4/22/2015 Ensemble Blog

Ensemble Rehearsal Notes

Reminder:  Rehearsal next week will be held at an alternate location. 

Rehearsal will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto, 625 Hamilton Ave. 

All singers must sign in AND out with choir parent Natalya in the parking lot. 

Goza mi calipso:

·         This piece now must be completely memorized.  No music allowed at any further rehearsals.

·         The remainder of the choreography (rehearsal marking A-E) was added during rehearsal on Wednesday.  If you were absent or did not know it on Wednesday, you must work on this every day at home to be sure you are ready for rehearsal next week.  Even if you were there on Wednesday, you still need to practice every day at home!

·         Using this video clip to help you practice the movements.  Remember to mirror the dancers and make sure to notice the movements your part is doing! 

Day Break:

·         Your memory date for this piece is 4/29.  No music allowed beginning next week.

·         During Wednesday’s rehearsal you experienced singing the entire piece, beginning to end, with no stopping.  Now you know how it feels!  Make sure when you are finalizing your memorization of the piece for next week that you also memorize how many counts of rest you have between entrances so that you are not late or early and so you can also prepare the onset (remember that new word we learned J)!

·         Listen to the recording every day!

Bedu Pako Baramasa:

·         This piece must be completely memorized next week.  Please spend special time memorizing from measure 52 to the end, as this was not well performed by any section during memory checks on Wednesday. 

·         Soprano II’s, please spend extra time on the cannon as you are tending to lose your part and either end up singing with the Soprano I’s or the Altos.  Be strong!  Hold your own!  Don’t let them suck you in!

·         At the end of rehearsal on Wednesday we reviewed the remainder of the choreography (pages 3 and 4).  At this point you have rehearsed all of the choreography together.  Practice at home every day so you are able to perform this beautifully and effortlessly next week.  

·         Watch this video to practice the choreography! Pay attention to the details in her hands.  They are very important in Indian Classical Dance as you are telling a story!!  Remember to mirror the dancer!

Let It Shine:

·         Last Wednesday we paid special attention to the opening line and to the transition at the bottom of page 5.  You made great progress in these areas.  Please review to make sure it stays solid. 

·         Always remember who is singing the melody or the moving line and make sure you can hear them.  If you cannot hear the most important part, you are too loud!  Every part has a moment to take the spotlight, so don’t steal it!

·         Fine tune your memorization on this piece.  You will not be using music next week.

Aural (Listening) and Theory Skills:

·         Please practice singing the following at home:

1.      Major Scale on solfège with hand signs

2.      Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor Scales on solfège with hand signs

3.      Scale Intervals both ascending (going up – Do Re, Major Second) and descending (going down – Do Ti, Minor Second)

4.      Sing Legato on solfège syllables, note names, counts, and scale degrees!

4/15/2015 Ensemble Blog

Ensemble Rehearsal Notes

Goza mi calipso:

·         Your primary goal on this piece is to make sure it is completely memorized for next week, 4/22.  Your memory will be tested in Wednesday’s rehearsal! Be ready! 

·         When you are practicing this piece, be sure you are singing every pitch right in the center of the pitch.  Think of each note like a bulls-eye and aim for the middle.  Just because it is a fun song does not mean it should not get your full attention to detail and good singing technique! 

·         Please work on the choreography using this video clip to help.  Remember to mirror the dancers and make sure to notice the movements your part is doing! 

Day Break:

·         Review what we worked on during class, pages 5 to 9, rehearsal marking 2 through 5.  Practice singing the piece the entire way through so you are ready for the fast transitions from section to section.  If you have been absent, know that we have learned the notes/rhythms/text for the entire piece, so please prepare at home for next week.

·         Your memory date for this piece is 4/29.  Let’s aim to have from rehearsal marking 1-4 memorized for next week!

·         As always, make sure you are listening to the recording. We made great strides on Wednesday in how the piece feels and how it is put together.  Let’s keep moving forward! 

Bedu Pako Baramasa:

·         As with Goza, your primary goal is to have this piece completely memorized, beginning to end, by Wednesday.  You will be tested on this. 

·         Please watch this video to add the choreography! Remember to mirror the dancer!

Let It Shine:

·         On Wednesday we paid special attention to the opening line and to the transition at the bottom of page 5.  You made great progress in these areas.  Please review to make sure it stays solid. 

·         Always remember who is singing the melody or the moving line and make sure you can hear them.  If you cannot hear the most important part, you are too loud!  Every part has a moment to take the spotlight, so don’t steal it!

