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!