One Day More

"This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."

2010-01-16T15:50:00.003-06:00

I believe that it is time for me to get back into blogging. As if I need another medium to express myself...

However, this time I hope to update it more frequently (and preferably with more enriching content). Still, I'm not making any huge promises...

A few interesting things you might like:

I shamelessly use elipses... There! Did you see it?
"Ain't that neat? I wonder if that's Mister Ed. I loved him. Did he die?"
I used to be a Power Rangers fanatic. I still secretly wish I could go up to the attic at my house and get out all of those toys and play with them. Wasn't life much more simple as a child?
A Thesaurus is an excellent contrivance when trying to resonate in an impeccably articulate manner.

Okay, enough for now.

Flow My Tears - John Dowland

2009-06-30T17:34:00.002-05:00

Flow, my tears, fall from your springs!
Exiled for ever, let me mourn;
Where night's black bird her sad infamy sings,
There let me live forlorn.

Down vain lights, shine you no more!
No nights are dark enough for those
That in despair their lost fortunes deplore.
Light doth but shame disclose.

Never may my woes be relieved,
Since pity is fled;
And tears and sighs and groans my weary days
Of all joys have deprived.

From the highest spire of contentment
My fortune is thrown;
And fear and grief and pain for my deserts
Are my hopes, since hope is gone.

Hark! you shadows that in darkness dwell,
Learn to contemn light
Happy, happy they that in hell
Feel not the world's despite.

Announcement

2009-03-01T14:27:00.001-06:00

Coming soon...

www.briandentonmusic.com

Why I Chose Music Education

2009-01-22T01:45:00.003-06:00

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." Those immortal words spoken by the acclaimed author Victor Hugo are words in which I wholeheartedly believe. Growing up, I discovered that through music, I was able to express who I am and share the joy and gift that is music. It was only naturally that as I ended my secondary education at Mortimer Jordan High School and had to choose an area in which I would major in college that I gravitated towards pursuing a degree in music. I then began to reflect on how much my life was impacted on by music and I knew that I had this great passion for music because of my family’s encouragement and desire for me to pursue happiness in wherever life led me. I also knew that I had this passion for music because of the passion instilled in me by my high school choir director, Mrs. Margaret Heron. It was Mrs. Heron’s passion for music and teaching music that inspired me to want become a teacher. So, as I went through college at Jefferson State Community College earning credits toward my Associate of Arts degree and my future Bachelor of Arts in Music Education degree that I knew I would one day graduate with from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, I began to think precisely about why I wanted to be a teacher. I concluded that I chose to enter the field of education for three reasons; they are--because of my passion to reach out to high school teenagers, because I want to share my passion for music with others, and because I believe that teaching is the greatest thing I can do with my life to leave a legacy.

First, I want to be a teacher because of my passion to reach out to high school teenagers. As stated previously, when I was in that age demographic, one teacher in particular affected my life and instilled in me a passion for music and a passion to teach others about music. Mrs. Heron always would take time out of her busy schedule, in and outside of class, just to sit and talk with me about my life and about choosing to be a musician and eventually my choice to become a music educator. Joan Zatorski, a noted American educator, once said, “It takes a special person—with patience and wisdom to share—to unlock the treasure awaiting within children everywhere.” Mrs. Heron was that special person who unlocked that treasure inside of me, that is, my passion for music and music education.

Second, I want to be a teacher because of my passion for music. I have always been musically inclined since I was a young age when I used to take piano lessons and sing in church until now when I sing in professional vocal ensembles throughout the Birmingham area. As noted previously, I believe that music expresses your innermost feelings that words sometimes fail to describe. So, I sing. I play instruments. I analyze music scores. I learn the theory behind the music. I conduct the music. Most importantly, I listen and by listening, I can understand and interpret the shared passion behind the music, that is, the passion of the composer and the passion of the performer. This is my passion for music, a major element of the legacy I aspire to leave behind.

