I'm getting excited! The posters are on their way into the world, and we are selling tickets on our new website!!! We are still able to use the old one, and the members-only stuff will still be there, but our new website will hopefully make it easier for you to find what you want and need, and we'll be able to pay dues online too. All this while showing a very polished face to the public. Information about the choir and our concerts, and a way to purchase tickets easily will be presented in a modern and approachable style. For me, one of the best things about this new site is our new web address: yrcc.ca
It will take a little while for us to get used to this new website, but we hope the transition will be smooth. By the next season, we will all be comfortable and happy with the new system.
This week's small groups were excellent again. My Life Flows On and My Heart Will Go On. My Life Flows On is How Can I Keep From Singing. We're using the church hymn music and the folk/pop lyrics. The first verse is Sopranos-only, just the melody. Then, the second verse is in 4-part harmony, like a hymn. The third verse is in harmony and a cappella, even more like a hymn. Here's an accompaniment video, so you can listen to the melody (and harmonies), but the lyrics are different. Here's a recording of Pete Seeger's version, where you'll hear our lyrics. I've got a bunch more videos on my choir playlist for this season of this song and all of our songs this season. Do head over to my YouTube playlist for inspiration.
We had a short physical warm-up and then did a fun scale canon, singing scales in rounds, a test of staying in your lane, with your section, and not getting pulled into the other parts. Fun!
1. Song for Canada: It works well to have the French verse singers in among the Ah singers. But, we'll need to have them in pairs or clumps to give them confidence to sing out louder, to help them stay on track and not confuse the ah-folks. This verse should be quieter than the others, especially important for those singing ah. The ending is getting better. Altos, please give me some more volume on the ahs at the end, the notes are not as important as the movement especially at beat one of those 4 last bars and also the beat 3 of the penultimate bar should have some power. Sopranos, are you maybe looking at the wrong line at the end? I also need more of your movement. You should be looking at the middle of the system, in the top line of the choir bracket, and you divide. I should be hearing 10 notes from the Sopranos, two sets of 5. Please take a look to make sure you're clear on that last page, and sing out for me.
2. One Voice: The trio at the beginning is coming along beautifully. It's hard, but your voices blend so well. If you don't get it perfect, it will be okay. We all have to remember not to come in too loud right after them, confidently, but not will volume. I do need the Sopranos to be louder than the have been, to bring out the melody and words there. Everyone else on the one-one-voice part must try to be softer. Pay attention to dynamics on this song. It's quite dramatic and it's our finale. This is our message: one voice can make a difference and will encourage others to join, and when everyone sings, we have harmony. Our final notes will be on the word Sing! Sing, very loud!
3. Thank You For the Music: Erase the old notes, and write in the new ones, please. Some Altos were still unsure whether to sing with the sopranos or tenors at the beginning. This year, we have good strong voices in the bass clef, so the alto part is as-written. Sing with the sopranos. Circle the note that says SOPRANO & ALTO (unis). I also want movement at the end in the ahs, like for Song for Canada, and it depends largely on the Altos. Please give me some alto notes there on the first and third beat of every bar to the end on the word "me".
4. Here's to Song: I loved how that first solo sounds in Colby's bass voice! We don't hear a bass solo often enough. I think people will be impressed and grateful. I love this song, and it gets stuck in my head for hours and sometimes days after our rehearsals. This arrangement is very dramatic too. Lots of ups and downs in volume. Please pay attention to the notation on the music and also to me. I'm giving you lots of direction on volume. Make a note on page 10 that the Kings have riches is soft. It's been loud up to this point, and the last one is loud, but this one is dramatically quiet. Circle that phrase and the little p. Also on the last page, bar 102, you suddenly go quiet after the last very loud Kings, like you have a quiet confidence that our riches, friends and song, are humble, down-to-earth treasures, much more important than owning land and hoarding money. We don't have to be loud about our good fortune.
5. I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing: The new ending is excellent! Remember to remove that last soprano line: Standing hand in hand. We end that section on Peace throughout the land. Sopranos stop after holding that one bar, and Altos hold until the Tenors and Basses have finished their last word sing. I love how everyone is now holding their notes, but don't raise the volume on any of those long holds; they should slightly decrescendo each time, and serve as a background to the other part's words, right?
6. Hallelujah: I love the new first verse and chorus! I know that it means that most of you get ripped off, not being able to sing the whole song, but it's really very effective. The first verse and the first chorus, which should be soft, are sung by a small group (tenors, basses, 3 sopranos, 2 altos). It's much more dramatic, and the power of the loud last verse, and the loud and very satisfying last chorus, is so much more special this way. We are always learning and always improving, even on songs we've been singing for decades.
We talked about: Posters and Tickets and Canada Geese! They're beautiful and you're going to share them everywhere you can. Remember to let your friends and family know that they can save $5 per ticket if they order them from you and you buy them in advance. You have two more weeks to get those tickets in advance and then after that everyone will pay full price. If they want to buy their tickets online, they can, and if that's easier, then they might not mind paying a bit more. We hope that this deal will bring us more people in the seats. A big audience feels so good, and we will sing better, guaranteed. Canada Geese: I had a midnight inspiration. A little bit of decoration for the back wall, a back-drop scene, a mise en scène, inspired by our poster. A camp chair, red with our flag, a beer can (empty) in the cup holder, and the ukulele resting there, and a few Canada goose decoys lying around, or on a table? If someone has a little pretend campire, that would be so cool, but maybe we can just make a little pile of campfire wood? It should be sweet and easy.
Next week, Tuesday, April 14th We're back in our room
Small groups at 6:30 will be the two songs from the quartet with the guitar. Colors and Canada Song. If Alan can stay a bit, we'll try some sing-alongs, Song Sung Blue and maybe the Circle Game to see if we can fit him in there too.
- Song Sung Blue (sing-along)
- Hymn to Freedom
- Grand Night for Singing
- Why We Sing
- Canon of Joy
- We Rise Again
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