Success at Smetana

Saturday July 15, 2006

Well, this is it! The day we have been working toward - our performance at Smetana Hall. This week has really flown by. We've been keeping busy and having such a memorable time too, even with the few set backs. But tonight is where it culminates and we are ready!

We woke up and had a relaxed breakfast (mmm, the granola is so yummy), and the plan was to just have a small rehearsal with Dr. Walders to go over any last minute trouble spots. We were given pep talks and words of encouragement from everyone, Dr. Walders, Dr. Gutierrez, and Jirka. Then we were released for lunch and then to get all dolled up for our afternoon dress rehearsal at Smetana.

We were bused down near the concert hall, but had to walk the remainder of the way due to major road construction being done. So there we were, 140 people, dressed in black concert attire, walking past Czech construction workers, crossing over wooden planks through dust filled air, to make our way to Smetana Hall. What a sight we must have been to the locals! :-)

Once at the hall, the ooohing and aahing began. Smetana Hall is within the Municipal House. The building was so very beautiful, with an interesting stain glass piece hanging at the entrance. On the sidewalk was an advertisement for this evening's performance. We were here! We were part of Prague Proms, which I am assuming is a summer music festival of sorts, with a variety of different concerts given over the season. We really had no idea how many people to expect for our concert, but it was pretty heavily advertised around Prague.

We were excited to go inside as it had AIR CONDITIONING!! Not a very strong one, mind you, but still enough for us not to melt during our dress rehearsal! Inside was glorious! Everything was stunning with the neo-gothic architecture and art nouveau elements. At the stage end of the hall was the original organ from the high art-nouveau period. (Prague is just a melting pot of different architectural styles, which is one reason why it is such an interesting place.)


Looking from the stage out was a breathtaking view of warm glowing lights and beautiful stain glass windows, especially the huge oval window in the middle of the ceiling! This was by far the most glamorous place I have ever seen as a performer, and I have sung at Carnegie Hall!

Once situated in our singing places (I was back row, first female on right next to basses), our Maestro began the dress rehearsal. The sound that came from our group and the orchestra seemed unworldly. I could not believe that I was actually a part of the music that filled the hall with such power and beauty. It was at that moment that it finally struck me full force, how incredibly lucky I was to be here. I mean I knew I was lucky, and I couldn't thank my family enough for allowing me to go...but it was more than that. I felt as if I was about to be part of something very special.

Rehearsal went great, and then we were allowed to have bathroom and snack breaks before we had to take our places in line-up to go on stage. We had 40 minutes before the concert. The time flew by, but it was with relief to know we could now enter the stage...the anticipation which had been building for over year, was simply becoming to much to bear.

The seats were full in the audience, and it was up to us to make the people happy, which could have been a daunting task. Praguers know their music!! There's a saying "Every Czech is a musician." The Czech Republic has a very strong music tradition. If you go there, you'll hear music playing everywhere. It is in their blood. So if we do a bad job...we will know it! But what if we do well? How would they respond? When I went to the opera, the response was good, but no standing ovation or wild applause as we would expect in the States! We were going to sing for a tough crowd!

The downbeat of Oh Fortuna rang though the air, and our mass of voices soon followed. We sang our fullest, enunciated every consonant, stressed every accent, watched the Maestro for every direction. We sang for ourselves, our families and friends, our directors, our audience. We were singing in Prague!

The soloists sang their sections, and Dr. Jones really was the best of the three. Not only vocally, but he played to the crowd quite humorously. Using his black music folder, he would act out his words, his swan song, and turn back to the chorus of men with a face that pleaded "please don't cook and eat me"! But the men would sing back their chant, and Dr. Jones would turn back to the audience with solemn resolve. It really was wonderful and we saw several audience members smile with delight or laugh at the added theatrics presented by Dr. Jones. They KNEW what he was singing about...which proves these people know their music!!

Carmina is really a song full of testosterone. Men LOVE singing it, for the middle movements are Men Only, singing as drunken monks to some of the most complicated music around. The temp is very fast, and there is an overload of text, so the men really have it work hard at their sections. But they did it perfectly!! We women stood and watched in awe and wanted so badly to applaud when they finished...we are always so impressed with the work they do on those sections.