Third, I believe that teaching is the greatest thing I can do with my life to leave a legacy. Since a young age, I have always heard that life is not about what you accomplish or how successful you are, but about leaving a legacy—a legacy that touches lives and inspires change for the better. Through music education, I am able to impart knowledge and share my passion of music with others, and I hope that by doing so, I can leave that legacy through my future students. By doing so, I might be to a student as Mrs. Heron was to me, and someone else would gain a passion for music to share with others and by teaching, I might enable them to leave their legacy in this same manor.

This is why I chose music education.

Music, when soft voices die...

2009-01-12T23:42:00.002-06:00

"Music, when soft voices die" by P. B. Shelley

Music, when soft voices die
Vibrates in the memory;
Odours, when sweet violets sicken,
Live within the sense they quicken;

Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,
Are heap'd for the beloved's bed:
And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,
Love itself shall slumber on.

Test from BlackBerry

2008-10-21T00:19:00.000-05:00

Let's see if this works.
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeed

Current Happenings

2008-09-20T11:10:00.000-05:00

Preface:
I need to apologize to those of you who actually follow this blog. I'm a horrible blog sinner and I haven't updated in forever like all good little boy bloggers and girl bloggers should. For this, I apologize.

Getting You Up to Speed:
Family - I just got back from Washington D.C. where I went with my family to celebrate with my grandmother, Bettye Kimbrell, receiving the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment of the Arts. We are so very proud of her and what all she has accomplished with her quilting. D.C. was marvelous. I loved all the history that was there. We toured the Capitol Building and got to sit in the gallery in the House of Representatives, courtesy of Representative Spencer Bacchus. We also went to the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights. This was a favorite moment of mine. We also toured the major monuments. I loved the Lincoln Memorial. It was awesome. We went to Arlington National Cemetary and walked around there. We saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers as well as The Eternal Flame at JFK's tomb. This was a very somber event. I really enjoyed spending time with my family in Washintgon.

School - Wow, I am super busy with classes this semester. Music History, Conducting I, and Theory III are seriously testing me. These three classes are not easy and require much study time. I also am in three performing ensembles which require much rehearsal. UAB Concert Choir - we are getting our repertoire ready for our trip to Cincinatti to participate in the NCO Convention. UAB Chamber Singers - are preparing for Video Games Live!, an event we will sing at with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. UAB Opera - This semester, I was chosen to be the Assistant to the Director for our production of Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors. I am also in the chorus for this opera and I have auditions for our spring production of Mozart's The Magic Flute that are coming up in a week or so.

Life - Things are going alright overall right now. Two weeks ago, I joined the Birmingham Concert Chorale, the official chorus of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. I rehearse with them on Monday nights and will perform with them on Handel's Messiah and Orff's Carmina Burana with the ASO. I am also being saught after for being hired as a paid musician for some local churches to sing in their church choir. Although the extra income would be nice, I have not agreed to any present offers just yet because I really do not want to leave Mountaintop. I love my church and I just cannot see myself not serving there right now. Btw... the new website for Mountaintop Community Church is awesome! Check it out at http://www.mountaintopchurch.com if you get a chance.

Well sports fans, I guess I'll wrap this blog entry up. Comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Later!

B

Love Song

2008-09-20T10:43:00.000-05:00

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
by T.S. Eliot

Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question. . .
Oh, do not ask, "What is it?"
Let us go and make our visit.

In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,
And seeing that it was a soft October night
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.

And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions
And for a hundred visions and revisions
Before the taking of a toast and tea.

In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair—
[They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!"]
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—
[They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"]
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

For I have known them all already, known them all;
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?

And I have known the eyes already, known them all—
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?
And how should I presume?

And I have known the arms already, known them all—
Arms that are braceleted and white and bare
[But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!]
Is it perfume from a dress
That makes me so digress?
Arms that lie along a table, or wrap about a shawl.
And should I then presume?
And how should I begin?

Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets
And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows?

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.

And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!
Smoothed by long fingers,
Asleep . . . tired . . . or it malingers,
Stretched on the floor, here beside you and me.
Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet–and here's no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.

