DCS: 12 April 2026

SPECIAL CONTEST: Write a caption for the photo!! lol (Place your entry in the comments below.)

TODAY’S AGENDA

SESSION I (1:00 – 2:50 pm)

• Warm-up and stretches with Esther
• Online session with Arreon! – My God is Rock
• Triage: Especially on Josquin, Harris, Vasks, and if there’s time, Rütti

SESSION II (3:10 – 4:50 pm)

• All the other concert repertoire – and a bit of clean up on Laudate Dominum

SESSION III A (5:10 – 6:00 pm)

• Last minute details assuming the we may or may not have substantive rehearsal time on the ground in Slovenia

SESSION IIIV (6:00 – 7:00 pm)

• Hopefully move to Loudis where Ryan Boody will have set up to record our entire set so we have cuts to listen to as people make final preparations for departure. (Loudis is supposed to be in lockdown, but I think it’s still usable.)

Recap regarding travel logistics

• You are all allowed 1 checked bag, but don’t go bonkers. Better if you team up with two people to one large bag as everything has to fit on the bus.
• Here’s the place we’re staying in case you want to scope it out in advance. It’s pretty nice. You’re welcome. lol
• Please bring your performance outfit essentials with your in a carry-on… At least your ties, black shirts, gowns, and scarves. Things we can’t run out and replace on the fly upon arrival.
• Our flight will board at 6:25 pm, almost certainly from terminal C at Newark Liberty Airport. Departure is at 7:15 pm, but they’re likely to close the doors at 7:00 pm. We’re on a Boeing 777, which is one of the largest planes flying today. (3-4-3 seating configuration in economy.) They will serve dinner after takeoff, and something resembling breakfast just before arrival. (If you’re not fond of airline food, there will be loads of options for purchase at EWR terminal C.) While it 7h55 minutes gate-to-gate, that means last than 7 hours flying time, and even less sleeping time with meal service on each end of the flight. Each seat will have a personal monitor with approximately 1 bazillion movies to choose from.
• If you’re going to the airport by Amtrak please be aware those trains frequently run late, and the airtrain from the Amtrak station to the terminal seems indeterminate from one day to the next. Please allow yourself enough time for things to go wrong. Given the impact of the Lufthansa strike, finding an alternative flight to Slovenia at the drop of a hat will be very challenging. In fact, I think our flight is the last scheduled EWR departure for Western Europe for the day.
• We have a 3h15m layover in Frankfurt, which is not really that much if they deplane on the tarmac, and then you have to clear immigration. If you check bags, they will go directly to Zagreb and you will not have access to them in Frankfurt. Again, the Frankfurt terminal is huge with lots of options for food, et al.
• HYDRATE!
• Once we arrive in Zagreb around 2:30 pm, we have a two-hour bus ride to Maribor. I’m assuming we will have dinner upon arrival at the hotel, but we need to confirm that. (Amy? )
• ALCOHOL: They only “green day” on this trip starts at about 11:00 pm on Saturday night. Wednesday and Thursday are so yellow that I’d actually call them amber. Friday and Saturday are most definitely red. Remember, this is not only about your physical well-being, but a social contract with the rest of the choir where you all embrace the mantra that “one poor decision by even a single person compromises the entire ensemble. If we learned anything from Ted Lasso, it’s that nobody liked Jamie Tartt when he was simply being a self-absorbed jerk!
• The weather forecast shows mid 60s during the day with sun and clouds, though there is rain just before we arrive and just after we leave, which leads me to believe it could rain on us as well.
• Sadly, the forecast for Wednesday is 86°F which is not especially conducive to sporting our new jackets, but have them handy anyway with hopes that the AC is cranked up at EWR and on the plane. Looks like it will be chilly when we arrive in Maribor, so that’s a plus.
• Regardless of your political orientation, just know even if you take the Iran situation out of the equation, most Eastern European countries (of which Slovenia is one) have been quite concerned about the war in Ukraine, which the US has essentially left to fend for itself. What’s more, today is a national election in Hungary, which borders Slovenia. There is speculation that there will be a major overturn of the autocratic government (Orban), which has long been considered a threat to European neighbors. The current US government has been outspoken in support of Orban which is just one more thing that has been a growing cause of concern for Slovenians. All to say that while I don’t expect this to be any source of specific animus directed toward us, this is a very good time to exercise discretion and humility. In that regard, this is an extraordinary opportunity to let our European friends come to know us as human beings who are deeply committed to building community through the shared endeavor of singing. That all plays well into what Mat had to say yesterday, that at the end of the day, the choir that connects with the audience (and their singing peers) as genuine and altruistic not only elevates the odds of winning the hearts of the judges, but brings a bold diplomatic statement to everyone in our midst throughout the duration of our stay. This has always been important, and a core value for DCS, but in these perilous times, it’s more important than ever.
• I’m sure there will be more last-minute notes. Please watch the WhatsApp group and your email.

NOTES FOR PDH

I was bantering with Tom Kuchler a bit on text this morning. Tom expressed how much he appreciates these weekends as an escape from all the crazy that defines our daily lives as of late. (paraphrase.) I responded that in the run-up to these weekends, I mostly feel the mounting pressure related to a gajillion logistics and details, only to breathe a sigh of relief when everyone is on the ground and the singing begins.

I am deeply grateful to Mat Wright for his unflagging attention to detail. He has apologized repeatedly for being so nitpicky, to which I reply, “Are you kidding? That’s why you’re here!”

I suppose any time we conductor types do these guest clinician things, we always feel obliged to find “nice things” – words of encouragement – to say to the choir. It’s always a tightrope between finding words of encouragement while offering substantive suggestions that make a six-hour rehearsal session seem worthwhile.

I suspect you’re all on my page with genuine gratitude for every bit of wisdom Mat has shared. It simply goes to reiterate that there is no one among us who knows all there is to know, whether that pertains to performance practice, vocal efficacy, or the subtleties of psychology that result in a truly nuanced ensemble that sings with conviction.

Mat has done well to tap into each of these elements, for which I am deeply appreciative. But most of all, I cherish his words that speak to the sense of community that washed over him (another paraphrase) from the moment he entered the room. While I truly believe this is a unique feature of this ensemble that positions us well for success in Maribor, it is also the singular affect that makes this all worth it, regardless of our ability to win the hearts of the audience. You may have noticed the prospective student who was visiting with her mom yesterday to observe our rehearsal. They were both in tears as we had just finished singing Both Sides Now. I told them it took us so many runs before we, the choir, could get through that piece without tears streaming down our faces. And even still…

In an age where so many of us are developing coping skills to desensitize ourselves from the world around us, here we find ourselves in the concrete bunker known as Amy E, experiencing all the feels time and time and time again within the matter of just a few hours. And what’s more, we know that whatever energy is coursing through our veins during these arduous work sessions, that will pale in comparison to our collective energy when we walk on stage next Saturday night.

I would like to win.

I would love to capture the hearts of the audience, including the judges.

But mostly, I yearn for the opportunity to succumb to the emotional rollercoaster that occurs only a few times over the course of one’s lifetime.

I have absolutely no doubt that we are about to board one of life’s more exhilarating high intensity rides – most certainly not suitable for the faint of heart.

I’m glad you’re alive.

I’m so happy to be alive with you.

pdh

P.S. Don’t forget the caption contest.