Good things: children singing.

This week, we went to the school where my son is the general music teacher;  it was evening, and the choirs, bands and orchestras were holding their Winter Musical Extravaganza.  The bands and orchestras played holiday music; the Honors Choir and the Rock & Roll History choirs sang songs loosely tied together by the theme of dreams. The choir music was drawn from the popular canon, both current and past--the kids helped to choose it. Lifted up by those young voices, piercing and sweet--the music moved us and sweetened our season. I wish I could play some of it for you. Frankly, I wish I could listen to it over and over again. So beautiful.

Happy Christmas, all.

Who's listening to what?

Today I began listening to Christmas music, the commencement of which I think we can all agree is a bit tardy.  My favorite Christmas music, only some of which I have already listened to thus far:

• The Roches, We Three Kings.
• Benjamin Britten, Ceremony of Carols.
• The Beach Boys, "Little Saint Nick" (come on, I went to high school in SoCal.  In the 70s.).
• Shawn Colvin, Holiday Songs and Lullabyes.
• a few no-name cds I bought that I really enjoy--New England Christmastide and some other ones (clearly I haven't yet busted these out).
• some awesome choir cds--singing son's choir, the Salt Lake Men's Chorus cd my friend Jonathan gave me, a beautiful cd with the historian's daughter's partner's choir of old.
• Stevie Wonder's Christmas cd.
• George Winston, December (for the depressive that lives in all of us, a little, at Christmas, right?).

What are y'all listening to?  I really, really, really want to know--really.

Christmas tree watch:  no tree yet.