And would it have been worth it, after all,
After the cups, the marmalade, the tea,
Among the porcelain, among some talk of you and me,
Would it have been worth while,
To have bitten off the matter with a smile,
To have squeezed the universe into a ball
To roll it toward some overwhelming question,
To say: "I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all"
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say, "That is not what I meant at all.
That is not it, at all."

And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while,
After the sunsets and the dooryards and the sprinkled streets,
After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor—
And this, and so much more?—
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen:
Would it have been worth while
If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl,
And turning toward the window, should say:
"That is not it at all,
That is not what I meant, at all."

No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.

I grow old . . . I grow old . . .
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think they will sing to me.

I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.

We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.

I love literature. I swear that if I wasn't a music major, I would potentially be an English major simply because I love to read classic literature and try and relate it to life.

Drawing to a Close

2008-07-30T14:33:00.003-05:00

Yes, Summer is beginning to end for me. I've taken all of my final exams save one which I will take tomorrow. After that, I'm just working MWF for the next two weeks and I will probably take off a day or so from work just to relax some before the Fall semester begins.

I finalized my Fall schedule yesterday. I'm taking 18 hours this semester as opposed to the original 20 hours I was going to take. Here is a rundown of my classes I'm taking:

MU 321 - Music Theory III - Ms. Dale Reynolds
MU 324 - Aural Skills III - Ms. Dale Reynolds
MU 329 - Conducting I - Dr. Jeff Reynolds
MU 471 - Music History and Literature to 1750 - Dr. Howard Irving
MUP 001 - Performance Attendance - Dr. Gene Fambrough
MUP 124 - Class Piano - Ms. Rosalind Rust
MUP 125 - Piano Proficiency - Ms. Rosalind Rust
MUP 132 - Class Woodwinds - Dr. Denise Gainey
MUP 136 - Class Percussion - Dr. Gene Fambrough
MUP 220/220L - Concert Choir - Dr. Philip Copeland
MUP 240 - Private Lessons: Voice - Dr. Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk
MUP 320 - Chamber Singers - Dr. Philip Copeland
MUP 420 - Opera Workshop - Dr. Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk

So as you can see, my schedule is full this semester. Not to mention, in September I am traveling to Washington D.C. with my family for my grandmother's acceptance of the National Endowment of the Arts Lifetime Heritage Fellowship, traveling to Cincinnatti in October with the UAB Concert Choir to sing at the National Collegiate Choral Organization Conference, and travel to Joe Wheeler State Park in Langston, AL for Thanksgiving break with my family.

Overall, I am looking forward to what the fall brings: great music and reconnection with great friends.

Until next time,

Brian

Hmm... let's see here

2008-07-24T17:11:00.001-05:00

Okay... does this work too?

Check One... Check One...

2008-07-24T16:58:00.001-05:00

Okay, so here is my first attempt of updating my blog other than going to blogger.com to do so. I am attempting to update the blog by sending this post through my email. I will next attempt to update my blog from my cell phone. Here goes nothing...

B

Catching up!

2008-06-19T09:18:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm really loving the fact that I can get online now for free at Starbucks now. I'm sitting here sipping my second cup o' coffee typing away on my blog while I have some time to kill before class. Dr. Copeland would be proud...I'm having a Venti BOLD with Cream. :)

I NEED AN ESCAPE! I'm getting tired of this routine I'm in of Work-School-Work-School-Work-Work-REST (Just in case you're trying to figure that out, that's my schedule Monday-Sunday of any given week during this summer). I can't wait till the Fourth of July weekend. I'm going up to Guntersville with my family for a whole weekend of rest and relaxation. Its going to be great!

So, this Saturday, my dear beloved friend Janna Stevens is getting married to Michael Bradt. I have the wonderful honor of being an usher in her wedding. :) This is a first for me. In the past, I've been a ring bearer when I was a youngling and I've also performed at many a wedding. I think being an usher will be fun. I told Janna that I wanted to have a security ear piece and have a microphone in my cuff. She said that it wouldn't be that kind of wedding... sad day.

