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“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.” Victor Hugo

I am sure you are busy. In fact, I know you are busy this week. This week, Holy Week is the distillation of all we as choral professionals do, packed into seven days. A friend of mine in grad school, who had sung with the professional choir at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, told me she and her fellow choristers called this “H**L Week.” At the end of it on Easter Sunday, they came out of it bleary eyed, craving chocolate and wanting to sleep for 24 hours. Most church musicians can relate to this and even if you are not a church musician, you can relate.

Whether you are singing, playing or conducting this week, you are busy. But this is just the showy part of the worship services, lined up one after another during Holy Week, the real work took place months ago. I explain to my civilian friends and family, being a choral conductor means steady planning for months, then intense busyness, then nothing. And repeat. It used to seem to my mother-in-law I didn’t work during the summer but it’s my most productive time. And my planning is probably more important than my actual doing.

This week, all your plans are coming to fruition. Everything you’ve been working on for months is finally coming together. There is a light at the end tunnel, along with the Easter Lilies. You are almost there with only a couple of rehearsals left.

Remember to jot down, when you have a minute, what works and what doesn’t this week so you’ll be a bit ahead for next year. Remember to eat properly and get enough sleep (if you can) so you can get through the whole week and not crash at the end. Remember to participate in, as well as observe your beautifully planned Tenebrae service and feel the wonder of it all. Remember to guide your choirs and the other musicians through the last part of this Lenten journey. Remember to remember what this feels like; a wonderfully planned and perfectly executed Holy Week and even if you don’t think it is, someone will, so take the compliment!

We are almost there, almost. Take a break, take a nap and then buckle down for these last few days. The brass players are ready, the organ and piano are tuned, your choirs seem prepared, and everything is in place. I can smell the Easter Lilies……what are you waiting for…let’s do this!

Search Results for: choir

Choir Robes

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We have a variety of blue and white choir robes looking for a new home. They came with a building we acquired in Wausau, WI and will not be used. They are in excellent shape.  Free for pick up or if shipped the cost of shipping.  Need to have removed by 9/27/25

24 International Stasys Simkus Choir Competition

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Dear Choral Friends,  We are delighted to invite you to participate in the 24th International Stasys Šimkus Choir Competition, which will take place on 28–31 May 2026 in Klaipėda, Lithuania.  2026 is a very special year – we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lithuania’s oldest international choir competition (since 1976), held every two years in […]

The Promise of Living: Handel, Vivaldi, Forrest and Copland with Résonance Festival Choir

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Experience Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living with Handel’s majestic coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest and Vivaldi’s beloved Gloria in a unique and vibrant treble setting of the traditional Latin hymn. Ending the program is Copland’s “The Promise of Living,” a cherished American quintet from The Tenderland celebrating the enduring values of hard work, harmony […]

International Christian Choral Celebration 2025 – FIVE FEATURED CHOIRS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

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We’re excited to be able to reveal the five choirs whose performances have been selected to feature in the 2025 International Christian Choral Celebration playlist! Hailing from the four corners of the globe – Arkansas (U.S.A.), Minsk (Belarus), Cape Town (South Africa), Tondano (Indonesia), as well as from Newcastle (Australia), the blended voices and diverse […]

6th Beira Interior International Choir Festival & Competition

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The time has come again to unite singers from all over the world, regardless of country, age, gender or genre, in the universal tradition of choral music. Our partner choir association Associação Cultural da Beira Interior is once again, for the 6th time so far, happy to host the Beira Interior International Choir Festival & […]

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