Hello singers,
What a great way to start our year together – keen choristers who are eager to learn and open-minded about new repertoire and events! Thank you for your patience as we sort through scores and folders, seating and voicing, and even room temperature.
I won’t send out specific rehearsal notes for at-home practice this week. Some choristers are waiting on scores and folders. Instead, please take time to sing a little everyday, focusing on free and light vocalizing, and lots of awareness of your own habits.
A few jobs for you (ACTION REQUIRED):
1. Wear layers! We had some very stuffy air and warm sopranos by the end of rehearsal. The heat pumps don’t have to be all or nothing. We can turn on some of them without freezing out the alto section.
2. Check your folder for these pieces and make note of which ones you are missing. Extra copies will be available next week.
- Auld Lang Syne
- Brightest and Best
- The Hands that first Held Mary’s Child
- Farewell to NS
- Here’s to Song
- Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake
- When Christ Was Born
- Signum (Cum Decore)
- Suai’r Gwynt (Welsh Carol)
- Away in a Manger
- God Rest Ye (Christmas Carol Booklet)
- Put a Little Love / Peace Train
- Shchedryk
- Dawn is making copies of the score that has the pronunciation lyrics, rather than the Ukrainian lyrics and spellings. Please check your score to make sure you have the right one.
3. Heads up. Some of our new scores will be photocopies of octavos as they were not available in e-prints. We have just purchased more scores, however, they will probably take weeks to get here. If you have a photocopy, that’s why. The real ones are on their way.
4. October 3rd workshop in Annapolis Royal.
If you were absent or didn’t get the clipboard sign-up sheet please [email Krista] if your attendance on October 3rd is a YES.
We need numbers ASAP so we can keep moving ahead with planning. I know it’s a long drive, and it’s a Saturday. It is a wonderful chance for us to break out of Bedford and meet other choristers in this singing province! We have a responsibility to support and grow choral music in NS! A day of vocal technique, rehearsal, social time, and a mini-concert. I will speak with the other conductor about starting the day a little later (10:30? 11?) for those of you who sound like you need a little extra time getting out the door in the morning.
Again, so lovely to sing with you yesterday and get a sense of where we are in terms of reading, ear training, and general ensemble skills. We are going to have a wonderful year of singing and learning and HARD WORK!
Enjoy the sunny day!
Krista