My Mom is gonna love this!!!

Yesterday I went to visit a friend and, after we made some absolutely incredible fresh passion fruit juice, she asked me if I liked to sing.  I said yes – twenty years ago I actually was a pretty good singer.  She asked if I would join a small group of people who were planning to sing Handel’s Messiah in Limon on December 26th.  I said yes since I know the entire thing – bass, tenor, alto, and soprano – by heart.  My dad and I used to sing the Messiah, or at least several choruses from it, every Christmas at the First Presbyterian Church in Casper before I left to “further my career”.  Those times with dad are some of my fondest memories of him.  We would go to the choir room every Thursday and practice and once we even had a quartet with another couple of people that brought the house down    These are the times I miss him.

At any rate, Tom decided to come along too (even though he didn’t realize he would have to be a participant as well) and we had a great time.  We practiced the “Hallelujah Chorus” and it was such fun!  There were twelve of us and there were probably be a couple more before it settles in.  There is a Tico tenor who has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard.  And another tenor who has a beautiful voice as well who has clearly had training.  The rest of us just give our very best.  Tom actually had a great time once he realized he would actually have to sing.  He is singing bass which is a bit out of his range but he has a great voice and, since he played guitar for years, knows how to read music and is a big help to the other basses who don’t. 

The director is the most amazing women – incredibly patient and a wonderful musician.  She brings her portable piano to the place we practice and speaks all three languages of those of us who are participating – English, Spanish, and German.  Since I actually have memorized the entire “Messiah”, I was able to take care of keeping the altos on track so she only had to worry about the other three parts   I have to say I admire here immensely – she lives in Bri Bri, works in Cahuita and LImon and comes to work with us in Puerto Viejo in the evening.  Quite an amazing person. 

In Limon we will be singing in a cathedral with twenty other people from there.  This will truly be an experience of a lifetime!!!