Brought Home Three Medals!!!

Thank you all so much for all your good wishes and prayers. We had a fantastic time in Orlando. What a joy to see our quartets compete and sound so very good [Coastal Harmony Region 9 2025 - Quartet Contest - YouTube: Encore at 58 min and Put a Ring on It at 2:54:00] One of our coaches said that the best way to improve a chorus is to sing in quartets and it's so true. We came home with three medals--most improved (our goal), 1st place in small chorus (another goal), and 5th overall. Here's the link: [Coastal Harmony Region 9 2025 - Chorus Contest we're on at 2:22:40]

Below, my tenor section that's doubled in size! Janet, the blonde, is an amazing section leader, paying so much attention to detail, and all around talented and hard-working musician. She plays the piano beautifully too. Next is a picture that my friend Alysse would say: Team Catholic. I want us to have a quartet called Catlicks, where we sing religious and cat songs, but nobody's on board. Le sigh. We need to start with Rossini's Cat Duet. I also met a couple of ladies who were out for some quiet morning prayer time with the gators and geckos and I had such a lovely time listening to their stories and sharing my own. 

The least favorite part for me is doing all the makeup--it is getting easier but still I don't feel like myself, though once it's on, I can forget about it. I was happy to room with Erin and Dagny, who helped me with mine, as well as ride with them. I had ample time in the backseat of the car to read the latest issue of Hearth and Field (and make memes). We stopped at Buc-ee's (I love the art displayed in their rest rooms) and now I have some shorts to go with my flip-flops :) We made it in time to give thanks to God at Mass. Now it's time to get ready for Spoleto!!!  

Preparing for Competition

I am packing for my trip to Orlando for competition! Dress rehearsal at Franke's went well despite the stormy weather. I appreciated all who came out to cheer us on. The quartets were fabulous!!! Put a Ring on It sang one of my favorite songs about having pockets in dresses--my mother sewed pockets in all our dresses and I carried coins and ginger candy in mine. Brought back happy memories. 

The contest will be livestreamed Sat. April 5th here: https://youtube.com/@coastalharmonysai?si=OfAMgr4rCDb5c0In  Charleston Sound Chorus is scheduled for 2:24 pm. Please pray for us--for a safe journey and that our best will win 1st place in small chorus :)

Rejoice!

Our weekends are generally filled with music but this weekend, even more so. It started with a chant workshop with Floriani Saturday morning at St. Clare of Assisi. That evening we sang with them at Mass. Every time we have a workshop or coaching session, I am reminded again and again of the basics of good singing--breathing, giving shape to a phrase, carrying over the long notes. I learned a couple of new things: to sing high notes softly and 32nd notes, so prevalent in Indian music (see an explanation of the most common flourishes here: How to sing Gamakas? | VoxGuru ft. Pratibha Sarathy). Floriani gave a free concert on Sunday evening, which we had to miss because we were singing Palestrina's Missa Brevis for Laetare Sunday. Oh, how beautiful to see so many altar boys processing in... Our pastor reminded us to persevere in our Lenten devotions, to be aware of the joy of the Lord. Lent is almost over; it is preparation for resurrection, for freedom, for joy. Rejoice! 

It is extra-special to sing with Michael and Dagny! And the fun continues. Local friends, we are having our barbershop dress rehearsal 7:30 pm at Franke's at Seaside (1500 Franke Dr. in Mt. Pleasant) as we prepare for regional contest this coming weekend in Florida. We also have two quartets competing: Encore and Put a Ring On It. I can't wait to hear their contest sets. We're so stoked, we're singing all the time...while doing housework, driving, in parking lots :)  

Pick-Up Notes by Jane Lebak

Jane Lebak gave a fantastic talk on character development at the Online Catholic Writing Conference, so of course I had to check out her books. I picked up Pick-Up Notes because it's about a string quartet and I love stories set in a musical milieu. The narrator is a violist and the butt of many jokes, including self-deprecating ones. But it's the second violinist who steals the show--what a great character! And not just because she's an Indian blue-haired, vegetarian, Catholic convert, but because she can improvise on the spot and that's what takes the quartet to a whole new level. The cellist is a stutterer and boy, as a life-long stutterer, did I feel the words stuck in his throat (I speak more fluently now, but stress and nerves can trigger horrible stuttering). The first violinist is the alpha male--rich, spoiled, but talented, generous, and driven. Ms. Lebak has done meticulous research on both quartets and stuttering (I thought it strange the violist was analyzing the celllist's speech--but it's educational for those who don't know anything about it so I'll give it a pass). There's also family drama and romance.

