Oh, joy! Earworms for days

12 06 2023

The sanctuary of Kawaiahaʻo Church filled with concert goers yesterday to hear “Jubilate Deo,” a choral and symphonic work composed by Dan Forrest, and performed by the Windward Choral Society and symphony musicians under the direction  of Susan McCreary Duprey. What an honor and a pleasure!
The lyrics, after Psalm 100 in the Bible, for each of seven movements, are in a different language, that is, our chorus sang in seven different languages. It’s not a long piece—50 minutes—and our director prides herself in concluding on the dot. I think she was a minute early in rehearsal!

In rehearsal

Because of my bad back, I sang seated from a chair behind the brass section. Sometimes I couldn’t hear myself. A friend quipped, ”At least you weren’t in front of the brass!” Ahaha, that’s for sure! This was my view, looking toward the back of the church toward the pipe organ.

I’m glad I remembered to ask Dan Forrest to sign my score!

Composer Dan Forrest and Rebekah Luke (Alto 2). Photo by Peter Krape)

“Omnis terra, jubilate, omnis terra, laudate, Omnis terra, jubilate Deo!”

“Sing for joy, dance in gladness, shout for joy, all the earth!”

”Alleluia!”

Be well, everyone, and keep singing!

~ Rebekah


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Categories : About me, Music

Kīlauea Volcano erupts!

7 06 2023


Kīlauea Volcano on Hawaiʻi Island erupted this morning, the third time since 2018. For me, the next best thing to being there in person is to watch the television news reports from my studio on Oʻahu. These images are from KITV4. At this time the eruption is confined to Halemaumau Crater.



Be well, and avoid the vog!

~Rebekah


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Categories : Hawaiian, Travel

Iam Tongi charms American Idol fans for the win

22 05 2023

By now, everyone knows that Iam Tongi is the newest American Idol. TV viewers cast more than reportedly 17 million votes for the 18-year-old from Hawaiʻi.

Fans and judges liked Tongi’s heartfelt song stylings. While the champ has a good voice, the show is not “The Voice” or “America’s Got Talent”; it’s more of a popularity contest.

He charmed viewers with his smarts, humility, kindness, humor, and bigger -than-life presence.

Here are the lyrics to the song “Monsters” by James Blunt that Iam sings:

Monsters
/
Lyrics

Oh, before they turn off all the lights
I won’t read you your wrongs or your rights
The time has gone
I’ll tell you goodnight, close the door
Tell you I love you once more
The time has gone
So here it is
I’m not your son, you’re not my father
We’re just two grown men saying goodbye
No need to forgive, no need to forget
I know your mistakes and you know mine
And while you’re sleeping I’ll try to make you proud
So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes?
Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn
To chase the monsters away
Oh, well, I’ll read a story to you
Only difference is this one is true
The time has gone
I folded your clothes on the chair
I hope you sleep well, don’t be scared
The time has gone
So here it is
I’m not your son, you’re not my father
We’re just two grown men saying goodbye
No need to forgive, no need to forget
I know your mistakes and you know mine
And while you’re sleeping I’ll try to make you proud
So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes?
Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn
To chase the monsters away
Sleep a lifetime
Yes, and breathe a last word
You can feel my hand on your own
I will be the last one
So I’ll leave a light on
Let there be no darkness, in your heart
But I’m not your son, you’re not my father
We’re just two grown men saying goodbye
No need to forgive, no need to forget
I know your mistakes and you know mine
And while you’re sleeping I’ll try to make you proud
So, daddy, won’t you just close your eyes?
Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn
To chase the monsters away
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jimmy Hogarth / James Blunt / Amy Victoria Wadge
Monsters lyrics © Cookie Jar Music Llp, Emi Music Publishing Ltd

 

CONGRATULATIONS!! to Iam Tongi!!!

Be well.

~ Rebekah 

 

 

 

 


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Exciting calendar of events

8 05 2023

It’s not too early to make a note of these art and music events:

“Emergence” by members of the Windward Artists Guild will be on view at the Downtown Art Gallery, 2nd Floor, in Honolulu Chinatown, May 18-27, 2023. A reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on May 19. Come and see my diptych “Maʻafala Breadfruit” of hand-dyed tissue paper.

Next, the Windward Choral Society directed by Susan McCreary Duprey will sing “Jubilate Deo” composed by Dan Forrest on June 11, 2023, at Kawaiahaʻo Church in Honolulu. The downbeat is at 4 p.m. This major work is in seven movements, each in a different language! Symphony orchestra members will participate. Free admission. Donations appreciated.

Thirdly, “Remembering Susan” in honor of our late friend and artist mentor Susan Rogers-Aregger is scheduled for the month of June 2023 at ARTS at Marks, Nuuanu avenue and Pauahi street, Honolulu. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The opening reception is from 5 to 8 p.m. on June 2. The closing reception is from 5 to 8 p.m. on June 30. Works will include collages and ceramics.

Let’s hear it for the arts and music! Hooray!

Be well.

~Rebekah

 


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Categories : Fine Art, Music

April showers bring May flowers

27 04 2023

It’s the rainy season at the studio, and as the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.”  These are some blooms from my garden.






Enjoy!
Be well!
~ Rebekah


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Categories : Uncategorized

Musicale

4 04 2023

mu·si·cale

/ˌmyo͞ozəˈkal/

noun NORTH AMERICAN

a musical gathering or concert, typically small and informal.

“Musicale” is the apt name of my sister chorister Liz’s soirée last Sunday evening. It provided another opportunity to hear Tony Lu, a renowned visiting pianist who is blind.

Tony Lu

Liz’s cordial home is on a hill overlooking scenic Kāneohe Bay. A grand piano and two additional keyboards are among the musical instruments in a long parlor.

After socializing at a potluck buffet on the deck—I baked a pan of brownies!—guests gathered inside for after-dinner entertainment: piano duet, piano trio, improvisational playing by Tony and clarinet-piano-vocal jazz styling (“All of Me”), for examples. It seemed like a trip back in time to me, although this was the first time I’ve been present at this kind of “kanikapila.” Grateful!

Be well.

~ Rebekah 


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My art receives Honorable Mention

18 03 2023

I appreciated very much the words of Gregory Pai, the juror of Ultra III exhibit of the Windward Artists Guild. He gave the remarks on March 16, 2023, about my hand-dyed tissue-paper collage entitled “Crater View.” The actual crater at Kilauea was Fissure 8, now named ʻAhuʻailaʻau. The acoustics were poor in the second-floor lobby of Pauahi Tower, where the art will be hanging for two months, so I hope I heard the video correctly for my transcription:

“ … it’s not a piece of work that shouts at you when you look at it, but when you start to look at it very closely, it goes deeper and deeper and deeper. And it’s just very skillful use of collage elements to create an abstract, visual landscape. And the excellent values, differentiation and composition using very strong diagonal shapes gives it a strong sense of movement, depth, and aerial perspective. So it was an abstract, but in the same sense you felt like you were looking at a crater. And it had a very real depth abstract quality to it, and it was done in collage, which is a very difficult medium to work with …”

Be well.

~ Rebekah


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Categories : About me, Fine Art, Hawaiian, Uncategorized

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