Dear WVC Singers,
Thank you for your hospitable welcome and for your amazing energy. Thank you for your passionate singing and attentive listening…and thank you for singing through our break. We won’t make that a habit because breaks are important not only for our personal needs but also for us to connect with one another socially. An enormous thank you, once again, to all who worked so hard to prepare for our first rehearsal and for our auditions last night.
Attached is the voice memo recording of The Path to Each Other that I made at the end of our rehearsal last night. It is a wonderful start on the path of our musical journey. You can hear what we have already accomplished and what we have yet to accomplish!
Below are the rehearsal notes with my post-rehearsal comments in purple. The rehearsal notes for 9/9/19 follow so that you can prepare for our next rehearsal. I look forward to our music-making.
Cheers!
Laura
Rehearsal Plan 8/26/19
Rehearsal Practices to Consider:
- Music from silence. (James Jordan)
- Active engagement from all both listening and singing.
- Priorities – we can’t learn everything the first rehearsal! But we will get a good start on everything within the first few rehearsals.
- We won’t often sing through pieces except when working on memorization or polishing…we don’t want to build in muscle memory on under rehearsed sections.
- Careful note taking in our scores will minimize repetition.
Quote:
“Singing machines are uninteresting.” – Richard Miller (author of The Diagnosis and Correction of Vocal Faults)
Vocalises/Technique
Stretching/Relaxing:
Shoulder massages for those who wish.
Massage the face.
Posture:
Align the body (either sitting or standing).
Find the sit bones.
Find the balance point for the head on the spine and align downward to the feet.
Breathing:
Strong hiss exhalation on 8 counts followed by a 4-count inhalation. Work hardest on the exhalation and let the inhalation happen naturally.
Flexible Tone/Resonant Vowels: A) primarily downward moving melodies sung lightly in the middle range and B) melodic movement both up and down, first by step and then with larger intervals)
#1 page 38 Building Beautiful Voices by Paul Nesheim and Weston Noble.
#6 page 48 Building Beautiful Voices by Paul Nesheim and Weston Noble.
Language articulation vocalises: (lips, tongue, jaw):
#13 page 70 Building Beautiful Voices by Paul Nesheim and Weston Noble.
Extended range and flexibility: (no exercises planned because of shortened rehearsal)
Blend/Balance (chord progressions in parts):
Sing Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music.
Sing a Major Scale ascending and descending using solfege (sol-fa, solfeggi). Sing with rounded vowels, flip the R in “Re.” Continue to work on rounded, resonant vowels and fluency so that solfeggi can be a useful tool for the chorus.
Sing a chromatic scale ascending and descending. Continue to work on tuning whole and half steps (major and minor seconds), especially the descending intervals, in particular, Do descending to Ti and Fa descending to Mi.
Choral Artistry (phrasing, articulation, dynamics, etc.): (no exercises planned because of shortened rehearsal)
A Path to Each Other – Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy Takach
Measures 1-10. Basics were accomplished. Continue to work on tuning the larger skips – landing in the center of the pitch. Sing a bit faster (72 bpm).
- Chant the text in rhythm m.1-10
- Sound the “ch” and “d” on the eight rests.
- Sustain the second “wall” in m. 3 a full quarter note.
- Breathe only on the rests.
- Emphasize the syncopation in m.3
- Minimize the R in “other” and “word” and relax the tongue position for the L in “wall.”
Echo sing in F Major/D minor Continue to work on tuning (F Major and D minor are difficult to tune!). Encourage singers to use a tuning app if possible. (Sing In Tuna)
- Do Re Mi Fa Sol Fa Mi Re Do Ti La
- La Ti Do Re Mi Fa Sol La So Fa Mi Re Do Ti La
Sing with text through measure 10 in unison.
Sing in a 3-part round. Instead of SSA divisi, perhaps sing with some from each section on each part of the cannon to unify the timbre across the chorus. There were some ensemble issues (not everyone was on the beat – watching will help) and some singing the 3rd part of the cannon were a bit lost midway through. Repetition to build part independence will help.
Sight sing mm. 12-14 observing the rit. Review parts here if there are questions.
The Valley – Jane Sidberry, arr. Beth Hanson
Page 7, measures 68-end. Only worked on mm. 68-76 and sight read to the end.
Chant the text in rhythm, mm. 68-76, note the poco rit. in mm. 75-76, note the phrase markings mm. 70 and 93. Work on staying in tempo in m. 70. Cheat the quarter note on beat 1 to allow for the breath and then back in on time for beat 2. Be sure to watch in mm. 75-76 for the rit. on “lonely.”
Echo sing in E Major to prepare for mm.70-71:
- Do Re Mi Fa Sol Fa Mi Re Do.
