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When in Rome…
April 06, 2009
Solveig Robinson, Associate Professor of English at Pacific Lutheran University, has been singing choral music since she was 5 years old.
“I also had the great privilege of studying voice with Marcia Baldwin for one year before she retired from PLU,” said Robinson. “I am incredibly grateful to her for teaching me how to breathe properly and for building my confidence. If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have had the courage to audition for this performance.”
“This performance” is no ordinary concert or recital, either.
“This performance” refers to the more than 150 singers and full orchestra who will be performing Andrew T. Miller’s cantata “The Birth of Christ” at the Vatican – on Easter Sunday.
“I heard about the ensemble auditions through my regular choir, the Northwest Repertory Singers, which I’ve performed with since the group’s founding in 2001,” said Robinson. “Fortunately, I am on sabbatical this year, so I knew I could actually undertake the time commitment, both for the extra rehearsals and for the 10 days in Rome.”
The audition process was simple enough. Singers were asked to sing a hymn or spiritual of their choice and then sight-read a few lines from Miller’s work.
“I expected there would be a lag time of days – or at least hours – before the decisions were announced, but I was offered a place in the ensemble right away. At that point, I was still on the audition adrenaline rush, so my head really started spinning!”said Robinson. “My parents actually met in a choir, so choral music has always been a part of my life,” said Robinson.
She only became serious about singing when she first moved to Tacoma and began working with conductor Paul Shultz.
“I’m really excited about this!” added Robinson. “The opportunity to sing in a world historic site probably would have been enough to make me jump at the chance. But the music is so beautiful that I am equally excited about performing the cantata. And performing at the center of Western Christendom on the major feast day of the liturgical year is also pretty amazing.”
This report was compiled by student worker Brielle Erickson.
“This performance” is no ordinary concert or recital, either.
“This performance” refers to the more than 150 singers and full orchestra who will be performing Andrew T. Miller’s cantata “The Birth of Christ” at the Vatican – on Easter Sunday.
“I heard about the ensemble auditions through my regular choir, the Northwest Repertory Singers, which I’ve performed with since the group’s founding in 2001,” said Robinson. “Fortunately, I am on sabbatical this year, so I knew I could actually undertake the time commitment, both for the extra rehearsals and for the 10 days in Rome.”
The audition process was simple enough. Singers were asked to sing a hymn or spiritual of their choice and then sight-read a few lines from Miller’s work.
“I expected there would be a lag time of days – or at least hours – before the decisions were announced, but I was offered a place in the ensemble right away. At that point, I was still on the audition adrenaline rush, so my head really started spinning!”said Robinson. “My parents actually met in a choir, so choral music has always been a part of my life,” said Robinson.
She only became serious about singing when she first moved to Tacoma and began working with conductor Paul Shultz.
“I’m really excited about this!” added Robinson. “The opportunity to sing in a world historic site probably would have been enough to make me jump at the chance. But the music is so beautiful that I am equally excited about performing the cantata. And performing at the center of Western Christendom on the major feast day of the liturgical year is also pretty amazing.”
This report was compiled by student worker Brielle Erickson.