Bravo!

Congratulations on a stupendous concert last night! I don't recall having that strong of a response for our previous concerts. Oddly, this was the smallest audience I can recall--but they made up for it in enthusiasm.


The map for next Tuesday is linked to the right ====>>>


Please be prompt and in the concert space at 6pm. That said, plan accordingly for extra time, and arrive early enough at the library to find out where you need to go. And, finally, be sure you know with whom you are travelling.


See you Tuesday!

Concerts!

I was so tired at the end of last night's rehearsal, that I forgot a number of things!:

• You sound really great. I can't wait till spring's preparation of the Fauré Requiem. To get a head-start on how this wonderful music sounds, click here.
• As a reminder, Tuesday's concert starts at 8pm. Please be prompt and ready to sing at 7pm, when we will start/stop all items on the program, beginning with All Good Gifts.
• If your music isn't already in order, make sure it is before Tuesday. Click here for the program order.
• Dress for Tuesday is ALL BLACK.
• Since the concert starts at 8pm following the 7pm rehearsal, please ask your guests to arrive as close to 8pm as possible. Ideally, I won't allow people into the hall till we're done with our rehearsal.
• Finally, special thanks to Crosby and Mark for joining us last night!
• Oops: one more item. Rebecca Smith (and everyone else), make sure you have a ride to the library concert. Please fill out the form, linked to the right.

11/14 program photo link

Click here.

Dress Rehearsal Agenda

Great rehearsal last night! This Tuesday is our dress rehearsal, and we will be joined by our guest singers. Please be prepared for an intense run of the entire program with steady work as we get our guest singers on board.


Don't forget to add your name to the carpool/driving form, linked to the right of this post. 


And for you sick people, enjoy!:

Library Concert Information

I've added two links to the right:

• map to the library
• driving/carpool information

It's important that I keep track of everyone and know how people are getting to/from the concert. Please fill out the carpool/driving info form at the link. (If you add to it, it will change for everyone.)

If you need a ride, make sure to add your name to the car of someone who is willing to carpool. For instance, you'll see that I can take four people. Presuming you would dare want to be in a car with me, add your name to my row but also update your own information on the form.

If you are having trouble with the document, just email me, and I'll fill in the form for you.


Please note that there is plenty of parking in the garage next tot he library on Lexington St. or on Lincoln and Pearl St.

Monday concert and agenda for 11/15

Monday (11/14) details:

• 1pm call (prompt!) in Heineman
• Dress is all black
• Program order: Battle Hymn--Wondrous Love--Steal Way
• Concert runs from 1:30-2:20.

You were tired by the end of last night's rehearsal, but don't let that get in the way of remembering what to do. Watch those W's on Wondrous Love!

========================

Ahemmm...Since many of you seem incapable of looking at the course calendar (linked to the right of this post) and even having your own calendar in which you've written in dates (grrrrrrrrr....), let me reiterate the winter concert details:

• Tues, 11/29, 7pm rehearsal, 8pm concert (Heineman)
• Tues, 12/6, 6pm call at the Framingham Public Library; 7pm concert
• Dress is all black.
• Program order is in program link (below).

I am confirming more details with the library, including parking and the exact location. I will update this blog when I hear back from them.

NO LATER THAN MONDAY: look at the concert program and let me know if there is an error with your name. Click here to see the program.

=======================

And, speaking of the calendar, let me point out how absolutely important it is that you are at ALL remaining rehearsals, including 11/15 and 11/22. (My, my, that's all that's left!) I am fully aware that Thanksgiving is 11/24, but classes are still in session on 11/23...so you should be at rehearsal on 11/22.

======================

YES! We have rehearsal on Tuesday, 11/15, even in spite of the concert on 11/14.

AGENDA

7-7:10 warmup

10-25 Thankful

25-40 All Good Gifts (I'd like to say that we know this, but there were quite a few problems last night!)

40-8pm Run to the Manger

8-8:05 BREAK

5-20 Pilgrims Hymn

20-40 review Messiah choruses

40-45 Simple gifts (men may leave)

45-50 review Erynn's solo

50-9pm review Juliana's solo

Agenda for 11/7

Great rehearsal last night! Seeing that we've lost some chorus members due to schedules, etc., I have to say how happy and honored I am to have your continued commitment. 