Well, I'm about to do my devotion for the day before I go to class.

I hope you have a VENTI-BOLD-DECAF-ORGANIC-TWO PUMP MOCHA-DOPPIO-WITH WHIP-DAY! (Warning: You probably shouldn't order this drink).

Brian

p.s. Check the bottom of my blog for a slideshow of pictures from my recent trip to Ireland with the UAB Concert Choir!

My Memaw

2008-05-30T10:31:00.004-05:00

I'm so proud of my grandmother. Check out this article from The Birmingham News:

Mt. Olive quilter wins NEA award
Posted by Alec Harvey -- Birmingham News May 28, 2008 9:29 AM

Bettye Kimbrell of Mt. Olive is one of 11 recipients of a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The National Heritage Fellowships are the country's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, according to the NEA.

Bettye Kimbrell

In 1979, Kimbrell organized a quilt show to raise money for the Mt. Olive Community Center, and out of that came the North Jefferson Quilters' Guild.

In 1995, Kimbrell received the Alabama Folk Heritage Award.

Here is a quilt that Memaw created based from a design my Mom created:

Back to the Ordinary

2008-05-25T17:18:00.005-05:00

Wow, I really meant to update daily while over in Ireland, but internet was really expensive over there.

Okay, so I know everyone who reads my blog but doesn't have Facebook is dying to see all my pictures from Ireland. So you can check them out here in my online album (http://picasaweb.google.com/briankdenton/Ireland).

I love my parents! When I got home around 3 in the morning from Ireland, my apartment was clean and Mom and Dad decorated my room in addition to giving my XTerra a complete tune up and work over. It was great! Here is a good picture of them from Christmastime:

Well, of recent happenings, I have recorded the first song I plan on using for a cd I will put out sometime in the near future. My friend Marcus recorded and mastered this song. So as a treat, here it is for your listening pleasure:

More later! I hope all this works!

Brian

Do You Hear The People Sing?

2008-05-02T15:17:00.003-05:00

Today started with a rehearsal at the Cork School of Music. We met there and rehearsed for our concert at the Carrignafoy Community College in Cobh (about 30 minutes outside of Cork). Now, when I say we went to a Community College, it was not like Jefferson State Community College. Here in Ireland, a college is similar to a high school. The University is relative to an American college or university. So today we performed in the gymnasium of the college (which had amazing acoustics). The concert was great! We have had so many wonderful performances since we've been here. I'm pumped about tomorrow night's competition.

Tomorrow night is the real deal. The reason we're here in Ireland. We have 12 minutes to sing our hearts out and make magic with the wonderful music that we're performing. We're ready. Our Spring concert back at home was just the start for this choir.

Here is a picture of us after yesterday's concert at the Cork City Hall for the National Competition for Schools. We were one of the featured international choirs that closed out the competition.

Also, to view the pictures that I've taken so far while in Ireland, head over to Brian's Ireland Pictures to view them. I haven't tagged them yet, but they are up for you to see. Enjoy!

I'm also taking some video while over here and I'm uploading them to YouTube as often as I can. Internet is pricy and slow over here, so bear with me.

One thing I thought was interesting about today was after our concert at Cobh, we went to the Heritage Center at Cobh. This place is where nearly every Irish immigrant to the United States departed from. This was also where the Titanic and Lusitania both made port last before their untimely ends. Cobh, as it is now known, was once known as Queensland (during the Titanic era) and Cove previously (Cobh is gaelic for "Cove"). There was of course a memorial to the victims and survivors of the Titanic there.

Well, I'm about to start winding down for the night. It is almost 10:00 p.m. here. Tomorrow, some friends and I are taking a trip to Blarney to visit Blarney Castle, home of the famous Blarney Stone. I'll post pics!

Love and Miss you all! Leave comments! They are very encouraging!

These are a few of my favourite things...

