Now, we're ready: We know how to hold our binders, how to walk, how to sit down and get back up again, and how to wait. Funny, it's just like Choir to make regular stuff that you've been doing forever, without thinking, into complicated things, like breathing for example. hahaha
It's not that complicated. Breathe deeply to support your voice. Hold your binder closed while walking, sitting, or waiting. And, hold it in your left arm. When we're ready to sing, I'll give you the signal to open your binders and you'll have them open while singing, and the close them before you start walking.
The singing is well-rehearsed and the choir sounds great. You sound great. I know it doesn't always seem that way, especially if you're standing near the edges of the choir, far from the other parts, and maybe beside someone who sometimes gets a little lost. Did you hear the recording that Doug played for us during our break? Always, people are surprised to hear how we sound. We sound magnificent. Do your thing, the best you can, and your voice will join the others to create that big sound. Here is a link to a recording from last night. Enjoy that! And, feel confident and calmer.
Try to feel confident in your part so that you can look up from your music to watch me for when to come in/start singing and when to stop. There were moments when people were not watching and we didn't sound 'together'. Those were always beginnings and endings of songs and sections of songs, a new verse, or phrase. If you miss a cue, don't come in loud when you're catching up, phase in gentlly.
Soloists, please try to memorize your parts, so that you can look up at the audience, and not down into your binder the whole time. We'll try to get you a turn to sing with a microphone before the concert. Come at 1:00 and let me know you're there and ready.
Stay healthy, or get healthy, please. I've been popping Vitamin C's like never before. And, drinking lots of water. Eating my veggies. Stretches, walking, dancing whatever makes your body feel good, do some of that. Get a good night's sleep Saturday night.
If you want to read some advice I gave the choir about performing in 2012, here is a link. Very little has changed since then. The most important thing is to have fun, smile, sing with joy. When you're smiling the audience will smile, and their smiles will make you smile more, and so on.
And, some business: Seniors' Visits and Binders
The next two Tuesdays, we're singing at seniors' homes. Seniors' Visits are so rewarding and I encourage you to come to at least one. Please sign up on the website, in Events, so that I have an idea how many people are coming.
After your last performance, (if you're not coming to the seniors' homes, you have to hand in your binder after the concert) you must hand in your binder and all the music. If you forget, you can bring the binder to Anne's or Peggy's house before Christmas. You'll get your binder back with the next season's music in January.
Binders go to Peggy and Anne, so they can empty them all, put all the music away in filing cabinets in Peggy's house, and then fill them up with the music we're going to start singing in January! It's a big job, and you have to do your part, which is so easy, just hand your binder in at the end of each season. If you forget, you can bring the binder to Anne's or Peggy's house before Christmas.
