Hello Everyone,
Apologies for not sending this yesterday! I got busy with Governor’s School work (and walking in the woods!) and woke up this morning realizing that I had not sent rehearsal notes!
Let me know if the mixed formation is not working for you and I will make adjustments, as needed. If you are worried about hearing your part, try to give it a few rehearsals to get used to the sound. But if it’s really not working or there is another factor that is problematic, let me know and I will see how I can best make adjustments so that everyone feels comfortable and fully enjoys rehearsal.
Sopranos, please think through the music and bring any questions or concerns you may have to the sectional at our next rehearsal. Happy to help!
Leandra (our overtone singing expert!) sent me an email with this advice…and has generously agreed to work with the chorus on overtone singing. It would be wonderful to have numerous people singing overtones for Honour the Earth. I have never been successful at this so I am hoping that with Leandra’s guidance and some practice I will be able to do it. Loved the recording that Christa posted on the Sisters Facebook Page – overtone singing accompanied by clothes dryer – wonderful! So much fun!
First, I start with a biting [i] or ‘ee’ sound – lips forward and relaxed, not spread (like the [di] that you have us sing when we’re working on intonation, but brighter). Setting up the vowel shape of the fundamental, and adequate breath behind it, is key for me. I try to make it so that if I pinch my nose the sound doesn’t really change. Forward and bright and loud. Like an oboe’s sound. Keeping lips relaxed. I think the center of my tongue is near the roof of my mouth. I can feel the vibration of the air as it passes through the slit between my tongue and hard palate. The tip of my tongue is relaxed and in touch with the back of my bottom teeth.Then, supporting that bright sound well, I begin to round my lips toward an [u] or ‘oo’ or an r sound. I keep the tight [i] with my tongue. (I’ll note that it’s no surprise to me that the phenomenal Anna Maria is German – I think the sound I’m making is very similar to an umlauted [u], like [y].)As I start to round my lips, and sometimes even before that, I can hear the first overtones. That’s when the highest ones start for me. Then, once my lips are slightly forward, I start to move my tongue slightly downward and back, almost like when I whistle. Slowly and slightly. That allows me to control the overtones I’m hearing. The more space between my tongue and front teeth or roof of my mouth, the lower the overtone.
Rehearsal Reflection:
Be Like the Bird
– Beginning the rehearsal with this beautiful melody and meaningful text was a lovely way to hear our voices come together after an especially stressful week. I especially felt calmed and soothed by our music – thank you.
Seated in mixed formation, we worked on Here in My Heart, focusing on consonant clarity. With Janet as our designated listener, we worked to achieve clarity. I know that we can improve in this area – not only on this piece, but on every piece we sing. We have already come a long way since we started giving this our attention. We’ll keep working!
Moving to 8-part circles, we focused our attention on I Am. I can hear great progress on this piece and we can move toward expressive, musical singing when we are not chasing the notes and rhythms. Wonderful work!
Looking Ahead to 11/18/24
Overtone Singing with Leandra
I Love You/What a Wonderful World – clarify the tempo at the ending and correct pitches throughout
Sing, Wearing the Sky – review all
I Am – review all
As time allows, sing through the rest of our repertoire in mixed formation.
Chamber Choir
Sing, My Child – review mm. 54-74 (wonderful intonation – the sound is very bright and sparkly – brava!)
Earth Song – review all, focus on text clarity, balance/bland
I am very, very, very much enjoying our music-making. Thank you for all that each of you brings to WVC to create the beautiful music and wonderful community that we are.
Laura