Singin' One's Journeys

Tag: Oberlin Conservatory

  • May Flowers… and Transitions

    May Flowers… and Transitions

    I haven’t posted recently because, other than visiting family over the Christmas holidays, I’ve relied on virtual interactions. This has also been due to living at my home computer writing my second book. It’s taken over a decade to research and compile contents for the project–actually, I took four years away from that project to write and get So You Want to Sing Spirituals published. However, I finally got the final edits and indexing to the publisher in March. As I write this post, I’m approximately six weeks away from getting the hot-off-the-presses book in my hands.

    If all goes as I hope, this hovering around the homestead should change in May. In addition to the book release on the 18th, I’m scheduled to present at the annual conference of the Association of Recorded Sound Collections in Pittsburgh that very weekend (perfect timing, IMO–which never humble).

    In fact, if all goes as planned, I expect it to be an extremely busy two weeks. I’ve got a ticket to hear soprano Renee Fleming give a recital in Chicago and do some serious research at the Oberlin Conservatory library. I might even sneak in on my niece in Detroit along the way. From there, I expect to spend a week in the DMV home hunting, touching bases with family and friends, and doing some sightseeing before the masses arrive during Memorial Day weekend.

    The home-hunting reference means what you think. I’ve put up with my 18th and last winter in Iowa and missing my family and decided it’s time to head back East. I will miss the friends I’ve made here, but I won’t miss the snow and the below zero degrees temperatures.

    I keep jumping from the fantasy of setting up my base of operations in my hometown but traveling more often than not (“Anybody heard from Aunt Randye lately?” “Got a postcard from her in (fill in the location)”) and the more realistic direction of being closer to immediate family by settling in the Washington, DC, area.  One never knows what direction the winds of life will blow you. That’s how I ended up in Iowa in the first place.

    If you got some bright ideas, let me know.

    I’m also hoping to get in one more national parks excursion while I’m still in the Midwest. I’ve heard so much about Glacier National… hmmmm…..

    Anyway, probably won’t post again until after the conference travel starts.

    Keep cool (or cold if you’re in Iowa)!

     

  • On the Road (Day Three)

    On the Road (Day Three)

    Took the Ohio Coastal Trail on the way to Oberlin in the hope I’d get to see something interesting along the way.  The only thing that got my attention was the Davis-Besse nuclear power plant.  I don’t think I’ve ever been that close to one before.

    Spent most of the afternoon doing research at the Oberlin Conservatory’s music library.  They have a beautiful goldfish pond outside the building, where I ate lunch and enjoyed the fish.  Found a number of scores by Margaret Bonds, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Edward Boatner, and Wiliams Arms Fisher that I didn’t have.

    Got to Erie, Pennsylvania, in the early evening and found the campus identified on the Web as connected with the H. T. Burleigh collection.  However, as I suspected, it was too late to find anyone around to ask about it.  So, checked into my home for the night.  Decided it was too nice an evening to settle in so soon.  Drove down to the wharf and had a “famous” Smith’s hotdog dinner by the water.

    The day’s route:  http://mapq.st/mPOkFT

    day3map

    Going to bed early tonight in the hope of getting an early start tomorrow.  Finally going to spend the entire day playing tourist.  Just hope the warm, clear weather continues to hold up.

    I realized that I neglected a couple of critical parts of my journey. First, I need to acknowledge the musicians and their songs that helped me focus on my driving throughout my journey. So, I’m going back and posting links to a song that I recall most strongly from each day’s playlist.

    This day’s song is James Brown’s “Doing It to Death.” I’ve had so many obsession sessions over this song, I believe I’ve worn a groove into its CD.

    Most importantly, of course, I thank the Lord for granting me the stamina to make the trip, the damn good reflexes to steer the RB as she needed to be guided, and the ability to enjoy His handiwork as it whizzed by my windshield.