Yes, welcome back, Jerry! It's just great that your book is fitting so well with your blossoming music pursuits.


As for what I've been doing, it's not changed much.   Which is fine with me--it means a lot of music. Choral Arts is off til July (has been off since May) but it's amazing what else is going on.

Jan and I went to see John Prine at Wolf Trap--he was just absolutely wonderful-and the other fans knew a lot more about him than we did. People kept calling for "Happy Enchilada" which turns out to be a "A half an inch of water" ("and you think you're gonna drown") .   Just a great, great show--and we had wonderful seats, since I'd told the ticketsellers that Jan had vision in only one eye and a titanium plate in her neck, so she could not turn just her head.

Anyway, on the way back we stopped to sing some country duets in the Wolf Trap tunnel--fantastic acoustics.   And a woman there stopped to listen-- and said we could get a job at a Stanton VA club--$125/night.   We really couldn't--we sure don't have enough repertoire--and I don't think the woman was really in charge down there. But it sure is nice to hear something like that---admittedly the acoustics are really, REALLY friendly.

Then the next night (Saturday) the Mens' Camerata I was in several years had its 30th anniversary concert.   Invited the alumni back to sing 3 pieces in the concert--a little rehearsal first. A real kick.   There's nothing like a cappella music--especially when you're part of it.

Then on top of that, the next day the madrigal group I was in for 15 years had its 40th--man, these groups sure do pile up the years quick.

Anyway, first we sang in church (a Handel antiphonal anthem), with the church choir being the other chorus. Then after a great picnic, we stood there and sang a good hour of the great old songs we used to do --lots of madrigals from the "Gray Book" and some others.

We used to sing "In These Delightful Pleasant Groves". But every time we did, it would rain. So our leader said we wouldn't do it this time. But after doing all the other madrigals, in truly delightful pleasant groves, with the sun continuing, I suggested to him that we should do it anyway. And we did--to a perfectly beautiful sky.   So finally, after years, we beat the hex.