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The Squee Effect: When The Music Touches A Universal Chord

February 22, 2016

In which our executive director, Sohini Baliga, who used the words “blanket fort” in a previous post, now uses the word “squee!” 

“Squeee!” is the sound I made back in the summer when our artistic director Jennifer Rodgers said we’d do spirituals and traditional songs for our March concert. First a quick reminder about that. In Rodgers’ words:

Music is at the very heart of the world’s deepest traditional communities because it speaks directly to our spirits. Each tradition that we will explore in ‘Til The Spirit Moves has its own unique sound and message. They are centuries old in many cases, and are now steeped in meaning and in their communities. This is moving, powerful, evocative music.

(via SummerRain812/Flickr Creative Commons)

(via SummerRain812/Flickr Creative Commons)

Few would argue that music has the capacity to transcend barriers of culture and language. Audiences everywhere get melody, even if we have no idea what the words mean. And everyone gets rhythm. Even folks with two left feet get the beat.*

But there is something universal about the pieces that we hold dearest around the world. There is something human and transcendent about them. And sometimes, even without any context, the connection is instant. It certainly was for me. There is no other other reason why I fell in love with the Blues and Gospel as a teen in New Delhi.

I grew up in a highly musical family—to wit, my name. I grew up on a well-curated staple of Karnatic,  Hindustani, and Western classical music. And yes, beloved Bollywood. None of the aforementioned, however, gave me any context for the random Aretha Franklin and Percy Sledge tapes I found lying in a neighborhood store.

It made not one bit of difference. [Read more…]

Tagged With: aretha franklin, blanket fort, blues, bollywood, bring me water sylvie, etta james, ezekiel saw the wheel, gospel, hindustani, karnatic, kishori amonkar, leadbelly, percy sledge, shaker, simple gifts, spirituals, squee, two left feet

Snowzilla and Spirit

January 26, 2016

A note from our executive director:

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you the funniest Snowzilla meme to hit my Facebook feed, courtesy of one Chrissy Mead, steampunk soprano and all around wag.

snowchoir

Have to say, it seemed particularly hilarious when I first looked at it. You know, as the snow came down sideways Saturday afternoon. But there is a point here: Amid what Petula Dvorak of the Post called “confused snowfall estimates, regrettable junk-food decisions, an incubating October baby boom and a lingering sense of dread for many parents,” you can be sure some of us were going over our music, and eager for rehearsal this week. (Still questionable at the time of writing.)*

VCS singers will give you lots of reasons why we schlep out to rehearsal every Tuesday—including tonight,** plows and roads willing.*** But the biggest and most consistent reason is joy, and our audience. We sing because it makes us happy—whether it’s in fellowship once a week with one another, or alone in our blanket forts while waiting on OPM to make a decision already. And we sing for you.

We hope you have your calendar marked for our next concert. ‘Til The Spirit Moves, 7:30 pm, Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Vienna Baptist Church (Marshall Road, Vienna). [Read more…]

Tagged With: blanket fort, Petula Dvorak, rehearsal, snowzilla, spirit

About

Welcome to VCS! We are a teaching, non-audition choir where all voices and skill levels are welcome. We invite you to learn more about who we are, what we do, and if there's a place for you in our choir.

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