Hi Everyone,
Just a few more rehearsals until Kiwanis and our spring concert. It’s still CRUNCH TIME. This is where it really shows that we are a choir who values learning, hard work, challenging pieces, and success in performance. We are relying on every singer to use their best choral habits at home and in rehearsal.
I know you all have your own list of sections to tackle at home. Here are a few reminders to help keep you focused on our musical goals:
1. Increase your familiarity with ALL pieces so that you are more comfortable looking up at me. That’s the only way we will actually make music together, as opposed to simply singing the songs.
2. Spend more time on the sections that you don’t know. Practice the hard stuff. Then add it back into the whole piece.
3. Practice with a choir friend. Find a singing buddy. Check in with a section mate to see how they are doing with a certain piece. Arrange a practice session. Anything to connect with other choristers and help each other out!
Link to the shared folder with rehearsal help:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EfLf1-sEfJVt7YmOIGG47DB1LxhchnTI?usp=drive_link
*I’ve added The Rising voice parts from first term. This song is only for the May 8th Memorial.
Our website which, thanks to Bill, also has the links to practice help: https://enchoreastsingers.ca/the-rising-2/ (Same password as elsewhere: happysong)
A few notes from yesterday:
Skyfall
– we spent a considerable amount of time on m.37-44 and m.61-68. We also ran the whole piece. It’s coming along. Now we need familiarity to really enjoy singing it!
The Rising
– For May 8th memorial
– Beautiful singing and wonderful memory work with text and nuance. What a great reminder for us of what we are working towards with our other pieces.
I’d Like to Teach
– It’s a bit hard to follow, but the notes are not difficult. Mark your scores so you know ahead of time what’s coming next.
Danny Boy
– Beautiful singing with long lines. I could tell that some work has gone into this at home – all of the rhythms were correct, even the ones that are not how we are used to hearing the song.
– We need a seamless transition between m.32 and the new score m.33.
A Social Madrigal
– We are going for light and a little bit formal. We can really let loose at m.73 with the LOL section.
– We marked our scores for phrasing. Please observe your markings.
– Facial expression will work wonders with this one!
Hymn of Acxiom
– Text and nuance. That’s our job. Clean consonants. Matching vowel sounds. Shaping phrases.
– Do everything you can to practice at home and then… watch me.
Cantique
– turn to page 2 to start. Eyes up. Pleasant look.
– beautiful start, TBs. In m.19 – (Jour éternel de la terre et des cieux… -Ed.) DON’T BREATHE! It is absolutely magical when you carry that phrase through.
– We marked dynamic reminders. ex. p.4-5 it’s pp, pp, pp, pp… until m.25. We get 2 measures to crescendo to a forte.
– p.18-19 – watch and feel the beat. We don’t want to slow down.
Skye Boat Song
– BEST time you’ve ever sung this one. Wonderful.
– We’re not there yet… keep practising!
– Consonants. Dynamics. Expression.
Everything else? Keep going. I promise the hard work is completely worth it when you feel AMAZING about your performance 🙂
Krista