Please look at the calendar link to the right to confirm all rehearsals/concert dates with your own personal schedule. This is IMPORTANT, so do it!


I don't have the program order for 11/14 yet, but I expect to have it in time for next week's rehearsal. I do, however, have the tentative program order for the holiday concerts. Click here to view it! (Please put your music in order, although keep the three Civil War selections in front.) Check the program as well for correct spelling of your name or if I've left you out.


Finally, I must stand corrected. Last night, Pat asked if a hemiola was a syncopation, and I said it wasn't. In some cases, syncopation is defined as a strong harmony on a weak beat. That is exactly what's happening in a hemiola. Therefore, it's a type of syncopation. Thanks, Pat!


AGENDA
7-7:10 warmup
10-25 Little Tree
25-35 Gesu Bambino
35-45 What a Wonderful World
45-8:00 All Good Gifts
8-8:05 BREAK
5-15 Simple Gifts (men still on break)
15-25 And the Glory
25-35 Glory to God (with soloist)
35-45 O thou that tellest (with soloist)
45-9:00 review Civil War program for 11/14

Agenda for 11/1

Congratulations to Juliana Coughlin (S) and Erynn Marshall (A) for snagging the Messiah solos!

We are TWO rehearsals from the Civil War concert and a total of FOUR rehearsals from our on-campus holiday concert. Believe it or not.

AGENDA

7-7:10 warmup

10-50 review the three Messiah movements

50-8:05 Thankful

5-10 BREAK

10-20 Run to the Manger

20-30 Pilgrims Hymn

30-45 review Civil War pieces

45-55 run O thou that tellest (preceded by tail end of Erynn's solo) & Glory to God (preceded by ALL of Juliana's solo)

55-9pm Simple Gifts (men may leave)

Agenda for 10/25

Be sure to look at the calendar (link to the right) for concert information! Soloist auditions are this week.

AGENDA

7-7:10 warmup

7:10-40 Veteran's Day Concert repertoire review

• Battle Hymn
• Wondrous Love
• Steal Way

40-55 All Good Gifts

55-8:00 BREAK

8-8:15 What a wonderful world

15-45 Review the Messiah movements

• And the Glory
• Glory to God
• O thou that tellest

8:45 All may leave except auditions

===============

Auditions:

8:45 Erynn

8:50 Daniela

8:55 Julianna

Auditioners: You solo(s) should be completely prepared. If you have questions, send me an email. Jane will accompany the auditions.

Agenda for 10/18

Believe it or not, our concerts are rapidly approaching. The November 14 Veterans Day concert will be less than a month away by this week's rehearsal!

Soloist candidates (Auditions will be 10/24):

• Soprano
• Daniela D'Angelo
• Julianna Coughlin
• Alto
• Erynn Marshall

Revised Repertoire List

• Civil War program:
• Wondrous Love
• Battle Hymn
• Steal Away
• Holiday program:
• Messiah
• And the Glory
• preceded by tenor solos sung by Mark Evans
• O thou that tellest
• preceded by alto solo
• Glory to God
• preceded by soprano solo(s)
• Run to the Manger
• Gesu Bambino
• Simple Gifts (SA only)
• Thankful
• Little Tree
• What a Wonderful World
• Pilgrims’ Hymn
• All Good Gifts
• Wondrous Love
• Steal Away

AGENDA

7-7:10 warmup

10-25 O thou that tellest

25-35 Little Tree (review)

35-55 Glory to God

55-8:05 Run to the Manger (review)

5-10 BREAK

10-30 And the Glory

30-45 Pilgrims Hymn

45-52 Gesu Bambino

52-9pm Simple Gifts (men may leave)

Agenda for 10/11

A few items first:

• I'm so pleased with how the Messiah movements are going, that I'll be adding another to the program (And the Glory of the Lord), video linked in right column).
• The on-campus holiday concert has been confirmed: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 8pm (immediately following the 7pm rehearsal).
• Solos:
• Alto: O thou that tellest; this can be two solos (recitative // aria)
• Score link: http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/han-mfp1a.pdf
• #'s 1.8, 1.9
• Video: look at link in right column
• Soprano: There were shepherds; this may be divided (see below)
• Score link:  http://www2.cpdl.org/wiki/images/sheet/han-mxp1c.pdf
• #'s 1.15, 1.16A, 1.17, 1.18
• May be divided this way: 1.15 + 1.16 // 1.17 + 1.18
• Video: http://youtu.be/y0AnY9-6tV0
• If you're interested in one of the solos: please make your intentions known by this Tuesday!
• I've added one more practice video (Run to the Manger) and am unable to find others that match our arrangements.

