bonny tynch | Vienna Choral Society

Q&A with Dave Reynolds of the Vienna Jammers

December 17, 2014

And today, we hear from the one and only Dave Reynolds of the Vienna Jammers Percussion Ensemble – he who has been known to shave his head and festoon it with a green shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day. He came to rehearsal last night sporting a full head of his normal colored hair, accompanied by one Jammer, two congas, and oh yeah, a steel drum. So before we hear from him, here are five things that happened at rehearsal:

Dave and his Jammer, Annalise, don’t just sway, they full out shimmy to the music. While playing.
There’s a long 7 minute back and forth between him, Greg, and Jen about the music, the fact that the music is wrong, the exact nanosecond during which someone beats something and …. “Hey, this is important technical stuff!”…
When the choir starts to laugh at that bit, Dave says something to the effect of “Okay fine, we’ll use formal terminology.” Which is how the words “Molto craziando” enter the VCS lexicon.
Jen says, “I need you to be/sound more sunbathed!” We know exactly what she means, and we sound sunnier, to her satisfaction. Even though it’s Virginia, in mid-December. We’re awesome like that.
Dave can set up and dismantle equipment awfully fast. Turn around, and everyone’s gone. No joke.

We did get Dave to answer a few questions, and here is what he had to say about drumming and the Jammers.
VCS: I say drums, you say …
DR: Heartbeat.

VCS: A bunch of kids, things to bang on, this is going to end in ….

DR: A joyous noise!

VCS: All drummers are this old in their heads:

DR: 5

VCS: The easiest thing to learn at Jammers is…
DR: The “Stop Immediately” speech!

VCS: The hardest thing to play on a drum is…
DR: A steady tempo

Dave Reynolds of the Vienna Jammers at rehearsal with VCS – December 16, 2014

VCS: The best three drummers are …
DR: Always disciplined.

VCS: Your favorite drum solo is ….
DR: One played with others!

VCS: Your kids would be thrilled to do this piece….
DR: Animals!

VCS: Your kids would think you’ve lost your marbles if you asked them to…
DR: Play a new piece live after only rehearsing it once!

VCS: You are looking forward to doing this with VCS and Bridges Harmony because …

DR: Joint concerts are fun!

We still have tickets available for Nowel e Navidad. Tickets are $25 for adults, and $20 for seniors(65+) and students(15-18). Youth (14 and younger) attend for free with a paying adult. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW. You can also purchase them directly through a member of the choir. And of course, we’ll have some at the door.

Nowel e Navidad Guest Artists: Q&A with Bonny Tynch of Bridges

December 15, 2014

It’s that time! Time to find out about the people behind one of our two guests for Nowel e Navidad.

The Bridges Choir is an El Sistema-inspired, intensive after school program that is immersing our young people in music, community and culture. Located out of Cunningham Park Elementary School in Vienna, Bridges is led by Bonny Tynch.

In addition to leading the Bridges Choir, Ms. Tynch is a music educator in the Fairfax County Public School system as well as the Youth Chorus Conductor at the Fairfax Choral Society. In other words, she deals with kids and music *a lot.* We asked her what she thinks will happen on show night before the Bridges Choir joins us on stage.

Bonny Tynch of Bridges Choir

VCS: We say harmony, you say……?
BT: BRIDGES!

VCS: Finish the math – 25 kids + a live show + first weekend of winter break = ?
BT: Indication of dedication

VCS: You really have the patience of a saint. True, False, or Hilarious?
BT: True.

VCS: The best part of working with kids is ……
BT: Empowering them to exceed expectations.

VCS: What you tell the kids before you take the stage:
BT: You’ve worked hard. Be proud and share your music!

VCS: What the kids tell you or share after you take the stage ….
BT: “That was fun! I was so nervous before we started.”

VCS: The kids would love to sing/perform….
BT: At a sporting event.

VCS: The first thing you’ll do after the show ends?
BT: HIGH FIVE and receive hugs from proud family members!

VCS: You are looking forward to making music with VCS and the Jammers because….
BT: What better way to bring different people together – through music!

Coming up next, a Q&A with David Reynolds of the Vienna Jammers, who will also be our guests this weekend.

It’s going to be a great show! Do you have tickets yet? Tickets are $25 for adults, and $20 for seniors(65+) and students(15-18). Youth (14 and younger) attend for free with a paying adult. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW. You can also purchase them directly through a member of the choir. And of course, we’ll have some at the door.

Seth Hurwitz’s Right, You Should See Us Live

December 9, 2014

kidatcelticfest You probably looked at that title and thought “Who is Seth Hurwitz?”

Short answer – owner of the 9:30 Club in DC. Longer answer – the guy who also owns Merriweather Post Pavillion and the restored Lincoln Theater, and one of the few contenders who can go up against Live Nation/Ticketmaster.

No, Hurwitz doesn’t know us. ::sad face:: But he recently said something that really resonates with us at VCS.

Washingtonian magazine asked him why the public should bother going to shows if they can get it all online, anytime they want. Here’s how he replied:

That’s not a concert—that’s a video. A live concert … is a fantastic social experience. You’re in a room, sharing it with people—the crowd noise, the applause. Most people are at a screen all day. We sell escapism. When you go into that room, everything else goes away.

Hurwitz is absolutely right. [Read more…]

Q&A with Dave Reynolds of the Vienna Jammers

Nowel e Navidad Guest Artists: Q&A with Bonny Tynch of Bridges

Seth Hurwitz’s Right, You Should See Us Live

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