But we had to sing to the finish, a total of 24 movements, close to an hour in length. When we sang our very last note, a most powerful moment, and the baton came down to make it all end...you could still hear our voices reverberating around the hall in echo, and then the applause began. The people stood up and applauded, and continued as the Maestro took his bow, as the soloists were presented for bows, as Dr. Walders came out for a bow, as the Maestro swept his arms back toward us, the chorus and then the orchestra. On and on it went. It went on still when the Maestro and soloists left the stage.

TWO times the Maestro was called back, and TWO times we sang sections from Carmina again for the crowd. It was absolutely incredible! When we finally left the stage, beaming with elation at what we just accomplished, we were greeted with a crying BuBu, who said she was so very proud of us! She then told us that NEVER had she seen such a reaction in Smetana Hall. Her words were "The Czechs do not give standing ovations...we are cold and reserved!" Well, that night, they were the warmest most open people in the world, and it was a honor to sing for them!!

Our night was still relatively young, but I need to take a break. Until I come back, enjoy the official photographs of that evening!
Love,

Renee

A Friday Full of Maestros

Friday July 14, 2006

Today was a big day for our group, as it was going to be the first day we would sing for our concert's Maestro; Dr. Germán Gutierrez. We were very excited and we wanted to perform well for him, and to also show Dr. Walders how well we had learned under him in just two short rehearsals.

I failed to mention our WONDERFUL accompanist for our rehearsals, a lovely, quiet Czech man named Vilda (sp?). He would tirelessly hammer out the music on his synthesized piano, obviously loving his job! And every morning we would address him in high sing-sung voices during warm ups "Hellooooo Vilda!". He was great! But he was not used to praise, or at least he became overwhelmed when we expressed our thanks for his hard work during the week, for Vilda's eyes began to fill with tears. :-( What a sweet man!

When the Maestro arrived, he did not dally, but went straight into the piece, with Vilda banging out the power cords of Oh Fortuna! Along the way, Dr. Gutierrez would stop and tweak the music, making us more aware of accents, dynamics, enunciation. And we would sing it back as he requested. We sang until lunch time, but we could not be too relaxed as that afternoon we were also going to have our first rehearsal with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra!

Once we arrived at the rehearsal hall, we had to wait a while for the orchestra to warm up. We sat outside on the steps on a warm and windy day (but remember, I don't complain any more!) We then were led inside to the rehearsal room. The orchestra was seated and our group situated ourselves in the cramped available spaces. Then, again, it was down to business. WHAT an amazing thing to hear us with the orchestra!

I have to say that I was extremely proud of our Spartanburg Philharmonic when we performed with them in April. But I need to be honest and say there is simply no comparison with the orchestra we had now. I think it stems mainly from the fact that Prague is a musical Mecca. So much of the city's rich cultural history was suppressed during their time ruled by the communist. Even having being liberated for as long as they have, the western civilization has really no idea what amazing talents are cultivated here! Jirka informed us that Czech National Symphony Orchestra is one of six major orchestras in Prague, so deep is the talent pool!

Maestro Gutierrez was simply commanding, and at ease with directing both voice and instrument. He is incredible to watch in action! He really seems to enjoy this music, especially when the brass section comes in (oh, what a brass section too!! WOW!).

This practice was also the first time we were able to hear and work with the soloists for our concert. As I said earlier, our own Dr. Jones was invited for the Tenor solo. His solo is probably the least glamorous of Carmina; he is singing as a roasting swan and his voice must emulate that. Dr. Jones has a wonderful voice, and it seems a shame he is singing internationally a part that does not truly showcase it. But WE KNOW how good he is....and so will Prague soon.

The soprano soloist is Martha Constanza Gutiérrez-Upegui , which we learned is our Maestro's sister. She has quite a impressive background of her own. And the baritone soloist is Jiří Hájek. I want to be as delicate as possible, while both of these singers are truly talented, it was the opinion of many within the SFC group, that the soloists we had with our Spartanburg concert, Danielle Gillespie and Jason McKinney, sang their parts SO MUCH nicer, and could have EASILY held their own at this venue...it made us wish they were with us! We thought they were simply marvelous!!!

Still, everything, from solos, to chorus, to orchestra, really was coming together under the direction of Drs. Walders and Gutierrez, and the excitement was building at what was to come the next evening. We were dismissed with high praise and were then free to have an evening to ourselves.

