The literature he picked for us to sing was incredible. I was always excited for these rehearsals because he led us through so many emotions with our music. He had stories, lessons, and inspirations to share.
For Hanging of the Green, my sophomore year, we sang the Christmas portion of Handel's "Messiah." I had only done a few pieces here and there, but never the entire portion. Before we went out on stage that night to sing, Dr. D sat us all down in Yarborough Auditorium in the basement of Raley Chapel. This is a moment I will never forget. He proceeded to explain that it was his dream to conduct Handel's "Messiah." He told us stories of how, as a child, he would get in front of a mirror, play this music, grab something that resembled a baton, and conduct ... cues and all. "You are helping me live my dream," he said. I basically lost it.
In fact, this very moment was what pushed my brother to audition for Chorale the next semester. After loving the performance and hearing this story, he wanted to be a part of it.
So thank you, Dr. D, for being such a candid director and mentor. Thank you, chorale members, for such wonderful memories and beautiful music.
No comments:
Post a Comment