December 17, so I'm optimistic we'll get it learnt by then.
I'll just post my music lists in a couple of separate posts and call it a night.
Joys and Sorrows
Today, I played my third wedding at St. Joe's and the first member wedding since I started my position back in January, 2008. Well, perhaps the first wedding I played could be considered a "member" wedding as well, but IIRC, the bride (or was it the groom?) was related to a parishioner. It was a nice, simple service... and the bride was beautiful. During the exchange of rings (always my favourite part), you can really see the love they have for each other. (This was the case for the other weddings/blessings of unions I've attended at Chapel of the Cross... and of course, being up in the chancel, you always get a close-up view of the action. :) )
The only thing that worried me was the timing of the piece I played for the bridal procession. The bride had chosen the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria as her processional. The aisle at St. Joe's is quite short; even if you walk slowly, it would take 25 seconds at the most to walk from the back of the church to the chancel. I had to cut huge amounts of the piece just to make it... and I eventually cut it down to 35 seconds.
So after having practiced the piece over and over to ensure I could make as smooth a transition between musical fragments, the timing in the end was perfect: just as I played the final chord, the bride had already reached the chancel, and her brother was giving her a kiss on the cheek before "giving her away" to her husband-to-be. So I gained a lot of satisfaction over that. :)
And the rest of the service went very smoothly.
I'm sure they probably had some experiences that would be told in stories over and over again. (Everyone does, right?) But it seems a certain bridal party in Roxbury, MA would have some very interesting stories to tell. Thanks to my friend Ryan, I found out about a bridal party whose limosine was hijacked right in front of the Blessed Mother Teresa church in Roxbury. The bridal party was still in the limo, waiting for the cue to start walking in procession when a carjacker came and stole the limo. Click here to read the story and watch the video. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the wedding went on without a hitch (according to the news report).
I titled this entry "Joys and Sorrows". Here's the "sorrows" part. There was a woman (I'm not even sure of her name) who has surfaced recently and has been sleeping on the grounds. She was sleeping in the breezeway when I arrived at St. Joe's in the morning to practice. She was still there when I had left an hour and a half before the wedding was to have begun. She looked at me with such a forlorn look on her face. It made me feel so sad. I can't imagine what it's like to be homeless, not knowing if you'll even have a place to sleep. There are frost advisories for tonight, and I'm sure it's quite uncomfortable trying to sleep in near-freezing temperatures. A friend of mine, who had been homeless before he was rescued from the streets, admitted to me that the most difficult part of it was trying to survive the freezing temperatures. He's very thankful that he survived all of that, and he has been living in an apartment for the past couple of years, and he has a job that he loves. He is considered one of the success stories for those trying to move people from homelessness to homes.
I'll end this entry with a prayer for the homeless that I found on beliefnet.com:
O God, as Naomi and Ruth journeyed from one land to another seeking a home, we ask your blessing upon all who are homeless in this world. You promised to your chosen people a land flowing with milk and honey; so inspire us to desire the accomplishment of your will that we may work for the settlement of those who are homeless in a place of peace, protection, and nurture, flowing with opportunity, blessing, and hope. Amen.
The only thing that worried me was the timing of the piece I played for the bridal procession. The bride had chosen the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria as her processional. The aisle at St. Joe's is quite short; even if you walk slowly, it would take 25 seconds at the most to walk from the back of the church to the chancel. I had to cut huge amounts of the piece just to make it... and I eventually cut it down to 35 seconds.
So after having practiced the piece over and over to ensure I could make as smooth a transition between musical fragments, the timing in the end was perfect: just as I played the final chord, the bride had already reached the chancel, and her brother was giving her a kiss on the cheek before "giving her away" to her husband-to-be. So I gained a lot of satisfaction over that. :)
And the rest of the service went very smoothly.
I'm sure they probably had some experiences that would be told in stories over and over again. (Everyone does, right?) But it seems a certain bridal party in Roxbury, MA would have some very interesting stories to tell. Thanks to my friend Ryan, I found out about a bridal party whose limosine was hijacked right in front of the Blessed Mother Teresa church in Roxbury. The bridal party was still in the limo, waiting for the cue to start walking in procession when a carjacker came and stole the limo. Click here to read the story and watch the video. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the wedding went on without a hitch (according to the news report).
