Back in black

Ok ok ok, I've officially become a terrible blogger. My life isn't even suddenly super busy, I have no excuses, I just haven't blogged about stuff lately. I also haven't written in my journal, so this is extra weird. Sorry, posterity, that you didn't get to read my thoughts for a week and a half. 


BUT I've got some lovely things to share. We'll have to combine current events with a little blast from the past to catch up here. Stick with me; I'll spread it out. 


First subject of interest: Women's Chorus. 


We had our final concert a couple Fridays ago, and it was incredible! A lot of preparation went into this concert so that it could be a meaningful experience for both performer and audience member alike. I've heard nothing but praise from members of our audience that night, so it appears we succeeded on that account. As for the performers, I know for sure that we succeeded on that account as well. 


On the Sunday before the concert, we went up the canyon to a cell-phone-service-free cabin where we could take a break from the everyday stuff and bond over a Passover celebration. The reason for this Passover was to increase our understanding regarding our centerpiece song for the concert. This piece was called "Reflections from Yad Vashem" and was a tribute to the children of the Holocaust, combining text from the Abrahamic covenant, emotion-provoking poetry from the composer, and a Hebrew lullaby with names from the children's exhibit at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. We have one girl in our choir this year who grew up in Jerusalem and speaks Hebrew, so she was essentially the host for our Passover. She offered some great insights as we experienced the traditions to connect our strong LDS culture with the culture of those we would be singing about. 

After we finished dinner, we each received a picture/biography of a child from the Holocaust and a candle. The biographies had been researched by girls in the choir and paired with pictures for about 150 children. We learned that a biography would be included in each program for the audience members to connect with and that they would also see their child's picture in a slideshow as part of the concert. Do you see how much coordination this took?? Amazing women run this choir, let me tell you! Anyway, everyone lit a candle for their child and we sang hymns and basically everyone cried. Easily the most inspiring yet heartbreaking part of the evening. 

Lilianne Ziegler. What a doll.

All in all, our Passover celebration was a success in that it helped everyone to come together as a team in the week leading up to the concert, but more importantly it succeeded in inspiring each girl to connect with the music of the concert. Everyone knows the audience won't feel anything if the performers don't feel anything, right? I was very grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Jewish culture and to really allow myself to feel the weight of the Holocaust contrasted with the message of hope in our song. If I ever get access to a recording of the song, you shall hear it because it is amazing. 


Fortunately, everything we felt on that Sunday translated beautifully to our music in the concert that Friday. I've participated in many choir concerts in my time, but none so emotionally charged as this one. There was much more of a connection between the singers and the audience; what a difference it made! I was glad that some of my favorite people in the world could come and hear. 

Jen's parents

My lovely, lovely friends

Los padres

I know I've already gushed a lot, but let me just wrap up by saying Women's Chorus has changed my life this year. Pretty sure I could definitely continue this for my years at BYU because such uplifting experiences aren't always easy to come by. This will not be the last you see of that sparkly black shirt, folks. 


Ok there's the past. Now real quick, jump to the present: 
a) I have a wicked sunburn from yesterday. These things happen in spring because you can sit outside for three hours and never even feel hot and sweaty, so you never bother to think, "Oh, I'm creating skin cancer while I sit here." Dang it.
b) I have received snail mail from Mexico for three (3) weeks in a row now. This is unheard of. And I'm loving it. 
c) I am in love with this song. Why, Sara? Why do I have to love everything you record?


d) Thanks for reading to the end, trooper.