Getting In Tune

I think we take tuning for granted. Every time I play my guitar or violin, I first make sure it's in tune. When I play or listen to music, I find myself overly aware of intonation...is that piano in tune? Is she/he singing in tune? I don't have perfect pitch, but it's close, which is not something I enjoy.
The act of tuning is part of the performance in the symphonic world. The concertmaster of an orchestra comes out before the conductor, asks for and accepts an "A" from the oboe, and then we hear everyone tuning to that pitch. Your ticket price includes seeing and hearing this ritual.
Tuning is an agreement. We must all agree with the basic idea that this "A" means "A".
Tuning nowadays in the non-symphonic world is no longer a part of the performance. Almost all of today's music is electronic and/or digital. Guitar/bass effects units have a tuner built in that takes the instrument off line so no signal is sent to the speakers/amp whilst tuning. You can even tune in the middle of a song and no one can hear it. It didn't used to be this way of course. Listen to the recording of the Beatles concert at Budokan (Tokyo) from 1966. Before they start playing...fans already screaming...they have to tune their guitars. Same for Cream at their "Farewell Concert" in 1968...Clapton especially...trying to get his guitar in tune in front of everyone in the Royal Albert Hall. And Hendrix at Woodstock...the same. No more. Tuning happens in secret, except in symphony halls. Celebrate this fantastic ritual.
Pete Townshend wrote a great song called Getting in Tune. Amazing lyrics. Great musicianship. Perfect production. And the message still stands.

KC VITAs in Concert

Sunday April 7, 2019

KC VITAs presents Habitat Home

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

2:00 pm

I was so glad I had time this afternoon to go to see the KC VITAs concert at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. Kansas City is blessed to have an ensemble such as this that is dedicated to performing contemporary choral music at the highest level. Jackson Thomas, the conductor and founder of VITAs, and this group of incredible singers,  are celebrating their 5th season.
Here was today's program:

In the Long Grass by David von Kampen (text from O, Pioneers by Willa Cather)
How to Love by Julia Barry
arid (alone together) by Rachel Lanik Whelan
Dumbfounded by Leslee Wood
Home Is by Julia Barry

Interspersed between these works we were treated to poetry reading:

Vagabond by Megan Bryde
Dumbfounded by Ruth Williams
Boy Lazarus vs. The God Machine by Mitchell King

For an hour today, I was transported to a place of happiness and joy. Bright sunlight shone through the skylights of the Kemper, I was thinking about time. My wife and I had a conversation yesterday about the passage of time...aging...life. Today's music continued that conversation for me in my heart. These beautiful voices, alone except for some accompaniment of harp and cello, brilliantly played by Tabitha Reist (harp) and Audrey Herren (cello), seemed to freeze time for a bit.

This is a very disciplined, thoughtful and talented ensemble. Their website is:
www.kcvitas.org

KC VITAs is a 403b and relies on the generous support of our community to perform these FREE concerts. Please consider giving.