Hello Everyone,
Thanks so much for a super fun and productive rehearsal last night. Please know that I respect everyone’s decision if they felt it best to stay home with the uncertain road conditions as the temperature dropped last evening after dark. Thanks for attending via Zoom if you needed to stay home for illness or road conditions (everyone who is sick – hope you feel much better soon!).
Thanks also for a productive sectional rehearsal. I think that we covered everything on our to-do list from our section leaders. If you have further questions, please let your section leader know. I am also happy to answer questions before rehearsal starts (and I know that Deb is, too!).
We worked through all of our concert pieces – here are a few notes:
Still I Rise
– MEMORIZE!
– add hand claps on beats 2&4 at m. 85
– add unsion sway (start to the right) at m. 101 (previous to that, unchoreographed energetic singing with natural movement is encouraged)
– stop clapping/swaying m. 119 (strong finish!)
Like a Mountain
– MEMORIZE
– keep the tempo moving!
– look at the rhythm in m. 25. Deb has even eighth notes in the accompaniment while singers have syncopated rhythm against Deb’s even rhythm.
Richer for Her
– lovely!
– consonants early – the vowels open on the note as needed by the rhythm written and the consonants are voiced ahead of time
Be Like Jane
– good job working the varied tempos!
– check your part every time you have ‘fight, live, love dream (learn)’ as they are not the same!
– m. 78 the S2s are on an F5 with the S1s a 3rd below on a D5. Awareness here so it doesn’t take you by surprise
– on page 13, the ‘ran and ran’ parts should be softer than the storyline ‘Jane, she had a goal…’
– keep the tempo steady (don’t drag) pages 18-21
– check your rhythm mm. 135-156
– S1s check your part mm. 146-156 (rhythm and pitch)
– strong ending!
Malala
– This piece is in Dorian D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D. To my ears, the most important note for us to tune and avoid pitch drift is the B (okay, all of them, but especially the B cannot be flat). Speaking in generalities, the Dorian mode (a mode used in Western music) has the flavor of an ancient Egyptian mode with similar intervals. Although not directly linked to Pakistani music (as far as my research informs me), it is generally a sound that would be heard in Middle Eastern music. Although Pakistan is a South Asian country, it does have strong cultural links to the Middle East.
– check your parts on pages 4 and 6 (and anywhere else you are uncertain).
– m. 62 is in unison! (I am hearing other notes in the mix here).
Rise Up
– Good job with the faster tempo where it is marked 144. We were under that the last time we performed this piece. Be sure to keep the tempo steady (don’t slow down) at m. 25
– Altos, mind the rest in m. 3
– Please watch me for the tempo shifts beginning at m. 54. This section begins quite slowly and then gathers momentum.
– check your rhythm mm. 103-107
– remember the bell tones we rehearsed whenever you see a combo accent and tenuto marking
Hands Upon the Plow
– check your entrance pitches at the beginnings of phrases – are the first notes in unison or harmony?
– good job at the key change to A Major m. 107
– check your parts mm. 126-131
The Radium Girl
– good work on this piece!
– stomps need to be together. I think the same technique of raising feet in unison will be helpful (as in What Happens When a Woman?)
No Fairy Tale Here
– I think we would benefit from some more individual practice on this piece but with that said, we have made impressive progress!
– Would love for all of those consonants we rehearsed in November to be present! – So much to think about, I know. You would perhaps find it helpful to speak through the text in rhythm, emphasizing the consonants. It takes more air to sing these consonants, so practice singing/breath management, too!
What Happens When a Woman?
– Apologies that I forgot to move us to part singing when we rehearsed this one!
– my plan is to conduct this at 72 (as marked). Use the practice files that are moving at this tempo, please.
– bring your foot up on the & of 4 and then down on beat 1. Our preparation to stomp will be together. (Thanks for the tip, Leandra and SV). Hopefully, this will also improve our ability to keep the tempo steady (not dragging and not rushing!)
– Deb observed that she thinks we perhaps drag the tempo because our body percussion movements are bigger than needed, slowing us down. I notice the tempo dragged on “What happens when she won’t back down?”
Wild Embers
Leandra will conduct this piece at the concert(s) and so led the rehearsal on it last night. It was such a joy for me to sing with her musical leadership and insight while hearing all the fabulous voices around me! Such a wonderful experience.
– I already began rehearsing the stomp/thigh clap. It is a bit tricky because we sing different things while performing the stomp/thigh clap. But, with a few repetitions, it was coming along more naturally, for me. If everyone puts in a little time on this, I think we can give Leandra what she is asking for. If holding your folder and performing the thigh clap is too tricky, you can concentrate on the stomp (I will probably be the singer whose folder flips up in the air – although I will try my best for that to not happen!).
– I had my tuner out while we were singing (to check myself) and our tuning has improved but we need to stay vigilant, especially at mm. 17-24, 56-62. Our home in this piece is D minor and as we go on several musical adventures away from D minor we then need to find our way back home.
The Girl With the Numbers
– This piece is so much fun to sing!
– Leandra will also conduct this piece at the concert(s). Let’s all watch Leandra carefully. She is very clear in her gestures and we should be able to follow her for tempo and expressive elements if we WATCH!. My personal goal is to have this piece memorized and just have my music open to give reference along the way if needed. That way I can keep my eyes on Leandra 99% of the time and respond to what she is giving.
– The places I noticed needing some individual practice regarding pitch are mm. 41-48, 49-56 (mostly the starting pitch for M and A at m. 49), 95-106 (M & A keep the C# high enough), then the ending section which has a lot going on!
Looking Ahead to 12/15
Sisters’ Voices will join us for the first part of the rehearsal. We will continue to polish the pieces that they will sing with us. Plan to start the rehearsal in part formation for “What Happens When a Woman?” We will stay in parts for Wild Embers and The Girl With the Numbers. We will move to mixed formation (with SV) for Richer for Her, Like a Mountain, and Still I Rise.
We will then move to WVC mixed formation (as we were at the beginning of rehearsal last night) to rehearse No Fairy Tale Here and Malala, adding the narration performed by SV singers.
After SVs depart, we will rehearse in mixed formation any of our other pieces (I will make a priority list) We may not get through them all, but hopefully at least address any remaining challenges.
I know this is a very busy time of year but please sing through your music as you are able so that our upcoming long stretches of not rehearsing together don’t set us back! We have come so far!
I’m looking forward to our holiday festivities at the end of our rehearsal!
Hope you have a great rest of your week,
Laura