I am obsessed with this right now...

This is Meredith Monk, composer/filmmaker/performance artist and all-around awesome woman.  She's very modern, and yet her music sounds ancient and fundamental.  I have been very lucky to participate in her workshop on campus this week!  I learned a lot about improvisational dance forms (not my element, but I had fun doing it!) and performed some very interesting vocal compositions.  Meredith invented what she calls "extended vocal technique," in which the voice is used as an instrument, an instrument that is as flexible as a spine or a hand.  Glottal trills, overtones, and mixed meter, oh my!

I've also been working hard at building my modern music choir, which is a ton of work but very fulfilling for me.  We are slowly establishing ourselves and working towards a short program of some really interesting music.  We'll get there!

Third, Holy Week was super-exhausting.  My solo went great though!  :)

And, I'll be singing Mozart's Requiem this June!

Warning: choir geekery ahead.

So, ever since I sang a Hildegard von Bingen chant as a solo this summer, I've been the go-to girl for plainsong at St. Thomas. Last night, Choirmaster asked me to sing the Exsultet at next year's Easter Vigil mass. What!! This is a 15-minute unaccompanied solo, sung entirely in Latin and by candlelight, for the longest and most beautiful mass of the year. (How an unbaptized agnostic like myself ever got into this position continues to surprise me.) Because St. Thomas has never used a female singer before for the Exsultet, Choirmaster still needs to ask the higher-ups about whether to be sexist about this or not. One of the sopranos remarked, "But she's not a woman; she's a boy." It was a very strange comment, but I took it as a compliment -- boy voices are ever so lovely.

Consider the video below, which has been trending on my FB news feed the past few days. How, you may ask, does a charming video of two choir boys singing a Rossini duet get over 1.5 million views? Because the Internet LOVES cats.



Not satisfied with the simple enjoyment of a single video on this topic, I clicked on the related video below. I like this video because of the loving closeups of their angelic faces, and the extra dose of surrealism that kicks in at about 4:46. Also, they speak French.



By the way, the cute brunette boy grew up to be a sizzlin' baritone. Here is his website.

Jackpot!

I was browsing the Used Music section at my local thrift store, and was delighted to discover that someone had unloaded their entire collection of feminine rock from the 1990s and beyond. And 11 pieces from this collection became mine for $2 apiece! Score!

Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See (1993)
Omg, what is this monotonous, non-musical droning? And why does Hope Sandoval (my long-time crush) hit the tambourine only on the 2nd and 4th beats, for every single song? *shakes fist angrily at Hope Sandoval*

Mazzy Star - Among My Swan (1996)
This album has a lot more musical variety than STTIMS, particularly some sweet guitar licks. Mellow, but not too mellow. Great for making out to. I love Hope Sandoval again!

10,000 Maniacs - MTV Unplugged (1993)
Ahh, young Natalie Merchant. Her solo stuff is a lot more haunting and intellectual (I highly recommend her latest, "Leave Your Sleep," musical settings of Victorian-era English poetry), but it's fun to hear her rambunctious younger self with the Maniacs. Love her too!

Various Artists - Stealing Beauty soundtrack (1996)
Portishead, Cocteau Twins, Billie Holliday, lots of great stuff on this compilation. It's one of my favorite movie soundtracks... and I haven't even seen the movie. :P

Tori Amos - Under the Pink (1994)
Pretty Tori. Sad Tori. Wait a second... "Under the Pink"? Vaginal Tori.

Tori Amos - Boys for Pele (1996)
Angry Tori. Hey, is that a... piglet? Omg.

Jill Sobule - Pink Pearl (2000)
Welcome to the 21st century! "Pink Pearl", eh? I sense a theme...

Jill Sobule isn't a master songwriter, and her rhymes are a tad obvious for my tastes. But she can craft a decent hook, and the subject matter in her songs is usually really interesting: the anorexic girl at the gym, the lady with Alzheimer's that she visits, that teacher who went to jail for sleeping with her underage student. But Jill adds a light-hearted twist to stories that could easily turn tragic or judgmental. This album is really growing on me.

Ben Folds - Rockin' the Suburbs (2001)
Even though Ben's solo stuff is great, I still feel sad that Ben Folds Five broke up... ten years ago.

Sondre Lerche - Faces Down (2002)
Lush Norwegian indie rock from the Andrew Bird school of songwriting. Dig it!

Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose (2004)
This album is a collaboration between country veteran Loretta Lynn and Jack White of the White Stripes. It's a totally fun, accessible country album. It also won 2 Grammys.

