Rehearsal Blog Update 10/31/2013

Hello Ensemble and Vocalise Singers and Families,

Happy Halloween! We hope you had a fun and spooky night!

Tomorrow is the annual Fall Workshop and Potluck where both choirs get to rehearse and perform together, and then enjoy a delicious meal. We encourage all singers and family members to mix and mingle and make some new friends. Don’t be shy – say hello to an unfamiliar face. J Please remember to review the SCOOP for instructions on what to bring.

Musicianship

Ensemble A: Please review pages 1-6 for any mistakes and make corrections if you haven’t already done so. This week you are working on pages 7-10.

Ensemble B (*BOTH GROUPS*): The key signatures practice log (for anyone who needs the practice) and test are due this Monday, November 4^th. 

Vocalise: The scale degree ear training tests are due this Monday, November 4^th. The scale degree notation practice log is also “due” for anyone who needs the practice. After the deadline, you can go here for more practice on scale degree notation:

http://sonicfit.com/index.php?cmd=launchExercise&eid=5

Next Monday, November 11^th, the scale degree notation tests are due.

What to Practice

  

ENSEMBLE

Angels Will Guide: This is sounding better and better each week. Our next “project” with this piece is the diction. When you practice this at home, try over-articulating everything. Think about where all of your final consonants go and put them on the appropriate beat with confidence! (For example, clearly pronounce the “z” sound in “skies” on the 8^th rest in measure 8.) Don’t just think about final consonants – the ones in the middles of words are also really important, like the “f” in “life”.

Jingle Bell Swing: This is a fun piece but don’t get so excited singing it that you forget about making a beautiful “Cantabile tone”.  Try singing this piece very slowly at home with your loveliest choral sound. We need to infuse a little more of that into the piece!

Donkey Carol: Keep reviewing page 41 to the end, and start to memorize it. There are a lot of verses and you may not be able to memorize them all in one sitting!

Winter Wonderland: Go over your notes slowly with a piano to help you. You may know this winter carol but this arrangement contains some tricky harmonies! Focus particularly on pages 6 and 7.

And finally, spend some quality time this week on Man With The Bag. Watch your email for recordings to help you!

Memorized for next week: Noel, Angels Will Guide You Home

VOCALISE

Vivos Voco: If you have a metronome at home, try practicing with it so you can get used to the tempo changes.

Mass: The Agnus Dei may be on the program after all, so make sure you go over it this week.  In the Sanctus-Benedictus we worked a lot on being light and buoyant. Make sure that you are articulating each of those sixteenth notes and not blending them into a legato sound. 

Angel: A few of you were not quite prepared for the memorization check. Please make sure that you know this piece extremely well by heart for next week!

Also don’t forget to go over your notes in Winter Wonderland and Seal Lullaby – these are for the Nov. 24^th Tree Lighting concert!

Memorized for next week: Angel, The Snow, Call of Wisdom

Happy Practicing!