My life is not bad. A week ago I flew out of RDU into a quiet, silvery evening —

— and landed here to make some great music.

Okay, we didn’t actually sing ON the beach. But in between rehearsals and performances with Seraphic Fire, my colleague-friends and I did get some beach time and some great meals together.

It was Seraphic Fire’s season closer, Cathedral Classics. We sang a sightly different program, drawn from some of the greatest hits of choral music, for each of the five concert nights.

For me it was a sweet musical trip down memory lane. Since my career has tilted more towards solo work, I don’t sing a lot of these pieces very often anymore. But back in the day I sure did.

When I was seventeen I stumbled into my first paying church gig, at S. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Providence. It was a serious music program, and many of the pieces above were in our regular repertoire. While in college at Brown I also sang in the Chorus which tackled a lot of interesting and challenging music. Singing the Duruflé and Rachmaninoff triggered memories of my undergrad days. Back then I was wide-eyed, each new musical experience expanding my concept of the world and what I could do in it.

Choral singing helped me find my way professionally as a young singer. I don’t know if I’d be the lucky woman I am, flying around the country to make great music with great people, if it weren’t for Byrd, Allegri, and Vaughan Williams. Thanks, guys.