I began actively singing with choirs in 1996 and have
since performed in many domestic concerts as well as a few in Italy and
India. I've also actively directed choirs and led other singing groups
during these years. (Recently I've been taking a break, however, as the
demands of a small child have somewhat trumped other activities!)
The music I've primarily chosen to work with is that of composer and
author J. Donald Walters (aka Swami Kriyananda) because his works have been consciously created to uplift
the consciousness of both listener and performer. The deeper I go into these
compositions the more I appreciate their simplicity, power, and clarity.
(Recordings of Walter's music is published by
Crystal Clarity,
Publishers.)
One set of Walters' music that I've performed on numerous
occasions is his oratorio Christ Lives in the Holy Land and in You. I
sang for the CD recording of this work in 1998, a six-city tour of Italy in
2000, and a five-city tour of the West coast of America in 2004. On this
last tour I was honored to perform a number of solo pieces, recording of
which are below.
During this latter tour the choir director was cellist
David Eby, former member of
Pink
Martini; I've also played and sang
with David in occasional ensembles. I've also enjoyed working with
Ted
Cutler such as the two-part harmonization of Shakespeare's Who is Sylvia?
(music by J. Donald Walters) and (as seen in the photograph below) in a
special rendition of Johnny B. Goode (for which we unfortunately didn't get
a recording...).
Most recently, I performed with the Ananda Portland Choir at The
Grotto in Portland, Oregon, during the annual Festival of Lights. As
things turned out, all of our other soloists were somewhat ill so I
ended up doing most of the solo work. I especially like the recording of
That Night When Christ Was Born because my three-year-old son
fell asleep in the audience right in the middle of it.
The following recordings are all from live performances,
so the quality of the recording varies both technically and sometimes
musically! (Please note that these are copyrighted recordings, used with
permission; you may
download and use them for personal use, but please do not redistribute them
at this time.)
That
Night When Christ Was Born (3:42; MP3, 3.40MB)
(A fun and lively Christmas song on which I also play guitar,
performed at The Grotto, Portland, OR, December 2009.)
The Annunciation (1:23; MP3,
1.28MB)
(From the Christ Lives oratorio,
accompanied by Judy McComb, performed at The Grotto, Portland, OR, December 2009.)
Hail Mary (1:25; MP3, 1.30MB)
(From the Christ Lives oratorio,
accompanied by Judy McComb, performed at The Grotto, Portland, OR, December 2009.
This is one of the few times that a male soloist has performed this
piece as our primary female soloist was unable to sing that night.)
Mother of Widsom (4:22; MP3,
4.01MB)
(From the Christ Lives oratorio,
accompanied by Judy McComb and joined by the full choir, performed at The Grotto, Portland, OR, December 2009.)
Looking for a Friend (2:34; MP3,
2.36MB)
(I'm singing the tenor part on this with Rudrani Borden, who is standing
next to me in the picture above. The soloist on this recording is Anna
Bredahl, the other guitarist shown above, and the flute is by Evelyn
Peasely, the remaining singer in the photo. Performed at The Grotto, Portland, OR, December 2009.)
I Wonder (3:27; MP3, 3.17MB)
(Duet with Mari Baughman; I play the guitar and sing a harmony part, which
I wrote for this piece. Apologies for the moment of feedback in the middle.
Performed at Ananda Portland, May 2007.)
God, God, God (5:24; MP3,
4.95MB)
(A poem by Paramhansa Yogananda set to music by Swami Kriyananda.
Accompanied by Mari Baughman on tamboura; Ananda Portland, July 2007.)
Sail with Me to
Capri (1:27; MP3, 0.99MB)
(Solo performance, voice and guitar, Festival of the Joyful Arts, Ananda
Village, Nevada City, CA, June 2005. Music from Walters' suite
Mediterranean Magic.)
Life
is a Dream (3:19; MP3, 2.28MB)
(Duet with Peter (Dharmadas) Schuppe followed by chorale and orchestra,
Festival of the Joyful Arts, Ananda Village, Nevada City, CA, June 2005.
Guitar by J. T. Heater; conducted by David Eby.)
Jenny Will Love Me (with introductory reading; 2:09; MP3, 1.48MB)
(Solo performance, voice and guitar, from a concert in Portland, OR,
September 2006. Introductory reading from Walters' book Secrets of
Emotional Healing)
Who is
Sylvia? (2:28; MP3, 1.68MB)
(Duet with Ted Cutler, both of us playing guitar, from a concert in
Portland, OR, May 2006. J. Donald Walters, the composer [using lyrics from
Shakespeare], was present at this
concert; he can be heard saying "well done" during the applause. Later that
evening he said "it was the loveliest I'd ever heard it done"--quite
a compliment for a song composed 20 years earlier!)
Mukunda
(2:56; MP3, 2.01MB)
(Instrumental with Evelyn Clarke on flute, myself on guitar. "Mukunda" was
the boyhood name of the great spiritual master, Paramhansa Yogananda, author
of Autobiography of a Yogi. Walters lived as a disciple with
Yogananda from 1948 to the latter's passing in 1952.)
The
Hill that was Tara (3:41; MP3, 2.54MB)
(Solo performance, voice and guitar, from a concert in Portland, OR, May
2006. Tara is the name of the hill in Ireland that was once the seat of the
kings. Walters composed this piece for famed harpist Derek Bell and the
album The Mystic Harp.)
Singing and playing with Ted Cutler. (Above: Feb 2005; Below: July 2006)
Selections from the oratorio, Christ Lives,
performed in Palo Alto and Grass Valley, CA, April 2006
Psalm of David (3:30; MP3, 2.41MB)
(The words of Psalm 121, accompanied on harp by Jeannie Tschantz.)
Three Wise Men (2:56; MP3, 2.02MB)
(Quartet with Cathy (Latika) Perojinog, soprano, Aaron Atwell, bass, and
Elizabeth Johnson, alto. I'm singing the tenor/alto part with Elizabeth.)
Let This Cup Pass
From Me (3:17; MP3, 2.25MB)
(This is for the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane when Christ is praying
prior to his betrayal. Accompanied by David Eby, cello, and Stephanie (Dharmini)
Iyer, flute. What important in this piece is that the pain and anguish of
the prayer finally gives way to complete submission to God's will, which is
then expressed in the next piece below, Thy Will.)
Thy Will
(1:53; MP3 , 1.29MB)
(For the scene of Christ carrying the cross to Golgotha. Accompanied by
David Eby, cello.)
Singing Psalm of David, Grass Valley, CA, April 2006
(This is during the performance of the above recording)