Rehearsal Blog Update 01/30/2014

Dear Ensemble and Vocalise Singers and Families,

It’s crunch time! All gala pieces must be memorized for next week! Speak the text in rhythm slowly to make sure you’re comfortable with every syllable, and then gradually get faster. When you feel like you can speak the text in rhythm perfectly at lightening speed, add in the notes.  Use the videos below to help you:

Time To Say Goodbye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khznWuH3VTs

Funiculi Funicula: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTSAZAHiOa8

Please remember that you are memorizing the first two verses of Funiculi Funicula in Neapolitan, and both verses of the English version, A Merry Life.

VOCALISE

Please focus on the gala rep this week – Funiculi Funicula/A Merry Life, Time To Say Goodbye, and Libertango. Check out the video below of Libertango performed by the Moscow City Symphony. Let the dancers help you get a feel for the character of the piece, and think about which instruments your voices are trying to imitate in each section:

Libertango: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdhTodxH7Gw

ENSEMBLE

Please focus on the gala rep this week – Funiculi Funicula/A Merry Life, and Time To Say Goodbye. See the videos above.

Ensemble Musicianship

Ensemble A: You must bring your workbook and a pencil to every class. For next week, please complete up to page 25. 

Ensemble B (1 and 2): A few of you need to complete interval sheets. Everyone should practice the advanced interval song this week – it will be on your end-of-year evaluations!

Happy Practicing!

Rehearsal Blog Update 01/23/2014

Dear Ensemble and Vocalise Singers and Families,

We got a good start on our gala repertoire, and now you have your work cut out for you! Time to start memorizing all those Italian and Neapolitan words. I strongly suggest that you begin memorizing this week – it’s too much to do at the last minute. There are only TWO rehearsals left before the gala on Feb. 8^th. This means that next week is the last time that you can use your music! All gala repertoire must be MEMORIZED by Feb. 3^rd for Vocalise, and Feb. 5^th for Ensemble! For our next rehearsal, please be extremely comfortable with the text and ready to work on more subtle artistic details. Use the videos below to help you get a sense of tempo and style.

Time To Say Goodbye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khznWuH3VTs

Funiculi Funicula: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTSAZAHiOa8

Please remember that you are memorizing the first two verses of Funiculi Funicula in Neapolitan, and the first two verses of the English version, A Merry Life.

VOCALISE

Please focus on the gala rep this week – Funiculi Funicula/A Merry Life, Time To Say Goodbye, and Libertango. Work very hard on the text and begin to memorize it. For Libertango, sing through the piece slowly to check for accurate pitches and good tuning.

ARIA

Please check your email for important details on tomorrow’s performance! Here is a summary:

What: Performance at an elegant dinner party

When: Saturday, January 25th, 2014

Where: 1645 Wedgewood Drive, Hillsborough CA 94010

Call time: 6:15pm - *PLEASE COME WARMED UP

Performance time: 6:30PM

Release time: 6:55pm

Attire: All black, dress shoes

Repertoire: Listed in the email and posted on your facebook page

Chaperone: Cassie Luftspring (650-417-3982)

Parking: On the street

ENSEMBLE

Please focus on the gala rep this week – Funiculi Funicula/A Merry Life, and Time To Say Goodbye. Work very hard on the text and begin to memorize it.

Ensemble Musicianship

Ensemble A: You must bring your workbook and a pencil to every class. For next week, please complete up to page 21. Also, please ensure that you have completed and corrected your mistakes on ALL previously assigned pages.

Ensemble B (1 and 2): This is your last week to complete those interval sheets. Please hand them in at the beginning of next week’s rehearsal.

Happy Practicing!

Rehearsal Blog Update 01/17/2014

Dear Ensemble and Vocalise Singers and Families,

It's the second week of the term and we're already off and running - full speed ahead! 

VOCALISE AND ARIA

Thank you for a great recording session last Monday - you sounded beautiful!

What To Practice

Next week we’ll be focusing on repertoire for the gala. Please practice Libertango and Time To Say Goodbye before Monday. Also check out the videos below in the Ensemble section for Time To Say Goodbye and Funiculi Funicula (which you will get next week).