She & Him - Volume One (2008)
Debut album from the pop duo consisting of M. Ward and indie sweetheart Zooey Deschanel. This album got good reviews for its nostalgic sound and infectious pop. I thought it was just okay.

What I'm consuming.

In movies:
Fantastic Mr. Fox - I know Wes Anderson is pretty highly regarded within indie/cult film circles. It's odd, it's endearing, but is it great cinema? Anyway, I really liked Fantastic Mr. Fox. I've always loved Roald Dahl and stop motion animation, and Wes Anderson's quirky sweetness lends itself well to the family genre.

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - Heath Ledger's last movie, Terry Gilliam's latest vision, and, in a brilliant casting move, my man Tom Waits plays the Devil. This is all you need to know.

The White Diamond - I love Werner Herzog so, so much. Not all his movies are good, but some of them, especially his documentaries, are great. The White Diamond is a documentary about a scientist who builds a helium airship to observe the rain forest canopy of Guyana. It contains all the themes of a typical Herzog film -- an obsessed man, the chaos of the universe, an exotic location, and absolutely gorgeous photography.

Twilight - I watched this to satisfy my morbid curiosity for this pop culture phenomenon. Now that I've seen it, I feel sad for humanity. The boys at Rifftrax/MST3K made this watchable.

In music:
Ernst Reijseger - Requiem for a Dying Planet - Avant garde cello and vocal music, used in The White Diamond. Totally brilliant.

They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science - John and John's latest installment of family-friendly, educational music. The power-pop is damn catchy, and I learned that plants, bugs, birds, fish, bacteria, and men are mostly carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. YAY!

In television:
New episodes of House, in which House and Wilson are shacking up inexplicably; and new episodes of Big Love, in which Bill chases insane ambitions and complicates his life unnecessarily. But does that prevent me from watching? Nope!

Finally! A moment to breathe.

John's out of town, I'm caught up on chores, and I finished my homework early in preparation for the Great Weekend of Eating. A lot has happened in the last few weeks, but I haven't had time to blog about it... until now!

-Life! My mom got married! I haven't gotten to know him very well, but I'm glad she has a companion. Melissa and I gave her away at the wedding. Life goes on.

-Singing! The choir performed two major works in November: Fauré's Requiem for All Souls' Day, and Howells' Magnificat for Evensong. We've got holiday masses coming up in December too: Gabrieli's Missa Brevis throughout Advent, Schubert's Mass in G for Epiphany, Haydn's Mass for St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, plus holiday sing-alongs and carols leading up to Christmas. I'm so busy with this choir, and I absolutely love it.

-School! I took a computer science class this quarter. The workload was high, but I felt in my element. I also took a linguistics class, where the students are young and cute and totally weird.

-Cute boys! My only weakness. And cute girls too, I guess. And chocolate chip cookies. :)

-Animals! Still awesome!

Coming up:

-8 events in 4 days for Thanksgiving weekend. I think this is a new record for me. I'm going to be so, so sick of eating by Sunday.

-Conference in Chicago after Thanksgiving.

-3 weeks of winter break! Let's hang out!

Barbara's Requiem.

Last night I sang at the requiem mass for Barbara, a long-time member of the St. Thomas choir. I only met Barbara a few times, but singing at her funeral was a moving experience for me.

The church was full of people who loved Barbara. Our choir swelled from 19 members to well over 50 -- former and current St. Thomas singers, and singers from other choirs she had been with. We sang Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, one of Barbara's favorites. Choirmaster Jim was amazing, directing us with his facial expressions as much as with his hands -- shhh, pianissimo, now forte, forte! Float, remember your diction, and watch me for the cutoff! All this while emoting intensely with the music, yet remaining poised throughout, not shedding tears for his dear friend until the closing hymn.

Elizabeth sang a gorgeous Pie Jesu during the Gradual, filling the church with her beautiful straight tone. One of the altos turned to her and said, "I want you to sing that at my funeral." Elizabeth replied with tears in her eyes, "Don't talk about that!"

Barbara's daughter Charity delivered a beautifully-written eulogy -- a perfect blend of levity, sentimentality, and restrained sadness. Charity lives in Wales but took on the tough responsibility of being Barbara's primary caretaker, contact, and organizer these last few weeks. Yet, she has remained cool and positive throughout. I admire her strength.

I didn't know Barbara, but I learned a lot about her last night. It was clear that she had lived an amazing life, and brought joy to many people with her incredible singing talent and exuberant personality. She was strong, having been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2004, and going into remission in 2007 before a liver metastasis finally took her at the age of 64.

