Posted on April 27, 2014 at 9:48 pm

Well, it was bound to happen; after an unbelievably horrible winter of storms and cold, and then a frantic month of running around conducting, teaching and singing, my voice finally gave out, on the very morning of a concert that was part of my semester teaching at Harvard University.  (It got bad enough that I actually had to cancel a concert two days later in Lancaster PA – that concert has now been rescheduled for June 22.)

The students had put a lot of hard work into the concert, and we’d sold out the theater, so I knocked back as much tea and cough syrup as I could without falling asleep, and off we went with my majestic croaking to accompany us.

And quel surprise, a fine time was had by all!  I managed to hit several recognizable pitches, but more importantly, the Harvardites slammed it out of the park with some sensational performances.  Here’s how it went down.

All Things In Time

The New World (from Songs for a New World)
Kyra Atekwana, Anise Molina, Amy Sparrow, Jonathan Stevens and Ensemble

On The Deck of a Spanish Sailing Ship, 1492 (from Songs for a New World)
Joshuah Campbell and Ensemble

I Love Betsy (from Honeymoon In Vegas)

Long Long Road

I Could Be In Love With Someone Like You

It All Fades Away (from The Bridges of Madison County)

Advice To The Playaz
featuring the Stratford-On-Divas: Kyra Atekwana, Kim Onah, Leah Reis-Dennis & Madeline Smith

The Old Red Hills of Home (from Parade)

Caravan of Angels

A Little More Homework (from 13)
JRB & Ensemble

Someone To Fall Back On

Ensemble: Kyra Atekwana, Yasmeen Audi, Jacob Brandt, Joshuah Campbell, Tess Davison, Anise Molina, Kim Onah, Leah Reis-Dennis, Amelia Ross, Amy Sparrow, Jonathan Stevens

A hundred million thanks to Madeline Smith, who taught all of the music beautifully, and to Simon de Carvalho, who produced the whole event.  Thanks also to Thomas Lee, who invited me up to Harvard as this year’s Blodgett Artist-in-Residence and took such great care of me, and to Carol Oja, who allowed me to hijack her class for an entire semester.  Thanks also to the staff at the Oberon, a really great venue that I don’t entirely remember anything about because, you know, the cough syrup.