Posted by
MJBallou on May 18th, 2012 in
Religion |
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Yes, my famous Pet Peeve was rattling in her cage this morning, tossing her water bowl in aggravation at the shifting of this solemnity. Forty days, forty years, forty anything MEANS something. Try Googling this and you’ll find lists of all the “40s” in the Bible.
And of course, the Pentecost novena (i.e., nine-day prayer) has become a seven-day prayer. Not to mention the...
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Catholics hear regular calls to evangelize, to undertake the “New Evangelization,” to share the faith, especially during homilies. And then what?
Don’t worry, it will be back to business as usual in no time. And sadly enough, in many parishes, “business” and “busyness” seem to be the main activities. As staffing has grown, large churches function...
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The Last Divine Office: Henry VIII and the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Geoffrey Moorhouse takes on the dissolution of the monasteries of England through the prism of Durham Abbey. (This just happens to be one of my favorite places in the world.) If you were ever inclined to a moment’s sympathy for Henry VIII or Thomas Cromwell, you’ll be cured by the time you finish the...
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If you’re sitting on the fence about this conference, it’s time to hop off and register now! From June 25th to July 1st, you can sing chant, polyphony, enjoy concerts and workshops, network, eat and drink with like-minded lovers of sacred music. Look at all there is to do: http://musicasacra.com/colloquium/
And still be home for the Fourth of July!
Don’t ask yourself about...
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Posted by
MJBallou on Apr 19th, 2012 in
arts,
Music,
Videos |
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Ted Yoder, the national champion on the hammered dulcimer, is putting together a new CD. Here’s your chance to be part of the action. A $10 contribution makes you a “song sponsor.” I picked his arrangement of Rainbow Connection in honor of Jim Henson and all the early Muppet moments. If you go to Ted’s website, you can learn more and become a patron of the arts at a...
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Posted by
MJBallou on Apr 17th, 2012 in
Weblogs |
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As of today, my old Sacred Miscellany blog at Typepad is no more. Everything was moved over to WordPress several months ago, but I left the old blog up. Talk about a junk magnet! As of now, everything is here.
Share and Enjoy:
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Posted by
MJBallou on Apr 11th, 2012 in
History,
Music,
Travel |
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I’m preparing for my annual trip to Ave Maria University for the Musica Sacra Florida Chant Conference. This entails a lengthy drive down the midsection of Florida (of which there is a great deal). A memorable moment along the way is always Lake Placid, the Caladium Capitol of the World. (The Caladium Festival is the last full weekend in August, if you want to plan for it.)
As a...
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Glad you asked! I’m Mary Jane Ballou – a free-lance musician, living in St. Augustine, Florida. As an instrumentalist on the harp and salterio, I perform primarily on the lever harp. My repertoire focuses on Celtic and early music. I’m a particular fan of Renaissance Spanish music – always looking for the elusive ties between Spain and the Celts. I’ve two CDs – one of music about St. Augustine, the other about Christmas. You can hear more on my website or on CDBaby.
I am the founding director of Cantorae St. Augustine, a women’s ensemble focusing on chant and sacred music. I conduct, cajole, and arrange for a wonderful group of women. More about them at Cantorae. Because unique music is my passion, my weekly radio show on Flagler College Radio features both early music and interesting contemporary works.read more