Yesterday the Bell'Arte Singers (BAS) co-hosted the third annual Choral Symposium. The clinician this year was Dr. Richard Nace. Dr. Nace told stories about, demonstrated and expounded on his choral conducting techniques. His signature, so to speak, is "exploring the expressive nature of your choir through Tone-Shape-Spirit". He was very nice, warm individual; however, as I am not a teacher, nor have I ever conducted choirs of young persons I found his talks rather "non-revolutionary" — more common sense advice of the caring and sharing, politically-correct variety. One music teacher I talked to said a workshop with her choir with Dr. Nace really helped her students. So I'm really not qualified to judge his worth. What I look for in a conductor is an indication of the beat and dyamics or expression. Whether this is made with grand inclusive, "gathering in" gestures or a waving baton with some accompanying hand motions I don't really care as long as there are clear cutoffs and tempo indications when (and if) required. Even though the self-annoited Maestro of the local opera company had really no idea how to lead a productive rehearsal for amateur singers, he was a fine conductor. I could even follow him in my near-sighted state, sans lunettes, on the opera stage. But, I digress. I probably should have done something else on Saturday morning and just come for the choral conducting master classes and the reading session in the afternoon.

The BAS had a party after the day's work. I chatted with Dr. Richard Nace at the party and he recognized me as the one who was smiling "all the time" while I was singing, even sight signing. There are probably two reasons for that: a) I like to sing and b) my first voice teacher insisted you can't make a good sound with your voice without a smile in it somewhere. He probably saw me during the reading session, reading through a new arrangement of "Verleih' uns Freiden" by Felix Mendelssohn — a personal favourite with a grand bass entrance. I told him I was an engineer and he asked me why I hadn't taken to a career in music. I like engineering work, the technical challenges and, of course, it pays well enough to support home ownership, a family, etc. Unless you're really, good music can't provide those things; nevertheless, choral music makes for a great hobby you can probably carry on with all your life. And there's the love interest: I met my wife in a choir.