MICHAEL T ROBERTS
  • Audio
  • About
    • Highlights from the Musical Life of Mike
    • Press Kit
  • Works
  • Commission
    • Previous Commissions
    • Commission Ideas and Process
  • News/Blog
    • Upcoming Concerts
  • More
    • Lessons
    • Duo Symphonious
    • Guitar Jukebox
    • Store
  • Contact

News/Blog

Beowulf Geeks, Choral Geeks Unite

3/29/2021

 
When the singers of Sunset and Aloha high schools in the Portland, Oregon area signed up for choir, they probably didn’t expect to be asked to sing in Anglo-Saxon, the distant ancestor of modern English. I’m guessing the same goes for director Chris Rust when he invited me to write a piece for his students to sing virtually, adding, “Write whatever you want.”

The fool! Little did he know that I’ve long been harboring a desire to set passages from Beowulf, the ancient epic poem that I have loved ever since taking a class in college studying Anglo-Saxon poetry in its original language. In the twenty-plus years that I have been toting around my various Beowulf translations and Anglo-Saxon grammars, I have noted many a wrinkled nose and tart reactions like, “Uh, are you reading that for fun?” 

Read More

    Author

    Composer Michael T Roberts shares his thoughts on writing, playing, and teaching music. Comments? Please e-mail Mike. 

    Archives

    May 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    November 2016
    July 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    A Cappella
    Choral
    Classical Guitar
    Commissions
    Composition
    Teaching

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
mike@hotmike.com   •   415 260 2091
Subscribe to Mike's e-Newsletter
  • Audio
  • About
    • Highlights from the Musical Life of Mike
    • Press Kit
  • Works
  • Commission
    • Previous Commissions
    • Commission Ideas and Process
  • News/Blog
    • Upcoming Concerts
  • More
    • Lessons
    • Duo Symphonious
    • Guitar Jukebox
    • Store
  • Contact