Welcome


Welcome to Renate's Baton. This blog is mostly for and about my choir, The York Region Community Choir.

But, While I'm holding the baton, I'm in charge. So, if I want to talk about other parts of my life, I will. :)

The choir itself is a community and I'm discovering that we have a lot in common with one another besides our love of music and singing.

When I go off on a tangent, there is always a crowd coming along. Join us!

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Mon.Nov.9 YRCC Rehearsal

You are awesome! We're ahead of where I thought we were. I'm feeling very positive about our upcoming concert!!! It's less than a month away. We have 2 more rehearsals to learn things and fix things and then we do our run-through. I'm sending Roxanne the order for the concert this week so that she can create our programs.

At 6:45 the Men's Small Group met and made good progress on the Bing and Bowie song.

Warm-ups included lip trills and tongue trills. Stretching your range with these causes less strain on your throat, because your focus is on the trilling going on in the front of your mouth. So, your throat can worry about itself and do what comes naturally :-)

1. Button Up Your Overcoat was super! The new tenors and basses blending in like a charm! We really nail this one now.

2. A-Men is definitely better at a faster speed and the augmented tenor and bass section worked! Or, maybe it was my threatening you that did it. We still need sopranos to be more careful from bar 61 to the end. Sing what is written, please ;-)

3. Bleak Midwinter is super-impressive! Again, the new folks are amazing! And, I guess it's because everyone does such a good job that it's possible for someone new to follow along. This is a difficult piece and you rock it! Janet and Todd were superb on the solos. Kristen knows both parts so could sub in for either one. I also can call on Heather, I'm sure if necessary.

4. Come Emmanuel was one of the songs that I was a bit worried about, but you surprised me with a nearly flawless performance! Wow! And, it was another example of a stellar night for the tenor and bass sections and their new guys! I'm impressed!

5. 3 Christmas Folk Carols became a medley! Yay! It was much better that I expected. We tried out the back-up soloists and switched them around a bit. Melinda's strong voice suited the last part, Sussex Carol, much better. And, Robyn will make a wonderful back-up for Heather on Lovely Fragrance (Shepherds). We always love to hear Stanley's beautiful voice. He'll be a perfect back-up for Blair on Lovely Fragrance. Next week, we'll try to really do it a cappella without Sapphire's help!

6. 12 Songs is gorgeous and so much fun! Be sure to hold notes until there's a rest, or another note. Sometimes people are cutting off words before they should be, which results in a weird popping or hissing of final consonants. (This is always important, but I think you're forgetting with this piece because the melodies are so well-known. Read your music.)

Next week, November 16th

Men's Group meets early at 6:45

  • 3 Folk Carols: We need to do the a cappella parts without help from Sapphire (except for that intro for Sussex Carol). We did great last Monday. Let's polish it up so that we feel really confident. These songs are so special! 
  • 12 Days After Christmas. Can you look over your parts before Monday? At least get the words, the flow of the story going, so that you will come in confidently when your part has the melody and softly when you don't. We're going to polish this up. If there are parts you need to review, this is the time to ask. We have only 2 more learning rehearsals. 
  • Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. Let's remember to come in soft and clear. Mark your music so that you're doing our dynamics, which are not quite as written. We are loud in the middle throughout that section which starts "Word of God". We often use the words as guides as to what should be the high point of a phrase, so that the same dynamics don't work for both verses. 
  • Shine! First Sopranos, anticipate your special ending. Come in before everyone else with great conviction and good volume! There were some Seconds who were going to help? Everyone: Review the music so that you're ready to be louder when you have the melody and softer when you don't. Mark your music to guide you.





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