It's always a sad occasion when someone passes away, but being surrounded by beautiful music and people exuding love for Barbara, even I, a stranger to Barbara, wept openly. I recall my father's funeral, where people spilled out of the chapel and into the hallway. Sometimes I believe that cancer only chooses awesome people to take away from us, but these are just the embittered thoughts of an ever-grieving daughter. In truth, death is highly random and can take any of us at any time. I can only hope that when I die, I can be as proud of the fullness of my life, and be remembered as fondly by those who loved me.

I AM A WINNER!

YAY! I've just been informed that I am the winner of The Wet Spots Lyric Challenge! The object of the game was to write a verse for song "Public Service Announcement":



As you can see, this song is about things you shouldn't put in your butt. Some of you who remember my early songwriting days know that I have some experience writing on this subject, and (if I say so myself) a bit of a gift. Behold, the small piece of bawdy brilliance which has scored me a kick-ass "Sex Nerds Know How To Do It" T-shirt, and the honor of having my verse performed by The Wet Spots themselves at their upcoming NYC show:

never put a cell phone in your rear, dear
the reception in there isn't very clear

never put a cell phone in your end, friend
your text messages will be much, much harder to send

the vibrations might be kind of fun
but how are you going to call 911?

so never, never, never, never, never, never, never put a cell phone in your bum!

I'm an ass-poetry genius!

My so-called poem.

I saw many shows,
and now I will describe them
in five-seven-five.

Kronos at Disney
with Icelandic throat singer
erotic breathing

gasping and grunting
with Harrington and the gang
my brain exploded

"One Thousand and One"
Boston Court, Pasadena
small theatres are great

Arabian nights
Scheherazade weaves her tales
brainy modern twist

student production
of "Three Penny Opera"
starring Mack the Knife!

Brecht, Weill, dark humor
I don't know whether to laugh
or die of sorrow

South Pas library
hosts sweet Sunday matinees
and provides cookies!

local string quartet
plays twentieth century
edgy brilliant works

The Big Isle awaits
working nights, sleeping alone
back May 28th!

The hills are aflame / with the sound of music.

In local news, the hills are on fire. Luckily, the roof isn't.

While the hills of Sierra Madre went up in flames, John and I obliviously watched Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, which was really, really, really funny. It probably had more laughs than Whitecastle, but a lot less subtlety and cohesiveness. Still, I recommend this movie to those who think Harold and Kumar is a layered and relevant exploration of race in America, and to those who just like pot and nudity.

This week, I'm looking forward to the new episode of House in all its slashy splendor, This American Life, Live!, Kronos Quartet at Disney Hall, L.A. Master Chorale performing modern works by some of my favorite choral composers (if we can get tickets), and a mild case of ash-lung. *cough*

Last night at the Echo.

First of all, there is no sign or marquee indicating that you have arrived at the Echo. Doesn't that make you feel like you've discovered something really underground and special?! (The abundance of free parking doesn't hurt, though.)

Second, The Section Quartet is really, really cool. They're from L.A., they're classically-trained, but they use their powers for evil, like for Radiohead and Led Zeppelin covers.

Third, as I was standing in line, I started a conversation with the guy in front of me, who was attending the concert alone. (He might have thought I was flying solo too.) We made friendly banter about music and concerts. He was pleasant and I enjoyed talking to him. After the show, he came up to me and talked about the concert, offered nice insights about the music, asked me what kind of music I liked, and so on. "Oh, how nice!" I thought. "He's flirting! Well, I like talking to him, but I'd better say something before he asks for my number." So when he asked me if I'd be buying some merchandise, I said, "Yeah, my husband's waiting in line for a CD." To which he immediately replied, "Well, it was nice talking to you!" and scurried away.

WTF, man? I understand that the possibility of scoring is a good motivator for flirtation, but it's also okay for people to engage in conversation for the sake of sharing ideas, being social, and even flirting a little just because it's fun...! *grumble grumble* Oh well, at least I know I still have a presence in the 35+ demographic (he was 39). Sigh!

Fourth, Rufus is playing at the Wiltern on 2/12. And I've decided not to go! I saw Rufus 4 times last year, and I'm a little Rufus-ed out. I never thought it would happen -- what's happening to me?!

Strings and snow days.

Hi! One great thing about this rainy weather is that it translates to fresh snow in the local mountains! John and I have been skiing at Mt. High, which is great in the powder. When the powder turns to ice, not so much. But, we've been having fun. I'm pretty much ski-ed out for the month of January. :)

Where I've been:

Yu Hongmei, erhu recital @ REDCAT. (Love.)

