Conventional

I had a great week in Oklahoma City. I really didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. We stayed in an area of downtown OKC called Bricktown, named for its all brick buildings and red brick streets. There was a small river, more like a canal, that ran through most of bricktown. Above is the start of "riverwalk".
Here's John in front of the bus that bears his namesake. We couldn't resist taking a picture.
One of the greatest things about this week was all of the incredible music we were able to hear. There were two concert sessions every day featuring various choirs from around the world. Then, on Thursday night we had a huge concert involving several choirs from around the area and an area orchestra. They performed a commissioned work by American composer named Domenick Argento called Cenotaph. It was cool to see and hear a world premier performance by a composer who is still alive. Following that work, we heard Ralph Vaughan Williams "Dona Nobis Pacem". I had never heard it before, and it was incredible.

One of the things that's so great about these conventions is that you can hear a piece performed by an incredible choir. Then, when they finish singing, the conductor will turn around, scan the audience and acknowledge the composer, who is in the room because everyone who is anyone in choral music was at this event. I saw Eric Whitacre, choral music's rising rock star of a composer. I hate to use this phrase because it sounds so cliche, but it was just cool. We went to interest sessions and lectures given by prominent minds in choral music today. It made me re-evaluate my teaching and gave me a new fervor for my job. I plan to get back to school and hit the ground running with my choir. No, I don't have nearly the "program" that many of these other people have. I would hardly even say I have a choir "program" at all. But after this week, I'm going to work passionately and tirelessly to make my little corner of the choral music world the best it can be.