Friday, November 14, 2014

Rehearsal Update 11/14/2014

Dear Intermediate Singers and Families,

Congratulations on an excellent presence and performance at the Fall Workshop last weekend! You sang very well and your conductors are proud of you!

We only have ONE MORE REHEARSAL IN FCC before we move into concert week. ALL PIECES MUST BE MEMORIZED FOR NEXT WEEK! This week you received several practice recordings. Please, please, please listen to them over and over again and make sure you have all notes, words, rhythms, and choreography learned SOLIDLY!

Practice Recordings

This week you received practice recordings of O Sifuni, Sh’ma, Walking in the Air, Kalanta, and Star Carol. It is EXTREMELY important that you listen to these over and over this week and all the way up until the concert. These recordings are what will help you memorize your pieces successfully.

Important Rehearsal Notes – Please Read Carefully!

Kalanta of the New Year
-        Listen a lot to the practice recording – over and over! You have A LOT of Greek works to memorize this week – this piece will require a lot of your attention for you to prepare it on time. The recording will really help you learn this text – please use it!!

O Sifuni
-        Listen a lot to the practice recording!
-        Make sure you know your notes and words – really listen to and practice the lines “thou fire so masterful and bright that giveth man both warmth and light” and “praise the father, praise the son, and praise the spirit three in one”. Those lines are the most unique – use the practice recording to help you learn them.

Sh’ma Yisrael
-        Listen a lot to the practice recording!
-        On the last page, those singing the bottom two lines will come in together first, then those who sing the second line from the top, and finally those who sing the top line. Once we add the top line, we will repeat one last time with everyone singing, and diminuendo (get softer) all the way to the end. WATCH THE CONDUCTOR at the end because the tempo will slow down!

Solstice
-        Memorize where all the fermatas (pauses) are and make sure you are watching the conductor

Walking in the Air
-        Listen a lot to the practice recording!
-        When memorizing, pay careful attention to the text - make sure you know when you’re “walking” vs “surfing” vs “swimming”, etc.

Cool Yule
-        All phrase endings are short, short, short! Keep it cool and jazzy. :)
-        Watch the conductor for a reminder on which phrases go “down” and which go “up”
-        Page 6 (scat section) will be an Ensemble solo. We will crouch and snap as we practiced at the workshop. After this section is over you come back in with the next verse – we need a strong entry here! Be confident!
-        Eyes glued to the conductor for the final phrase, “you’ll have a Yule that is cool” – make sure you follow the conductor’s tempo and watch for each note to be cued

Star Carol
-        Listen a lot to the practice recording!
-        All verses memorized! The “see he lies” verse is especially important because it is a Prep 3 and Intermediate solo. Unlike the other verses, this one is smooth and gentle because you are singing about the sleeping baby Jesus

Silent Night
-        You started this on Thursday. Please make sure you have all three verses memorized by the December 3rd dress rehearsal

It’s the Most Wonderful Time
-        This is an audience sing along so go ahead and review your words so that you can enjoy participating. (Don’t spend too much time on this, though – focus on the other pieces)

Happy Practicing - work hard this week!



No comments:

Post a Comment