2008-05-01T13:02:00.004-05:00

Notice, I spelled "favorite" with a "u" as it is spelled here in Ireland and the UK.

One thing I love about Ireland is that they offer tea and coffee at every meal. I have always been a lover of hot tea, but to have authentic Irish tea is a good thing. I'm digging this!

Hmm... patton leather tux shoes were not made to leisurely walk around the city. My feet are sore after today, but I am going to have to get used to it because we will be walking in our tuxes alot while here.

Daytime vs. Nighttime is weird here in Ireland. Yesterday, the sun set around 8:30 p.m. and this morning when we woke up at 6:30 it was already up. I guess since we're so far up in the northern hemisphere there are little nighttime hours.

Today we performed three times. This morning we performed at the Bishopstown Library in Cork. We performed our competition pieces and three other pieces. We were well received there. We were actually the first choir to perform at that library. It was a great performance even though we had little space to perform in.

After our performance, they had a reception for us with muffins and water. It was interesting because you had to make the distinction between what type of water you wanted, flat or sparkling. After talking with the locals, Patrick decided to tell us a story.

Just so you know, here is a rundown of the songs we're performing while here in Ireland:

Competition Pieces
Regina Coeli - Romauld Twardowski (b. 1930)
Nunc Dimitis - Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934)
So Far Ich Hin Zu Jesu Christ - Heinrich Schutz (1585 - 1672)
wITH a Lily In Your Hand - Eric Whitacre (b. 1970)

Other Concert Choir Pieces
Song of Triumph - Dale Grotenhuis (b. 1931)
Lord's Prayer - Arr. Jerry Jordan (b. 1946)
Star of the County Down - Arr. Ben Perry (b. 1965)
Silence of Time - Darmon Meador (b. 1953)
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands - Arr. Raymond Liebau (b. 1937)

Chamber Singers Pieces
Haec dies - William Byrd (1539-1543 - 1623)
Michelle - Arr. Grayston Ives (b. 1948)
Country Dances - Arr. Ward Swingle (b. 1927)

After our performance at the Bishopstown Library, we headed over to Cork City Hall to meet the Lord Mayor of Cork and officially be welcomed by him and we performed a private performance just for him inside the City Council Chamber. We performed Star of the County Down, and he was very pleased. He said he knew that piece (since it was an Irish piece) and he was glad we performed a Swingle Singers piece especially since they were the opening choir for the Cork International Choral Festival last year.

After our performance for the Lord Mayor, we performed as the closing choir for the National Competition for Schools at Cork City Hall. We performed Song of Triumph, Silence of Time, and Star of the County Down. They really seemed to enjoy our performance. It was a little while before they stopped clapping at the end of our set.

Here are a few pictures from our day today:

Linc and I are International Choirstars

The two B's

The view from my hotel room in Cork

Well, that is about all for today. I'm off to supper!

Love and Miss you all!

LEAVE SOME COMMENTS PLEASE!!!

Brian

Across the Waters

2008-04-30T12:45:00.002-05:00

WE MADE IT!! We're in Ireland!

First things first...

Jet lag is not fun. I'm so tired right now as I'm typing this, but I must stay awake so I can sleep tonight and regulate my sleep cycle. I was able to sleep some on the plane, but the crying child would not allow me to sleep peacefully while we crossed the waters.

So here we are in Ireland. I'm in Cork, Ireland to be more specific. Tomorrow starts the various singing events that we are performing in for the Cork International Choral Festival (http://www.corkchoral.ie/). We have our first rehearsal since the last time we met in the States in a little while. I'm excited to see how we sound. I'm taking many pics while I'm here (thanks to my best friend Roxy for letting me borrow her camera). I'll try and post some as I'm over here. However, I'm not sure when I'll be online as we have to pay for internet usage at the hotel. It is 10 euro for 24 hours of internet usage. But I might possibly find a public venue with free wifi.

Well folks, I have to get ready for rehearsal.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for our safety while we're away.

