Greetings and Happy Holidays! For those of us still linked to the academic calendar, happy upcoming vacation as well.

[1] - notes from classmates
[2] - upcoming events at WCC


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[1]

_Douglas_Millar_ writes:
"I'm living in Manhattan and spending part of my week at The Lawrenceville School where I have a voice studio of 18 private students, an AP Theory class and two choirs: one auditioned chamber ensemble and a large, school chorus currently with 115 members. I always appreciate hearing from others who are teaching voice and conducting teenage choirs, especially as regards repertoire choices. This semester, I sang in Peter Westergaard's world premier of Moby Dick at Richardson Auditorium. Now, I find myself interested in broadening my repertoire, so I'm looking at putting together a CD of lullabies and I am also starting to explore possible opportunities in musical theatre. It's a fun shift in focus. I've been back to Canada more frequently these days--in part, to see family (including two new babies) and, in part, to work. I sang my first Brahms Requiem last spring in Vancouver and will be adjudicating a Music Festival back home in Prince Edward Island this year. During the summer, I took part in a powerful seminar called The Landmark Forum. Through my on-going participation in the organization, I have found increased optimism, integrity and creativity in both my work and my relationships. Life is good."

_Robyn_Pruitt-Hamm_ writes:
"Seasons Greetings! I'm currently living in Seattle, WA and am very happy now teaching at Ben Rush Elementary in the Lake Washington School District, grades K-6 general music to Microsoft-money kids in the heartland of Bill Gates in Redmond, WA. (In fact, I go to the same church as he does in Seattle and when he goes, his daughter has two body guards with her). I miss singing with Westminsterites terribly and have resorted to taping rounds myself and playing them back, just so I can sing them in canon for a little harmony in my life. Each time I have come to the East coast to see Westminster friends, we constantly sing together and I relish those times.
I think the beauty of WCC wasn't just in how "good" we were, but in the fellowship of singing with others in itself. I miss so very much the swelling harmonies and the intensity with which we'd put our whole hearts, lungs and vocal chords into our rehearsals in perfect synchronicity to Flumm's moans and buzzings.
I think it's those beautiful moments when I am with my students and their eyes light up at the most ridiculous songs that I realize that I'm in the right profession. I LOVE those same fun, sappy and beautifully simplistic songs just as much as they do (well, almost). Some may say I'm Westminster deprived, and I may very well be guilty of this. However, I have come away with a clarity in a value of music that I had never realized before while in college; One of the most important gifts of music is being able to sing with one another. In this holiday season, though some of us may not be singing with NY phil-quality musicians, the joy of simply singing and making music together is sometimes the one thing you CAN take with you from WCC, and continue to enjoy.
Enjoy your holidays,
Robyn"


_Adam_Eggleston_ writes:
"I'm currently living in Tucson, AZ. I teach HS Choir & Drama, as well as MS Music, in a small town called Benson just east of here. Things are going well. I'm also performing in a very successful local band called The Galactic Federation of Love. Our web site is www.galacticfederationoflove.com Seeing as all the band member are from back east we'll be performing a show in Philly at "the Fire" at 5th & Girard, on the 23rd of December.
Fellow Westminster grads _Laura_Baldasano_ & _John_Perkins_ are also out here in AZ now.
My HS Choir concert is next Tuesday the 14th."

_Kelliann_McCullough_ writes:
"In May I will graduate with my Master's in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan. I will also be getting married next December (05) to Anthony Festa (not of Westminster) We were engaged just this past October in Walt Disney World. I have most recently performed the role of Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni."

_Tom_Cunningham writes:
"The Manhattan Choral Ensemble is performing a concert of French Christmas music on December 17th at 8pm at St. Jean Baptiste Catholic Church, 76th St. and Lexington Ave. in New York City. The MCE will sing traditional French Christmas carols as well as works by Poulenc, Charpentier, and Mouton. A CD will be available at the MCE's website: www.manhattanchoralensemble.org. Hope to see you all there!"

_Russel_Nelson_ writes:
"I'm moving to Asheville, NC in January. I took a new position as Director of Music at Central United Methodist Church, downtown. Also of possible interest...I have four articles that will be published this coming year in the book "Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir" ed. Heather Buchanan and Matthew Mehaffey (GIA Publications, in publication)."

...and I am trying to finish up an exciting (no...really...) paper about Shostakovich's Thirteenth Symphony and the Soviet Symphonic Aesthetic. As soon as I turn it in, the hardest semester of my DMA studies (classroom, at least) should be behind me, so I can't wait. Other than that, we are enjoying our 60-degree December down here in Georgia and gearing up for a visit to our families up north. Hope you all are well -- Greg

PS -- If you run into any classmates this holiday season who are not on this mailing list (and want to be), please have them email me and I will add them to the list. At some point, when I get them time, I'll send out a comprehensive list of all the people I don't have email addresses for, but in the meantime, I'd appreciate it if you just mention it to the folks that you might run into. Thanks.

PPS -- As always, these notes will be added to the website: http://www.gregorywbrown.com/wcc_01/


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[2] - selected upcoming WCC performances:

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New York Philharmonic
Alan Gilbert, conductor

Westminster Choir
Celena Shafer, soprano
Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano
Kurt Streit, tenor
Jonathan Lemalu, bass
HANDEL: Messiah
Wednesday, December 15 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 16 - 7:30 p.m
Friday, December 17 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 18 - 8:00 p.m.
Riverside Church , New York City
For tickets call 212-875-5656

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New York Philharmonic
Lorin Maazel, conductor

Westminster Symphonic Choir
RAVEL: Daphnis et Chloe (complete)
Wednesday, January 26 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 27 - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 29 - 8:00 p.m.
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center , New York City
For tickets call 212-875-5656
Friday, January 28 - 8:00 p.m.
Kimmel Center , Philadelphia
For tickets call 215-893-1999

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New York Philharmonic
Charles Dutoit, conductor

Westminster Symphonic Choir
Brooklyn Youth Chorus
Susanne Mentzer, mezzo-soprano
Paul Groves, tenor
Willard White, bass
Christopher Feigum, bass-baritone
BERLIOZ: La Damnation de Faust
Thursday, March 31 - 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 2 - 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 5 - 7:30 p.m.
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center , New York City
For tickets call 212-875-5656