Welcome to the KSB 2009 Concert Tour Blog...Chile & Antarctica!

What a spectacular weekend!

Our first musical coup occurred on Friday at the Inner Harbor. We bartered admission onto the historic USS Constellation in exchange for a performance of the National Anthem on deck at noon. The boys were treated to a canon demonstration. Upon it firing onto the Harbor, the boys broke out into song. Great fun. From the first note this group sounded, Fitz and I knew we were going to have a great weekend. The balance and blend was spot on.

After touring the ship, the boys descended onto one of the food court at the Harbor. When we gathered again, we did an impromptu concert at a tiny outdoor ampitheatre. The crowd was delighted.

Later on Friday, we sang the National Anthem again, this time at the very site where the Star-Spangled Banner was written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key. Before the ceremony, the boys watched a documentary on the Battle of Baltimore which culminated in a dramatic curtain-opening that revealed Old Glory flying over Fort McHenry as Key would have observed it. We then ascended to the Fort where we surrounded the flagpole and sang as the flag was lowered and raised again. (The flag flies day and night at the Fort) It was surreal to be there, and an honor. The combination of history and music, especially history that centers around the very song we were singing, was awesome. The tourists who were there were incredibly moved, as we all were.

But the best musical moment came at the Baltimore Boychoir Festival. We were one of eight boychoirs there. We rehearsed Friday night and all day Saturday with 300 other boys and learned alot from our guest conductor, Rollo Dilloworth. Many of the songs we sang with the mass choir were ones from our Spring Concert, so we were well prepared. An exception would be "I Bought Me A Cat". Who knew the Grads were supposed to learn it? Obviously, we didn't.

The concert venue was wonderful. Amphitheatre seating with a good acoustic, spacious risers, and a great piano. The first half of the program constituted each boychoir singing three pieces. KSB was the sixth choir to perform. We programmed our South African Medley, Cindy, and I Need You To Survive. Keep in mind that this audience had never heard our African pieces, or I Need You To Survive. So we felt they were good pieces that showcase KSB at its best. And the boys love Cindy, so we decided to go for it even though it hadn't quite gelled yet.

From our 15 minute rehearsal on stage that afternoon, I knew we were going to kick some musical butt. The boys were on. Nothing like a little bit of competitiveness to get the boys on their game.

The boys were impressive from the moment we walked on stage for our performance. We were the largest choir there, with the exception of the host choir, and only one of two SATB boychoirs there. At the same time, the group was small enough to achieve a musical tightness in the ensemble. And as always the boys looked great. Thanks Jan and Sandra!

When we finished the South African medley, the crowd went, ah, how can I describe it...wild. And we were just warming up.

Cindy was positively stunning. The boys brought the house down. It was solid and the boys really performed it. The crowd roared. They couldn't get enough.

For I Need You to Survive, we came to the apron of the stage. It was a thrust stage, so the intimacy we created with the audience captivated them before Vincent opened his mouth. It was risky because it meant both Fitz and I were behind them. They were on their own. But by this point, the ensemble was so fine I knew the boys would pull it off.

They shined. They sang. They moved. They clapped. The audience clapped with us. Then the boys broke into harmony a cappella and the audience just stopped and listened, charmed by the way the boys were communicating with their voices and their bodies and their hearts. We then had the audience sing with us for the final refrain. We had them in the palm of our hand.

Before the last note finshed, the entire house - including all seven boychoirs - were on their feet. We walked off the stage and through the house back to our seats singing a reprise of Shosholoza. The audience joined in. It was thrilling. We received the only standing ovation amongst the boychoirs, and if I do say so myself, KSB earned it. (American audiences are too willing to give standing ovations, so we don't always earn them :-) Kudos to each and everyone of the boys who attended the festival. They did KSB proud.

Throughout the rest of the night, directors, staff, volunteers, and boys were bombarded with high praise. We made quite an impression. And this was a tough crowd. You don't get raves from your peers unless you are earn it. Our boys earned it.

As if that wasn't enough, something else truly magically occurred that evening. The special guest choir of the festival was the University of Michigan's Men's Glee Club, under the direction of Dr. Paul Rardin. Dr. Rardin arranged one of the Grads' new pieces, Hol You Han. He also happens to be the former student of KSB music instructor Larry Hoenig. Larry asked Paul if would be willing to stop by the boys' holding room before the concert and hear them sing Hol Yo Han, so that he might offer some feedback.

I think it's fair to say Dr. Rardin had no idea what a treat he was in for. Nor did we. He absolutely gushed, as he was truly astounded by how remarkable the Grads performed his piece. Some of his comments (paraphrased from memory) were:

"Every once and a while you hear a rendition of one of yours songs that makes the song sound better than it is. This is one of those times."

"You guys are ridiculously good. No, amazing!"

"When you started out, I thought the tempo was too slow. But then I realized, it's perfect. This is the tempo it should have been all along"

"This is the definitive version of Hol You Han"

Once we heard how remarkable his Glee Club was, his glowing review of the Grads meant that much more.

Oh, and he did give us a few pointers on how to make the piece even better. How great to get it right from the arranger's mouth.

I write this entry for one reason. So much of the time were critquing the boys, pushing them to be better. As we should. But the weekend was a reminder of just how good we are. I say that with humility and modesty and awe, knowing how hard we've all worked these past eight years: boys past and present, directors, staff, volunteers, parents. Stephen Holmes, associate director of Maryland State Boychoir ,commented how incredibly far we've come in such a short time. He was duly impressed. And Stephen is not easily impressed. He's an incredible musician with a great choir, and his opinion is one we hold in high regard.

So everyone, pat yourself on the back for the magnificent boychoir you're a part of.

Now, no resting on our laurels. Onward and upward!

Fondly,
Steve