Much love,

Brian

The Return of Brian

2008-04-26T09:29:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know it has been forever since I last posted anything on here, so I apologize to all of you who read this (Especially Dr. Copeland... because we all know he likes to keep little tabs on all our lives... j/k).

I am leaving for Ireland in 3 days.

Final exams are done with, Juries are over with (thank God), AND I don't have to write a paper until the end of May. So I am somewhat content with life right now.

I have so much packing and preparation to do before Tuesday morning. Here is a semi-run down of the coming days:

Tuesday (4/29): Leave UAB on a charter bus to Atlanta. Fly from Atlanta to Chicago, then fly overnight from Chicago to Shannon, Ireland.

Wednesday (4/30): Arrive in Shannon, Ireland then take a charter bus to Cork, Ireland.

Thursday (5/1)- Monday (5/5): Compete in the Cork International Choral Festival.

Tuesday (5/6) - Wednesday (5/7): Arrive in Dublin, Ireland for sightseeing and fun. Leave on Wednesday to go back to the United States.

Thursday (5/8): Begin Summer classes.

So as you can see, I have no downtime from Tuesday on through the rest of May (until my Foundations of Education II class ends).

But I am really excited about our trip.

I am going to try and update this blog regularly while i'm in Ireland so friends and family back home can hear about my exploits as an international choral star! Hah!

You can also check out our choir's blog at http://uabchoirs.blogspot.com, as I'm sure that Dr. Copeland will update it frequently while we're away.

Well, I hope everyone is well and I look forward seeing everyone when I return.

Much love,

Brian

Well...that's SOMETHING...

2008-04-01T22:33:00.002-05:00

Check this out. This is Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy socialite from New York. She has a plethera of money, so she would hire the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on a whim just to sing with them and perform concerts. However, Mrs. Jenkins does not have the "best" of voices. Watch this as she sings the Queen of the Night's aria, "Der Holle Rache," from Mozart's The Magic Flute.

A New Readability Level

2008-03-15T14:04:00.002-05:00

Movie Reviews

Hooray! My word usage has improved, so now my blog is rated on a College reading level. Smashing!

Rainy Day

2008-03-15T10:51:00.005-05:00

Yet another Saturday where I'm stuck at work. This week has been my Spring Break and it hasn't been that great. Let's see, I worked Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday I was at the ENT most of the day (They did a Laryngoscopy on me to check out my vocal chords and stuff. Minor swelling, but nothing that some good ol' antibiotics won't cure. I also couldn't hear anything hardly out of my left ear, but now that is better. Stupid ear infections...), Thursday I observed at Minor High School (a joy as always), Friday, I worked, and today (guess what...) I am working again.

Okay, so I am officially in love with Mozart's Requiem. I went to the library on Thursday and I checked out a recording of it done by the Academy and Chorus of St. Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner and it is superb! I also checked out a book called Choral Masterworks by Michael Steinberg. It is a listener's guide to many choral masterpieces. I'm reading it along with listening to Requiem. It is very insightful.

I'm really releived that Pirates of Penzance is over with. It was loads of fun and I was so glad that I got to be a part of it. From what I hear, everyone who saw it loved it and had nothing but positive things to say about it. Congrats to all who were involved!

Well, I don't have much to say at this time, so I shall conclude this post.

Adieu!

Cough...Cough...Cough...

2008-02-29T18:06:00.003-06:00

...is all that I've been doing today it seems.

Okay, I'm officially sick, but I'm also officially recovering. I went to the doc yesterday and she diagnosed me with Pharyngitis and an Upper Respiratory Infection. Not fun. So after a steroid shot and some antibiotics and such, I'm somewhat recovering.

But on top of the sickness, Pirates opens next week. We've had a rehearsal nearly every night this week and being sick and having no voice makes it a bit hard to put forth all of your effort and energy into a rehearsal. But things have gone well so far. Tomorrow begins Tech Week (or more affectionately known as HELL WEEK!!!).