Agenda:

7-7:10 warmup

10-20 Little Tree

20-30 O thou that tellest (pp3-4)

30-45 Thankful
45-8:00 And the Glory of the Lord

55-8:05 BREAK

5-15 All good gifts (doodoo section)

15-25 Run to the Manger (p.6)

25-40 Thankful

40-50 Wondrous Love

50-9pm Steal Away

Agenda for 10/3

Thank you so much for an intense and productive rehearsal last night! Here's the plan for Tuesday:

7-7:10 warmup

10-20 O thou that tellest

20-30 Thankful: pp5-end

30-45 Run to the Manger: mm.17-48

45-55 Glory to God (fugue sections)

55-8:05 break

5-20 Pilgrims Hymn (first half)

20-35 All Good Gifts

35-45 Little Tree

45-9pm What a wonderful world

Make sure to check out the videos (posted in the right column).

Agenda for 9/27

What a great rehearsal last night! We have now read through all of the music for the fall. (There is, in fact, one more piece (Biebl: Ave Maria), but I still haven't decided if we're going to do it.)


On 9/27, a photographer from campus will be taking our photo. I'm not asking you to wear concert dress, but please dress as you'd like to appear in the photo, preserved for generations to come.

I've posted videos of the two Messiah selections and Paulus' Pilgrims Hymn. (See the right column on this blog.)

Here's the plan for next week. Please look at the music on this post before next rehearsal. New members, make sure you have binders and a pencil! (This week's new members don't have all of the music yet, so prepare just what you have.)

7-7:10 warmup

10-20 Wondrous Love

20-30 Pilgrims Hymn (first half)

30-35 Steal Away (verses only)

35-50 Run to the manger

50-8pm Gesu Bambino

8-8:05 break

5-15 Little Light, pp8-end

15-25 Glory to God

25-35 Thankful, pp. 5-6, 1-5

35-45 O thou that tellest

45-55 Simple gifts (men may leave)

Have you friended Kappa Kitty yet?

Rehearsal checklist for 9/13

This is just a checklist of what we read last night. If you check this against the repertoire list, you'll see that I still owe you some more music.

• Battle Hymn
• Wondrous Love
• Steal Away
• All Good Gifts
• What a Wonderful World
• Pilgrims' Hymn
• Run to the Manger
• Gesu Bambino

Next Tuesday, we'll look at those pieces we didn't get to yet and possibly review some of the above.

Fall 2011 Repertoire

All fall 2011 repertoire is ready, and I'll be able to give you your music at this week's rehearsal. Make sure to bring a binder and pencil. A binder is required at all rehearsals.


Many of you have asked about what we're singing this fall. Here's the list:


Civil War program:

Wondrous Love
Battle Hymn
Steal Away

Holiday program:
Messiah: O thou that tellest; Glory to God
Run to the Manger (a nice gospel setting based on "go tell it on the mountain")
Gesu Bambino
Simple Gifts (Aaron Copland's setting)
Thankful (a Josh Grobin classic)
Little Tree (based on e e cummings poetry)
What a Wonderful World
Ave Maria (a stunning work by Franz Biebl)
This Little Light of Mine (an upbeat jazz/gospel arrangement)
Pilgrims’ Hymn (lovely work by Stephen Paulus)
All Good Gifts (from the musical Godspell)
Wondrous Love
Steal Away

And as mentioned, we're singing the Fauré Requiem in the spring!

Getting ready for fall 2011

Welcome back (almost) to classes!

We resume rehearsals on  Tuesday, September 6, 7-9pm. Our first performance (!) is Wednesday, September 7 at 1:30pm. You guessed it: Convocation!

Follow the calendar link to the right for the complete schedule.

We have several performances this fall, including one in mid-November and another at the Framingham Public Library. I'm looking forward to working with you all again! Please help to build membership by inviting your friends, other community members and new students. If you are a recent graduate, please consider joining us as a community member!

That's all for now. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Pre-concert notes

What a great rehearsal last night! I'm ready for a great concert next week!