·         Fine tune your memorization on this piece.  You will not be using music next week.

Aural (Listening) and Theory Skills:

·         Please practice singing the following at home:

1.      Major Scale on Solfège with hand signs

2.      Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor Scales on Solfège with hand signs.

3.      Scale Intervals both ascending (going up – Do Re, Major Second) and descending (going down – Do Ti, Minor Second)

4.      Sing Legato on Solfège syllables, note names, counts, and scale degrees!

Musicianship Notes

Hello Musicianship!

Thank you all for completing your self-evaluations. With all the feedback I got from you, I have been able to tailor some material just for your theory and ear training needs! If you were among those who needed reinforcement on key signatures and/or minor modes, please see the worksheets below.

Key Signatures: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4uVu1DffYTrQ3FxRFJvZHpBUFk/view?usp=sharing

Minor Modes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4uVu1DffYTrYndhd1VVWnlQNkk/view?usp=sharing

Next are some ear training exercises. Even if you are confident in your abilities, give the ear training a try! It will really help.

Ear Training: http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-interval 

This first link will take you to an exercise that trains your ears to hear for certain intervals. The settings will be fine as-is, because you should be able to tell all the intervals within an octave range. If you have everything perfect, try adding the 9th, but don't go overboard!

Ear Scale: http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-scale

On the scales, go to the settings and turn off all scales except for Major, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor. If you are feeling daring, turn on Whole Tone and Chromatic, but not until you have identified at least 10 scales correctly!

We haven't covered Ionian-Locrian modes, and won't in class, sorry!

If you have any questions or if I spoke to you about it, please email me at michael@cantabile.org. I'm here to help! See you next week!

Michael

Off-site rehearsal: Wednesday, April 29 at First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto (it's where we had the Festival!)

4/8/2015 Ensemble Blog

Ensemble Rehearsal Notes

Hello Ensemble!  During Wednesday’s rehearsal you did some very good work on solidifying the notes/rhythms of the four main pieces you are working on right now.  At the end of rehearsal, everyone promised to make sure all that hard, tedious work stays in place for next week so we do not have to re-do what was already accomplished.  Please do your part to keep your word so we can get to the really fun stuff…making music and dancing! 

Also, please review the attached seating chart.  It is not perfect and does not reflect our new members this semester.  We will fix that next week.  I felt that not everyone was in their proper place last rehearsal and that some sections, specifically the Soprano 2’s, were very spread out, so let’s check on this next week.   

Goza mi calipso:

·         Review the opening of the piece, paying attention to the articulations and dynamics, so it is completely solid next week. 

·         Soprano 1’s, speak through the words of the verses over and over and over until they are automatic!!

·         Remember that at measure 56, we return to measure 26.  We do not go back to rehearsal marking A as is indicated in the score. 

·         Your memorization date is 4/22 for this piece.  Please have from rehearsal marking E to the end memorized for next week. 

·         Please work on the choreography (particularly from E to the end) using this video clip to help.  Remember to mirror the dancers and make sure to notice the movements your part is doing! 

Day Break:

·         Review what we worked on during class, pages 8 to the end, beginning at rehearsal marking 4.  Also review the beginning of the piece, as we will be working on it next week.  If you have been absent, know that we have learned the notes/rhythms/text for the entire piece, so please prepare at home for next week.

·         Your memory date for this piece is 4/29.  Let’s aim to have from rehearsal marking 1-3 memorized for next week!

·         Everyone promised to listen to the recording by next week.  Please make sure you do so several times to get a feel for this piece. 

Bedu Pako Baramasa:

·         Practice speaking the text from beginning to end.  Begin to memorize.  Do not stumble for words!!

·         Review pages 7-9.  This section was addressed during Wednesday’s rehearsal.  If you were absent, please work on this.   

·         Review the choreography for the cannon.  Please refresh these movements so you do not have to watch others to know what to do.

·         Your memory date for this piece is 4/22.  You already have the cannon memorized, so please add on from measure 52 to the end for next week, memorized with choreography. 

·         Please watch this video to add the choreography! Remember to mirror the dancer!

Let It Shine:

·         On Wednesday we worked out problem areas in pages 3 and 4 and reviewed the remainder of the piece.  Please be aware of any problem spots you as an individual may have and do your best to work through them this week. 

·         Always remember who is singing the melody and make sure you can hear them.  If you cannot hear the melody, you are too loud!  All three parts have a chance to shine in this piece!