I titled this entry "Joys and Sorrows". Here's the "sorrows" part. There was a woman (I'm not even sure of her name) who has surfaced recently and has been sleeping on the grounds. She was sleeping in the breezeway when I arrived at St. Joe's in the morning to practice. She was still there when I had left an hour and a half before the wedding was to have begun. She looked at me with such a forlorn look on her face. It made me feel so sad. I can't imagine what it's like to be homeless, not knowing if you'll even have a place to sleep. There are frost advisories for tonight, and I'm sure it's quite uncomfortable trying to sleep in near-freezing temperatures. A friend of mine, who had been homeless before he was rescued from the streets, admitted to me that the most difficult part of it was trying to survive the freezing temperatures. He's very thankful that he survived all of that, and he has been living in an apartment for the past couple of years, and he has a job that he loves. He is considered one of the success stories for those trying to move people from homelessness to homes.
I'll end this entry with a prayer for the homeless that I found on beliefnet.com:
O God, as Naomi and Ruth journeyed from one land to another seeking a home, we ask your blessing upon all who are homeless in this world. You promised to your chosen people a land flowing with milk and honey; so inspire us to desire the accomplishment of your will that we may work for the settlement of those who are homeless in a place of peace, protection, and nurture, flowing with opportunity, blessing, and hope. Amen.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Good Things Friday
This is Day 5 of my endeavour to blog for every day in November. :)
I'm borrowing a page from my LJ friends and calling this post "Good Things Friday." In doing so, I will try to list some good things.
I'm borrowing a page from my LJ friends and calling this post "Good Things Friday." In doing so, I will try to list some good things.
- I am really liking the cooler weather. For a while, it seemed like summer would never end. Of course, we're expecting overnight lows to be freezing over the next couple of days. Talk about extremes!
- I really like the colours of the leaves on the trees. Of course, the fall foliage here is not as vivid as that you'd see in New England, but still... it's a nice reminder that seasons are changing, and that winter is coming soon. Speaking of which...
- Daylight Savings Time in the United States (and Canada?) ends this weekend. I will be curious to know if the infamous iPhone alarm bug, which had wreaked havoc in Europe last week, will hit North America as well. Father Roderick had discussed the alarm bug on his latest episode (#756) of The Break. I don't have an analog alarm clock, but I'll set two alarms for Sunday: one an hour earlier and one at the time I intended to wake up.
- I have to leave shortly for a wedding rehearsal... in the meantime, I know this is a little late, but better late than never, right? After all, the Episcopal church where I play the organ will be celebrating All Saints' Sunday this coming Sunday, so.... I'd like to take this time to remember my relatives who have gone before me: Lolo Juan and Lola Ina, Lolo Cado, Tito El, Tito Romy, Tita Norma, Tito Paeng, Tito Chito, and Junior. REQUIEM aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
It looks like I'll just make it to have a post for today... ~glances at the clock~
First of all: Happy 5th Birthday to my niece, Ella! We'll be celebrating her birthday at Disney World the last week of December. Rumour also has it that we'll be spending a few days at Universal Studios... which means... yes! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I'm hoping to do some sound-seeing tours whilst there. So watch out for them. :)
Speaking of Harry Potter... the first part of Deathly Hallows is going to be released in... 15 days!!! I am hoping to see it as close to opening day as possible. I'm sure my fellow Secrets of Harry Potter panel members are going to want to record a podcast with our reactions to this film.
Speaking of which... we do have plans to continue recording with notes for several shows already prepared. We're hoping to be able to schedule some time to record soon, so stay tuned.
I've been practicing more than usual lately... I'll be playing a wedding on Saturday, and then will start rehearsals with the NC Pinoy Choir on Sunday. I'm looking forward to seeing that group again. We really became close whilst preparing for the San Lorenzo Ruiz Mass. Even though Simbang Gabi/Misa de Gallo generally goes for nine days (full Novena of Masses), since the Filipino community in central North Carolina is still relatively small, we're only going to do the one Mass. And this is a relief for me: only one Mass to prepare for. The hope, however, is to grow so that we could, eventually, support the full nine Masses. At least it's a tradition we've started, and I, being a Filipino born and raised outside of the Philippines, am quite happy to be able to experience this wonderful tradition.
And for those who are already complaining about Christmas infiltrating life, the universe, and everything in November: in the Philippines, they've been having a Christmas countdown since October, and it's normal over there. So let the countdown to Christmas begin! :)
~glances at clock~
Ah. Well, it's past midnight, but the time-stamp will still read November 4. Will this still count? (Yes, I'm trying to blog every day in November... my friends are doing NaNoWriMo... I'm just doing the variant, NaBloPoMo.)
