Tour - Rohnert Park, Weill Hall (performance)

Yes, the choir is separated on three levels. I was on the very top level. Can someone say Vertigo? lol.

This area of California was ravaged by wildfires a few years ago. They are rebuilding. Lloyd Newell said this concert was dedicated to the resilient people of this area. He shared stories of how people helped to rebuild the area. It was inspiring to hear of how they have struggled, lost so much and were rebuilding.

This was our last concert California. 

Weill Hall is patterned after Musikveiren, in Vienna. I could see it immediately as soon as we entered. It is shaped like a shoe box. Instead of having ornately decorated statues everywhere that give Musikveiren it's acoustical properties, this hall is entirely made of wood on the inside. The wood works to provide a beautiful rich sound inside. 

My friend Emily wrote the blog post for the choir blog about this particular concert. In her blog post she said that being there and with the choir all around was like having music "in the round."

It's interesting when we are separated like this while performing because adjusting to those challenges can be quite daunting. It requires a lot of focus and attention. No hall is the same and this hall, at least for me, was challenging in that I felt I needed to perform based on what I was seeing more than the pace of what I was hearing.

Singing in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City provides a unique experience in that the acoustics of that space trick your hear. There is so much give in that space that often what you hear is not necessarily in sync with what is happening in a different place in that same hall. So, we adjust, we make corrections, we learn to watch and perform based on smarts more than simply what we hear.

So, singing in this hall was different and yet, the sound was still warm and glorious from where I was standing. Particularly for "Come Thou Fount" of every blessing. The syncopation of "Cindy" is always tricky but it was especially tricky here, at least for me. You hear clapping but you see it slightly off so trusting your eyes isn't great.

The venue has a back wall that is retractable. Behind it are tables and chairs and for this concert, people occupied those spaces on the lawn. I could not see them. It was odd to think they were at a concert but having to watch it on a big screen just outside the hall. 

Anyway, I remember Trent and the sound people having to make some adjustments as well to the sound in the hall and the sound going out to the audience behind the building. It was interesting to hear a little of that conversation going on.

We arrived and had our sound check then we changed and prepared for the performance.

Sometimes when we travel to a venue we see pictures of other performers who were there and it brings a smile to my face because they are people we know well. Here are the King Singers. 

I always look for the signs. The choir has an ingenious way or directing traffic. They have people stand at different points along the path who instruct people on where to go. When we have people directing and signs, it's easy to find your way.

The food here was delicious. As a course of action, I took a picture of my food. Again, healthy choices, few carbs, proteins and a lot of vegetables.

This is the soundboard which is managed by Trent. Trent is the secret weapon behind the curtain. It is his work and ear that makes the sound work for the choir. I walked by him and he looked at me and said, "Well, there goes trouble." Hahaha. Great guy and if you want to know anything about the sound, etc. Trent is the guy. We don't see him much but he is always there.

Weill Hall is beautiful. Made almost entirely of wood, it has chairs that look like lawn chairs.

This was a great place to perform. The Hall was unique and I will always remember feeling a little vertigo having to be on the very top teir. Boy, that at times is dizzying. Imagine standing looking down for two hours singing. It takes stamina for sure. 

I feel blessed to have participated in this concert and I was looking forward to moving on to Vancouver. 

Thanks California! It was great!