Music lovers, I encourage you to pick up this book for its excellent storytelling. It is difficult to write about music, because as Victor Hugo said, "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." 

Lent

With a storm coming through, I worried that Ash Wed services might be canceled but by late afternoon, it was sunny. We celebrated with a Solemn High Mass. I received my ashes, marking me as a sinner, yet reminding me that I have a Savior. I'm happy to have Lenten Healing--it begins with tackling the sin of sloth. The short daily reflections are a perfection companion to the daily Mass readings. Grateful for this time to walk more closely with my dear Lord Jesus. I sing: A Prayer Of St Richard Of Chichester  

On Healing

I've been on a quest for healing for many years now. I started working with a functional medicine doctor who's helping me detox and it has helped greatly. But we are body-mind-spirit, so I'm also working on my spiritual life. Began a wonderful online retreat offered here: Watch the Path to Healing Our Broken Hearts - Oblates of the Virgin Mary  I'd been waiting to watch and listen to these videos for six months. Got on a wait-list and finally, finally, the email with the links came, during Advent. I thought, no way--NOW? When I'm busy with Christmas concerts and last-minute wedding preparations? The thought of adding something more to my plate was daunting. But after a week, I couldn't resist and took a peek. It was so good. I realized everything always happens at the right time. So I watched in the pockets of free time. They are short and so rich. I cried a lot--they are healing tears. Given that we are ALL wounded in some way, I'm sharing the links to the workshop. You will resist, just like I did, but when you're ready...open it up. It's free. With Lent just around the corner, it just may be the perfect time for you. 

And that is how I discovered Bob Schuchts' books on healing. He's the founder of the John Paul II Healing Center – Transformation in the Heart of the Church I just finished BE HEALED today. Take a look at how the seven deadly sins and our wounds make us believe lies about ourselves, cause us to sin, and remain shackled, but the Divine Physician is ready to heal and we can know we are being healed when the lies are replaced by the truth--that we are beloved. I'd done the smaller retreat book earlier and I loved how easily it was to enter into the Gospel stories of healing. I feel as if I'm being healed from the inside out. I know I have more work to do but I am so grateful to invite Jesus into the difficult moments of my life and experience His Love for me. Although I will have to wait to get to heaven to experience His arms wrapped about me, He's present here in the Eucharist and He can look at me, and I Him. Deo gratias!  

Meeting Online Friends in Person

What a joy it is when you've shared letters and your heart over the years with a dear friend and you finally get to meet her and her beautiful family. Last year Faith and her family stopped by our place on their way to Florida and again on their return trip. We stayed up half the night talking. This time, they planned it so that the four older girls could come to barbershop practice with me. They dove right in. We all had a lovely time. 

It was so great to see how the children have grown over a year. The most apparent changes are in the youngest but in reality it's the older ones who have the greatest changes in store as they prepare to fly the nest. Such a beautiful family. Faith, from the time I knew her (she had two little girls and expecting her third), has taught me so much about living in trustful surrender to God and His plans. She's my Charlotte: "It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer."

SCBWI Message Board is Down

People are asking me about the SCBWI boards. I don't know when it will be restored--I'm just a lowly moderator. Please direct your inquiries to SCBWI. You can use the green help button at the bottom of the page. And I do encourage you to ask what's going on. There's no update on the main website. 

Verla has another craft board. However, children's writing would be off-limits due to conflict of interest with SCBWI at this time. But it is a place to gather if you so choose to maintain our friendships and share other crafts: Verla Kay Creations Forum - Index 

When requesting membership to the craft board, be sure to mention you were on the SCBWI message board. It will speed up your acceptance and give you access to an exclusive Message Board Alumni group. Of course, it's open to all who enjoy crafts.

Do any of you remember this? I use this bag for my barbershop music. I added the Sing/Pray after I got religion :) I learned that Verla Kay used to sing in a barbershop chorus as well. So fun!

Conference Recordings

I'm sharing tidbits but if you want to listen to even some of the lectures with handouts, this is a great offer. 

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