Reposting this in a non-Facebook location for friends and family who do not have Facebook accounts. For those of you new to my blog, Rachelle is my daughter.
Rachelle Moss is an American mezzo-contralto. She has been praised for her warm and sultry timbre.She performed the Alto Solo for Mozart’s Coronation Mass with the KCKCC Honorworks Choir. Rachelle received a Bachelor’s in Music History and Master’s in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas.
During the summer of 2013 Rachelle worked with Spotlight on Opera in Austin, Texas. She portrayed Madame Larina (Eugene Onegin) and Gertrude (Romeo et Juliette) in scenes programs, and covered both Mama McCourt (The Ballad of Baby Doe) and Bianca (The Rape of Lucretia). Immediately following her return to North Texas, Ms. Moss sang the part of Maddalena in the Rigoletto Quartet for Verdi’s 200th Birthday at the University of North Texas.
First Wednesday rolled around again, faster than it seemed possible. I drove back to the plaza after work, barely stopping long enough to grab a quick bite to eat. I arrived with a half-hour to spare, waiting on my long-time friend, Marge, and her husband, Bill. I stayed in the lobby of Unity Temple until about ten minutes to seven, hoping to catch them as they arrived. I gave up and grabbed some seats about midway down the aisle. Marge and Bill arrived with just a couple minutes to spare.
The evening’s program featured the rich, velvet vocals of Lester “Duck” Warner, performing with Tim Whitmer & The Consort Band of Spirituality and All That Jazz.
Lester Warner, affectionately known as “Duck,” is a quiet, soft-spoken man who transforms himself into a spectacular entertainer when he takes the stage. His voice is a rich baritone with a beautiful full falsetto that has been compared to Nat “King” Cole. He is also a gifted instrumentalist who plays trumpet, flugelhorn and trombone. Duck has headlined Japan’s first International Jazz Festival, Kansas City’s Spirit Festival, and The Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival. He was voted Kansas City’s Best Male Vocalist three years in a row. The International Trumpet Guild has recognized duck as a veteran of the revered “old school” associated with the special brand of Kansas City “Swing” music. Benny Powell, trombonist with the Count Basie Band, calls Duck a “premiere entertainer.”
Tim and the usual suspects took the stage and played a short set of jazz standard instrumentals.
Autumn Leaves
Cute … County Basey tune
They’ll Never Be Another You
After those three songs, Tim introduced Duck Warner and the concert proceeded with only a couple of restarts.
I’m in Love
Witchcraft
Georgia
Almost Like Being in Love
Everyday I Have the Blues
My Romance
Route 66
L-O-V-E
After the last song, I finally had a chance to snatch a few minutes of conversation with Marge as we walked to the parking garage. We said our goodbyes and I hit the road for the return trip home (second time, no sunglasses necessary). I made it home by ten after nine o’clock and had trouble finding a place to park. Band practice was still going strong in the band room.
I uploaded the videos I took and went to bed and attempted to sleep, band practice not withstanding.
Next month, on the first Wednesday, the day after my birthday, the featured vocalist is Diane ‘Mama’ Ray at Spirituality and All That Jazz. Come on down to the Plaza, sit a spell and savor some cool evening jazz. The best seven bucks you’ll ever spend.
Well, obviously (to me anyway) the twenty-third anniversary of the birth of my daughter, Rachelle, that’s what.
I want to take this opportunity to stroll down memory lane and share a few memories with you.
Rachelle ‘climbing’ the ‘mountain’ … one of my favorite early photos of her (c. 1990)Silly family photo (c. 1989 or 1990)Flower girl, Rachelle, and ring boy, Derek, at my brother’s wedding.
We’ll skip ahead a few years (the years during which I took mostly video to VHS-C tape and not film photos), to the time when Rachelle perfected ‘the look’ of exasperation because I loved taking candids of her with a digital camera.
Rachelle giving me the ‘look’ during vacation Bible school (c. 2005)On the tennis court (c. 2004)
Of course, there was the ever changing (sometimes by the week) hair color:
Blonde, First day of School as a Freshman (c. 2004)Reddish Blonde (c. Sumer 2004)Black and Teal (c. Summer 2005)
Rachelle played various team sports, including soccer at a young age (and I can’t find any of those photos, probably because they are in a box in the basement with the videotapes of the games). She also learned some judo and jujitsu, but never competed. Besides tennis (shown previously above), she also played fast pitch softball for a couple of years:
Rachelle on the field during the season opener (May 2003)
Rachelle played lacrosse for three years, the only female in an all-male league, who went undefeated that last year and she earned the Player of the Year award from her coaches.
Bulldogs Goal Tender (c. 2005)
But singing became her first love and most beautiful talent, joining a youth choir in third grade and continuing to perfect her voice through a succession of choirs and voice instructors.
Performing her solo at the Honor Recital (c. 2006)
Rachelle graduated from high school with honors.
Graduate Rachelle (May 2007)
Rachelle received two full scholarships (one academic, one music) to attend a local community college, where she continued her pursuit of vocal performance in various choirs and voice studios, including the Jazz Choir (notice the dark hair color).
Rachelle performing with the Jazz Choir (Mar 2008)
She gradauted with honors, but declined to attend graduation, so I have no photos of that non-event. In August 2009, just three months after graduating, she moved to North Texas (as did her brother and his wife). Rachelle enrolled at the University of North Texas and Derek joined the Guildhall at SMU. Terry and I found ourselves empty nesters rather abruptly.
Funny Face (Apr 2010)
Rachelle studied abroad in Europe (Germany mostly) during the Summer of 2010.
