Carmina Burana

Besides singing for years with church choirs, I have really only sung with two other choirs.  The first was the Da Camera Singers just after I married.  It's the only choir I've ever had to audition for and I can still sing most of my audition piece by memory because I sang it so often, fearing I wouldn't make it into the choir. 

I knew the conductor and he had suggested I audition, so it really wasn't something I should have feared, but I simply don't do solos.  They freak me out and make my voice all shaky and quavery.  Why do they make choristers sing solos to audition?  I would think they want a voice that blends well.

Anyway, I got in and sang with them for two years, quitting when we moved overseas.  I still have my black folder and some original music (shhh!!) because I left the group sort of suddenly and didn't find the time to return it before moving. 

That folder haunts me, actually.  It's a useful thing to own a black music folder, but not if it is stamped in gold with the name of the choir from whom you stole it.  I can't use it in public.  Ever.  It brings all of the guilt right back.  It doesn't matter that they all have a new style folder now and wouldn't care.  I care and the guilt runs deep. 

The other choir was in Melbourne.  A university choir with talented singers and immature minds.   I dragged a Canadian friend to join with me so that I wouldn't be the only "old" member of the choir.   Two concerts stand out in my mind. 

Carmina Burana and Handel's Messiah.  Two very different pieces, to be sure.

Because of the bawdy lyrics of Carmina Burana, a lot of time was spent translating the Latin into the rowdy pub songs that they are (or that some are).  Only to truly understand the emotion we were supposed to be expressing.  Yeah, right.  That's were the immature university minds came in.  Anyway, it was lots of fun to sing and I'm doing it again this weekend.

Da Camera is very different than my university choir.  The concentration is on the correct pronunciation of the German Latin versus Italian Latin (versus Pig Latin) and not one actual translation has been mentioned in our practices. Interesting.  And having read the translation again, they aren't as giggle-causing as I remember.   

The occasion?  I haven't joined Da Camera again.  Partly because of the fear of rejection after another audition, but also because of time.  No, they are celebrating their 50th Anniversary and welcomed alumni back in for a joint concert.  Without any auditions!  So I'm back. 

The concert is on Sunday afternoon and should be really good.  Much different that my first singing of this work because there are sooo many people involved.  Around 90 choristers (including the current Da Camera Singers and the willing & able alumni), plus two grand pianos, 45-member children's choir and a percussion group.  And everyone I've spoken to or sung beside is amazingly good!   I can't wait to hear it with the percussion during tomorrow's practice.

I don't have any tickets for the concert, but you can get them at the door (and get more info here). 

Now, what folder am I going to use?  I think I'll bring my church choir folder instead of admitting any guilty crimes.  I don't want them to kick me out now!

Da Camera Singers  and Ev present

Carmina Burana

Sunday, 3:00 pm, First Presbyterian Church