On bemoaning the relative lack of recent posts...

So sorry...not a lot of posting of lists recently. I have a lot of things on the back burner (God, how I love that idiom). There is quite a bit of music waiting to get sorted and posted. In any event, real life precludes unpaid blogging activity.

I've been chauffeur and major domo to my 13yr old daughter for the last Two weeks. She sings with The Chicago Children's Choir, and has been in daily rehearsal and performance for a CSO and chorus performance of Tolkien's Lord of the rings/Fellowship of the rings at Ravinia.

Strange, I hate Tolkien, and those damn books. Hated them as a child, don't care for the revival of interest  and the movies. I've been a biography and history reader to the exclusion of pretty much everything else since childhood.

Well, suffice it to say, I've had to see the damn movie "Fellowship of the rings", many more times than I'd like (ever seeing it would be more than enough). My point, I guess, would be to say that the production at Ravinia was really quite enjoyable. The OST of the movie I'd heard and enjoyed without ever seeing it, so rehearsals that I'd heard were very nice, also. Seeing it presented as Chicago Symphony Orch. playing live to the movie, accompanied by chorus was great.

Here's a link to the Ravinia site: http://www.ravinia.org/ViewDate.aspx?show=251

http://www.stellarfour.com/2011/08/when-live-music-and-lord-of-rings-meet.html

Choir website: http://www.ccchoir.org/ An amazing organization.....my daughter has sung with the choir for almost Five years.  We are very lucky to live in Chicago, as I'm pretty sure there are not many places to receive the musical education and experiences that she gets here. It is amazing to see how children develop as singers, and the level of achievement and professionalism they acquire through it.

And a review: http://timeoutchicagokids.com/things-to-do/hipsqueak-blog/55497/ravinia-and-the-csos-fellowship-of-the-ring-review

I recommend seeing it with live orchestra......pretty seamless....you don't know to watch the orchestra or the movie....both are equally fascinating to watch at the task of bringing it to life on the stage. :)