Rehearsals resume Tuesday, January 21!

Welcome back from winter break (almost). We resume rehearsals on Tuesday, January 21 in the same old place at the same old time.

This semester's program is a mix of some really great spirituals and gospel music, and that means that you can all look forward to some really cool music with a good amount of swing. And it's all in English! There are a number of solo opportunities, too.

As ever, it's hard to get the word out about the Chorus, so please, please, please spread the word.

See you next week!

Final word--till 2014

Bravo! Congratulations on a really great concert last night. I don't think it could have gone much better, and it went better than it ever did in rehearsal. This is excellent work!

Congratulations, too, to our soloists. And thank you to Allie for all of her patience and skill throughout the semester.

We resume on January 21, 7-9pm in Heineman. If you're a student, please consider registering for credit. It's not required, but enrollment numbers do help our status on campus. Also, please be sure to invite others to join us. We really need more students in the chorus.

Repertoire for next semester? I'm still working on it, but get ready for some awesome gospel music!

Have a safe and wonderful vacation!

Concert week!

What a nice rehearsal last night! You are all singing the program really well, and the strings add so much to the sound of the choir. Great work!

A few reminders for next Tuesday:

• Call time is 6pm prompt! We'll warm up quickly and then start/stop everything, ending by 6:45.
• The concert starts at 7pm.
• Dress is all-black.
• For the few of you registered for credit, you are asked to complete evaluations at 6:45.

I think that's about it. Be sure to invite your friends and family. Let's fill the house!

Agenda for 12/3

Thank you all again for being at rehearsal tonight and for being so attentive. You all have such good attitudes.

Next week, we must start promptly at 7pm, so please be ready to sing by then. I'll need help moving the piano, so any strong men or women are needed around 6:45.

The plan for next week is to run the program in order, followed by any necessary triage. 

Have a great and safe Thanksgiving!

Dress Rehearsal, part one

The November 26 rehearsal is, in effect, our first dress rehearsal. That's because the following week, when we have the strings, won't allow much time to pay attention to various choral items. In other words, we need to get it right this Tuesday!

Please put your music in order:

• Cantate
• Home for the Holidays
• Still, Still
• (men) Zion
• Gloria

There will also be two audience singalong carols, one each inserted before Cantate and before the Gloria.

Please listen to the entire Gloria before this week's rehearsal. It's important not just to the performance, but also to everyone singing next to you. Click here to listen as you read this or do your homework.

For Tuesday, we will go through the program in order, including all solos. Please be ready for an intense rehearsal. The end is near, and we have to do our best in this final push!

See you Tuesday night.

Agenda for 11/19

I had my worries after last week's rehearsal, but last night's rehearsal convinced me that this program will be in top shape by the dress rehearsal.

If you haven't bothered to listen to the YouTube recording yet, this is the moment to do so! It's linked in the right column of this blog.

We have only TWO rehearsals left, not counting the dress rehearsal. Please plan on being at all remaining rehearsals.

It's not too early to make sure you have all-black to wear for the concert. If you have any questions about dress, ask now before it's too late.

Here's the plan for Tuesday:

7-7:10 warmup
10-30 Cum sancto
30-40 Home for the Holidays. (Ed and Norman: I need to make a decision this week, so please be ready to sing the solos.)
40-45 Gloria I
45-8pm Et in terra pax
8-8:05 BREAK
5-15 transition Vivaldi 3-4-5
15-25 Vivaldi 8 and transition to 9
25-30 Vivaldi 11
30-35 Cantate Domino
35-45 Still, Still
45-50 Vivaldi 7
50-9pm Men only: Zion hoert

And for those who dare to watch:

Agenda for 11/12

It was useful to go through all of Vivaldi last night, if only to see exactly where we're having trouble. Did you know that we have just four rehearsals left? In actuality, that's more like three rehearsals, since the final one is a dress rehearsal with strings.

Last night, I asked everyone to starting getting his or her head into the Vivaldi. This is the time to do it! Please listen to the complete recording, linked to the right of this blog under "choral learning files." Please don't wait to do this.

Solo audition results:

• Laudamus te: Pat & Kim
• #6 Domine Deus: TBD
• #8 Domine Deus: Pat
• #10 Qui sedes: Pat
• Home for the Holidays: TBD. (Ed & Norman: I need both of you to be more confident on this. I'll ask you each to sing this as we rehearse the piece this week.)

At this point in time, I must ask you all to be at all remaining rehearsals for the full time. There simply isn't much time left.

Here's the plan for 11/12:

6:45-7 review solos with Pat & Kim, as needed; Juliana audition

7-7:10 warmup

10-20 Cantate Domino (review)

20-35 Et in terra pax

35-50 Domine fili

50-55 finding notes from #8-9 and #3-4

55-8:10 Home for the Holidays, with solos

10-15 BREAK

15-35 Cum sancto spiritu: working on all cues and entrances, but first working on each section

35-50 Still, still

50-9pm Zion (men)