Before giving you notes, please fill out this form if you haven't already. (CLICK HERE)

These are basically the notes I gave in rehearsal. Please look them over with your music.

• Ave verum
• start pp...we'll build ONLY on the second page
• Laudate
• m.48-53, there is no breath! Sing it as one phrase
• Kyrie
• explode in "Ky" every time
• letter B is still piano
• Gloria
• there is no break from mm.7-12; keep it strong
• watch the cutoffs on "bis" throughout letter B
• m.67: watch the cutoff on "ctus"
• we will accelerate from mm.81-end
• Credo
• the basic dynamic is pp
• mm85-89 is still forte
• p21: note terraced dynamics during this page
• mm.129- end of page is still ff
• p. 25 is pp
• Sanctus
• p26: watch your slurs! Sing through each phrase for a consistent, full sound
• Agnus
• let the pp dynamic be a surprise each time, never get loud!

Remember: dress for men is all-black; ladies is all-black or black bottom w/ single color top

See you at 6pm on Tuesday!

Agenda for April 26, 2011

This is our final rehearsal before the concert! You all are sounding very good, and I'm delighted to see that we're bringing this to an even better level than I planned.

Please be prepared for a THREE HOUR rehearsal. It is very unlikely that we will need this time, but it is reserved for us in the event that there are some issues.

The rehearsal will begin with a FULL RUN of the program in order.

PROGRAM ORDER

• Ave verum
• Laudate
• Mass

Please put your music in this order before rehearsal.

CONCERT TIME

• Tuesday, May 3, 6pm warmup, 7pm concert

CONCERT DRESS

• men: all black, including black socks
• women: either all black OR black bottom with single colored top
• Questions: ask at rehearsal!

COMMENCEMENT

• Sunday May 22, 2pm on Framingham Town Green (parking at FSU)
• You have no idea how important it is to the chorus funding that we have good attendance at this event. Please click here to fill out this form to indicate whether or not you will be attending. Please, please, please try to come.

Agenda for April 19, 2011

Given the week off, we'll need to retouch every movement, preparing ourselves for the 7-10pm dress rehearsal on April 26.

This week, listen (at least once!) to the Mass and other works (see links to the right).

AGENDA

7-7:10 warmup
10-45 Laudate (This is currently our weakest piece, since it's the newest. We need to be perfect simply to match Rebecca's own perfection!)
45-55 Kyrie (I'm still concerned about rehearsal B.)
55-8:05 BREAK
5-15 Gloria (Rehearsal B is still problematic!)
15-30 Credo (Rehearsal E and G need work.)
30-40 Sanctus (we'll do some slow work again on Osanna)
40-50 Agnus (we'll just check alto/bass notes)

50-9:00 Ave verum

Agenda for April 12, 2011

That was a great rehearsal this week! There are still a few things to tweak, but we're in better shape than we've ever been before a performance.

First things first: Monday, April 11 is Investiture. Please meet in Dwight at the front left side of the stage at 1:15. (If you arrive a little late, it's ok.) Dress is all-black. Bring your music, which should include the school song. The ceremony will be done by 2:20.

Our soprano soloist Rebecca Teeters mentioned her concert this Sunday. Details are as follows:

• Sunday, April 10 1:30 pm
• Soprano Rebecca Teeters in recital
• First Church in Boston: 66 Marlborough St., Boston, MA
• “Words of Women: songs on texts by Emily Dickinson, Virginia Woolf and the Wives of Henry VIII” 
  with pianist Michael Strauss 
  
  Program
  Dominick Argento: From the Diary of Virginia Woolf 
  John Duke: Six Poems by Emily Dickinson 
  Libby Larsen: Try Me, Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII
• $15/$10 suggested donation
• Click here for more information.

And now the agenda for Tuesday:


We don't have our soloists with us this week, so we basically need to check in on every movement. I will spend a little extra time with the altos, especially since they don't have the help of a soloist.

