Universalis, your very own breviary in pixels...

Tuesday 16 June 2009

Singing Dotted Pumpkins.....

Chant Intensive just grows more and more awesome.
I have been fortunate enough to have many wonderful, gifted teachers in my life, from Mrs. D for 1st grade, to Jillian who almost managed to make it look as if I can dance, to that terrific math lecture in college, to Mr C for AP American History -- but Scott Turkington is very nearly in a class by himself.
He is a great teacher, a GREAT teacher.

He also has a trait I envy, whether because his face is so pleasantly open, or because he is so joyously zealous about his subject -- or heck, maybe because he's a good person, did you ever think THAT might be where he has it all over you, Scelata?

Maybe...

But in any case, he can manage to express a position in no uncertain terms, leaving no room for doubt -- without seeming to ipso facto disparage the opposite position.


Is is a kind of optimism? I don't know, but everything is just so positive, so affirming.

Anyway, despite being someone who had to re-take the Intensive -- because I failed it last year 8oP -- I'm suddenly not displeased with my progress. Some of it actually did take.

(Strangely, one of the few other teachers with whom I have been privileged to study who is on a par with Scott? Fr. Larry Heiman -- that's right, also a chant master.



Perhaps what conducting in general does for a conductor's heart, biologically speaking, conducting the greatest of all music does for it metaphorically and spiritually?)

4 comments:

Mr. C said...

Are you staying for Colloquium?
I do so hope! If yes, see you Monday.

Scelata said...

Yes, I'll be back for most of it.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

Dad29 said...

Small world...

Fr. Heimann wrote a Wedding Song used for our marriage--which was recommended to us by Sr. Theophane Hytrek, my organ teacher.

Later, a wonderful long-suffering accompanist/organist with whom I worked revealed that he was a student of Fr. Heimann in the Sem.

(He did not pursue Ordination; got into nuke-power instead..)

Scelata said...

I would love to see that Wedding Song if you still have a copy, Dad29.
Are you going to be at the Colloquium?

I'll be the overweight aging bottle-blonde who talks too much.

Well, not be, I suppose, am.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)