singing praise

My husband is a singer. Now, don’t go confusing me with wifey whose husband sings in a cool rock and roll band. My husband sings with about 169 other people in starched tuxedoes and black dresses. It’s the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay and remarkably, for a city that desperately wants an arts identity, a lot of people I meet don’t know anything about the Chorale.

The Chorale is a “highly select 170-voice all volunteer chorus embracing a broad representation of singers from the entire Tampa Bay area.” The emphasis is mine. These people rehearse every week (and every night during concert weeks) and get paid nada. And yet they are the Principal Chorus of The Florida Orchestra. I’ve witnessed the dedication of these people and their chorus is world-class. In the summer of 2001, the Master Chorale was invited to perform the Berlioz Requiem with the London Symphony Orchestra in St. Paul’s Cathedral as part of London’s music festival.

They are performing with the Florida Orchestra in a couple of weeks and it’s one of the big crowd-pleasers so go check it out.

Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D
with The Florida Orchestra

Saturday, December 17, 2005 — 7:30pm
— Pasadena Community Church – St Petersburg, FL

Sunday, December 18, 2005 — 7:30pm
— Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL

Monday, December 19, 2005 — 7:30pm
— Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center

Mark your calendar!