AD Music Notes
This is where you’ll find notes from Laura Sam about the pieces we’re singing each semester.
March 15, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
What a wonderful time I had with you last night at rehearsal – everything felt so solid and strong (despite my wanky music stand!). I was so happy that we were in the ‘green’ and could move to 3′ spacing – what a joy to hear everyone so clearly.
Please consider auditioning this week for The Imaginary Garden solo – deadline for solo recording submission is Saturday, 3/19/22. Here are the instructions:
- Give yourself the correct starting pitch – you need to sing the solo in the key that it is written (E Major).
- Please sing at the tempo marked: eighth note=120
- Please breathe at the breath marks and on the rest.
- Record yourself singing – you can use your phone’s voice memo app, or record a video using your phone if you are not sure how to access your voice app.
- Email the file to me…or if the file is too large to send and you need to text it, that is fine, too (336-263-7754). You can also upload your file to a Google folder and send me the link – whatever works for you. Normally Laura D. would organize this, but since she is on LoA please send your recording directly to me.
March 14, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
This past week I had time to dig a bit deeper in looking at Prayer for Ukraine and wanted to share this update with you.
Attached is an updated score, please discard the ones you had previously. I will bring new copies to rehearsal. If you are joining from Zoom, you can print yourself a copy.
March 8, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Thanks for a lovely rehearsal last night. I came home to a dark house (and neighborhood)…we finally had power restored this afternoon. I sure am spoiled…really appreciate having electricity!
Thank you for the chocolate chip cookies, Janet – they were delish!
March 7, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
At the beginning of rehearsal, I plan to include the Prayer for Ukraine. I have copies for in-person, but if you are joining via Zoom, you can open the file and sing along.
We will not sing on text tonight.
March 6, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
I had such a fun time with everyone on Saturday and am very happy with all that we accomplished. We are in a great place to dig deeper on each of our pieces. Lots of detail work ahead.
I echo Kay’s thanks to all and also thank her for her presentation. Since we had such a short time to spend on her material, I have invited Kay to spend 5-7 minutes during our upcoming warm ups to give us the opportunity to apply the concepts that she shared with us. Looking forward to it!
What a treat to hear Deb play. Thank you, Deb!
2022-03-03 Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Bonus email this week! Several of you asked for additional practice tools for Storm Comin’, so I created the following options for you – should be something to fit everyone’s needs. Thanks for working so hard on this piece.
I created videos with the music scrolling and me performing the body percussion. I am stepping on my RIGHT foot first, but YOU step on your LEFT foot first. I should be your mirror. Don’t mind me if I sing the wrong word – you sing the right one!
2022-03-01 Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
It was wonderful to hear you sing last night – thank you for the fun and productive rehearsal.
Thank you, Shelia, for the ah-mazing ‘cheese biscuits’ (not sure what to call those morsels of savory deliciousness).
February 22, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Happy 2/22/22 Twos-day!
Lots of progress on our repertoire – thanks to everyone for your great effort! I sure do have fun making music with such wonderful musicians (and humans!).
Thanks for the fun rhythm activity, Kay, and for the treats, Wendy. We all appreciate you both!
February 15, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
What a fun Valentine’s Day rehearsal! I so enjoyed sharing my love of choral music and WVC with you all. Thanks for bringing the treats, Jackie! I have attached our Valentine’s messages – be prepared to feel the LOVE when you read them. Hope I didn’t miss your message – if I did, let me know and I will add it to the document.
We made great progress on our music, especially working on expressive elements of dynamics, articulation, and phrasing. The chorus sounds full and vibrant – such a joy!
February 8, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Thanks for a very fun rehearsal last night! It was great to work on some musical details as we took a deep dive into some of our music.
Thanks, Rachel for leading our JOY activity – always wonderful to laugh and share our hidden talents with one another (Beep Beep).
When you have a chance (no deadline or pressure), please complete a survey about yourself – the link is below. This is not required but will be used as a JOY activity.
February 1, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Again, thank you so very much for all the birthday love last night! The flowers are gorgeous, the balloon is festive, and I have already put the adorable owl glasses holder to good use (see attached images). I usually take off my glasses to do computer work and now I have a place to put them instead of worrying about them getting squashed under a pile of papers/books/scores (not that my desk gets messy or anything!). I am saving my e-card for later this evening – THANK YOU!
