Agenda for 10/1/13

7-7:15 warmup

15-30 work Home for the Holidays pp.3-5

30-50 work Vivaldi #12

50-8:05 work Still, Still

5-10 BREAK

10-25 work Vivaldi #2, mm55-end

25-40 work Vivaldi #7, mm.62-end

8:40 sopranos go home

40-45 altos read Vivaldi #10

8:45 altos go home

45-9pm men read Wachet auf (new piece)

Agenda for 9/24

This was a great rehearsal! I'm so happy to have so many new members among us.

Yesterday, we worked on the following movements:

• 1
• 5
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 11

Next week, we'll continue reading through the Gloria. Hopefully, I'll have some non-Gloria music ready to read.

There are a number of soprano and alto solos in the Gloria, including a duet for soprano and alto. The specific solos are listed in the music you received last night and are also posted in the right column of this blog. In the coming weeks, I'll let you know about soloist auditions--but it's not too early to start planning for this!

Choral scores + solos & duets

These are now posted in the right column of this blog. For the Vivaldi, all solos/duets are for women's voices. If interested in a solo/duet, start looking/listening now!

There will be more repertoire this semester, but we'll be starting with the Vivaldi.

2013-2014 repertoire

Silly me, I forgot to post the repertoire for the season. In truth, I'm still working on the spring. (I don't usually decide this repertoire till I see who's on the roster for the school year.) 

For the fall, the large work will be Vivaldi's Gloria. (Potential soprano and alto soloists take note!) If all goes as planned, we'll be performing this with strings. The other part of the fall program will be some light, fun holiday music. Any requests? Post them as a comment to this blog post!

2013-2014 schedule

Happy mid-June greetings! Next season's dates are now on the Google calendar. Here's a summary of the most important stuff:

• Sept. 10: rehearsals resume
• Dec. 10: evening concert
• Jan. 21: rehearsals resume
• April 29: evening concert

Holidays, etc. are located on the Google calendar, linked to the right of this post. (I'm still awaiting word on Convocation, Investiture, and any other possible school functions.)

Have a safe and happy summer.

A love note

Our final rehearsal of the semester was really good! Thank you to all of the soloists for auditioning and preparing your solos. These are important, as they add diversity to the program.

Please take the time to mark the following in your parts:

• Above, listen to the Holst and Britten linked to the right. If you haven't do so already, what are you waiting for?!
• I Vow to Thee: 
• starting dynamic is mp.
• Make sure you've written in two notes for faithful in m.18.
• Battle Hymn: 
• starting dynamic is mp
• sopranos: learn the notes at the top of p3! (use the audio if you can't learn from a piano)
• basses: m2 on p5, remember: your first note is the soprano note; draw a circle around both notes
• To the Unknown:
• focus on starting pitch from piano rumble/drone
• New Year:
• don't forget that the first two refrains are mf (with dynamics) and that the final refrain is pp
• We slow down a lot in the final refrain. Watch! Look up!
• St. Peter:
• excellent work, Julianna!
• forte at the beginning of p7
• Mystical:
• entrances on p2 and p3 are forte throughout
• p5: SAB, match tenor dynamics
• p8: entrance should be mf, not mp
• p12: watch for cue before coming in (remember: piano has the downbeat in that measure, not you)
• p18: find your starting pitch from the piano; don't guess! Better to come in late if you're unsure, since 90% of the choir has the unison note.
• p20: turn to p22/don't follow the music
• p22-23: make sure that you are making the page turn early enough so that you come in directly at the start of 23
• p29: remember: we start this section slower

I'm looking forward to a really great concert with you! A few more reminders:

• Please be ready to warm up at 6pm, promptly on stage.
• Dress is all-black.
• If you're registered for the course, evaluations will be done at 6:45pm.
• Tell everyone what a great concert we're going to have and make sure they are coming.

See you Tuesday, on stage, at 6pm!

Next Two Weeks

Guess what?! Only two rehearsals left till the concert!

We're in good shape right now, but it's time to buckle down and make sure everything's good to go.

For the next two weeks, Mark Evans will join us for the Mystical Songs. We'll cover the entire program each week.

If you haven't already listened to the YouTube recordings (linked right), do so now. You'll enjoy it!

This week, we also have to look at the alma mater for Investiture. As a reminder, all Chorus students are expected to participate in this event: Monday, April 22, 1:30-2:20 in Dwight. Dress is all-black, just as it is for the concert. Don't know the school song? Don't worry: we'll learn it this week.