Monday, August 26, 2013

How Well Do You Know Michael Davis??

ISC Assistant Artistic Director Dr. Michael Davis with board member Peter Fellegy

With our MOOD INDIGO concert fast approaching, it seems a great time to shine the spotlight on the artistic genius behind it. Dr. Michael Davis conceived of and led the first all sold-out MOOD INDIGO series of performances during the 2012-2013 season. The success (and fun!) of those concerts convinced us early on to repeat them in the current season.

Lady Be Good...the inimitable song styles of Michael Davis

Michael, MD, "Doug," ... he goes by many names around the ISC shop. But all who know him love his warmth, sense of humor and affable demeanor. What some may not know as well is the incredible musical history-decades, really, of professional music making-Michael has amassed. It's a wealth of smarts about musical style and repertoire that continues to serve us all so well.

Born in Arkansas, Michael's musical talents manifest themselves very quickly, learning piano, organ, guitar and violin (well, he says "fiddle" as you might guess) at a young age. Playing regularly with local professional swing band musicians, Michael learned the rep and the style before he got his drivers license. 

Michael brings his amazing talents to the stage for us in our MOOD INDIGO performances on Sunday, September 15, 2013, at the beautiful Indiana Landmark Center. Next week, watch this space for a special article about the concert itself, by guest author Dr. Michael Davis.


Monday, August 19, 2013

Table for 200??


Where would YOU seat nearly 200 of your best friends?


First warmups of the 77th season for the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir


That's the task we have faced in preparation for last week's inaugural rehearsal of the 77th season of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.

Working with audition and membership coordinator Ann Gerritsen (who also serves as our resident expert on Excel Spreadsheets!) along with conducting fellow Bryan Stenson, we developed our seating chart: 180 voices, 8 sections (first soprano, second soprano, first alto, etc...), 9 rows, 20-21 chairs in each row....you get the picture.

At T minus two hours and thirty minutes (that is, 4:30 pm before our 7 pm start time), we staff (Michael P, Andrew L, Kris S, yours truly) plus ever-dedicated singer and tenor section leader Karl S started wrangling chairs, music stands, podium, piano, tables and more. Adjust the rows, scooting this way and that...watch the sight lines.

In short order, we had it....a choir director's dream! All 180 seats neatly arranged with sufficient room to maneuver, ability to see the conductor through the "windows," even a convenient aisle down the middle. The rehearsal hall that had looked like a war zone (three months of summer music camps had taken their toll), was now a gleaming harbinger of the great musical rehearsal to come.

By evening's end, of course, all that would change. Updates to our roster, adjustments for voice type/height/etc, additions, deletions, changes. We knew we'd have to re-do it for next week. Such is the life of the singers in the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. Though it may not be where you were last week, we WILL have a seat with YOUR name on it for our next rehearsal.

No matter where we are in the room, the drama of the Verdi Requiem (and the joy of singing together) is certain to find us. To music!