Rehearsal Blog Update 09/05/2014

Dear Ensemble and Vocalise Families,

Another wonderful rehearsal! Here’s what you need to know for next week:

Upcoming Events

PARENT ORIENTATION

We look forward to seeing parents and family members at Parent Orientation next week. Families, your presence at these meetings is extremely important, as you will be receiving vital information about the upcoming season related to artistic matters, communication, uniforms, the upcoming New York tour, volunteer opportunities, fundraising, and other topics. Please ensure that at least one family member is present (along with your singer) to receive this information.

Vocalise Parent Orientation: Mon., Sept. 8^th at FCC. Arrive 6:45pm for a pre-orientation reception in the courtyard. Orientation will begin promptly at 7:15pm.

Ensemble Parent Orientation: Wed., Sept. 10^th at FCC. Arrive at 6:00pm for a pre-orientation reception in the courtyard. Orientation will begin promptly at 6:30pm.

ENSEMBLE AND VOCALISE RETREAT

When: Friday, September 26th to Sunday, September 28th
Where: YMCA Camp Campbell, 16275 State Route 9, Boulder Creek, 95006
Drop-Off Time: 4.30-5.15pm on Friday
Pick Up Time: 11.15 am concert for singers and families, 12.15 pm BBQ lunch, 1.00 pm Release

Families: we are still in need of chaperones for the retreat! Chaperoning at the retreat fulfills all 10 hours of your total Volunteer Hour Commitment for the Season. Sign up here!

What to Practice This Week

ENSEMBLE

Almost all singers raised their hands to indicate that they had seen the blog last week - thank you for your work! I count on seeing all hands raised next week to show that you’ve read through the important information below and practiced for our next rehearsal. Please also remember to bring two sharpened pencils and a water bottle.

Repertoire

Your homework this week is to listen as much as possible to these pieces:

1. Gloria (Will Todd): great start! Practice pages 1-3. If you have access to a piano, try playing your part and singing along to make sure that you are secure on your notes. Sopranos, practice singing your melody at measure 9, and then at measure 33 and note how the two are different from each other. If you sing alto in two parts and S2 in three parts, draw a star or an asterisk on the soprano line of measure 31. You will move from the alto line in measure 30 UP to the soprano line in measure 31 to begin singing the S2 part.

CHALLENGES: 1) Bonus points to any sopranos who learn measures 26-30 on their own this week and come ready to sing it on Wednesday! I will check to see who can do this in rehearsal. 2) Bonus points to any singer who can speak the rhythms on pages 1-3 with 100% accuracy!

2. Cool Yule: you will soon receive a practice recording for your voice via email. In the meantime, click HERE to listen to a recording from jwpepper.com.

3. Jesus Child: you will soon receive a practice recording for your voice via email. Altos, please look at your part in all of the choruses and note how your part changes in the middle of the piece. 

4. Vois Sur Ton Chemin: If you haven't yet, click HERE to read about the movie from which this piece comes. Then click HERE to watch a youtube video of the piece. Great start to this piece as well! Practice speaking your part with all of the french words, and then try singing along with the video. 

Musicianship

Pages 1-6 (last week’s work plus the next three pages) are due next week for all singers completing “A Young Singer’s Journey” Book III or IV. Please also view the marker’s comments at the front of the book and make sure that you have corrected any mistakes made in last week’s work.

To make sure that you’ve seen the blog this week, your secret word is “Alleluia”.

VOCALISE

Amazing Grace AND It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: memorized as much as possible for next week!

Gloria (Will Todd): All notes and rhythms learned for next week.

Carols and Lullabies: Learn the notes and rhythms to the movements we started this week. Click HERE and HERE to check out some YouTube videos of the piece. 

To make sure that you’ve seen the blog this week, your secret word is “Susa”.

Happy Practicing!