MARCH: MALCOLMS, MEMORIES AND LARK CAMP!

Shay Black, Celia, and Michael Black at the Freight & Salvage

A very busy February ushered in a delightful March. Following Libby's and my very fun and well-attended harmony workshops, March roared in with a Malcolm Family concert that was purely delightful, then moved into opening registration for Lark Camp (YAY!) and getting invited from the stage to sit in for a song on St. Patrick's Day with the Black Brothers. It almost feels like the pre-pandemic days and makes me wonder how long it will take to feel fully settled into our newest normal? No matter! It feels wonderful to be at shows with friends not seen in person for three long years.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Malcolms en famille (that's Margaret Miles' photo at right). Their program was nicely balanced between Jim, Susie, and Beth's solo moments and their ensemble songs. The thing about families that perform together is they know how to be together. That may sound ridiculously obvious, but reflecting back on their show, I was reminded of when I was recently organizing old photo albums and found my high school yearbook. Stuck amongst the pages were some slips of paper from my senior year, when my sister and I performed at the CMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival.

The California Music Educators Association festivals provide opportunities for adjudicated performances by school choirs, small ensembles, and soloists. I was in the Chamber Choir, and with some other singers had organized an eight-voice madrigal group. I also asked Lauren if she'd do a vocal duet with me. When you perform at the festival, a judge gives you a critique and a rating. If you earn the highest "Superior" rating, you may also be chosen to do a Command Performance (CP). Those students are then showcased for all the other choirs and students in attendance.

My sister and I sang our song, and after the judge confirmed we were related, he gave his critique: he was very impressed with how our voices blended together, how in sync we were, and then said, "...that's why I'm giving you this," as he held up a slip of white paper. I excitedly exclaimed, "A CP, CP! We got a CP!" Lauren was startled, afraid we'd done something horrible—until I explained that we'd gotten the highest rating possible. It was the only year we'd overlap in high school, my last before exiting high school, so I was really happy.

Families share vocal genetics, of course, but shared experience, in addition to shared vocabulary and speech rhythms, makes it possible to perform almost as one voice. I could really hear that when the Malcolms performed. I don't know how often they plan to tour together—Beth has big plans going forward—but if you get a chance to hear them, don't miss it!

LARK CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

As I mentioned earlier, my compatriots and I have worked very hard this last month to open registration for Lark Camp 2023—for IN PERSON CAMP. I hope you'll visit the website to see what an embarrassment of riches we are offering for workshops, and better yet—that you'll register to attend from July 28 to August 5 for seven full days of instrumental, vocal, and dance instruction among the redwood trees of the Mendocino Woodlands. Feel free to write me and ask for more information!