2 down, 1 to go!

Just got home from taking my Marine Biology final exam. My brain now feels like a damp sponge after squeezing all that info out of it.

Don't get me wrong; this was probably the most fun I've ever had in a science class! We had so many field trips! Sure, there's a LOT of information to know, but as long as you keep up with it, there's no problem. I studied a bit, but it was mostly a question of just reminding myself of it after lecture, not "cramming" to learn new info.

I have no exams tomorrow, but I need to spend a fair bit of time practicing for my Piano final on Friday at 11am. I have to play both the e-flat and b-flat minor scales, plus "Valse" from the piano book. I'll probably run over to church so I can practice on a real piano instead of my keyboard here at home (the keys of which are not touch-sensitive & not weighted, and there's no pedal).

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Thursday night, the Trinity Ringers played for the Kara Grief Support organization's annual candle-lighting ceremony. This is the 4th year in a row we've been asked to do it & we love it. It's a very emotional service, but totally worth the time investment. This year, we did Arnold Sherman's "Grazioso" as well as Kath Wissinger & Tammy Raetz's "The Travelers of Nazareth" (retitled "The Journey"). For "Travelers", we had a viola with us. Not wanting him to play just the straight melody all the way through, I embellished the melody for each successive verse & had him play that. We got lots of great comments that night. I am so proud of them!

Also at Trinity, we will be playing for the annual "Lessons & Carols" service this coming Sunday, the 14th. It's definitely an Advent service; we end with the Magnificat. The priest says that there's still a week and a half of Advent left after that, so there's no need to rush.

We'll be playing "Fantasie on 'Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming'" by Everett J. Hilty for the Prelude. This is not a technically difficult piece, but it's very exposed. Lots of 8th notes single-bell lines and not a lot of chords. Beautiful. I'm thinking of adapting it for solo bells & chimes with harp or piano.

We'll also be doing "The Travelers of Nazareth" for the Postlude, this time with vocal solo on the first verse, TB on the 2nd (T's sing melody), SA on the 3rd verse, and SATB on the 4th. I think that'll be a nice way to end the service. :-)

I also hope for us to play along on the congregational hymns "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People", and "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence", but "Lo How a Rose" is definitely our priority in rehearsal tonight. If we don't get to the hymns, so be it. :-(

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Over at Sunnyvale Pres, 4 members of the Choir of Bells will be involved with the church Christmas play, "The Silent Bells". The bells of the Swiss village of Beaumont are silent unless someone learns the true meaning of Christmas. So, yeah, we only play a little bit at the end, but it's fun. :-) We had a dress rehearsal last Sunday. Friday night is the tech rehearsal, there are 2 performances on Saturday, and one on Sunday.

Also at SVPC, we are dilligently rehearsing for our annual 30-minute Christmas Eve "Prelude of Bells" before the 11:00pm Christmas Eve service. This year, we're playing five group pieces, plus there's a trio & a solo, too (and it's not me, although I am considering playing something).

Last night was my last rehearsal with the group. Larry Sue has kindly agreed to sub direct for me on the next 2 Tuesdays because:

• on the 16th, I will be joining Bay Bells as they appear as Guest Artist at the Quadre concert at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts; and
• on the 23rd, Sonos will appear as Guest Artist at the San Francisco Girls Chorus concert at Davies Hall in San Francisco.
  

More about those things later!

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