First of all: Happy 5th Birthday to my niece, Ella! We'll be celebrating her birthday at Disney World the last week of December. Rumour also has it that we'll be spending a few days at Universal Studios... which means... yes! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I'm hoping to do some sound-seeing tours whilst there. So watch out for them. :)
Speaking of Harry Potter... the first part of Deathly Hallows is going to be released in... 15 days!!! I am hoping to see it as close to opening day as possible. I'm sure my fellow Secrets of Harry Potter panel members are going to want to record a podcast with our reactions to this film.
Speaking of which... we do have plans to continue recording with notes for several shows already prepared. We're hoping to be able to schedule some time to record soon, so stay tuned.
I've been practicing more than usual lately... I'll be playing a wedding on Saturday, and then will start rehearsals with the NC Pinoy Choir on Sunday. I'm looking forward to seeing that group again. We really became close whilst preparing for the San Lorenzo Ruiz Mass. Even though Simbang Gabi/Misa de Gallo generally goes for nine days (full Novena of Masses), since the Filipino community in central North Carolina is still relatively small, we're only going to do the one Mass. And this is a relief for me: only one Mass to prepare for. The hope, however, is to grow so that we could, eventually, support the full nine Masses. At least it's a tradition we've started, and I, being a Filipino born and raised outside of the Philippines, am quite happy to be able to experience this wonderful tradition.
And for those who are already complaining about Christmas infiltrating life, the universe, and everything in November: in the Philippines, they've been having a Christmas countdown since October, and it's normal over there. So let the countdown to Christmas begin! :)
~glances at clock~
Ah. Well, it's past midnight, but the time-stamp will still read November 4. Will this still count? (Yes, I'm trying to blog every day in November... my friends are doing NaNoWriMo... I'm just doing the variant, NaBloPoMo.)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Brunhilde Engelhardt, organ
My apologies to the Facebook crowd who will try to read this as an imported note. The formatting is strange, but I like how cleanly it appears at Blogger, so I encourage you to click on "View Original Post", which will take you to the post on Blogger.
Today, as part of Bach's Lunch at the Chapel of the Cross, Bruni Engelhardt of St. John's Episcopal Church in Wilmington, NC, presented a wonderful program, featuring music of Buxtehude, Böhm, Bach, and Mendelssohn. It was really nice to hear her play.
Here is the program.
Today, as part of Bach's Lunch at the Chapel of the Cross, Bruni Engelhardt of St. John's Episcopal Church in Wilmington, NC, presented a wonderful program, featuring music of Buxtehude, Böhm, Bach, and Mendelssohn. It was really nice to hear her play.
Here is the program.
Praeludium in D (BuxWV 139) Dietrich Buxtehude (1637–1707) Chorale Prelude Vater unser im Himmelreich Georg Böhm (1661–1733) Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter (BWV 650) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 645) Bach Sonata VI Vater unser im Himmelreich Choral Andante sostenuto Allegro molto Fuga Finale Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Monday, November 1, 2010
More on All Hallows Eve
Of late, there has been some debate amongst my friends as to what is the origin of Halloween. My Secrets of Harry Potter co-hosts and I discussed it in our latest episode (Episode #61, Harry's Halloween).
Last night, I went to Duke University Chapel's All Hallows Eve service, which featured music sung by the Duke Vespers Ensemble under the direction of Allan Friedman. (I will post the music list a little later.) Here is an excerpt from the bulletin titled, "About All Hallows' Eve".
Tonight is the eve of All Saints Day, the festival in the Church that recalls the faith and witness of the men and women who have come before us. The service celebrates our continuing communion with them, and memorializes the recently deceased. The early church followed the Jewish custom that a new day began at sundown; thus, feasts and festivals in the church were observed beginning on the night before. The night before All Saints (or All Hallows) became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.
Last night, I went to Duke University Chapel's All Hallows Eve service, which featured music sung by the Duke Vespers Ensemble under the direction of Allan Friedman. (I will post the music list a little later.) Here is an excerpt from the bulletin titled, "About All Hallows' Eve".
Tonight is the eve of All Saints Day, the festival in the Church that recalls the faith and witness of the men and women who have come before us. The service celebrates our continuing communion with them, and memorializes the recently deceased. The early church followed the Jewish custom that a new day began at sundown; thus, feasts and festivals in the church were observed beginning on the night before. The night before All Saints (or All Hallows) became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween.
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