Two very different concerts

Last Saturday we went to an amazing concert with John and Cynthia. It was also a celebration of John's birthday, which is actually today! Happy Birthday, John!! The concert was in Randolph, Vermont at the Chandler Music Hall, and was given by Alash, three men from the Republic of Tuva (Tyva), who are world-famous for Tuvan Throat Singing. The three are Bady-Dorzhu Ondar, Ayan-ool Sam, Ayan Shirizhik (plus their manager and interpreter, Sean Quirk). In addition to singing, they play a variety of stringed instruments, flutes and drums. To say that the effect is stunnning is an understatement. Throat-singing uses the throat in an entirely different way from our Western kind of singing. It developed among the nomadic herdsmen of Inner Asia, people who lived in yurts, rode horses, raised yaks, sheep and camels, and had a close spiritual relationship with nature. Throat singing traditionally was done outdoors, and only recently was brought into the concert hall. Singers use their voices to mimic and interact with the sounds of the natural world—whistling birds, bubbling streams, blowing wind, or the deep growl of a camel. There are five basic styles, Sygyt (a high-pitched whistle like the song of a bird), Xöömei (a middle-range trill like wind over rocks), Kargyra (a very low-pitched drone like the cry of a camel), Borbangnadyr (an embellishment of Sygyt like a bubbling stream) and Ezenggileer (an embellishment of Sygyt like a trotting horse). The amazing thing is that several of these sounds can be produced simultaneously by one person! If you want to hear it, just Google "Alash" and you'll find a lot of examples. Alash has a very diverse repertory, and the concert was immensely enjoyable and riveting throughout. John and Cynthia first met Alash when they came to Bellows Falls back in 2006-2007. They actually stayed overnight at their house. They found them delightful, and for John especially, the connection of their music with nature was very moving. They had a chance after the concert Saturday to go to the "Green Room" and visit with them. John and Cynthia had actually attended a concert by them earlier in the week at the Lebenon, NH Opera House, but had no chance there to make personal contact. They wanted us to hear them live, so they arranged for us all to go Saturday. What a treat!

L. to r.: Ayan-ool Sam, Bady-Dorzhu Ondar, Ayan Shirizhik. *********************************** Before the concert, we had a really nice dinner at Saap, a Thai restaurant in Randolph. The food was delicious! We met at the Putney Park n' Drive a little before 4pm, came up to Randolph in our car, had dinner, went to the concert and got home well before midnight. A wonderful outing and lots of opportunity to visit.

John and Cynthia at the Thai Restaurant

My plate of Pad Thai

The Saap Thai Restaurant********************************** Sunday afternoon we went to a very different concert; a performance of Paul Dedell's Stations at St. Michael's Episcopal Church. Stations is based upon the stations of the cross, and has nine movements, performed by three cellos. It was inspired in part by nine sculptures also based on the stations of the cross by local artist, Susan Wilson. The sculptures were installed on the walls of the sanctuary. Paul is the husband of Susan Dedell, who for years conducted the Brattleboro Concert Choir, and we performed works by him over the years. This music was meditative and mournful as befitted the theme. It was the perfect thing to do on Palm Sunday afternoon.

The concert setting

Susan Wilson's sculptures

Paul introducing his work

Paul Dedell, composer

Susan Wilson, artist