Just in case you missed it, the Tabernacle Choir publishing staff posted a blog entry this week recounting the Choir's accomplishments during 2020. You can check that out HERE. I think I covered most of them throughout the year, here in this blog. I still get questions every week from friends and neighbors and even family members asking about what 2021 has in store for the Choir and all I can tell them is what I know for sure: that no one knows when we'll be able to sing again. Still. If I put on my speculation hat, my hope would be sometime in the Fall. It all depends, really, on how quickly the vaccination process goes. The Choir leadership and/or Church for that matter, has not mandated that we get the vaccine. And I really don't know if they'll eventually require everyone to get it before we can sing again. Our Choir organization resident physician has encouraged us to get it whenever it becomes available to us. But no word yet on whether that will turn into a requirement.
One of the choir members posed a question on our Facebook group asking what everyone has been doing, musically, during this pandemic break. It was kind of fun to read through the responses. We have people who have acted/sung in musical performances, played the organ for weekly congregational meetings, led the music for such meetings (me included), sung solos or in small groups in such meetings, and professionally recorded songs. Some of have even done some exciting solo performances while in the shower or while walking their dog. That all said, I'm sure for most of us, our voices are ready to leave this "pandemic pause" behind and push the play button again!
I'm always amazed at various choirs and their motivation, ability, and desires to find ways to still perform during this time of social distancing requirements. I received a comment in response to last week's post in which a sister from Tasmania reported that the choir she's in (Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus) put together a video of their performance of "The Ground" by Ola Gjeilo. You can see this beautiful video HERE. The Tabernacle Choir has sung "The Ground" on numerous occasions and it's a really transcendent and peaceful piece to both sing and to listen to. So I'm glad other choirs are singing are performing it. Thank you, sister Helen, for filling the world with beautiful music during this time when it's needed the most!
That's about all I've got this week. Make this next week a great one, huh?
Until next time, God be with you.
I'm really glad you enjoyed the TSOChorus' presentation of "The Ground'. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I hadn't even thought to check if the Tabernacle Choir had done it (unfortunately I have a tendency to associate the Tabernacle Choir almost solely with conference hymn renditions, since that it is the main place I encounter it here on the other side of the world ... forgetting that, of course, the Choir has a much broader repertoire). A quick Google search yielded a suitable rendition: it was a wonderful rich and soothing performance that I enjoyed greatly. Although we were singing together at each of the outdoor locations (socially distanced), the actual audio for the video came from our individual home-made solo videos, and there is a difference, I think, between the composite multi-track singing done of necessity and what can be achieved when a choir truly sings together as one as the Tabernacle Choir were able to do. May the time soon come when you can enjoy that unity of sound and purpose once more.
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