By Rhonda Edgington, Hope Church Associate Director of Music & Organist
A number of you tuned in to my livestream organ concert in July; thanks for so many supportive comments and emails! Considering all the appreciation we’ve heard for that event, I’ve been brainstorming other new ways we can share and enjoy live music while keeping everyone safe. This is just a “teaser”: more information will be forthcoming as we make plans and figure out details for each of these ideas:
- Future livestream concerts: I will definitely try another one of these concerts—and I might even visit other area churches for livestreams on different organs, as well!
- Advent hymn sing: In lieu of my annual Advent organ concert, this year I’d like to offer an Advent/Christmas hymn sing of sorts. I’ll play musical in New York, and you all sing your hearts out—at home. I hope we can have one or two singers at church with me, leading the singing. Perhaps we can even take requests beforehand!
- Advent music and poetry: Laurie Baron and I are dreaming up some kind of meditative evening of texts and corresponding music paired around themes of the season.
- One-on-one mini organ concerts: This was Inspired by a New York Times article about how German orchestral musicians continued performing music for the public during lockdown: “Musicians Playing Through the Lockdown, to One Listener at a Time.” This would be a chance to sign up for your own individual time slot to be present in the Hope Church sanctuary with the sounds of the pipe organ surrounding you. I’ll have some daytime slots—about ten minutes per person—as well as evenings and weekends. As with the hymn sing, there may even be a chance to request beforehand a favorite piece of yours!
Look for more information coming in September.