New Hollywood String Quartet @ local public library. (Dvorak and Debussy. I'm excited by the "modern" sound, even if it's 100 years old.)

Where I'm going:
Section Quartet @ The Echo. (Billed as "the loudest string quartet on earth." We'll see...)

Yay of the Day!

They Might Be Giants: Dan vs. Cog (video)

I'm sorry the a/v quality sucks, though. Here, the lyrics will help you understand the total greatness of this song.

FLANSBURGH (ROBOT LINNELL in parentheses):
Born out in Brooklyn (Brooklyn), and raised by his parents
He's a thirsty drummer with a taste for human beats
His name is Dan Hickey and he's come from New York City (So?)
To challenge the robot Cog (Get outta town!)

ROBOT LINNELL (FLANSBURGH in parentheses):
Rodney Brooks' brainchild, raised by grad students (grad students)
He's a thoughtful cyborg with a mind that grows and grows
His name is Cog, and he's come from MIT
To challenge the drummer man

FLANSBURGH (ROBOT LINNELL in parentheses):
That drummer guy's amazing, (no) he plays with so much emotion (so?)

ROBOT LINNELL: Human beats are stale, Cog has the future sound!
FLANSBURGH: But I like the human feel...
ROBOT LINNELL: Man, you're getting old.
FLANSBURGH: John, whose side are you on?
ROBOT LINNELL: It's over, baby.

***

In other news, omg I'm actually filling out my grad school applications. I've been procrastinating so long, I almost don't believe it!

Ouch! Zinged by Jill Sobule!

Amusing song of the day: Jill Sobule speaks out against sexy Halloween costumes. This is a very smart and funny woman! I did notice that most costumes at the online shops were of the sexy variety. Although I was rather amused by the Dumpy Ghost and Giant Twinkie costumes, eventually I did cave in to the norm -- I was a sexy bunny! And of course, Wonder Woman. :)

Where I've Been:

10/28: Welsh Choir of Southern California @ First Episcopal Church of San Marino
11/2: Spiritual Sounds of Central Asia @ Royce Hall, UCLA
11/3: ME!! @ Sacred Heart Retreat House

I love singing at Sacred Heart! I gotta say, there is something strangely appealing about living in an all-female space, making baked goods and crafts, singing "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria," and flying!! :)

In all seriousness, I've been reading about nuns in the book Virgin: The Untouched History, and bridging the gap between heaven and earth sounds really, really cool. (Remind me to tell you about Hildegard von Bingen next time I see you.) I swear, one day I'll be a nun...

(And no, not a sexy nun!)

Limerick Challenge!

I think I've found my calling!

So, They Might Be Giants has challenged their concert-going fans to write a limerick about the TMBG show they saw. I responded with a limerick of such brilliance that TMBG themselves were moved to comment on my myspace, "great limerick!" I feel so honored! The last line refers to their latest single, "The Mesopotamians."

I took the Red Line to the Avalon
(though the Metro is quite slow to travel on)
John and John played a song,
to which I sang along,
about four groovy kings of old Babylon.

I think this is a very good limerick. It features unusual rhymes without being cumbersome, contains specific details about the venue and city, and understands the historical reference of "The Mesopotamians." Visit TMBG's myspace for more fan limericks! (Most of them are "pop culture" limericks, in response to TMBG's "Limerick Challenge #2.")

I'm looking forward to hearing about the Northampton show. TMBG claims it will be very special!

Weekend of awesome!

John and I just finished our first weekend as a co-habitating married couple. YAY!

On Saturday, we saw sci-fi legend / literary hero / Pulitzer Prize winning author Ray Bradbury at the Duarte Festival of Authors. He gave a wonderful, inspirational talk on love -- finding it, living it, breathing it, being it. Then we met him, and he signed my copy of "Golden Apples of the Sun." *melts*


"Go to the top of a cliff, jump off, and build your wings on the way down."
-- Ray Bradbury

On Sunday, we saw The Philippine Madrigal Singers. They are an AMAZING choral group. Their vocal blend, resonance, dynamics, total musicianship and performance quality, and choice of repertoire are all excellent. I was really impressed! They performed a mix of traditional European early music, choral arrangements of Filipino folk songs, and even two Freddie Mercury tunes!! Do you want to see them? Oh yes you do. They're performing in Chino Hills this Friday, and Pasadena on Saturday.

I've been spending the rest of my spare time learning about Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. I know I've attended my share of noisy nightclubs and raucous rock concerts. Starting now, I'm going to do something about it. Wish me luck!

