Hello Everyone,
I missed you at rehearsal but had a wonderful time celebrating (virtually!) Andrew’s 60th birthday with family and friends. Laura D. filled me in with what you covered in my absence (see below). Thank you, Laura D.!
If you would like to record for our spring virtual concert, we need to get going on those projects. I will have guide tracks ready to post in the next few days.
Monday, 3/8 My River Runs to Thee recordings are due.
From Laura D.:
Here’s what we did:
Warmups, including work with 5ths (for O Ignee) and text/vowels (for I started out singing)
I Started Out Singing – We reviewed m1-50 a couple of times with Deb playing, and cleared up any questions people had. Then, I taught m51-87 in sections with voices isolated. Then we sang through the piece with Deb playing.
O Ignee Spiritus – We reviewed m1-50 using your guide track video, and answered questions. Then, I taught m51-103 for each part, explaining your added breaths in m54 & 96, and pronouncing text. Please do clarify for the group the pronunciation you prefer for “laus” – I believe I heard “Lahs,” but we’d appreciate confirmation. Finally, we sang through the piece with the guide video. We will sing LAH-oos. The oos is the vanishing vowel of the dipthong and should be sung just before the S.
My River Runs to Thee – We reviewed the first page with the guide track video, then I taught the 2nd page for each voice part. We put it together with the guide track video.
Some Glad Morning (sectionals) – Each group successfully got through the assigned portion m1-59, but we all agree that more attention to the tonal centers and rhythmic challenges will be necessary, so perhaps another sectional on this? And perhaps a segment where Deb plays this bit for the full group and we address any challenges. She has had some great insights in various pieces that seem really helpful to some singers! (I agree!)
Thank you, Laura, Kay, and Deb for leading sectionals. We appreciate you and your musical leadership.
Please note: Use the scores on our website that have the performance markings – they are now available.
Looking forward to 3/1/21
My River Runs to Thee – polish and prepare for recording (recordings due 3/8/21).
O Ignee Spiritus – continue to work on diction, intonation, tone, breath and phrasing. This will be our second recording project.
I Started Out Singing – text stress, phrasing, vowels.
Some Glad Morning – As Laura D. suggested, we will work on this together for a bit before moving to sectionals (S, M, A), concentrating on mastering the pitches and rhythms.
The Bird’s Lullaby – (as time permits) we will work on the melodic phrases
Looking forward to 3/8/21
O Ignee Spiritus – continue to work on diction, intonation, tone, breath and phrasing, picking up from where we leave off on 3/1/21. This will be our second recording project with recordings due 3/15/21.
I Started Out Singing – continue to polish
Some Glad Morning – We will move into aspects of musical expressiveness including text stress and phrasing as we also work to unify vowles.
The Bird’s Lullaby – (as time permits) we will work on the accompanying phrases (everything but the melodic phrases)
I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday.
Yay us!
Laura (LJ)