Contributed by Ashley Kincaid
The Hitchcock Piano Studio, meaning Sally, the teacher, is changing the format of her 4th Monday events this month. Since it is Christmas Eve, how about a chance to calm down, put away the kitchen chores, the decorating and the wrapping, and relax and just sing favorite Christmas music in a quiet house, in a quiet subdivision. If most of the preparation is done by suppertime Christmas eve, why not send the unneeded "hands" off to sing. I promise to play the lovely Pastorale Symphony from the Messiah on my little organ, and maybe some light jazz piano arrangements of carols, and maybe some nibble food and drink could be available. Let me know you are coming, or just drop in. My daughter's insistence on a tree in the back sitting room, puts even more soft chairs in the Studio, and the studio used to seat more than 20 people in it for performance parties.
The Organ piece I first heard when Olga Rieger played it when the community chorus once did selections from the Messiah. I fell in love with its easy motion and quiet peacefulness way back when. It introduces one of Messiah's sections and really serves as a prelude to the next songs.
If a few families come this Christmas Eve, maybe we can build a tradition and even add other musicians. I certainly miss the Christmas Studio gatherings of the years when there were enough students to fill a full-sized program and then have a small social time afterwards.
The Studio is at 950 W Edinborough Drive, off Bogard, just up the hill from the Glenn Highway. We open for the 7:00 PM gathering, everyone who wants to sing, or sit among the singers is welcome.