7-7:10 warmup
10-45 Laudate (This is currently our weakest piece, since it's the newest. We need to be perfect simply to match Rebecca's own perfection!)
45-55 Kyrie (I'm still concerned about rehearsal B.)
55-8:05 BREAK
5-15 Gloria (Rehearsal B is still problematic!)
15-30 Credo (Rehearsal E and G need work.)
30-40 Sanctus (we'll do some slow work again on Osanna)
40-50 Agnus (we'll just check alto/bass notes)

Wikipedia on the Schubert Mass

The Wikipedia article on our Mass includes a recording by the MIT Concert Choir. Note how they mispronounce the vowel "e", particularly in the Kyrie! Nevertheless, it's a very solid performance and worth listening to.

Agenda for April 5, 2011

Guest pianist: Matthew Guerrieri

Our soloists join us this week!

7pm-7:10 warmup
10-15 review college hymn
15-25 run Ave verum, as a way to integrate our new singers with the chorus
25-40 Kyrie
40-55 Agnus
55-8:05 BREAK
8pm: Benedictus (soloists)
8:05-8:20 Gloria
20-35 Laudate Dominum (w/ soprano solo)
35-45 Credo

Agenda for March 29, 2011

First, a reminder that Investiture is on Monday, April 11 at 1:30pm. Dress is all black. Click the link to the right for the calendar.

We have one week till we're joined by the soloists! 

AGENDA

7-7:10 warmup

10-25 School Song

25-40 Kyrie (this was the weakest link last week); special focus on the "Christe" section

40-8pm Laudate Dominum

8-8:05 BREAK

8:05-15 Agnus, focusing on bass section for their pitches

15-25 Credo, last two pages

25- 40 Gloria, letter B needs work

40-45 Osanna, review slowly then a tempo

Rehearsal Agenda for 3/22

(Reminder: no rehearsal 3/15, spring break)

That was a great rehearsal last night! I am so pleased with how the Schubert has developed so confidently. During spring break, try to listen to the Mass once (links to the right). Also, make sure to listen to the new piece, the Mozart Laudate (also linked to the right).

7-7:10 warmup
10-30 Mozart Laudate
30-40 Ave verum
40-45 BREAK
from then, we'll run the entire Mass in order, stopping to fix problems if they arise

Reminder: our soloist join us 3/29, so we need to make sure that we're ready to receive then. Try to listen to the Mass at least once over break!

Rehearsal Agenda for 3/8

With this being the last rehearsal before spring break, we'll be touching base on everything. Our soloists will be joining us the week after break, so we need to be very confident in our entrances, especially beginnings of movements and places where the soloist sings with the chorus.

The Schubert is going so well that I'm adding another piece to the program: Mozart's Laudate Dominum from the Solemn Vespers. (I'll give you copies in rehearsal, but you can look here: http://www.choralwiki.org/wiki/images/sheet/moz-lau3.pdf)

AGENDA
7-7:10 warmup
7:10-20 Agnus Dei: clarify all entrances/pitches in each section
7:20-25 Review Osanna
7:30-40 Sanctus (especially starting pitches)

7:40-55
Gloria: review any text questions from last week
Work on letter B to negotiate soloist entrances
Work on finding starting pitches (beginning and letter C)

7:55-8pm BREAK

8:00-8:10
Read Mozart laudamus (new piece)

8:10-8:30
Credo: review any text questions from last week
We'll go through the piece in reverse order, especially focusing on starting pitches coming from the accompaniment.

8:30-45
Kyrie: work on finding starting pitches from each instrumental section.

Rehearsal Agenda for 3/1

Tenor is excused from this rehearsal. Please note sections' individual departure times. Since you're reading this blog, why not look at the practice audio files to the right or even watch the videos!

7-7:10 warmup

7:10-40 review spoken text of Credo by rehearsal letter, then rehearse each section with music. Give special attention to rehearsal A and G.

7:40-8:05 do the same thing with the Gloria, giving special attention to rehearsal B and bass entrance at A

8:05 Break -- Sopranos may leave

8:15-30 review A/B parts in Agnus dei

8:30 altos may leave

8:30-8:45 Find bass notes from accompaniment at beginning of Gloria; check pitches in Gloria rehearsal B; do the same with opening of Sanctus; check pitches in Osanna

8:45-8:55 Sing through bass part of Ave verum

8:55 Go Home!

First post

As this is the first post to this blog, let me call your attention to the links to the right. There, you'll find practice audio files and links to videos. The practice audio files are good, but they're a little hard to find on the page. Look closely!

Meanwhile, I'd love to see more men in the chorus, especially tenors. Invite your friends!