Posted by Terri Georgia-May (207.43.107.220) on March 01, 2003 at 18:48:14:
Firstly, I have performed in Toledo for thirty five years beginning at Sylvania High school with Louis F. Davis and was part of his ensembles that went to state and won awards for singing 4 and 5 part Bach and Beethoven with no lyrics. I have also performed in rock and blues bands in our community for thirty years. What I had the extraordinary experience to be a part of, was last week's performance of Scheherezade's Third movement with the newly written, incredibly beautiful words that Dr. Jon Hendricks has composed. Just to give you all an insight as to how our parts were arranged was of course according to our vocal ranges. However, at any given time any one of us changed parts, words and lines. Therefore, usually in a choir you'd look at a section of say, sopranos, altos etc. Most of the time during a performance the section is singing the same line, words, notes etc. Not the case with this masterful piece! This was no doubt the most intricate and one of the most challenging arrangements because of these changes. The critic who wrote the article after the performance certainly did not notice, or care why the vocalists looked to not know our parts. We had our music, we knew our parts, performed them beautifully and are still getting rave revues from the audience!(It was also recorded which is the true verification of the concert). Jon is now working on "the Rach", as he calls it, and we are so excited to read and vocalize the lyrics written, by virtue of Jon's wisdom and essence, set to another enduring musical composition, to again make musical history and bring Jon Hendrick's incomparable talents as the Master of Vocalese to the world!