Tag: Music

Celebrating My Sisters’ Singing (part deux)

It’s been nearly 3 ½ years since I last recorded either of my sisters’ amazing voices (which I’m a bit upset about, since there have been some phenomenal concerts, including a soul-moving performance at St John the Divine Cathedral in NYC, but alas). So it was high-time to capture a bit more of their talent.

The following audio slideshow features both Jolanta and Karina singing Troisième Leçon à deux voix (the third movement from Leçon de Ténèbres) by François Couperin, for a Good Friday Vesper service.

Please enjoy.

Celebrating My Sister’s Singing

Last week my family attended another achingly beautiful Chorus Angelicus concert, which both of my sisters have been members of for many years now. I knew that Karina was going to be the soloist for Felix Mendelssohn‘s “Hear My Prayer“, so this time I brought along my digital recorder and made sure to get a good seat.

I put together the following slideshow/video to accompany the audio I captured, and…Well, I won’t say much else—the video speaks for itself:

AotM #13: Mischief Night

I never knew this before, but it certainly makes perfect sense that it was those hooliganish Brits who invented Mischief Night.

  1. No matter how often studies like these that promote the benefits of exercise come along, I’ll never stop sharing them, since getting sweaty really does make everything better. Today, Tai Chi reduces depression and joint pain in the elderly, and moderate exercise can lessen or even prevent flu.
  2. Although it’s certainly nothing new, here’s yet more research showing that even just beginning to study and play music improves brain function and memory. Get out and play something now!
  3. Where does dust come from? Surprisingly, we didn’t quite know where until now.
  4. While it’s about 90% true that you always get what you pay for, Monster Cables are one solid example of the remaining 10% of utter scams. Never trust marketing or commissioned “experts” (cough cough RadioShack).
  5. Here is an excellent proposal describing why English should NOT ever be legally made our official language. The fact that this topic is even an issue really does only go to show how discombobulated and disconnected we have become as One Nation, Indivisible, with Liberty & Justice for All (I have omitted the “Under God” since it’s a relatively recent addition to the Pledge). If we felt more unified as a nation, it wouldn’t matter what languages people spoke.
  6. Finally, here’s a fascinating study showing how our unconscious biases effect the “results” of torture. Combined with the uselessness of most lie detection methodologies, we as a nation should most definitely forbid torture for anything related to our national interests. It just doesn’t work, and only serves to reduce our standing in the world.