“And They Made Sweet Music”

 You might want to attend this Muscat Singers concert at TAISM this coming Saturday, May 31st.  I was told that you can get tickets at the door as people who buy tickets sometimes don’t show up.

While I’m on the topic of Muscat Singers, here’s another announcement from them about their search for a new Musical Director:

Free Audiopharmacy Performances at MGM (Tonight) & the Hyatt (Tomorrow)

The Embassy of the United States of America in association with Muscat Grand Mall and Grand Hyatt Muscat presents Audiopharmacy.  Like the poster above reads, they will be playing tonight at MGM (near the main entrance) from 7 to 9pm.

They will also be playing at Grand Hyatt Muscat tomorrow night from 5 to 7pm:If you’re curious how they sound, here’s a “San Francisco Skateboard Rap” called “Shake the Bay Bridge” : Here they are performing “Mama”: Finally, here’s an interesting track called “Ruined Lands“:They certainly sound like they’re worth checking out!

Thanks to Megan for this community service announcement and thanks as well to the US Embassy Muscat for organizing such wonderful events for the public!

Free “Military of Oman” Performance by Royal Opera House Muscat! (Nov 7th & 9th)

This was just sent to me by the Royal Opera House Muscat.

 

For additional information please contact the box office on:

Phone: + 968 2440 3332/3333/3334
E-mail: boxoffice@rohmuscat.org.om

Or please visit their website at www.rohmuscat.org.om

Just got off the phone with ROHM and they told me that seating is limited to 600. You can arrive as early as 1 hour before the event.

10 Days Til Christmas…Feeling Festive or Depressed?

Hard to believe there are only 10 days left till Christmas! The tree is up and we are in our 3rd week of “Christmas Advent” at the PCO (Protestant Church in Oman)…yet it just doesn’t seem much like Christmas to me this year.  Of course there are tragedies occuring on a daily basic around the globe, but the brutal murdering of so many elementary students and others this past week in Connecticut still weighs on the mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think of the poor families who lost loved ones and how hard it would be to think of celebrating Christmas…but then…that is why Christ came – to bring hope in an otherwise dark and violent world.  If you are feeling a little less than festive (easy to do if you’re an expat here in Oman, so far away from family and friends), here are a few Christmas songs for YOU.  These are from the “Festival of Carols” from the 1st week of advent at the PCO.  The ladies performing here are a handful from the Muscat Singers and we were blessed to have them perform: It’s nice to see Gwen Wilson singing in this one as she’s normally directing the group or on the piano! 🙂 They say it’s better to light a candle in the darkness than to curse the darkness.  Here is one of our precious PCO families lighting the 1st Advent candle, the candle of hope:   Here is a lovely piece put together by Carina Krough and Vinoo Peppin titled “I Wonder / Mary Did You Know?”:

It is possible to keep hope even in what seem like hopeless times and situations.  Here is a video of one of the fathers who lost a child in the Conneticut shooting.  He has the right perspective in dealing with this tragedy: In response to the recent Connecticut shootings, Max Lucado (one of my favorite Christian writers) shared this prayer:

• Max Lucado’s Prayer in Response to the Shooting

  Dear Jesus,It’s a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.Hopefully,
  Your Children

“A Winter Concert” – Muscat Singers – Dec. 7th

This concert planned by The Muscat Singers sounds like a great opportunity for those of us who love Christmas music! (Who doesn’t love Christmas music?!?!?!)  It’s nice that this concert is 2 and a half weeks before Christmas to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.  I hope we are able to make it to this performance as we’re dying to see The Donald and Eloise Bosch Center for the Performing Arts.  It boasts of “4,000 square metres of performance and audience space and can seat 522 spectators“. It was finished not that long ago and I read somewhere that it is the 2nd largest theatre in Oman; second only to the Royal Opera House Muscat!  I’m sure the acoustics are great! (Read more about the new Bosch Center here in this Muscat Daily article)

Here is a video of the Muscat Singer’s (and Muscat BrassWorks) performing John Rutter’s “Gloria” at their Spring Concert on June 1st of this year to give you an idea of what to expect: Get your tickets while you can, folks! 🙂