January 17, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Hope you have been able to manage the snow/sleet/ice with minimal inconvenience and maximum joy. Looks like more is headed our way later in the week according to the current forecast.
Hope you can join me for our final rehearsal of the semester. We will all be on Zoom (LIKE ALL OF LAST YEAR!) in our little boxes. Silver lining – we will be able to SEE each other’s faces. I am looking forward to seeing you!
January 11, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Hope you had a lovely time at rehearsal last night – I certainly did! Our laughter and music eased the disappointment of our concert postponement – it was wonderful to share the evening making music together.
Although I know it was a challenge to make conga lines on Zoom, Rock-Paper-Scissors was a ton of fun. Thank you for leading that, Rachel! And thank you for bringing the sweets, as well! If you want to help Rachel plan community building activities for future rehearsals (or provide a snack outside), please be in touch with her. I’m already looking forward to next time.
Please help to spread the word that we have auditions on 1/24/22 by appointment, either in-person or via Zoom. If you think you know someone who would be interested, please direct them to our website. https://womensvoiceschorus.org/sing-2022/
January 10, 2022, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
I want you to know how much I appreciate our wonderful board members in the way in which everyone worked together, listening thoughtfully to one another, as we considered various aspects and concerns, ultimately reaching the decision to cancel our January concert.
The deep disappointment of yet another meaningful event being lost to the pandemic is real and I am sure we are all experiencing it. I know that I am.
January 5, 2022, Music Notes
Hello All,
I loved that 40ish of us were able to come together to make music at our rehearsal, either in person or via Zoom. For that, I am grateful. We had many obstacles in front of us – most especially the rapidly spreading omicron variant and the threat of black ice. But even so, we persevered.
I am looking forward to our upcoming board meeting on Sunday where we will make decisions regarding our path forward (specifically our upcoming concert) during these uncertain times.
December 14, 2021, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
Thanks for all of your great work last night! We did not finish our to-do list but we did accomplish a lot of detailed work – yay us!
When I got home I did find my 2nd page of notes…right where both Deb and I looked before rehearsal….in my legal pad…I had skipped a page when I was writing them and then they were stuck together. Ah well, I remembered most of what was there and have put the few things not covered on the list for 12/20/21. It was a weird feeling though…I knew that I did not use invisible ink for page 2!
Don’t forget to send your solo audition to Laura D if you are interested in that opportunity. Those are due no later than 12/21/21. I’m looking forward to hearing you sing.
December 7, 2021, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
I could hear you so much better in our new seating formation last night – I hope that you could hear better, as well. We will sing in a similar arc in the front of the Binkley Baptist Sanctuary for our performance so hopefully this will help us to better prepare.
I had a great time at rehearsal last night and it sounded like you did, too!
A2s also had a very successful sectional rehearsal last night – thanks for your extra effort A2s, Deb, and Marsha.
December 1, 2021, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
I created a video of the body percussion for Storm Comin’- hope it will be of help to you in your practicing if you would like to memorize this piece and perform/sing in front. Here is the YouTube link (hopefully it won’t get taken down for copyright – if it does, I will upload it to a Google folder and share it with you that way): https://youtu.be/lrcRZsWAZZw
I made the video so that you can mirror me. You will step on your LEFT on beat 1, but I step on my RIGHT so that we mirror one another.
I used the Wailin’ Jenny’s YouTube performance for the audio, so please remember that their ending is slightly different from our arrangement.
Have fun swishing, clapping, and stomping!
Laura
November 30, 2021, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
It was such fun to sing through our music together last night. We had some beautiful spots to celebrate but also some mud puddles to work through in our next three December rehearsals.
Here is how everyone can help to make those 3 rehearsals as productive as possible:
Email your section leader (A1s please copy Kay) regarding the questions you had as we rehearsed our music last night. If you would, please do that in the next few days so that the section leaders can get that information to me before our next rehearsal. If you are able to use the practice files to answer your own questions, please do so. I need to know the spots that you cannot work out on your own. I know the challenges that I heard in rehearsal last night and am making note of those, as well.
November 16, 2021, Music Notes
Hello Everyone,
It was good to see (and hear) you last night. I am glad we tied up some loose ends, especially on Rise Up.
With Thanksgiving week around the corner, we are not scheduled to have rehearsal on 11/22 so it would be helpful if you are able to sing through the rep a few times so that we don’t get too rusty.