Holy Week Wrap Up

This year's Holy Week went pretty well for me.

I had a solo on Maundy Thursday, "Qui Sedes ad Dextram Patris" from the Bach B Minor Mass.  The church sexton made a cell phone video of it.  He does a terrific job with these.  A few weeks ago he made one of the choir singing a piece for Palm Sunday. This is probably the best video I have of myself singing because he shot me facing front instead of in profile.  I look much better head on than in profile. Also because the piece was in a lower register and I was not nervous about my support and did not have to constantly think about vocal technique, I looked more composed.

On Good Friday the choir sang a variety of different pieces using the text of Jesus's last words, by Bach, Mendelssohn, Haydn, Franck, Gounod, and others.  I sang the alto line in a solo quartet that was part of the Haydn piece.  I thought overall the service went well.  I always find it very moving to participate in this service even though I am not Christian.  It is a magical piece of sacred theater and you won't find anything that gripping in a UU church, I can tell you.

Easter Sunday we sang an anthem and the "Hallelujah Chorus".  I think the soprano part in the "Hallelujah Chorus" is absolutely the hardest thing I ever have to sing; much harder than "Rejoice Greatly".  Anyhow, this time I bailed and sang the alto part because we sang it at the end of the service rather than at the beginning and by then I was too tired to sing the soprano part.  It meant I would have had to sing it after being "shabbas goy" for all the communion hymns.  If I have to sing a difficult soprano part I usually don't sing the hymns but I have to sing the communion hymns (which usually come after the anthem) because the choir people don't sing if they're taking communion (or even afterwards).  I did find the alto part easier to sing than in the past because that lower middle part of my voice that goes through the passaggio is stronger than it used to be.  I just don't want to be stuck in the alto section permanently (that's why I'm happy we sing pieces with divisi so I can sing second soprano) not because I don't like singing low, but because alto parts have a much shorter range than soprano parts.  Some soprano parts go low, but alto parts never go high.  So it's like going to a gym and only exercising half my body.

In other news, today a nurse from a managed long-term care company came to interview me and my partner.  She is now approved for 24 hour care, but it will be sleep in care.  That is fine, the only problem is that it means we will lose the aides we have because they work split shifts and I don't think the day people (whom we really like) are available for sleep in.

I also am nervous because we were told originally that our arrangement with the city ends April 30, but now we are told that the arrangement with the managed care company won't start until June 1.  My partner can't be left in the lurch for a whole month and there is not money to pay anyone.