Some people wanted to tour the city, others wanted to take in a Black Light Show (something the Czech's are known for). But many of us, myself included, wanted to take the opportunity to see the opera. And not just any opera, but Don Giovanni by W. A. Mozart. What makes this one so special? It was playing at the Estate Theater, the very theater that saw the debut of Don Giovanni , conducted by Mozart himself in 1787! And this is the 250th anniversary of Mozart, who was the adopted son of Prague, having had much more success and respect here than in his home of Vienna. With all of that background in mind, it was a chance of a lifetime to attend the opera while in Prague!

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, a group of us walked toward the elegant green and white Estate Theater for the 8 o'clock show. Inside was incredibly beautiful. The auditorium was covered in baby blue and gold. It was surreal! It was a bit warm, as there is no AC here either, but really not that bad thanks to cooler weather. The women of the opera were divine, with amazing voices!! Most of the men were very good as well, though many agreed the lead male was a bit weak.(There was no standing ovation...remember that for later!) Still, it was very enjoyable, and not something I will soon forget!

After trying not to get ripped off from the taxi drivers, we made our way back to the hotel, tired but coming to truly love the city of Prague and all of it's magic.

Renee

A Somber Tour at Terezin

Thursday July 13, 2006

We had a very productive rehearsal with Dr. Walders again today, practicing for over three hours. The sound produced by the group is very professional, like we have been doing this together for years, rather than meeting each other a day before. Since everyone in the group has sung Carmina before within their own hometowns, there is little to stumble over in the piece. We are just fine tuning the music and preparing for what the Maestro will expect for us tomorrow when we meet. For me, rehearsals are very enjoyable. I really love the give and take between a conductor and group and hearing the progress. It is no different here.

After lunch, we prepared to leave for our afternoon group tour to a small but historically very important city northwest of Prague – Terezin. The massive strongholds were founded in 1780 by Emperor Joseph II and named after his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. In 1940, the Nazi Gestapo established a prison in the Lesser Fortress and the Main Fortress was turned into a transit concentration camp and Jewish ghetto. Some 150,000 European Jews eventually passed through this concentration camp en route to extermination camps, and thousands perished here.

Entering the property, three things hit your eye, 1) A Christian cross with a circle of barbed wire in the middle, 2) a large Star of David and 3) 601 white stone graves graced with flaming red flowers. (I WILL POST PHOTOS WHEN I RETURN…SO SORRY!)

We walked down a shaded path to the entrance of Terezin and were met with our guide for the day, Eva. It became apparent soon after she began the tour how good she was at her job, and also, how passionate she was at educating the people that came to this place.

Let me just say before I get started about the tour that while we have been in Prague, it has been unusually warm, there has been no air conditioning, not enough ice, no washcloths, despite it being a very lovely and modernized city. And we, used to our many creature comforts at home, have dealt with these issues, with some complaint I will admit, but understanding that this is just the way it is in this area. After our tour of Terezin however, I have not complained at all about the things that I don’t have…and you will soon understand why.

We stood in a small courtyard, the place where people, when brought to Terezin, were registered, given a number, removed of their clothing and personal belongings, and issued new clothing, which were old Czech uniforms from WWI with colored stars to differentiate the groups they were in. We, like them, walked to the end of the yard to go under an archway with the words ARBEIT MACHT FREI (Work Makes you FREE).

We entered a larger courtyard, which housed solitary cellblocks. These were extremely small, and prisoners where put in there often naked, with no bed, blanket, heat, or toilet. Some cells had a barred window up high, while some did not. Many people died while being held in these rooms.

Next we went into a living area where bunk-beds three levels high went along one wall, while small cubbie-like sections flanked the other. Through the middle of the room ran one long picnic type table. At the end of the room stood one sink, and there was one water closet for a bathroom. We had 53 people in our group and it was a little crowded, though we could still move around. Eva informed us that over 100 people would be kept in here, which was a medium sized room. We saw a larger room that would hold 700 people! They would lay on the bed frames side-by-side, with no mattress or blanket, no heat. This is where they would sleep and eat after 12-hour workdays. When they did eat it would be water and a very small amount of food. After being there for six months, their rations were cut in half. Though Terezin was not an extermination camp with gas chambers, many people died here due to torture, malnutrition and poor hygiene.

We went into a holding room that was stone and just one high window. We all stood inside, our 53, and were cramped. We were horrified that 70 people would be put in here…there was just no way to imagine adding more people to the room we were in! We saw the room where they would be stripped of their clothing for delousing (which they did by using a big steam machine), then they would enter a large shower area for a two minute cold shower with as many as 10 to a showerhead. They would then receive their wet clothes and return to their rooms, where in the winter gets well below freezing.

