respublica

Lock up those tubas

Who'd have thought?

Tuba bandits are hitting schools all over Southern California these days. Seems Tubas are in high demand for the fast growing Mexican banda music in which the tuba plays a main roll. " It is particularly popular in Los Angeles, where musicians gather in places like Mariachi Plaza to offer their services to parties, weddings, quinceaneras and other events."

Silent Monks sing the Halleluia

Fantastic!

 

Good Riddance to Albert Pujols says...

...the classical music lovers of St. Louis.  The wound caused by the sale of KFUO FM Classic 99, is still raw and the resentment over Pujols' part in the sale still offends.  

In July of 2010 the only classical music in St. Louis went off the air after KFUO FM's broadcasting license was sold to JOY.  Pujols was responsible for much of the funds and fund raising necessary for JOY to be granted the license and thus has long been the object of classical music fans' ire.  

Christmas Songs played the most

I had to study this for some time before I figured it out.  Ah.  The songs played most today are the songs represented by the boxes in the middle, songs baby boomers heard when they were growing up.  The fact that 1980-2010 was blank threw me for a bit.   Click to enlarge

Frankly if these are the most played Christmas songs on radio and in malls, it is due more to the people selecting them then any desire on the part of baby boomers to hear them.  The fact is, these are the generic, secular pieces of music that are safe from offending those do not celebrate Christmas and are the kind I would prefer not to hear.  

And while on this subject, why do so many of the real Christmas Carols always seem to have been redone in a country western style?  Yes they have, at least the ones public airwaves put out.  Silent Night in a country twang and all the rest.  

The First Sunday in Advent

Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

Listen

In Concert in St. Louis the...

Lennon Sisters!  They will be singing and maybe dancing at Lindenwood University on December 17, tickets range from 42 to 24 dollars.

The reason I bring this up is because a few of us were talking about this at a Collinsville Progress meeting the other day.  The reaction to most of us was, "The Lennon Sisters!  They're still performing?"  

Then the conversation drifted to the most obvious question:  "How old do you think they are?"

This age thing has been nagging at me since Thursday so I finally did a Google search.  They are in birth order:  Dianne 1939, Peggy 1941, Kathy 1943 and Janet 1946.  So they range in age from 72 to 65.  

But did you know that the family consisted of not just these 4 but 12 kids?  The Lawrence Welk quartet were the oldest and now the touring group consists of one of the younger siblings, Mimi, Janet and Kathy.  Dianne and Peggy have retired.  

FYI

Collinsville H.S. Band plays the National Anthem on Veterans Day

The Collinsville High School band played the National Anthem inside the American Legion to open the ceremony.  At the end you'll see veterans of the Battle of the Bulge standing with salute.

 

5000!

St. Louis is one of 7 cities holding American Idol auditions this summer and StL is the first to get going.  This morning more than 5000 wrist bands were given out to people wanting to register to audition.  Most of those stood in line throughout a stormy night. 

Auditions begin on Tuesday.

Something to do this weekend

Saturday

St Louis Uncorked-a wine and music festival at Soldiers Memorial downtown from 3-11.  The music and food begin at 3 with one of the popular food trucks, Mangia Mobile, onsite.  A wine sampling from several wineries including Missouri.  This would be a good opportunity to check out local wines which have become very very good. 

Mayhem on Main-a music, food, fun fest in downtown Collinsville from 11 to 7.

Dadfest at Eckert's Country Store in Belleville.  Beginning Friday night and continuing Saturday, a professional barbeque competition, music, antique tractors and games. 

Another Flash mob sings

It's a trend.  Don't you wish you might be somewhere and Handel's Messiah broke out? 

This time it's the Orlando airport on Saturday afternoon.