So today, also whilst being sick, I had to attend a mandantory fitness lab for my HPE 200 class. At the lab, I had to run/walk 1.5 miles, do curl-ups, and do push-ups. I will say that I am proud of myself for walking the 1.5 miles in 23 minutes and 30 seconds whilst having Asthma and an upper respiratory infection on top of that. Yes, that is not fast at all, but I survived (for the most part) and I'm here to blog about it. We won't go into the curl-ups and push-ups...

Well, I just got in from Pirates rehearsal and I'm whooped. I've got a few things to do before bed, so I'm off...

Comments are much appreciated...

Brian

Brahms' Requiem: A Review

2008-02-16T09:14:00.003-06:00

Check out Michael Huebner's review for Brahms' Requiem (of which I am singing in again tonight). I'm included in his review for the Tenors. Although I don't quite agree with what all he wrote.

Here is an excerpt from his review. To view the entire review, go to http://blog.al.com/mhuebner/2008/02/alabama_symphony.html.

Some of the finer moments of the work approached greatness. Driven by Brahms' moody, heart-wrenching melodies, the combined Birmingham Concert Chorale and UAB Concert Choir delivered warmth in "Denn alles Fleisch," the tenors belting out a startling "Aber des Herrn Wort." They hit their stride toward the end of "Denn wir habe hie," blending beautifully with the ASO brasses and strings.

Another Jan and Bri Joint Production...

2008-02-04T23:46:00.000-06:00

Okays, so here's another blog entry that Jan and I have done recently, except this time, there's a video or two to accompany it. Enjoy!

This is another Janna and Brian blog. It will be spirited and wonderful. Please read with utmost care.

“Although it is a rather dreary day in the city, I cannot help but think of the lovely, balmy weather of springtime. It will be the perfect weather for the wearing of cute skirts.”—Janna

“Do you want to hear me sing?”—Brian
“No.”—Janna

These are just a couple of interesting quotes from our day together thus far. We got together today at around 10 at the Hulsey. We got into the car and encountered Jeremiah; afterwards, we persuaded him to come with us for brunch. At McDonald’s, we purchased breakfast items (for brunch, of course), and devoured them hungrily.

We went to the bank. Sadly, Jeremiah discovered he still had no money.

After this, we dropped Jeremiah off at his dorm and traversed back to the apartment. We made coffee and ate biscotti. Having scarfed down the deliciousness of coffee and nnnnbiscotti, we then decided to blog together. This has become a new tradition of ours and it is something people speak of when they read our blogs.

But sad times occurred, when we decided to connect to the internet, we ran into many barricades, so we had to write this blog separately and will have to update it at a later time.

Stressfulness is not one of the Fruits of the Spirit...

2008-02-01T16:38:00.001-06:00

Stressfulness...

That pretty much sums up my past week. I'm currently employed right now, but might as well not be. FCS (namely the manager) screwed me over. They promised me hours after Christmas was over with and the store opening was done, but now I all of a sudden don't get any hours. So needless to say, I'm hunting another job. Help please...

I've been sick. My voice left me towards the end of last week and I still have not fully recovered. I had to sing today in Performance Class and my voice was scratchy...not good. Plus my asthma is flaring up again. Still not good.

I'm having to conserve every cent I have right now while I'm not working. So I can't go out tonight and hang out with my friends unless they were to come over here and watch a movie or something. Not fun...

School is kicking my butt right now. I'm taking 18 hours and it is very stressful.

Things at Mountaintop are great! God is still my refuge and strength. My faith is about the only thing that is keeping me going right now.

I know this is kind of a downer blog entry, but I just had to write about what I'm going through right now.

But don't worry, I'll make it. God always sees me through. :-)

I did get to see Amber yesterday and that made my day. So that is good. I miss Rachel...really bad. She needs to come home soon and see me. Janna and I see each other at least twice a week now. I am loving that. As always, Roxy rocks my socks off. She is the best neighbor a guy can have. Let's see, other people I miss are:

Brooke
Jessie
Micah
Meghan
Abigail
Kacey

Hmm...that's about all for now.

Bri