We saw a bathroom with sinks and mirrors flanking the sides. But this was never used, as it was done to make others think the people were being taken care of during schedules Red Cross visits.

Because Terezin is originally a fortress, it has an amazing network of tunnels, both underground and within the walls. It was to be used for escape if needed by the founding Emperor. It was never used however. We were able to take about a four-minute walk in this narrow arched tunnel and, at times going underground where the change in temperature could be felt. Small openings appeared in the tunnel at times, made for ventilation and air-conditioning by the Emperor. It was very cool, and a tad spooky. Many areas of the tunnel blocked by gates and it felt like the kind of place that would have been perfect for Halloween, as we almost expected some one or some thing to jump out at us!

When we emerged from the tunnel, we came to a small sheltered spot, where soldiers would carry out some rifle executions, such as in 1945 when they ended the lives of 51 people in an hour. Only two members of our tour group would have survived had that happened today. It was things like this that really made many of us emotional during the trip.

Even after Liberation in May of 1945, may people at Terezin died due to a Typhoid epidemic, which caused the entire town and camp to be quarantined. Because there was little medical care in the camp, by the time Red Cross took over, it was too late to help many of the newly liberated prisoners.

Some did survive and their memories in the forms of drawings, music, and stories are educating those who visit in the Museum located on the grounds. Also around the camp are a few sculptures made by surviving prisoners, donated to Terezin.

Today, I took a tour with a group of people of many different ages, ethnic and religious backgrounds; our obvious connection was that of music. But we left, connected by this somber experience. I took many photos to bring home, but I am also taking with me the haunting images I have seen, and an ache in my heart for those who had to suffer as they did.

While we are all crammed into the small room meant for 70 people, a small barn swallow flew over our heads. It was surprising because there was only one small barred window and we did not see it come in. However, when I looked up, there, on top of piece of wire caging, was a small nest and four babies craning their necks out for their mother’s return. For some reason, that image sticks with me as one of the most profound of my visit. Life goes on, and on the wings of our young are our hopes and dreams. May they fly strong and free.

Renee

Getting to know Prague

Wednesday July 12, 2006

Today began our first rehearsal. There is a wide representation of singers for this event, high school, college, and community singers all combined to sing Carmina. I will get the actual listing of those schools and groups soon and post them when I can.

Our choral director for our time in Prague is Dr. Patrick Walders, from James Madison University. Let me just say, he is simply wonderful. He exudes energy, has a secure knowledge and understanding of the music, is very clear in his way of expressing his expectation of us…very professional, capable and enjoyable to sing for. He is also very young, no kidding, only twenty-nine! But the age is a non-issue because he has us focusing on warm-ups, and good techniques that are really enriching the sound.

Practice ran until 1:00, we ate a quick lunch in the hotel and then set out on our all-afternoon tour of Prague. Taking our bus into the city, we were divided into seven groups, each having a guide for the tour. The guide for my group I was named Lucka Kratochvil (pronounced Loo-ska) wife of the tour coordinator and Hartwick Director, Jirka Kratochvil.

We started our tour at the Strahov Monastery, which possesses books as old as 900 AD. It had many golden crosses and sunbursts on the outside and roof that with the sun shining on them made them shine with stunning brillance.

Next, we went to the Prague Castle complex, which includes Saint Vitus’ Cathedral and the Royal Palace among other things. We entered the complex through a guarded gate into one of several courtyards heading toward Saint Vitus’s Cathedral. It is an amazingly beautiful building, with many different architechural components: Neo-Gothic main entrance reminiscent of Notre Dame complete with gargoyles. 14th Century Medieval Gothic flying buttresses graced the Chancel end of the building. There were also Romanesque styled windows with beautiful medieval and modern stained glass. Within the church are the actual remains of the famous King Wenceslas (of the well known Christmas Carol).

One thing you might find interesting of Czech’s history is their use of defenestration (to throw out the window). There were three instances where governmental officials were thrown from a window whenever the people were not pleased with the work. We were shown the window where two governeors and their secretary were thrown some 50 feet out the window of the Royal Palace in 1618, which spurred the 30 Year’s War. (The victims survived the fall but the story of how they did so vary, though the Protestant’s said the men landed on a pile of manure that was under the window.)