·         You have already memorized this piece in the past.  Now that it has been fine-tuned over the past three weeks, be ready to sing it from memory again next week! 

Aural (Listening) and Theory Skills:

·         Please practice singing the following at home:

1.      Major Scale on solfège with hand signs

2.      Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor Scales on solfège with hand signs.

3.      Scale Intervals both ascending (going up – Do Re, Major Second) and descending (going down – Do Ti, Minor Second)

4.      Sing Legato on solfège syllables, note names (this was problematic on Wednesday….let’s try again next week!), counts, and if you are up to even more challenge, scale degrees!

 ____________________________________________________________________________

Musicianship Notes

Hello Musicianship A & B!

Here is what to look over in the coming week:

If you are still completing the worksheet, just remember the tricks for finding sharp and flat key signatures:

Sharp: last sharp, and half step up (that's 'do')

Flat: second to last flat is ‘do’ (or last flat is 'fa')

Remember how to find the relative minors? Go to 'la'. You can also write in a note a third below 'do'; check the key signature to see if that 'la' is modified in any way, and that becomes your relative minor! For example, in A major (the first example), A is do. If we write in a third below it, we write in an F, but if we look to the left, that F needs to be sharp! Therefore, the relative minor to A major would be F# minor, not F minor! Be careful with this, it's tricky!

If you have a copy of Book 5 and you are in Musicianship A, please make sure to be careful that you don't confuse the way the book notates major scales (We use M, the book uses +, but in our system, + is augmented!) and the way it notates chromatic solfège. (Stick to do di, re ri, ti, te, la, le etc)

If you received a copy of book 5 and you are in Musicianship B, unless you were told to actually do the assignments in the book, please do not mark in them! Use the sight reading packet in the back and glance over the theory if you need the reinforcement. 

We're coming up on the last classes before the final concerts and evaluations, so if you have any questions, please make sure to ask me!

See you all next week!

Michael

3/30/2015 Vocalise Blog

Dear Vocalise,

Please, find below rehearsals notes from Gwen.

Secret trivia for this week: Which famous boy band did not read music? (answer at bottom, might as well write in your notes on your way down!)

Day Break:

All people:

1.  Review the rhythm in m. 27. The only word that should be on the beat is “light."

2.  Review the rhythm in m. 40. The only word that should be on the beat is “the.”

3.  m. 45: circle the change in time signature. Make a note to feel it in 1, leaning more on the first note as you would in a waltz.

4. m. 47: think “up and over” to get to the high D.

5. m. 45-52: make a note to focus on consonants!

6. m. 54-55: add a no breath mark.

7. m. 60: change from last week! take out the fp and perform as written.

8. m. 64-65: add a no breath mark.

9. m. 68: should be sung more as “RI-suhs” not “ri-SES”

10. m. 19, m. 68: review notes. You will sing these with your Aria member at rehearsal.

Soprano 1’s:

1.    m. 32: make a note to cut off right away.

2.    m. 72: this section should have “sparkly text.” Make the consonants shimmer.

Lilacs:

All people:

1.  Listen to the pronunciation recordings again. For each word, circle or mark the accented syllable in some way to tell you that you need to go towards and away from that note.

2.  For any “oo” sound (shown by letter “u” in text), your lips should be engaged and puckered.

3.  m. 9: soprano 1’s mark a breath mark right on beat two. Altos mark a small lift.

4.  m. 10-m. 11: lean on “V zhï,” release on “zni.”

5.  m. 11: write in a lift after beat 3, before beat 4.

6.  m. 12: write in a no breath mark between beats 4 and 5.

7.  m. 13: mark a lift on the + of 1.

8.  m. 13: circle the rallentando and a tempo markings. Write in a note to watch Elena.

9.  m. 16: mark a no breath mark

10. m. 17: mark a no breath mark between beats 7 and 8.

11. m. 19: mark a lift after beat 1.

12. m. 20: mark a soft “t” on beat 1 as the final consonant of the word “tjot.”

Soprano 1’s:

At the split on m. 12, Kira, Nika, Mikaela, Jessica T., Gwen, Amy, Celia, and Grase S. will sing top.

Goza mi calipso:

Change! After measure m. 56, we go back to verse 1 (“El calipso en Venezuela es un canto popular…”), sing through verse 1, but then go to the second ending, and sing through the rest of the song.