- Do Mi Sol Do Sol Mi Do. (Ascending arpeggio)
- Do Sol Mi Do Mi Sol Do. (Descending arpeggio)
- Re Do Sol. (A2) (Descending) Continue to work on this descending interval.
- Re Do Mi. (A1, A2) (Descending)
- Re Re Re (S1)
Page 7, mm. 68-76
- S2+A1 (S2 and A1 share many pitches in these measures) Listen for the unisons
- S1+A2 (Listen for the octave unisons and the intervals of 7ths and 9ths) Tune these across the chorus as we continue to work on this piece.
- All
Page 7-8, mm. 77-85 We sight read this section but will work on the parts the next time we rehearse The Valley.
- A2 then S1
- A2+S1
- A1 then S2
- All
Page 8, mm. 89-91 (text is “you see – “) We sight read this section but will work on the parts the next time we rehearse The Valley.
- S1 Do Do Do (when sung in context the last two notes are tied)
- S2 Do La Ti
- A1 Do So So
- A2 Do Fa Mi
- All
- All sing mm. 86-end. Resonant hum, observe the poco rit.and phrase marking.
Pages 7-8, mm. 68-end sing all. Accomplished mm. 68-76.
Now Let Me Fly – arr. Stacey Gibbs We may sing this piece up a half step (the Sopranos can handle it!) so that we have more ring in our sound. F Major is a “flat” key for sure! Please be ready to work in F#.
Page 15 mm. 85-88 all parts chant rhythm. Emphasize the F each repetition of “fly.” Good progress on the F of “fly!”. Work on unifying the tall/rounded vowels in this section.
- A2L Tune the upper note of the octane interval.
- A2U, A2L m. 88 make sure everyone understands the splits.
- A1U, A1L, and A2U Continue to work on this section, accent “fly” and know on which beat(s) it occurs in each measure.
- S2U, S2L Continue to work on this section, the breath should be in unison and have the energy to bring out the syncopated rhythm.
- S1U, S1L Add a slight lift in m. 85 before the high Ab to emphasize the syncopation and the upward skip. Be the sprinkles on the frosting of the cupcake – not too heavy at the top of the staff.
- All This is a lot to take in – so much going on pitches and rhythms. We will gain confidence with repetition.
Sing an F Major Scale (in octaves) then sing the above with pitch. Accomplished – notes above.
Page 16 mm. 89-94 all parts chant rhythm then add pitch. We will work on this section the next time we rehearse Now Let Me Fly.
Breathe end of m. 90.
- A2U, A2L, watch the octave skip in m. 89
- A1U, A2L
- All altos
- S2U, S2L
- S1U, S1L
- All sopranos
- All
The Imaginary Garden – Marie-Claire Saindon
Ask for a volunteer to read Mahvash Sabet’s poetry (inside cover). Thank you, Ann Harrison – beautiful read. Everyone, please take time to read about Mahvash Sabet on the inside cover.
Go over part divisi pages 4-10. Accomplished. Please check the Practice Files on our website if you have questions about the part splits (thank you, Karla!)
Sing an E Major Scale (in octaves) in 6/8, pulsing the eighth note. Do-Do-Do Re-Re-Re Mi-Mi-Mi etc. Hold the top Do for a dotted quarter, on the descent, repeat Do-Do-Do, pulsing the eighth note once again.
Pages 3-4, m. 49 (with the pickup)-56, S2 melody Accomplished.
Pages 4-5, m. 57 (with the pickup)-64, S1 melody Accomplished.
Pages 5-6, m. 65 (with the pickup)-72, S1+S2 duet Accomplished. Review the harmony as needed.
Pages 4-6, m. 49-72 A1+A2 all of the “oo” Accomplished. Good job with tuning the A2 C#s.
Pages 4-5, m. 49-64 S1U and S2U, S1L and S2L rehearse the “Dum-bay-a-bay-dum” figure. [dum] Accomplished.
Pages 5-6, m. 64-72 A1U and A1L, note the pitch shift down a whole step in m. 67 and then back up a
whole step in m. 69. Review this part, please. We did not have the chance to spend quite enough time on this.
Pages 7-10, m. 73 (with the pickup)-90, rehearse each part separately and then add in this order: We will work on this section the next time we rehearse The Imaginary Garden
- S1U
- S1L
- A1U (note Page 10, m. 87, the text is “dum bay-a-bay-dum can”
- A1L
- A2U
- A2L
- S2U
- S2L
Page 10, mm. 87-90 rehearse the crescendo and rit. in all parts.
Rehearsal Plan 9/9/19:
I Sing That My Voice May Be Heard – Gwen McLeod Hall
Pages 2-4, mm. 1-17
Chant the text using rubato…make certain that inner metronomes are OFF. Observe the dynamic and phrase markings.