We made our way to the Charles Bridge, the oldest bridge in Prague, built in the 14th century by King Charles IV, who some believe to be one of the greatest Czech Kings. Beginning in the 18th century, statues of Saints were erected on both sides of the bridge, though copies are standing today, with the originals housed in museums. Along the pedestrian path, vendors were selling crafts or artwork. Legend has it that the reason the bridge has survived seven centuries was due to the 14th century belief in the magic of time and numbers when deciding to lay the founding stone. The date chosen was 1357 on the 9th of July at 5:31 (It is a palindrome: 135797531.) The bridge will be undergoing restoration beginning next year for several years, which made our tour of it all the more special.

Our tour ended with our arrival at Old Town Square, where we viewed the Town Hall clock, an astronomical clock, with two faces, which tell the time as well as the movement of the stars, sun and moon. To prevent the inventor from ever duplicating this amazing timepiece the town leaders blinded him.

In the middle of the square is a huge statue of Jan Hus, who challenged the authority of the Catholic Church in the early 15th century. The people who followed his teachings are known as the Hussites.

It was at this point our tour ended and we were allowed over three hours of free time to explore as we pleased. A group of us wanted to purchase tickets to Mozart’s Opera, Don Giovanni. This is a special opera, made so because it is being shown at the same opera house it debuted at and that this is Mozart’s 250th birthday anniversary! We will be going to view the performance Friday evening and are very excited. It will no doubt be very hot in the theater, but at least I will not be a performer in theatrical clothing or wigs!!

My group consisting of Carol Loar, Barbara Barnes, Robert Mitchell, Eugenie Bierbrauer and Vic and Linda Bilanchone, found a Czech Restaurant where we had some wonderful beer and food. Two in the group ordered a meal the translated from Czech as “Good Grub”, which was mostly made up of different pork dishes.

After strolling around some more, we then met up with our buses and headed back to the hotel after another long, hot, exhausting, but very satisfying day!

I hope to include links and pictures soon!! My next post may not be until Sunday, but will be about: our trip to the German concentration camp, Terezin, more choral practice news, our evening at the opera, and of course, the reason why we are here: our performance Saturday evening!

Hope everyone is well!
Renee

No Rest For The Weary – Part II

Wednesday July 12, 2006 – Prague 9:18 AM

We arrived in Prague around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon, traveling in a twin prop jet (which made me personally very nervous – but we landed!!) Our “meal” on the short flight consisted of a small drink and a jam cookie. That would have to last us several hours to come.

After landing, we went through customs, got our bags (yeah, not a single piece lost), exchanged some money and then we were greeted by a very friendly woman hired by Hartwick, whose name is pronounced Boo-Boo, but it is spelled BuBu (getting ahead again, we cannot help but look at her and say in our best Yogi Bear voice, “Hey Boo-boo!” We later learned that she was actually named after that same cartoon bear!! ) She checked our names off and directed us to the bus that would take us to our hotel.

Our hotel is about 45 minutes from the airport, a little out from the center of Prague. On our way to the hotel one word came to my mind as I took in the sights before me: GRAFITI! The buildings in the outskirts of the city are literally covered in graffiti! Almost every wall had been spray painted in some form or fashion. It was just mind-boggling…no care if it was on a bypass concrete divider or an important office building!! (I later learned that it has only been in the past 10 years or so that it has become a problem).

We came to our hotel and were in a few shocks, The main one, at least for me, was that there is no obvious way to get on the internet even though their website says we can, This is one reason why my blog has been so delayed! The next huge shock is that there is no air conditioning! In Europe that is a fairly common thing, but it was for some reason not expected by us. Whew and it is an unseasonably warm week! Just our luck!

The other surprise is that double occupancy means double bed. So my roommate, Carol Loar, and I have to share a bed, in the heat! We have been leaving the windows wide open, and I do mean wide since there is no such thing as screens either.

Many of our rooms happen to face and be right next to a train station of some sort, so all night long, since you have to keep the windows open wide, you hear trains passing that sound as if they are transporting broken bottles or cans…it is so loud and noisy…but I am getting ahead of myself.

Despite the new surprises, we had a little time to take a shower (a space so tiny you can hardly turn around in) before we had to leave for our first event, the trip to Zbiroh Castle.

Loading 4 buses to transport the 200+ people on the trip, we drove an hour from the hotel for the castle. By this time we are all extremely exhausted, having been up for about 30 hours. We arrive at the castle, get off the bus, and then led by a group of medieval musicians, trek about a mile up a winding gravel path through the woods to the castle.
It was so very hot, we were so tired and very thirsty as well when we reached the top of the path. We were greeted by servers carrying trays of beer, wine, juice and water for us to choose from. Next, we saw a falcon demonstration, followed by a medieval sword fight. We were then ushered inside the castle into a beautifully painted hall, where we were treated to an amazing group, Dubai Fortuna and some dancers. They were phenomenal, the highlight of the long day!