Keep reviewing the following songs for the May concerts:

Past Life Melodies (work on overtones)
I Hear America Singing
Gershwin
Imagine
Storm is Passing Over
Peter Go Ring
Ain’t Gonna Let
Old Time Religion
Banjo Pickin’
Spring Waters

Practice the Goza mi calipso and Bedu Pako dances! Have these songs well-learned if not memorized by next week.

Answer to trivia: The Beatles

Gwen

4/2/2015 Ensemble Blog

Ensemble Rehearsal Notes

Goza mi calipso:

Enjoy learning the music and dancing away with the calypso beat!

The video clip (link below) is of a Spanish youth choir, and, boy, can they dance! Watch the clip every day and get the choreography into your bones….

Here’s how to practice:

·       Chant the text in rhythm and pay attention to your pronunciation of the Spanish.  Soprano 1’s, please pay particular attention to the verses on page 2, rehearsal marking B. 

·       Practice the syncopated rhythms by counting and clapping, speaking the text in rhythm, and even writing out the counting if needed.

·       Sing through on your notes, under tempo. Notice that the material at rehearsal markings A, D, and F is the same!!

·       Memorize from Rehearsal Letter F to the end (last page), including dynamics and choreography.

·       Here is the link to video clip.  Remember to mirror the dancers! 

Day Break:

This NEEDS WORK at home.

·       Review what we worked on during class, pages 13 to the end, beginning at rehearsal marking 7.  Also review the beginning of the piece, as we will be working on it next week.  If you have been absent, know that we have learned the notes/rhythms/text for the entire piece, so please prepare at home for next week.

·       It is very important that you listen to this recording several times to get a feel for this piece.  Only about half of you have listened as requested, so please do so!!  You need to understand the tempo and flow, and listening is essential for you to accomplish this.  This recording is accessed through DropBox.  If you do not have DropBox, it is free and safe to download online.  

Bedu Pako Baramasa:

·       Practice speaking the text from beginning to end.  Begin to memorize.  Do not stumble for words!!

·       Review pages 7-9.  This section was addressed during Wednesday’s rehearsal.  If you were absent, please work on this.   

·       Please watch this video to begin to add the choreography!  Please have prepared choreography from the cannon to the end of the piece.  Remember to mirror the dancer.

Let It Shine:

·       Review your parts from beginning to end and use your music score to check for accuracy.   

·       Soprano 1’s: At the top of page 5, first line, third and fourth measures, make sure you are moving down to a B.  We corrected this again during Wednesday’s rehearsal.  Let’s make sure it stays correct! 

·       All parts: Pay special attention to the last measure of page 6, as this is where the piece moves into a new key and it is a tricky transition!  Please look at the rhythm for the first measure of page 7. 

·       Make sure you know how the ending works, beginning where it says “Rubato.”  You must have your eyes on the conductor.  The final two measures layer from the bottom to top BEFORE the slide!

Aural (Listening) and Theory Skills:

·       Please practice singing the following at home:

1.     Major Scale on solfège with hand signs, up and down

2.     Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, and Melodic Minor Scales on solfège with hand signs

If you are unsure of the chromatic solfège names or hand signs, look at the one-sheet hand out in your folder

3.     Scale Intervals both ascending (going up – Do Re, Major Second) and descending (going down – Do Ti, Minor Second)

4.     Don’t forget about Sing Legato on solfège syllables, note names, counts, and if you are up to even more challenge, scale degrees!

Musicianship Notes

Hello everyone!

Here are the notes for musicianship for this week:

Musicianship A:

Great job this week! Most of us have the major and natural minor scales mastered.

What I would like you to work on this week is refining those harmonic and natural minor scales.

Remember that natural minor is sung as 'la ti do re...' with no modifications.

Harmonic minor is 'la ti do... fa si la' (7th always raised)

Melodic minor is 'la ti do... fi si la sol fa...' (raised 6th and 7th going up, lowered going down)

Practice those scales!

Musicianship B:

For the most part, our scales are strong. Less than half of you were able to do a chromatic scale and even fewer were able to do the whole tone scale - this is OK!

If you were among those that weren't able to do the chromatic and whole tone scales, give them a try over the next couple weeks!

The chromatic scale is just from do to do by half steps!(do di, re ri, etc)

The whole tone scale is from do to do again, but by whole steps! (do re mi fi si li do)

If you struggled with those scales, play them out on a piano and sing along with them.

If you struggled with singbacks, try singing along with your favorite songs - it's all about muscle memory and connecting it with our ears!

Let me know if you have any questions!

Michael