Rachelle with her Dad before leaving on the plane for Europe (May 2010)
For the last three years, Terry and I have made the annual Thanksgiving trip to North Texas to visit them.
Rachelle transfers the ‘look’ to her boyfriend (finally, I’m spared) (Nov 2010)
But she still tries to hide from my camera.
Rachelle and Terry hiding from my camera while tailgating at the UNT v KSU football game (Nov 2010)
And both my kids know how to ham it up for a photo.
Rachelle (smiling sillily) with Derek (Dec 2010)
For Christmas, Rachelle comes home (usually by plane) and Derek and Royna rent a car and drive up to visit. Usually, she helps me trim the Christmas tree.
Setting up the Christmas Treet (Dec 2010)
This past spring has taken us to North Texas twice. First to visit for Easter and second to attend Rachelle’s graduation (again with honors – manga cum laude) from UNT.
Rachelle hamming it up with the Easter eggs (Apr 2012)Derek congratulating Rachelle with a bear hug (May 2012)
Rachelle really needs to overcome her shyness problem when I point a camera (any camera, including my cell phone) at her.
Soon-to-be Graduate Student of Vocal Performance (May 2012)
And so I reach the twenty-third photo featuring my daughter, on this her twenty-third birthday.
Rachelle performing at her Senior Voice Recital (UNT, May 2012)
Oh, and I almost forgot. My wonderful husband reminded me that I get to work one extra day this month without any extra pay. Isn’t he adorable? Sheesh! As if I needed a reminder of the joys of being salaried.
I gave up on seeing Mercury (again) as I drove home under ominous low hanging clouds and a fierce northwest wind. I parked the van and entered my home, apologizing to Roxy for not being able to take her on a walk. I caught Terry dicing tomatoes for bruschetta in the kitchen, so I retreated to the great room to get my exercising done before dinner. Roxy and Apollo got a special treat for their dinner. I had to crack open a couple of cans of Pedigree beef stew for them since the large fifty pound bag of dry dog food was nearly empty. They didn’t seem to mind though.
After dinner, we still had over an hour before my daughter’s concert started. I had already redeployed my Linux (Kubuntu distro) and integrated it with the AV receiver, Internet and plasma display. I tested the sound and video quality before letting it apply any security updates and patches it needed since last I turned it on. I flipped the receiver back to the DVR so we could watch the latest NCIS before the concert.
At 7:25, I flipped the receiver back to the computer and made sure the screen saver had sufficient time to not engage for the next hour or two. Then we waited. And waited. And waited some more. As is par for the course at UNT, the performance started about fifteen minutes past the advertised and scheduled time.
I was pleasantly surprised to hear the oratorio sung in English. The reason I go to the trouble to print the programs is most often they are my only lifeline to understanding the text and usually include the original language text and an English translation. Thankfully, all that was needed was one language for Theodora.
During Act I, I made special note of several Airs performed by Jeffrey Snider (as Valens) and Richard Croft (as Septimius). I encourage you to review their biographies in the program. I can appreciate the skill and versatility of the countertenor, Ryland Angel (as Didymus), but I just can’t sit easy listening to him. Theodora (performed by Ava Pine) had some of the most beautiful poetic lines in her airs. Jennifer Lane (as Irene) showed off her range and talents impressively.
The second act included a couple of symphonic interludes bracketing a recitative and air by Theodora which featured mellow soulful melodies sung by wooden flutes. While not specifically featured in a solo, another quest artist, Richard Savino, and his strange looking large chitarrone could easily be seen in the center of the Baroque Orchestra next to the two harpsichords. In fact, I received an e-mail from my uncle asking me what kind of instrument it was and I directed him to the program, specifically the page listing the instruments and their performers.
The highlight of the second act culminated in the final chorus, favored by Handel even above his vaunted Hallelujah chorus (from theMessiah).
He saw the lovely youth, death’s early prey,
Alas, too early snatch’d away!
He heard his mother’s fun’ral cries.
“Rise, youth,” He said. The youth begins to rise.
Lowly the matron bow’d, and bore away the prize.
By this time, the clock struck a quarter ’til ten. Way past my bedtime and Terry had already succumbed to slumber. I hung on through the final intermission and the hopefully briefer third act.
Valens and Septimius both had astonishing airs, but the final duet between Didymus and Theodora contained some of the most glorious poetry written by the librettist Thomas Morell (for the complete Theodora libretto, follow this link. The final chorus to the third act ended about twenty minutes before eleven o’clock. While not as stunning as the previous act’s ending chorus, the words imparted the longed for hope of the tragic figures of Theodora and Didymus:
O love divine, thou source of fame,
Of glory, and all joy!
Let equal fire our souls inflame,
And equal zeal employ,
That we the glorious spring may know,
Whose streams appear’d so bright below.
I shutdown the computer, turned off the receiver and plasma and trudged upstairs to bed, leaving the dogs and the husband to fend for themselves.
While not a featured soloist in the production, Rachelle participated as a member of the Collegium Singers during the impressive performance of Handel’s Theodora. She gets to repeat this performance again this evening in Dallas at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.
Theodora is an oratorio concerning the Christian martyr Theodora and her Christian-converted Roman lover, Didymus. It is a tragedy, ending in the death of the heroine and her converted lover. The music is much more direct than Handel’s earlier works, transcending the mediocrity of the libretto (which was true for several of his works) so that the characters and the drama are well-defined. Theodora was actually Handel’s favorite of his oratorios. The composer himself ranked the final chorus of Act II, “He saw the lovely youth,” “far beyond” “Hallelujah” in Messiah.
Handel’s Theodora