Sing a D Major Scale in 6/8, pulsing the eighth note. Do-Do-Do Re-Re-Re Mi-Mi-Mi etc. Hold the top Do for a dotted quarter, on the descent, repeat Do-Do-Do, pulsing the eighth note once again.
Sing parts in this order:
- All altos (divisi as needed)
- S2
- S1U and S1L
- All
Emphasize rubato
My People Are Rising – Carol Barnett
Page 6-11, mm. 21-58
Asymmetrical meters and a non-traditional pitch set or scale that suggests a maqam (Arabic scale that uses microtones or quarter steps) are present. This piece does not use microtonality but suggests it. Arabic melodies are heterophonic and highly ornamented without a supporting chordal structure. The augmented 2ndwill be dominant throughout.
Echo clap and chant the following rhythms/texts without singers using music:
Page 9, m. 42 with the pickup in 4/4 “the earth underneath their” making sure that “earth” and “-neath” are short and with a strong TH.
Page 6, m. 19 rehearse the 7/8 pattern by clapping and chanting ti-ti-ti-ta—ta— then substitute text “people are rising.” Add the pickup “my people are rising.”
Page 11, mm.54-55 (2+2+3) ta—ta— ti-ti-ti and make the correction in m. 56 (3+2+2)
Page 10, mm. 50-58 chant the text in rhythm.
Pages 7-11, mm. 42-58 chant the text in rhythm
Pages 7-8, mm. 23-31, rehearse the overlapping phrases “my people are rising.”
Rehearse augmented seconds.
Page 8, mm. 32-35 and m. 38.
Page 9, mm. 50-56
Page 8, mm 36-38 rehearse the ornamentation using an “H” for emphasis.
Rehearse all Pages 7-11, mm. 27-58
The Peace of Wild Things – Sean Ivory
Ask for a volunteer to read Wendell Berry’s poem (inside cover).
Pages 9-13, mm. 60-91
Sing a D Major Scale ascending and descending by quarter notes.
Pages 12-13, mm. 84-87, A1 and S2, triplet figures only.
Pages 12-13, mm. 84-91, All minus the triplet figures, then all.
Pages 12-13, mm. 75-91, mindful of unison pitches across the sections.
- F before “for” and “free” so that the vowel sounds on the beat.
- D end of world, minimize the RL.
- Phrasing for S1 m. 83.
- Dynamics, note the S2 crescendo while other decrescendo on the suspended G.
Page 11, mm. 68-74 (mixed meter 4/4 and 3/4)
- S1U, S1L, A1 “waiting.”
- S2U, S2L, A2 “waiting.”
Page 10-11, mm. 64-66 (mixed meter 5/4 and 4/4.
- S1U, S1L, A2U, A2L
- S2U, S2L, A2U, A2L
Page 9-10 mm. 60-63 (mixed meter 4/4 and 6/4) no breath until m. 63
- S1U, S1L, A2U, A2L
- S2U, S2L, A2U, A2L
1941 – Andrea Ramsey
Pages 2-6, mm. 1-33 (varying tempos, dynamics, articulation)
Sight read all parts together.
Rehearse dynamics.
Rehearse accents and tenutos.
Rehearse ritards and a tempos.
The Tree of Peace – Gwyneth Walker
Pages 11-15, mm. 56-75
Pages 12-15, mm. 64-75
- S1U, S2U, A1U, A2U chant text in rhythm. Hold half notes full value in mm. 65, 68, dotted half m. 71. Text is written above the pitches. Stems go up.
- S1L, S2L, A2L, A2L chant text in rhythm. Hold half notes full value un mm. 67, 70, 73. Text is written below the pitches. Stems go down. Missing half rest for S2L in m. 70.
- S1U, S2U, A1U, A2U read pitches.
- S1L, S2L, A2L, A2L read pitches.
Add dynamics, tenutos, and accents. Use the consonants to enhance the accents.
Pages 11-12, mm. 56 with the pick up-m. 63 mark in phrasing. Chant text in rhythm together then sight read pitches together.
- Shape the [i] vowels toward [I] in “cease” and “peace.”
Faith is the Bird – Elizabeth Alexander
Page 5, mm. 54-63
Chant in rhythm, breathe on the rests.
Emphasize the F in “faith” and “feels”, the T in “light”, the K in “dark.”
Breathe in the shape of O on the rests before “O Faith.”
Press on “feels the light” with a point on the T of “light.”
Sing all 6-part divisi:
- A
- M
- S
- All
Work on pitches as needed.
Swing Low: A Spiritual Medley – arr. Rosephanye Powell
Page 12, measures 60-end.
Notice the phrase markings and only breathe where indicated.
Sight read each part separately and then together.
As time permits we will circle back to the items that we did not accomplish from 8/26/19.