Aria: Please check your email for important details on your next performance! Here is a summary:

What: Performance at an elegant dinner party

Who: Aria

When: Saturday, January 25th, 2014

Where: 1645 Wedgewood Drive, Hillsborough CA 94010

Call time: 6:15pm - *PLEASE COME WARMED UP

Performance time: 6:30PM

Release time: 6:55pm

Attire: All black, dress shoes

Repertoire: Two Russian pieces from holiday concert plus other pieces suitable for an elegant dinner party - to be decided this Wednesday

Chaperone: Cassie Luftspring (650-417-3982)

Parking: On the street

ENSEMBLE

What To Practice

1. The Little Jazz Mass – Kyrie. Practice your part particularly when the music splits into three voices, beginning in measure 14. Use a piano or other instrument to help you at home. Recordings to help you are coming soon.

2. Time To Say Goodbye - check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khznWuH3VTs

3. Funiculi Funicula – check out this video (the Neapolitan text appears on the screen!): 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTSAZAHiOa8

Musicianship

Ensemble A: You must bring your workbook and a pencil to every class. This week’s assignment is pages 15-17. Please ensure that you have completed and corrected your mistakes on ALL previously assigned pages.

Ensemble B (1 and 2): Please finish the interval sheets you were given and hand them in when you arrive at rehearsal next week.

Happy Practicing!

Rehearsal Blog Update 01/09/2014

Dear Ensemble and Vocalise Singers and Families,

Happy New Year!

It was great to see everyone back again at our first rehearsals of the term. A special hello to the new faces that are joining us in 2014 – welcome to the Cantabile family! For those of you who are new to the organization, this blog is mandatory reading for all Ensemble and Vocalise singers. It’s updated once a week, and contains vital information on your weekly practice and musicianship assignments, and details on upcoming special rehearsals and performances. Please check the blog regularly, and email cassie@cantabile.org if you are experiencing any technical difficulties.

VOCALISE/ARIA

Vocalise and Aria Recording Session

When: Monday, January 13^th

Where: All Saints Episcopal Church, 555 Waverley Street, Palo Alto, 94301

Time: Drop off begins at 5:10pm by the entrance. The session will be held during our usual rehearsal time of 5:30-8:15pm.

What: We will record most of the pieces sung at the Dec. 7^th Holiday Concert to complete Cantabile’s first CD!

Parking: Free parking is available on nearby streets.

Please review the holiday repertoire this week. Go over your parts very carefully with a piano to correct any wonky notes you discovered on Monday. Make sure that you still have your part completely memorized including text, notes and rhythms, dynamics, phrase markings, and any rehearsal notes you have made. You must be able to keep your eyes on Elena throughout the recording session, in order to respond to her gestures. 

Aria’s Habitat For Humanity Performance

(please see the email sent this week for full details)

When: Saturday, January 11^th

Where: St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 2094 Grant Road, Mountain View

Call time: 7:00pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Release time: 8:35pm. The entire concert goes until 9:30pm and you/your families are welcome to stay, but Cantabile supervision will end at 8:45pm after all singers have been signed out. 

Attire: Concert dress - all black dresses, or black with a color accent would be fine. No jeans/leggings.

Parking: St. Timothy's has a parking lot. There's also a free parking lot at Cuesta Park right next door. 

Event Chaperone: Cassie Luftspring (phone #: 650-417-3982)

ENSEMBLE

What To Practice

This week we started two pieces:

1. The Little Jazz Mass – Kyrie. Practice your part particularly when the music splits into three voices, beginning in measure 14. Use a piano or other instrument to help you at home. Recordings to help you are coming soon.

2. Time To Say Goodbye - check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khznWuH3VTs

Musicianship

Ensemble A: You must bring your workbook and a pencil to every class. This week’s assignment is pages 15-17. Please ensure that you have completed and corrected your mistakes on ALL previously assigned pages.

Ensemble B (1 and 2): Thank you for a great first class. Next week we will split into two groups again. Those of you who received interval sheets, you may get started on them if you wish. Those who still need one, it’s coming! (Don’t worry – the sheets are NOT due next week.)We will talk about them during next week’s lesson.

Happy Practicing!