Thanks to all my subs on April 21! I hear things went well, and I'm looking forward to rehearsals this coming week April 28. We are on for the same time at the same place--even though there is no school that day.
See you then!
Cindy
This is a place to share my thoughts, strategies, and rehearsal outcomes with choir members, parents, and anyone interested in the Sherwood Community Choirs.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
April 14 Rehearsal
Children’s Choir
We began rehearsing with some platforms, and getting our blocking worked out even more. The kids are just about memorized, so we are in great shape! We did some video taping which was fun. Next week they will watch the clips and evaluate what they see.
Footnotes
We made great progress on the Hebrew dance, and I showed them a bit of choreography for Swingin’ with the Saints. We are in the practice, practice, practice mode. Next week they should plan to practice the dance from 3:00-3:30 with Elizabeth, then they will rehearse with Rachel and Elizabeth on all the songs during our regular rehearsal. I won’t be able to be there this week, but they will be in good hands, we have a plan. Remind them to practice and memorize!
Chorale
Good rehearsal—I was glad we didn’t have all the sickness this week. Next rehearsal will be on the stage, and since I won’t be there, the emphasis will be on the choreography and using the stage space. I’ve given Russell specific measures to work on based on what I heard on the recordings. This week you should be out of the music for Dream, Rainbow, Not While, and Parade. That leaves Lean on Me for next week. Please play your recording in the car, while you groom, and anytime you can! Memorize during those spare minute that happen throughout the day. Good luck!
PS—make sure you have your concert attire all ready to go. Talk to Jean and Matt if you have questions.
Monday, April 11, 2011
April 7 Rehearsal
Well March 31's rehearsal came and went without comment because I was so excited about welcoming my son home from Australia, and having my daughter and her family visiting. It was awesome! I'll recap a bit now about last week's rehearsals, and we'll keep on moving forward from here!
Children's Choir
I loved the beginning of rehearsal when Emma asked if we could sing "I put Music in My Life" and started singing it. So I just joined in, and soon everyone was singing, and we turned it into a round as we went! I love these kids! We had started some choreography on March 31, and I continued and built on that. We set the choreography for Dream Keeper, and got some good things going on You've Got a Friend. These kids have enthusiasm! I keep having to dream new things up to keep them engaged, and moving forward. They have really risen to the challenge, and I don't want them peaking before the concert, so I'll keep adding challenges! The kids should be singing from memory now, and they should be reviewing with the CD using the tracks that have both Part 1 and Part 2 singing. The mom's passed out the concert blouses on March 31. I haven't heard any complaints, so I hope they all fit! Plan on the black skirts, black tights and shoes for the girls, and black pants, and white button shirts for the boys.
Footnotes
What a productive rehearsal. We reviewed 'Go the Distance', and the Part 2 girls discovered they had some wrong notes in their heads. Hopefully we cleared that up, but I'd like them to review on their own this week with the CD. Please encourage that! We blocked the Hebrew dance in 'When You Believe'. I was impressed at how quiet and attentive they were when I explained how the dance worked, and when they got up to try it out, they had very good attitudes and effort. I asked them to use the time just before the next rehearsal between 3:00 and 3:30 to work on it in any available space that there might be at the senior center. After talking with the senior center, I don't think there is a space except outside, so we'll see how that goes. My friend Elizabeth is coming early to help them with that while I'm in the Children's choir rehearsal. We DID NOT rehearse Swingin' With the Saints, and that is unfortunate! PLEASE ASK YOUR DAUGHTER TO PRACTICE THIS WEEK! We really need to get that one committed to memory ASAP. Last time we practiced it it wasn't even close to memorized, so we have much to do there. The song is begging for choreography, and I hope we get to it!
Sherwood Chorale
I hope all the sick people are feeling better this week! We had 12 absences YIKES!
A note about concert attire:
Women--wear the sparkly blouses and jewelry, long black skirts, black closed toed shoes and black hosiery--no exceptions! Men wear black shirts, slacks, socks and shoes, and a silver tie. If you don't have the blouse or the tie, check with Jean or Matt.
