This is a photo of our lovely mentors, Denis Donnelly and Siobhan Robinsong. Their dedication and generosity is truly humbling.

It's Tuesday morning actually. I intended to blog last evening but the computer ate my day's collection of sound files (that's much worse than the dog eating your homework) and searched frantically until I found them. Long story, but it has a happy ending. I found them.
They included a 2 hour tape of Dr. Adam Con who is researching lifelong singers, and combining his knowledge of Tai Chi and choral singing!               
We learned about how to use the body for conducting, how to create neuro-imaging in your singers. After 2 hours, our 40 conductor/singers were putty in his hands. He would barely move his hands to create the most subtle variations in sound. Unbelievable!!  Here is a short video of an interview with Adam Con.
​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABZ9zYyeozk

I met a dear friend from Hornby for lunch at the best vegan restaurant I've ever been to called Be Love, and then we were treated to a couple hours of Laurence Cole teaching us his new work.
Here are a few photos from yesterday, showing the beautiful room and ceiling of the Church of Truth where we meet.

After a 3 hour get-to-know circle and planning meeting yesterday afternoon, Pat Robertson read us a beautiful Rumi poem, translated by Daniel Landinsky, called Isn't that Something?: 
I
like when
the music happens like this:

Something in Her eyes grabs hold of a
tambourine in
me,

Then I turn and lift
a violin in someone else,
and they turn, and this turning continues,

It has reached you now.
Isn't that something ?

Then we all went to dinner together at The Mint on Douglas Street. After dinner, Denis got his guitar and started a song. That started the ball rolling and people took turns coming forward to lead and teach songs. Happiness is people sharing a mutual passion. Isn't that something?

Victoria BC in the rain! Loving it!
Last night was the big Gettin' Higher Choir Concert, with Denis and Siobhan leading, and guest Fintan O'Brien, as well as Laurence Cole singing a fantastic rap song that he wrote about creating beauty out of our failures. And Sara Thomsen was there to sing a wonderful new song of hers. The choir sang two of her songs, finishing with Water is Life. 
Today is a slow day to get sorted out, chat, meet and greet. There are 40 CCLT's from all over the country and the learning started right away over coffee this morning with Tina Filippino, who has huge paperless choirs in Courtenay BC. Quite a different philosophy, and I'm looking forward to more discussion about that.
I want to record every conversation! 
Please post comments and questions if possible. If not, let me know!