Musical Musings

Recently I was introduced to a fabulous singing group - Il Divo.

Three of the guys are classically trained opera singers while the third is a self-taught pop singer and songwriter. These four guys were brought together about five or six years ago to create a new group of REAL singers.

How is it that I'm just now hearing about them?

At the end of church service last Sunday (the sermon was on grace), the pastor had the tech crew close with a video of Il Divo singing Amazing Grace. Wish our new digital soundboard had already been installed.

Needless to say, it was amazing!

The beautiful emotion transformed into a powerful performance. And this was all only on video! Found myself with tears running down my cheeks when it was all said and done.

Since my son was away in Memphis that day, I pulled the video up on You Tube and showed it to him upon his return from the choir trip. He was completely blown away.

If I may be so bold, I told him that I could see him doing something like that someday. Since he was little he has loved music and has had a good ear to go with the good voice. When he went through the "change" in his vocal chords, he was so distraught and refused to be in choir after sixth grade, until he started high school and realized that his voice had stabilized.

His music teacher has him singing two solos for regionals. Many of his fellow choir members commented to me Tuesday night at the forensics tournament that my son is the best tenor in the entire choir.

That said alot to me.

So I'm going to watch carefully these next few years and see what he decides to do with the gift God has given him. There's several well-connected people in my church that could recommend good music programs for college if that's the direction he chooses.

In the meantime, we're just dying to get "The Promise", the most recent CD offering of Il Divo. Their tour schedule shows they'll be coming within a few hours of our city, but that will probably have to wait until finances/employment will allow. That's okay.

There's always the opportunity to watch and listen to Il Divo on You Tube.

Phantom Phascination

My son is a rabid "Phantom" fan.

This week he asked me to order him the soundtrack from the movie that came out a few years ago. Don't know why we didn't get it in the first place. He's also been looking at the track version of the songs. A bit pricey, but since he was paying he wanted to go ahead and order that too.

So we did. Next year he's going to be in theatre and wants to work on the drama instructor to see if he can talk her into doing "Phantom of the Opera" his senior year.

He wants to play the masterful yet troubled phantom.

Then this summer in Europe they are seeing the London Theatre's production of "Phantom".

I can understand his obsession. Ever since I can remember, I've loved the story, the music, the passion.

Many years ago they came out with a television version (non-musical/opera) that was okay, but without the musical components it was rather bland.

I watched it anyway. :-)

Since my son was away at a forensics tournament last night we decided to have our movie and pizza tonight. You'll never guess what we watched.

You got it - "Phantom of the Opera". I never really get tired of it either.

But something was different tonight. The music always captures me and carries me away with it. However, watching it tonight I was so much more engaged with the story than I've ever been before.

I cried!

Tonight I saw through the music. I saw the depth of the story, the depth of the torment, the anguish, and ultimately the love the phantom showed Christine when he let her go and released her to love someone else.

Not sure yet why it touched me so. Wish it wasn't time change weekend so that I could stay up and explore this. Maybe it has a little bit to do with how my son relates so much to the phantom, all the hurts and pain of the past weighing him down and how he finally releases it.

Perhaps we can have a conversation about it. Perhaps I'm reading more into it than there truly is.

I have a tendency to do that, you know.

In the meantime, I will be thankful for allowing it to touch me in the manner it did tonight. Music always reaches me where nothing else can.

But tonight it was the story. Go figure.

Pounding the Pavement

My best friend, Lori, is a professional percussianist. She teaches at two private schools, plays for the church, is in an area musicianship group, and is under contract for the local opera and music theatre companies. Let me tell you, that girl is busy. She can play tympani like nobody's business.

She also knows her drums.

Since I'm planning to get my son into drum lessons this fall, I'll need to buy a drum set. His birthday is next month, so I figure I'll kill two birds with one stone and get him the drums as a birthday present.

Lori's agreed to take me around to the best stores and compare basic sets and prices. If anyone can get me a good set for a good deal, she can.

She's already warned me to stay away from pawn shops. Figured I might be able to get a good deal there, but she said many times they're even more expensive than buying something brand new. It's the sucker punch.

We've tentatively planned for this Saturday or the next. She's even offered to let me store it at her house until his birthday weekend. I want to at least TRY to keep it a surprise if at all possible. Then I can set it up in his man cave and make it off-limits for a day or two. Gee, the things I go through to try and keep secrets from the kid.

All I can say is, he'd better appreciate all I'm going to go through trying to get the crazy thing in the house and set up. My back hurts already.

And Lori lugs around tympani drums all by herself!