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Laura Duncan
Member of Silk Chords
What is your favorite music genre?
My favorite music is jazz.
What do you enjoy most about that genre?
I like the tight and funky harmonies.
What madrigal experience do you have?
I don’t really have much madrigal experience; I was a
court jester in a church madrigal.
Why do you enjoy singing?
I enjoy singing because it’s freeing. Performing is about
communicating with the audience whatever feeling the song conveys. It’s
awesome when it happens.
When did you first start singing?
As a child, I started singing with my grandma and my
dad. Then there was church choir, but I was WAY too shy for solos.
How did you start performing vocally?
My first performances were church and school programs.
What has your musical experience done for you?
Music has always been about expression for me;
that’s the inside advantage. Performing has given me a lot of opportunities
to meet very talented people, and share in some great music.
Hillary Hoffman
Member of Silk Chords
What is your favorite music genre?
Baroque which was the late 1600s to the late 1700s It
includes composers such as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and Pachelbel.
What do you enjoy most about that genre?
Baroque music has a very dramatic and theatrical style.
Baroque works, while expansive and large scale, also emphasize individual
virtuosity. The music is filled with strong emotions and vivid colors.
What madrigal experience do you have?
I have sung madrigals since high school, both in choirs
and small ensembles.
Why do you enjoy singing?
Singing has always been a way of letting go of my worries.
When you are truly “into” the music, time just passes by and you forget
your problems and just enjoy making music.
When did you first start singing?
I was always in the school choirs, all the way through
high school and college. I was in my church choir and regularly sang duets
with my mom, as well as solos.
How did you start performing vocally?
Singing duets with my mom were my first experiences performing,
other than solos in school choir concerts.
What has your musical experience done for you?
I have always told people that it “keeps me sane.”
Those who know me may question that comment, but music, both singing and
listening to, is a totally different “world” to escape into. I always tell
people that it is not my “job” but it IS what I do and what I live for.
Performing has also helped me gain self confidence in my abilities, especially
in solo work and small ensembles.
Carolyn Kellert
Artistic Director & Member of Silk Cords
What is your favorite music genre?
I truly do not have any one favorite. I enjoy all types
of music especially if the work is performed well.
What madrigal experience do you have?
I was a member of a madrigal choir in high school. However,
we never presented a madrigal dinner, but we did perform madrigal literature
for school concerts and community events.
Why do you enjoy singing?
In my opinion, singing is a fabulous way of expressing
oneself. What better way to express oneself than through singing?!?! The
art of singing can produce many emotions… exhilarating, soothing, contemplative,
but most importantly, a spiritual emotion.
When did you first start singing?
It had to have been from the moment I was born because
I cannot recall one specific moment. My mother was constantly singing throughout
the day; so each of my siblings and myself were raised hearing her beautiful
voice sing lovely songs…even the most simple nursery rhymes were works
of art in our opinions. We always enjoyed singing and harmonizing with
each other. Also, being raised in a musical family was a plus. My mother
and all four children played piano and my father played violin.
How did you start performing vocally?
Even though I sang in church with other members of my
family, my “first big break” in theater was in 5th grade when I was the
“sunny, funny sunflower: in the musical Huckleberry Finn. I had
a “real” solo! Wow!!! Did I look cool in my headdress of construction paper
yellow petals and green dress!!
What has your musical experience done for you?
I cannot even begin to express what my musical experience
has done for me. I feel so incredibly blessed with what has transpired
in my career moves and in my spiritual walk. Yes, there are hundreds of
wonderful careers to pursue; however, music is a universal language that
I feel so fortunate to be able to experience.
Julie Reinertsen
Member of Silk Cords
What is your favorite music genre?
I would have to say the Baroque period is my favorite.
What do you enjoy most about that genre?
I most enjoy the wonderful harmonies of the Baroque period,
with the rich use of major and minor scales and the contrasts of rhythm
and dynamics. I’ve also always been drawn to musical works that utilize
harmonies that are dictated by the lowest voice/instruments.
What madrigal experience do you have?
Unfortunately, I grew up in a small town where madrigals
were not performed. My only experience has been as an adult, enjoying them
on a few occasions as an observer.
Why do you enjoy singing?
Over the past few years, I’ve really learned that singing
has become a source of joy and peace for me, personally. As I look back
on some of the most difficult times in my life, I realize that music and
emotions are so closely intertwined. Several years ago, I was unable to
find the voice to sing during those times of trial, but I've now been able
to integrate my singing into stressful or painful times and truly feel
the sense of peace that music provides me.
When did you first start singing?
My first memories of singing were when I was about 4
or 5 years old sitting on my grandpa’s lap, proudly singing “Old Dan Tucker,”
“The Preacher and the Bean,” and “Cum Ba Yah.” Three songs he had taught
me. What a sight that must have been!
How did you start performing vocally?
Prior to singing with the Silk Cords, my experience with
performing has been limited to singing with church choirs (starting as
a child) and in school chorus classes during junior high and high school.
What has your musical experience done for you?
It has definitely expanded my horizons, so to speak.
I’ve met a wide variety of people, many of whom are only held together
by their mutual love of music. I do believe that having a music background,
no matter how casual, has helped me to have a better appreciation of the
arts in general.
For additional information:
Silk Cords
http://www.silk-cords.com
~Silk Cords personal website
Early
Music Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/site.html
~ Detailed answers to questions about Renaissance music
Medieval
and Renaissance Instruments
http://www.s-hamilton.k12.ia.us/antiqua/instrumt.html
~ Photos with sound and background of real instruments
played during the Renaissance
Elizabethan
Dance Directions
http://www.shipbrook.com/jeff/playford/contents.html
SCA
Minstrel Homepage
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/minstrel.html |