Finally a little after 8, we were all led into a room for a buffet of cold cuts and bread, pickled vegetables and drinks. Outside they cooked BBQ chicken, rice and of course, pork, THE meat here!

After more music, dancing, and fire-twirling jugglers, we loaded up the buses and finally got back to the hotel to sleep…some 38 hours later. What a few days!
Renee

No Rest For The Weary…Part I

Tuesday July 11, 2006 10:34 AM Munich time

I am sitting in the Munich terminal, with no Internet at the moment (which I found surprising considering its size), and while we await our connector flight to Prague, I thought I’d jot down a few notes about the trip thus far.

We had a safe a pleasant flight from Charlotte to Munich. The pilot and stewardesses were very professional and thorough. There was no turbulence and the pilot landed our plane with smooth ease. (YEAH!)

The only small complaints I had was that sleeping was just too difficult to do in the economy seats. Plus, my body was telling me it was only midnight, but it was 6 AM at our destination and we had to get some shuteye if possible. Many tried to snooze or grab a catnap, but those who just could not, watched one of the two movies shown.

We arrived in Munich right at 8 AM Munich time, as scheduled, but that left us a three-hour layover in Munich. Many of us, myself included, took advantage of the uninhabited lobby to stretch out on the seats and snooze.

Now the area is getting busier, so I decided to blog a bit, so I could upload later this evening in my room.

One thing I wanted to do was introduce you to the people traveling with the SFC group. Spartanburg Festival Chorus generally has around 50-60 voices during our concerts. Of our singers, only 24 have made this trip, and the remaining 6 passengers with us are non-singers, either spouses or other family members of singers. Below are the names of all those on this trip.

Spartanburg Festival Chorus Prague Members

Sopranos
Eugenie Bierbrauer
Debbie Brock
Anne Denbow
Eranga Goonetilleke
Heather Jones
Katie McDaniel
Lauren Pope
Leala Shishakly


Altos
Susan Baker
Barbara Barnes
Linda Bilanchone
Renee Hill
Carol Loar
Anna Kathryn Smith
Julie Smith


Tenors
Sheldon Bennett
Robert Mitchell

Basses
Vic Bilanchone
Lee Hagglund
Louis Knoepp
Jack Seitz
Roland Smith
Brennan Szafron

Non-Singers
Jordan Brock
Kitty Hagglund
Lynn Knoepp
Doug McKenzie
Kathy McKenzie
Jimmy Smith

Director and Tenor Soloist
Keith Jones

We will be loading for Prague soon, then there will be a rush to check in, splash our faces, and the load a bus to Zbiroh Castle. Hopefully I will be able to post this soon,

Until then,
Renee Hill

"Czech"ing out of the States tomorrow

Dobrý den! or Hello!

Our group met today to go over some of the last minute details and I am starting to get really excited now, though today's news report did NOT help my anxiety about the flight! I am still a bit emotionally tender, as I sent my boys off to the beach for the week today! Chybíš mi. I miss you Devin & Parker! Have fun and be safe!

*sigh*

Anyway, since zítra (tomorrow) is the big day, I need to get in a a Czech frame of mind and practice some of the language! While I do so, I will give you a brief run down of what pondělí (Monday) will be like, as well as when we arrive.

Our group will be meeting v jednu hodinu (at one o'clock) to load our chartered autobus (bus), and then leave town about třicet (thirty) minutes soon after for the Charlotte-Douglas International Letiště (Airport)

We will be using Lufthansa Airlines. Our flight schedule is below. You may check our let (flight) arrival and departures here. (To make sure we did land!)

LH 429/10 July Charlotte Munich 5:15 PM - 8:00 AM (July 11) úterý (Tuesday)
LH 3270/11 July Munich Prague 11:30 AM - 12:40 PM

Some people have asked me just where IS Prague? It is the capital of the Czech Republic. Take a look at this map.



After clearing customs and collecting the luggage we will load our buses and depart to hotel STEP (http://www.hotelstep.cz/), which is about 45 minutes away.

