I know, I know. It’s crazy to talk about Christmas coming when we haven’t even carved our Jack-O-Lanterns yet! Forgive me, please.
Forgive me, also, for my web-absence. It’s been a difficult summer and we are trying to re-group emotionally for the coming season. Thank you for your tenderness and understanding at this time of loss for our family. With the changing of the seasons I look forward to good things.
Dave and I spent this past weekend with 85 amazing artists from all different artistic disciplines at the Mormon Arts Foundation Retreat at Aspen Grove in beautiful Provo Canyon in Utah. My, what an amazing gathering of talent and spirit! I came away reminded of the great love of our Lord and the love of my fellow men. I want to represent Goodness in my work as an artist. It gets difficult with the pull of the world and our responsibility to participate in the game of life, but I felt inspired and encouraged this weekend and hope that the sorrows that tend to weigh me down lately don’t defeat the inspiration.
Now that the retreat is over for the year (Dave and I serve on the board of the foundation, and thus putting on the retreat is taxing time-wise), I can focus on the upcoming season of music. Set lists are being created and rehearsals scheduled.
In the week following Thanksgiving some exciting things are happening for me, musically:
Nov. 27: I’ll be performing for the Lights On Ceremony for the Festival of Trees
Nov. 28: I’ll be receiving the Governors Mansion Artist Award from Governor Herbert (it baffles me that I was selected for this!)
Dec 1 & 3: I’ll be presenting my Christmas Concert three times.
Tickets for the Christmas Concert go on sale this week. The general public will not be notified of it for a week, so if you’re so inclined, you can go ahead and purchase tickets starting Wed. Oct 17th. I’m surprised every year when this concert sells out. It’s not a large hall, which I love, since it makes me feel closer to my audience, but I do feel bad when people I love aren’t able to be with us.
Farmington Parks and Recreation handles the ticket sales. Their phone number is 801-451-0953. Tickets are $10 for general seating and $15 for preferred seating (you’re guaranteed to sit with your group in good seats, regardless of when you get there. (basically, it’s reserved seating). There is a $2 service charge on every ticket, which covers the city’s expenditures for this concert.
I am SO EXCITED to have my dear, dear friend Merlyn Schofield join me this year. Merlyn and I recorded and sang together for many good years. You’ve heard her voice singing harmony with me if you have any of my recordings. I also have the masterful and delightful Kelly DeHaan joining me on vocals and keyboards. He will blow you away with his talent (more about him later). And, of course, there’s my friend-who’s-like-a-brother, Mark Robinette who always rounds out and sweetens any music and any stage and any person he touches.
We are excited to create this music, the stories, the performance, the setting. And I am honored that anyone would want to partake with me!
I hope to see you there with someone you love. Something about Christmas and music enhances the love aspect.
Be well, and do good.
Love,
Cori