Is-tan-buuuuuul...!

Eeeeeee, John's here!!!!!

Our first adventure as Los Angeles locals was to see They Might Be Giants at the Avalon in Hollywood. (Or, if you're old school like me, the Palace!) I'm really more of a casual TMBG fan, but their quirky, high-energy pop songs, fun and educational lyrics, and overall hilarity make for a really, really good show. Highlights included: Phone Calls from the Dead with Special Guest Lionel Barrymore; the English alphabet sung as the nations of the world (though technically, I don't think "Xylophone" is a country); a song about the kings of Mesopotamia; (edited to add) They Might Be Hollywood Horns, a horn section which rocked my ass on "Istanbul," and Lionel Barrymore being sent back to the grave during "Particle Man."

They're playing again this Friday at HOB Anaheim -- you should go! Really, you should. For the east coast readers of this blog (don't try and hide -- I know you own a TMBG foam finger and T-shirt), they're playing on October 20th at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton. ;)

Did I mention John's here? FOREVER?! Eeeeeeee!

Omg Rufus!! Judy!!! *dies*

Just saw Rufus Wainwright at the Hollywood Bowl, performing Judy Garland's legendary 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall. The setlist was delightful, Rufus was cute and bubbly as usual, AND he looks great in black stockings! LOVE!



Next shows: They Might Be Giants @ Avalon, Cirque Du Soleil's Corteo @ Orange County Performing Arts Center. By then, my new concert buddy will have arrived from Hawaii. Hooray!

Coachella kicked my ass. :(

I was able to deal with the heat (I wore a summer dress and my Philippines hat), but walking around all day and breathing in the dust and cigarette smoke were just too much for me. Next time, I should wear my Philippines face mask to complete the look.

But, I did get to see Rufus perform songs from the new album! It's gonna be sooooooo good! He even wore pajamas on stage. How cute! Can't wait to see him at the El Rey tomorrow...

Upcoming travel:

May 4-7: Massachusetts/D.C.
May 8-15: Hawaii
May 23-ish - June 4-ish: Hawaii

Boas, Fans Dances, and the "W" Word.

Burlesque dance lesson #2 was pretty fun. It wasn't as strenuous as last week's lesson. Hooray! We got to play with burlesque props -- luxuriant feather boas, giant fans, chairs, and everyone's favorite, tassels! Burlesque is such a strange art form, and I love it. Hey, there's going to be a burlesque event in Glendale on June 7th. We should go!

You know what? I AM NOT BENDY. That's one thing I've learned from having an instructor who is a ballet dancer. I need more yoga.

John's here this week, and we've been doing wedding planning non-stop. Tasks accomplished: selected officiant, hired caterer, put deposit down for florist, decided on musicians, found equipment rental companies who hopefully won't rip us off, printed invitations, and finally understood why brides sweat the details (because there are so! goddamn! many!) You know what the most frequently asked question is by vendors? "So what's your theme color?" Honestly, I hadn't thought about it because I didn't think it was very important in the grand scheme of life and marriage. But apparently, it is. (By the way, they're green and gold.)

Coachella is this weekend. Yay vacation! But why would Coachella schedule Rufus against Jesus & Mary Chain, and Andrew Bird against The Decemberists? *cries*

Busy! And now, sick. :(

Hey everybody! Totally life-changing events have been happening, like, every day... and I haven't been posting about them! I guess everybody here already knows that Jill and Nerissa got married (not to each other) and that, uhm, I'm getting married too! Wow!

Now that my body has decided that it's time to rest and drink fluids, I finally have a moment to reflect on the life-coloring events that shape my every day.

What I'm watching:

Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man -- Documentary on Leonard Cohen, including interview snippets with Leonard, other artists commenting on his work, and performances from the 2005 tribute concert on Sydney. Rufus was well-represented in the movie. Eeeeeeee, dreamy!! But really, Leonard Cohen's songwriting is just breathtaking.

Leonard Lyric of the Day is:

And clenching your fist for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
you fixed yourself, you said, 'Well, nevermind.
We are ugly but we have the music.'

Night of the Living Dead -- Really, really, really good zombie movie from 1968. Kind of a downer, though. I'm totally digging the insomniac television programming in Hawaii (which is broadcast at like 10pm due to the time shift).

Sing Your Way to Better Sex -- The Wet Spots! I have this one on a constant loop.

What I'm listening to:

Andrew Bird's Armchair Apocrypha -- Sometimes I listen to him and think: Is he... better than Rufus??????? Nah!!!!!!!!!