Our first dinner will be provided at Zbiroh Chateau located about one hour drive west of Prague. An informal evening program will include a falconer show, an introduction to the rich history of the castle of Zbiroh and introduction of the festival staff. We will also be introduced to Dubia Fortuna, a fine medieval chamber music ensemble. Upon our return to the hotel in the late evening, we will need rest well before the next day's first rehearsal.

Na shledanou (Good-Bye) for now! Next post...Prague!
láska (love)
Renee

Feeling a little verklempt

In five short days I will embark on my trip, a once-in-a-life time experience for me to be sure. Am I excited? Of course, I mean who wouldn't, right? I cannot even imagine just what I will encounter during my stay and the things that will remain as memories when I leave. I am thrilled to be going...so fortunate. I would never have had the chance had I not been with this wonderful chorus at the right time, and had I not a terrific father willing to pay for my trip! (Thanks Daddy!!) So yeah, I am sure I will have an amazing time.

But part of me is just uneasy about leaving. It's not even the flight and international things anymore, but all that I am leaving behind. I have spent all summer with Devin's swim team, and to leave right before the end, it seems unfinished. I know the incredible women I have been working with will say otherwise, but then, they know what we have gone through for this team, and would rather be going if they could too. Still, to not be helping before the big City Meet...well, at least I will get back in time to watch Devin race in that! I will be seriously jet lagged, but I will watch my big guy swim his last races of the summer! GO HAMMERHEADS!!

Then I worry how I am going to do on the trip alone. I say alone, I won't really be alone. I mean, I am traveling with 30 lovely people, and I know when our collaborative group of close to 200 sing and mesh in song, it will be spine tingling. (I always get a bit verklempt while performing. Same as I do when I watch the Olympics and the National Anthem is playing while one of our athletes shines with pride at the medal around their neck...I just want to sob! It's a happy sob feeling, but one which can render me unable to speak, and in this instance, sing, when I feel overwhelmed. Let me just not weep copiously on stage and I will be happy.)

Anyway, I digress. What I mean though, is Nate will not be traveling with me, or my kids. As a homeschooling mom, with my boys 24/7, I know it will take me a while not to automatically panic if I look around and can't see them near me. And everywhere we go, we turn it into a learning opportunity, and I know I will want to say things like "Hey Devin, come and look at this!", or "Parker, let's see what's over here!". I will want to do the same as if Nate were with me too. A trip doesn't seem as fulfilling I guess when there isn't someone close to share the moments that make it special. No night-time strolls with Nate across the Charles Bridge...well, not THIS time honey, but one day we will go to Europe together!! We had a deal, remember!? "-)

While I am abroad, Nate will be a home, and the boys will be with their grandparents at the beach, and I will be across the Atlantic having "Renee time", doing the stuff I did before I met my husband of almost 15 years, before I had my beautiful boys and became their mother and teacher. It has been so long since I've been that "Renee" - it seems almost selfish for some reason. But then Nate will get "Nate time" and the boys will get to be boys without mom and we will all have our own special weeks, that when done, we can share to each other when we are home again. I know it seems silly to see the end of the trip, look forward to it, when I haven't even left. But it is so very hard to think of what I am leaving behind as I go....my loved ones. I guess that's what I have this blog...to keep you all with me, for that is the Renee that I love being the most! *sigh*. There I go getting all verklempt again...talk amongst yourselves! :-)

What is "Carmina Burana" about anyway?

So you know I am going to Prague to sing Carmina Burana. But you may be asking "What is Carmina Burana about anyway?" Well I found this wonderful article on the BBC site that explains it perfectly. So rather than send you there, I have copied it and pasted it here for you to enjoy! I have my own outside links, however within the article.

'Carmina Burana' - Drink, Sex and Medieval Monks
It is not often that the little old ladies of the choral society scream 'since Fate strikes down the strong man, everyone weep with me!', or when they are in a more cheerful mood, 'My virginity makes me frisky, my simplicity holds me back. Oh, Oh, Oh, I am completely coming to life'. All this while the men strain their dinner jackets singing a bawdy drinking song. However, this is Carmina Burana, one of the most popular works for choir and orchestra of the 20th Century.

UK residents will be familiar with the opening and closing music of Carmina Burana. The 'O Fortuna' chorus with its dramatic chanting against orchestral backing was used for many years in television advertising for a well-known brand of aftershave lotion (Old Spice). And, since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, there is more than a hint of the same chorus in the sound track of the film The Fellowship of the Ring, particularly to accompany the Black Riders.

