Today I met the choir

...and heard the pieces that are based on my poems for the first time, pieces they will perform in the Grand Tipi in May. I spent the rest of the day saying wow. Both works are beautiful. Hats off to the composers. Bravo to the choir. It was so moving to sit there. I wasn't prepared for that. I'm glad H was there to hear as well. We stayed for the entire practice, during which they concentrated on "Night on an Old Trade Route." It was amazing. I stared, transfixed, at Crystal Kolt's hands as she conducted the choir. What an ear she has. To hear the soprano, alto, tenor and bass practice a section separately and then hear the whole choir become one as they sing it together gave me a deeper sense of what I'd initially heard. The word emerging, for example, somehow seemed to find a way through to what I, in vain, had reached for with the poem.

Before the choir performed the work, I talked a bit about the poems, mainly "Night on an Old Trade Route." I had spent a fair bit of time thinking about what I'd say about that poem before it occurred to me that perhaps in this case I was not the best one to speak to it. I emailed Gerry, who had commented previously that he had included the poem in course material, and explained the situation. I asked him to explain why he had picked that poem and told him that I'd read his reply to the choir. And that I did. It was a great reply. Many thanks to Gerry. Discussion followed. And then the choir sang. And I'll say it again. Wow.