On the Cover of the Times Union

Last year, during Holy Week, a photographer from the local newspaper came to our choir's Wednesday rehearsal of our Good Friday (March 25) performance of The Seven Last Words of Christ by Franz Josef Haydn. The photographer took the names of a half dozen people, including me.

Friday morning, I get the paper and go directly to the Life section; no story there. Then to the local section; nothing. It wouldn't be in sports, would it? No. Finally, I take the first section, starting from the back. So it was rather amusing to discover that, on the front page, is a not small picture of me singing. Not surprisingly, my mouth is wide open.

Carol and I went out to breakfast that morning. There was a woman sitting at the next table reading the paper, apparently from the back to the front. At some point, she sees the front page, sees me, looks back at the paper, and then back at me like a bobblehead doll. She asked, and I confirmed, that I was the subject of the photo. I was hoping to have the photo, but alas, it is not to be, at least not yet.

This week, our church choir will be singing the Requiem by Anton Bruckner on Good Friday. Nothing like a good requiem to take away the blues. For me, that's actually true. I like requiems; I've sung the Faure, Mozart, Rutter, probably others. Also "How Lovely Is thy Dwelling Place" from the Brahms Requiem.

I've been largely absent from church the last few weeks, partly due to things beyond my control, partly due to stuff in my own head. But there's something about singing during Holy Week that gets a singer's adrenalin rushing. Yet, it's also exhausting, and it's even worse for musicians who might have gigs with churches and synagogues this time of year - I know a couple of them.
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And while I'm plugging things, local-boy-makes-good Gregory Maguire, author of "Wicked", is going to be at the main branch of the Albany Public Library Tuesday, April 24 at 7 pm. "Wicked", based on "The Wizard of Oz", but from the witch's perspective, was turned into a Tony-winning Broadway musical. The talk is sponsored by the Friends of the APL. Since I'm a member of the Friends board, I'm happy to note it.

(The picture is of Maguire. Bruckner had such a severe look, at least in the photos I've seen, that it might dissuade, rather than encourage, attendance.)
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Oh, what the heck - one more thing that interests me that, unfortunately, you folks from out of town can't attend. Heck, I can't attend, because it's on Maundy Thursday. But I would if I could:
DOMESTIC SPYING: CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS, OR NECESSARY WAR POWER? Thursday, April 13, 4:30 PM, Matthew Bender Room 425, Albany Law School, 80 New Scotland Avenue, Albany
Presenters:
Sarah Birn, Esq., Vice-President, New York Civil Liberties Union, Albany Chapter
Terence L. Kindlon, Esq., Kindlon and Shanks
William C. Snyder, Esq., Fellow in Government Law and Policy at the Albany Law School's Government Law Center
Wine, cheese, and light refreshments to follow the panel discussion at approximately 6pm in Room 425.
Free and open to the public.
Sponsored by: ALBANY LAW SCHOOL CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
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Finally, a couple more bloglinks:
Spatula Forum. Nik stopped by the blog - on April Fools' Day, no less. Anyway, he seems like an interesting guy, and he's moving Down Under soon. But the seal of the deal- he has a two-year old, a son. I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but I have a two year old, a daughter.
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Moonlight Over Essex. I actually was aware of Chris Black some months ago, probably from Chris Brown. Really. Anyway, Chris Black is a "Liberal Democrat Councillor in Rayleigh, Essex". That's in England. Meant to link to him long ago, but life kept getting in the way. I've already picked out something to steal from his page, which will become evident in the next couple weeks.