Jan 1st, 2021 – Paul Davidson – Classical Vocalist

Dear Friends, Family, Fans and Supporters,

(There are many content links. Scroll down if you don’t feel like reading and just want to listen!)

It’s true. After finishing work at 7:30 pm on Sunday, Dec 27^th, non-stop for six weeks plus a weekend, I did nothing for the next three day after that. And it felt great!

Now it’s catch-up time.

You can listen to Christmas music in public until Jan 6^th. And for those of us who follow the liturgy, we didn’t get to perform most of the good stuff until December 24^th. Treat yourself and enjoy!

Here is what I was up to during the Holiday Season. Was busy with four recording sessions, four outdoor caroling gigs, two outdoor concerts, five “stand alone” rehearsal calls, and 33 in-person church services from Nov 14 to Dec 27.

In “properly social-distanced and isolated world,” of course, would have had the means to stay at home and do “safe things” instead of what actually happened. Yes, I am aware. Given that the alternative was setting out down the path of becoming homeless, was delighted to have the work, and to make a point of not going anywhere near my own family members or other vulnerable persons at every point that was an option, given my obvious risk level.

What’s in the works?

Holiday Season crowd-funding is paying for:

Invitation to Love

for Baritone, Violin and Piano

a crowd-funded, newly commissioned world premiere composed by Ed Frazier Davis

Recording Session in January, 2021

This will be added to the previous two Ed Frazier Davis recordings, and released, all three together, on world wide streaming services this year. The first two are already up for free listening on SoundCloud (first link as you scroll down).

–

January crowd-funding will pay for:

A concert of Love Songs

Febrary, 2021

John Schaefer delivered me three books of beautiful music as a gift from himself and Luyben Music as the store was closing out. Most of them are love songs. Going to perform several of them in time for Valentine’s Day 2021. Invitation to Love will be performed as well (in addition to the recording session in January).

Additional musicians, repertoire, and scope to be determined after Jan 15^th, based on crowd-funding received by then.

Pandemic conditions and logistics will determine how, exactly, you can access this. It will be some combination of “Live Stream,” “In Person,” and wait to watch the “Premiere” at a scheduled release time.

–

What else happened during the Holiday Season?

Our first project, conceived way back in May, is finally complete, thanks to production, editing and engineering by Thou Yang and Tony Maglione. Listen to The New Moon by Ed Frazier Davis here:

–

These songs used by Emporia Presbyterian were a bonus added to my itinerary after some extra crowd-funding came in during the month of November.

Emporia Presbyterian (3^rd Sunday of Advent & Christmas Eve)

Organ/Piano: John Schaefer

Singers: Katherine Crawford, Paul Davidson, Lindsey Lang

Recorded at Asbury United Methodis in Prairie Village

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

Joy to the World

John and I were able to squeeze in a couple of bonus tracks as well, which you may enjoy as part of the playlist here https://soundcloud.com/brendeaux/sets/christmas-2020

–

Here ends my “crowd funders’ report”. Nothing past this point has anything to do with my crowd-funded content creation work, but you might enjoy the music.

–

The following music is what my three of my “non-Pandemic” employers recorded this year. While I’ve had less than 25% of the work originally booked from “normal” sources from March 12^th to now, each of these organizations provided this work for its singers this Holiday Season, and they put it online for you to enjoy.

Kansas City Chorale

Wintersong

(Song titles are directly written into the video, except my song. My song is Svim na Zemli Mir, which is a Croatian carol. Love Celtic music, but it is not that. It’s Croatian.)

Director: Charles Bruffy

Pianist: Kurt Knecht

Singers: Brandon Browning, Charles Bruffy, Paul Davidson, Joanna Ehlers,

Frank Fleschner, Lindsey Lang, Ariel Morris, Bryan Pinkall, Bryan Taylor,

Alyssa Toepfer, Becky Tuttle, Jennifer Weiman, Pam Williamson,

Staff: Don Loncasty, Patrice Sollengberger, Bryan Pinkal, Alyssa Toepfer

Production: OT-AV

https://www.kcchorale.org/virtual-event-xgoxaow5g2yru69bfois

–

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Advent Lessons and Carols

(shortcuts to each song are already in the description under the video)