Hello Everyone,
Thank you for your work at rehearsal last night. Our music-making on Monday evenings is a treat I look forward to all week…hope you feel the same!
We made the big step to semi-mixed formation and I loved the sound! It was especially beautiful in Gwen’s piece when we sang the melody across the sections – it made all the difference. Lovely!
But, I know singing in mixed formation adds an extra challenge and also exposes our gaps in pitch/rhythm knowledge so we still have some work to do. I am confident that we have time to accomplish what we need to be ready for our concert in January. But, I would ask that you try to review the pieces that are the most challenging for you in between rehearsals so that we don’t forget what we have already learned and can continue to move forward working on expressive details – always the most fun.
Please remember to send your solo auditions by tomorrow (Wednesday) at midnight. Thank you so much to those who have already sent theirs! I will enjoy listening!
I did not mean to cause angst when I wanted to make a change in who sang what in Turn Around. I apologize for springing that on you at the end of rehearsal. Because we won’t update our practice tracks, if you would like to continue singing exactly what is on your practice track that is perfectly fine. (I’m thrilled that you use them!) If you are able to divert from the practice track and jump to a different note in a few places, that would be fine, too. Either way, the piece will be beautiful and so there is no need for concern. Although I gave the part divisi my best guess in July, after I have now heard us rehearse for a couple of months, I realize that all the parts are not clearly heard in this one section. In any case, I sincerely apologize for any confusion or unsettled feelings – it was not my intention.
If you would like to make the note change (it’s okay if you choose not!), here are the details:
Sing in 3 parts n measure 51 and beat 1 of measure 52.
Sing in 4 parts in measure 52 on beats 2 and 3, measure 53, and the first two beats of 54.
In measure 54, on beat 3, go back to 3 parts.
Stay in 3 parts in measures 55 and 56.
Sing in 4 parts in measure 57 for the first 2 beats.
Return to 3 parts in measure 57 on beat 3.
I’m happy to go over this at the Alto 1 sectional and also in rehearsal. If I have a chance I will make a recording if anyone still needs one. I exaggerated – it won’t take 9 hours! And I will happily make a recording if it will be helpful.
In general, altos please step into the aural spotlight when you have the melody. I really do love it when the altos have their turn at the melody. So please mark your music where you have the melody and be ready to enjoy your time to shine. I don’t want anyone to over sing – but I am looking forward to the warm, beautiful sound that you can collectively make.
Rehearsal Reflection
Gia l’ore sen volano
– thank you, Rachel, for working with us on our Italian pronunciation – much appreciated!
– vowels are more forward and brighter in Italian than in English. The first time I was in Italy and heard an Italian chorus sing live, it was a very different sound for my ears!
– Italian vowels do not have diphthongs…so if you have a southern accent (as do I), be mindful that the vowels are pure.
– please check with your section leader or neighbor for lifts and breaths (there are many).
– overall, our tone should be light and we should sing with a dance-like quality that moves along! The tempo ‘flies!’
– please listen to the reference recording for the overall effect of tempo and dynamics.
Now I Become Myself
– this is one of our more challenging pieces – good work on this!
– attached is a recording of the timing for mm. 35-38. Try to memorize this section so that you can look up. I will mouth the words and make as clear a gesture as possible to keep us together.
– mm. 28-29 the altos enter without pause between the 2 measures. Good job with this!
– the opening chord is much improved – thank you, Kirsten for your helpful advice – listen to the accompaniment in m. 3, hold onto those E minor notes through m. 4, then you will be ready for your E minor chord in m. 5.
– sopranos, energize through the dotted quarter notes in mm. 46 and 47 (wish and word)
– over all, we will work on clarity of text
– dynamic and tempo changes are coming along!
Grown Wild
– the notes and tuning are much improved on page 8. Good for us.
– mezzo sopranos are singing the B-naturals beautifully on page 7 – yay!
– the F-sharps are excellent throughout. I think we have captured the contrast between the D minor chords with the F-naturals and the D major chords with the F-sharps. That’s a big challenge in this piece but we are now solid on those. 🙂
About Time
– Everything is going beautifully on this. I know we will be so proud to sing this in our concert with Gwen in the audience soaking it all up and cheering us on. Thank you for your meticulous attention to detail.
– I can do better conducting mm. 17-20…and then I think that section will be wonderful. I would like for m. 17 to be loud and almost harsh, m. 18 to be softer and more introspective, and then m. 19 to crescendo as we implore to the universe. Start m. 19 with an emphatic K.
– As I said earlier, the shared melody across the sections works really well in mixed formation. I know you enjoyed singing that part with your new neighbors. The only thing I noticed was that when you have a half note or dotted quarter note at the end of your mini phrase, don’t let it die out. One example of this is mm. 25-28. That way the line will continue as if sung by one voice (that character on stage that Gwen has in her mind).
There Was a Time
– at the end, voices release before the piano so please watch for that release and don’t sing over Kirsten’s ‘solo.’
– note the sections that are 60 beats per minute (the oos and dream at the end). The sections that have the poetic story telling are a bit faster at 66 beats per minute. Lucky for you, it’s my job to know what those tempos are, so if everyone watches and follows, we will be as close to the given tempos as I can possible get us. My internal pitch is stronger than my internal metronome so I work with my metronome app a lot as I study our music during rehearsals. And that is why you often see me reference my metronome app in rehearsal. As much as I can remind myself of the desired tempo, the closer we will be to the composer’s intentions.
Turn Around
– as detailed above, we could use some voices on notes that are not currently clearly heard. We will work through this together in our future rehearsals.
The Circle Game
– We have some rhythms that are not accurate, but otherwise we are solid through m. 73. I can’t remember exactly which ones but we will go through this at our next rehearsal and iron out our inaccuracies.
– At m. 74, we fell apart…if you have a chance this week, please review this section. We will sing it at our next rehearsal.
Looking Ahead to 10/26/26
We will work on the pieces that I plan for us to perform at our mini concert on 11/2.
Depending on how things go at our next rehearsal, I anticipate that we will perform:
Gia l’ore sen volano (depending on our ability to sing this in Italian and closer to our performance tempo)
Now I Become Myself
Grown Wild
About Time
There Was a Time
Turn Around
The Circle Game
Try to Remember
Hope everyone has a great rest of your week and that you are able to get outdoors to enjoy the fall weather.
Laura
P.S.
Karla has updated our part-splits on the website:
Unison – m.17-38; 3-part (S,M,A) – m.46-65, 75-80, 96-end – top line S, middle line M, bottom line A; EXCEPT for m.52 beat 2 thru m.54 beat 2 and m.57 beat 1 and 2 – top line S1, middle line S2, bottom line top note A1, bottom note A2; 4-part m. 66-74, 81-95 – top line S1, middle line S2, bottom line top note A1, bottom note A2
You are welcome to continue singing as originally planned or make the switch – it’s up to you.