Hello Everyone,
I enjoyed being with you at rehearsal last night. Thank you for your wonderful energy and hard work.
I will be at NC American Choral Director’s Association Fall Conference this weekend – Laura D. will also be there with a group of her youth chorus singers! :). I always look forward to growing in choral music and I am sure that I will have fresh ideas to bring back to WVC.
I was with the Alto 2 section for their sectional rehearsal and offered to make a voice memo of their part in The Valley because the rhythm is tricky. Please let me know if you would like for me to make voice memos of any measures/pieces that you would find helpful and I will be glad to do so (although I can’t always sing all of the S1 parts if they are above the staff). The practice files are AWESOME but if it helps to have something slower or with the lyrics, just let me know.
I couldn’t send you the recordings as attached files (too large) so I am sending you a link to a Google folder.
If I don’t see you Sunday afternoon, I will look forward to seeing you on Monday night.
Cheers!
Laura
WVC Rehearsal Notes 9-30-19
A Path to Each Other – Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy Takach
Nice work! We need to remember PATH not WALL! :). Let’s keep the tempo moving! Singing on the text, we need to remember our challenging intervals – especially Do-La-Ti-Do-Do (mm. 9-10 is where we especially lose our tonal center – “path to each other”). I look forward to our singing on Sunday – it will be lovely! I have attached our recording…but don’t rehearse with it because our intonation is not where we want it to be quite yet!
Now Let Me Fly – arr. Stacey Gibbs
There are many similarities when comparing/contrasting the first three times that we sing the refrain. The fourth time we sing the refrain (page 14) there are significant differences (that’s why we started on it first). Note the differences in your score that might be confusing (I think it is the most challenging to memorize when repetitions are almost the same but not exactly the same).
- Refrain – mm. 29-36
- Refrain – mm. 45-52
- Refrain – mm. 61-68
- Refrain – mm. 77-84
I mentioned at rehearsal that the performance recording does not take a slower tempo at m. 69 (but we will!). The practice files does not observe the a tempo at m. 77 (but we will!).
I Sing That My Voice May Be Heard – Gwen McLeod Hall
This piece is really coming to life! We need to check pitches in a few places, especially mm. 18-21 and mm. 34-40. I have attached our recording.
Looking Ahead to 10-7-19
Now Let Me Fly – Stacey V. Gibbs
Pages 12-14, mm. 69-84. Review page 16, mm. 89-94.
- 69-76 pitches and rhythms
- 69-76 add accents
- 69-76 work on clear consonant articulation
- 89-94 check pitches
- 89-94 work on accents and dynamics
- 89-94 work on ensemble cohesiveness through the rit.
The Tree of Peace – Gwyneth Walker
Pages 11-15 mm. 56-76 and pages 16-17 mm. 77-91
D Major scale.
- 77-80 learn pitches and rhythms in all parts.
- shape each AH phrase with dynamics – in general, crescendo as pitches ascend and decrescendo as pitches descend.
- observe the in m. 80.
- 81-91 learn pitches and rhythms in all parts.
- 81 observe the tentuto on “love” and bring out the V. Emphasize the F of “fire.”
- 82 observe the accents on “anger,” minimize the R of “anger,” and observe the breath mark.
- 83 connect the final Z of “ashes” to the P of plant.
- 81 shape “of” as previously rehearsed.
- 85-91 round the vowel of “peace” and being with a clear P.
- 91 the final S of “peace” is on the eighth note, beat 1.
- 81-84 note the dynamic contrast f then p.
- 56-76 sing through noting the tempo changes.
1941 – Andrea Ramsey
Pages 5-9 mm. 27-51
c# minor scale
- pitches and rhythms in all parts.
- note the phrase markings for breaths.
- note the tempo changes.
- note the accents – PUNCH
- note the dynamic contrasts.
My People Are Rising – Carol Barnett
Pages 18-23 mm. 121-174
- chant text in rhythm
- learn pitches
The Valley – Jane Sidberry, arr. Beth Hanson
Pages 2-4 mm. 1-36.
E Major scale
- Chant text in rhythm, breaking it down into smaller sections as needed.
- Learn pitches in all parts.
Chamber Choir
Shule Agra – arr. Judith Watson
Page 3, mm. 31-41
Nada te turbe – Joan Szymko
Pages 7-8, mm. 84-102