Memorization--This week Dream, and Not While I'm Around. Next week Rainbow and Parade. April 28 Lean on Me. Feel free to be memorized ahead of time!
Here's a run down on our last rehearsal:
Not While I'm Around-
Children's Choir
I loved the beginning of rehearsal when Emma asked if we could sing "I put Music in My Life" and started singing it. So I just joined in, and soon everyone was singing, and we turned it into a round as we went! I love these kids! We had started some choreography on March 31, and I continued and built on that. We set the choreography for Dream Keeper, and got some good things going on You've Got a Friend. These kids have enthusiasm! I keep having to dream new things up to keep them engaged, and moving forward. They have really risen to the challenge, and I don't want them peaking before the concert, so I'll keep adding challenges! The kids should be singing from memory now, and they should be reviewing with the CD using the tracks that have both Part 1 and Part 2 singing. The mom's passed out the concert blouses on March 31. I haven't heard any complaints, so I hope they all fit! Plan on the black skirts, black tights and shoes for the girls, and black pants, and white button shirts for the boys.
Footnotes
What a productive rehearsal. We reviewed 'Go the Distance', and the Part 2 girls discovered they had some wrong notes in their heads. Hopefully we cleared that up, but I'd like them to review on their own this week with the CD. Please encourage that! We blocked the Hebrew dance in 'When You Believe'. I was impressed at how quiet and attentive they were when I explained how the dance worked, and when they got up to try it out, they had very good attitudes and effort. I asked them to use the time just before the next rehearsal between 3:00 and 3:30 to work on it in any available space that there might be at the senior center. After talking with the senior center, I don't think there is a space except outside, so we'll see how that goes. My friend Elizabeth is coming early to help them with that while I'm in the Children's choir rehearsal. We DID NOT rehearse Swingin' With the Saints, and that is unfortunate! PLEASE ASK YOUR DAUGHTER TO PRACTICE THIS WEEK! We really need to get that one committed to memory ASAP. Last time we practiced it it wasn't even close to memorized, so we have much to do there. The song is begging for choreography, and I hope we get to it!
Sherwood Chorale
I hope all the sick people are feeling better this week! We had 12 absences YIKES!
A note about concert attire:
Women--wear the sparkly blouses and jewelry, long black skirts, black closed toed shoes and black hosiery--no exceptions! Men wear black shirts, slacks, socks and shoes, and a silver tie. If you don't have the blouse or the tie, check with Jean or Matt.
Memorization--This week Dream, and Not While I'm Around. Next week Rainbow and Parade. April 28 Lean on Me. Feel free to be memorized ahead of time!
Here's a run down on our last rehearsal:
Not While I'm Around-
- Men check the note at mm 21, it wasn't off last week, but it's downright wrong this week! :)
- Altos check mm39 again, I hear no pitches on the first 2 notes!
- mm73-76 we'll work on unifying 'around' so the diphthong matches
- we need to work on phrasing, eliding consonants, and having overall support in the lines, I think we will make much more headway on it when it is MEMORIZED. So work on it this week.
- It was cleaner than last week! Progress is happening!
- we need confident entrances as mm 22, 26, 33, 35, 61, 67
- Get in the groove! I think this will click in a while. Let's work on clarity and precision now, and style will evolve out of that.
- Nice! This is getting into the performance mode!
- Men mm 61 g to g# isn't precise. Get that in your head first, then you can sing it out loud.
- MEMORIZE this. No music this next week. We'll block it.
- Bass m24 sing out with more confidence
- Sops m61 you've got the right style and character! Let's get the tone placed a little higher (saggy pitch), and it'll be perrrrfect.
- last 3 measures need the ritard synced with the duet and choir all together.
- This was FUN! We choreographed the whole song, and I think it's going to be a crowd pleaser. If you were not sure of notes, please get them nailed down, and be ready to get out of your music this week as much as possible. You're out for sure by April 22. Good job Emily-you're gonna be a good diva!
- The recording is from March 31. Here are the notes for that recording:
- mm 11 softer, mm 39 is mp
- get the 't's together at mm 19-20, 56-57 and 82
- bulls eye pitches at mm 91, 92, 94
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