But Carmina Burana is not all dramatic chanting - there is plenty of lyrical and gentle playing and singing, merry dances and of course the aforementioned drink and sex. The work lasts about an hour in performance and requires baritone, tenor and soprano solo singers as well as a boys' chorus, an adult chorus and a massive orchestra.

Background
In 1847, a musicologist called Johann Andreas Schmeller discovered a collection of 13th Century songs called Carmina Burana, meaning 'Songs of Beuern', in the Benedictine monastery of Benediktbeuern in southern Bavaria, Germany. (Beuern is the name of the village where the monastery was situated.) Most of the songs were in Latin, but some were in an archaic form of German. The songs were about drinking, love, sex and the overbearing burden of fate. They appear to have been the work, not of the Benedictine monks, but of a roving band of monks and clerics known as the Goliards, who were rebels against the authority of the Church. They were more interested in drinking and debauchery than in prayer and sanctity. They lived by the principle, 'Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die'. The Goliards were outlawed by the Church in a series of edicts and laws over the course of the 13th Century, culminating in them being 'defrocked'; that is, stripped of any official status, in 1300 at Cologne.

Schmeller published the songs, but nothing much further was heard of them for nearly a century. In 1935, the German composer Carl Orff (1895-1982) came across the collection and was immediately intrigued by the songs. Reading through the words was a revelation. Orff decided to write a massive work for choir and orchestra with a selection of these songs as the basis. Rather than using the melodies from the manuscript, he wrote his own new ones to fit the words, and orchestrated the whole piece for a 20th Century orchestra.

The work was first performed in 1937 and has been enormously popular ever since - with choirs and audiences. The first few performances featured simple acting and dancing as well as music. Modern performances very rarely include any such actions, being confined almost invariably to singing and orchestral playing.

The Music
Orff's music is modern with an old feel to it. He achieved this by keeping away from innovations of the last 300 years such as modulation, development and chromaticism. Instead, each song is based on a simple tune and this is played virtually identically in each of the verses of the song. Interest is added by rhythm and orchestration. By choosing different instruments from the orchestra for different songs, wonderful contrasts are present in the music. Complex rhythms and irregular phrase lengths make the songs more difficult to sing than they appear, but add to the excitement. A fired-up band of singers is essential to any good performance.

The work is divided into three main sections: 'Springtime', 'In the Tavern', and 'Courtly Love'. The work as a whole is 'framed' by a short section at the start and end entitled 'Fortune, Empress of the World'.

'Fortune, Empress of the World'
The work opens with its most dramatic piece, the chorus 'O Fortuna' ('Oh Mistress Fate'. Starting with a roar from the choir, it develops into an almost inaudible chant about the tribulations of fate, which gradually gets louder and louder, ending again with an ear-splitting roar.

There is also a song 'Fortune Plango Vulnera' ('I Weep for the Wounds of Luck') which goes over most of same ground again in more detail.

'Springtime'
The first main section of Carmina Burana deals with the arrival of spring and dances on the village green. Maidens sing about their true love (who has strangely ridden away). The woods are blooming. The maidens go to the shopkeeper to get new rouge for their cheeks. There is a generally hopeful air.

'In the Tavern'
The women take a well-earned rest while the men go down the pub. The baritone sings of how awful life is and how he copes with it by partaking of earthly pleasures. The tenor, in his only appearance in the whole performance, sings the tragicomic song of a swan who once swam serenely but now is roasting on a spit. The baritone sings the part of the drunk who has been stripped of his clothes in a practical joke by his mates and sent roaring 'Wafna!' ('Woe!') through the streets. The men of the choir sing a tongue-twister song about drinking, listing all the people who do it (in a word, everyone).

'Courtly Love'
A selection of songs about love and sex follows, starting with courtly love and getting gradually more boisterous. The high points are the high-speed 'Veni, Veni, Veneas' ('Come, Come, Do Come') whose insistent off-beat rhythms drive onwards to a climax, and 'Tempus Est Iocundam' ('Time for Celebration'), in which all the singers (except the poor tenor) sing a verse, followed by the chorus sung in an ever-more-lascivious style:

Oh, oh, oh,
I'm completely coming to life
Now for the love of a maiden
I'm burning all over
It's a new, new love
I'm dying!

'Fortune, Empress of the World'
The work is rounded off by a reprise of the opening chorus 'O Fortuna', reminding us that whatever has happened along the way, the Wheel of Fate continues to turn, laying low those it raised on high.