September 23 Rehearsal notes

Hello singers! 

We are slowly settling in with our scores, seating, and rehearsal focus. It really does take a while but we are well on our way. Sending out another big thank you to everyone working behind the scenes to keep our choir moving forward.

Community ensembles do so much to promote music-making and arts involvement as important lifelong activities. Our efforts are worth it! 

Attendance

We are trying something new for attendance this year. Please email Cathrin if you will be absent from rehearsal. cathrin-ronnebeck@hotmail.com

When you are unaccounted for we worry about you! Knowing about absences before rehearsal means we know you are safe and well.

Tracking attendance also allows me to see how many rehearsals you have participated in as we get closer to performances. We all know that choir membership is the same as being on a sports team. We rely on everyone. Our success as a group depends on consistently working together – listening, reviewing, adapting, growing. We need singers in seats so that we can build our sound! 

October 3 – Annapolis Royal

I will have more information about our workshop very soon! For now, as we discussed last evening, the venue will be open at 10:45 for arriving and settling in, and our warm-up will start at 11:00. Hopefully this allows for a little more flexibility with the beautiful drive to the valley. There will be an hour for lunch from 12:45-1:45 pm. Enough time to eat, walk, wander, visit Fort Anne, grab a coffee. Lots of that choir social time that people have been asking for 🙂 I’ve attached a pdf from Beth (Annapolis Voices) with street parking options and a list of cafes and restaurants. 

Rehearsal notes (please practice these sections at home this week): 

Always consult the tracks on Google drive, to get our own style for the songs!

Hope Lingers On NEW

When Christ was Born

  • mark in specific diction challenges ex. flipped [ r ] (Christ) vs [ r ] coloured vowel (born). This happens a lot! 
  • Listening and tuning. Important. Spend extra time with the descending lines ex. m.2. Centre every single note. If you are able, play on the piano and check your tuning on every single note. This is a lifelong challenge for all of us and completely worth the detailed work. 

Auld Lang Syne

  • work on m.28-52 this week. 
  • Mark all of the “for” as “fihr.” It’s an “ih” sound, like the word “bit” or “fit” Embrace your inner Scot!

Here’s to Song 

  • we are working on this for Annapolis Royal on Oct 3
  • p. 9 m. 35 – check out the rhythms. They don’t always line up between voice parts. 
  • p.14 m.67 – great speedy sight singing on the long notes. Please review to ensure you are confident with your line. 

Put a Little Love

we are working on this for Annapolis Royal on Oct 3

  • we have the correct rhythm!! Let’s keep it! 
  • beg-m.17 – rests are important. Place final consonants carefully and confidently. 
  • p.8 m.43 – review layered parts. Easier than it looks! 

Brightest and Best

  • m.25 and m.60 – practice slowly to centre every pitch and unify every vowel sound. It moves by so quickly in performance. We need to practice slowly so that we will get the best choral sound possible. Be picky about your work! 
  • m.75 – one example of counting while holding a note so that you know when to release. 4++4+4 beats, placing the [ d ] on beat 1 of measure 78. 

The Hands 

  • m.69-end – sop 1 notice you have your own line, and split at m.80
  • careful with tuning on descending lines. Remember, Dean doesn’t play your notes. He has his own notes to think about! 
  • m.46 – “Emmanuel”?? We will choose to sing EHH-mmanuel. The open vowel. As opposed to EEE or UHH. 
  • m.57-58 – small sop divisi
  • Basses – your line is challenging! Give it extra attention please! 

Happy singing and I’ll be in touch soon with more info on our road trip to the valley! {Below is the content on a PDF Krista attached to her email. Ed.]

Krista

Location of the Annapolis Royal workshop venue.

X – St George & St Andrew United Church, 393 St George St (red brick church by the lights)
CH – Court House
P – Parking at Court House
SP – Street Parking (all free)

Restaurant Options

Listed in order of what’s closest to the church, but everything is quite close.

West of the church:

  • German Bakery Sachsen Cafe & Restaurant ($$)
  • Maison St George (kinda fancy, so good and reasonably priced)
  • Aroma Mocha Cafe (not sure if they have sandwiches, but definitely snacks)
  • Fort Anne Cafe (a sit down restaurant, very reasonable prices)
  • Brown Dog Kitchen Too (Indian food take out)
  • The Whimsical Fork (New, never been…)
  • Sissiboo Coffee Roaster Cafe (not sure if they have sandwiches, but definitely snacks)
  • Restaurant Compose ($$)
  • Laisy Daisy Cafe (one of my favourites, eat indoors or out)
  • Arch & Po Bakery (another favourite, amazing homemade foods)

East of the Church:

  • Elm Tree Cafe (at the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens)
  • Brown Dog Kitchen (Indian food at the Hub/Academy. Seats there outside the library. Closes 1:30)

South of the Church:

  • New Charlie’s Place (Chinese, take-out only)
  • There are also two grocery stores – The Independent and Foodland – north of the Church

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