Looking Back on March 18th Chapter Meeting
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
Usual gatherings around the hall before meeting time – raffle, many sign up sheets to check, equipment set up, SP workout on stage, guests arriving and guest books being updated by Librarian Dick Dangel, people gathering around all the goodies Ginger Jordan put out to go with the coffee, new members working on getting qualified, and Tom Kern working in back storage area on uniforms.
The first order of business was a new song to do warm up movements with – sounded like Ella Fitzgerald - singing “A Tisket A Tasket.” Designed to help us practice the Swing rhythms.
Will Cox did vocal warm up and used more bubble-lip drills.
A fancy new colorful riser chart was unveiled to help show men where they stand now on the risers. It appears to be magnetic. Work of Mark Klostermeyer.
Plaag and McKeever drilled more of the moves for “Clap” and tried some alternative ideas with Director Joe and Coach Stephanie viewing and deciding which ones they liked best.
Joe reminded everyone about the Spring Tonic theme celebrating our 60th year. He introduced three songs that will be sung by the chorus and any former members who sign up to get the leaning tape and music – “Side by Side” arranged for this event by Bud Arberg (one of our earliest directors), “Climbin’ Up The Mountain” arranged for this event by John Hohl (also a former director of the chorus), and “A Place on The Risers for You” done by Hohl and Bates and used by the chorus over the years. More history on that later.
President Stamps announced that Patrick Kim and Eric Wallen have been named winners of the chapter’s annual scholarship to Harmony University in St. Joseph, MO, July 27th-August 3rd, 2008. If you are new to the hobby, go to the Society website and learn more about Harmony U.
More Tonic announcements included a plug to make sales by co-chairs Steve and Nick Murane and to note the list of your patrons in your folder so you can make contact; Gary Bibens with word that the flyers have gone out to our patrons; and Tom Kraus to get with it on selling ads for the show program.
Secretary Buechler presented Stamps a plaque the chapter received for it collective contributions to the Harmony Foundation. Average of $60.54 per members – Chris says that totals $11,500! Good job gang.
He also presented new member materials to Ian Poulin and Noah Van Gilder; a 30-year service pin to Keith Jones. Other members were given their membership renewals too – Tom Kern for 10 years, Chuck Powell for 14 years and Michael Calhoun for 39 years.
There were several repeat guests this week and some members were back that we have not seen for a while. I heard that one of our guests passed his audition too. Hurray.
The second half of the nite was hard musical workout on contest songs with Stephanie and Joe up front.
Eric Hughes won the raffle again!
And most of the goodies were gone from the coffee table!
Until next time – editorjack!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Looking Back on March 11th Chapter Meeting
Looking Back on March 11th Chapter Meeting
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
A big crowd made it out Indian Head Highway into Maryland for this week’s meeting, rehearsal and a recording session. Nice place. When we arrived you could hear CAMERON STATION working on one of their new songs.
At 7, the familiar “Harmonizers on the Riser” call went out, but there were no risers. LOL. And then after good singing warm up with Tony and a craft education session with Chuck H., Director Joe took the helm.
In order to see everyone, he grabbed a chair and put it up on the box there and stood on the chair. We all got over being nervous for him til he tried to help Chuck McKeever to demonstrate some of the moves for “Clap.”
During the SP review, the front row guys worked separately. During a review of “O Holy Night” the basses worked separately.
The meeting ended with usual announcements about signing up for shows, contest, and helping at the Youth Education weekend, March 28-29, at Durant. I know they need helpers and for some more folks to bring desserts for the weekend. It was pointed out that if you did not order a ticket/registration thru Bob Rhome for the contest in Nashville in July, you need to contact BHS on your own. The Harmonizer block is in Section 119.
Membership VP Roger introduced guests and former members present.
Tom Kraus is working to get more ads sold for the Spring Show program – so give him a hand. Buy one yourself – make up something funny. Or get your spouse to sell one for you.
The chorus had a good workout on “Clap” and then after the break did the recordings for possible CD in the future.
Until next time – editorjack!
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
A big crowd made it out Indian Head Highway into Maryland for this week’s meeting, rehearsal and a recording session. Nice place. When we arrived you could hear CAMERON STATION working on one of their new songs.
At 7, the familiar “Harmonizers on the Riser” call went out, but there were no risers. LOL. And then after good singing warm up with Tony and a craft education session with Chuck H., Director Joe took the helm.
In order to see everyone, he grabbed a chair and put it up on the box there and stood on the chair. We all got over being nervous for him til he tried to help Chuck McKeever to demonstrate some of the moves for “Clap.”
During the SP review, the front row guys worked separately. During a review of “O Holy Night” the basses worked separately.
The meeting ended with usual announcements about signing up for shows, contest, and helping at the Youth Education weekend, March 28-29, at Durant. I know they need helpers and for some more folks to bring desserts for the weekend. It was pointed out that if you did not order a ticket/registration thru Bob Rhome for the contest in Nashville in July, you need to contact BHS on your own. The Harmonizer block is in Section 119.
Membership VP Roger introduced guests and former members present.
Tom Kraus is working to get more ads sold for the Spring Show program – so give him a hand. Buy one yourself – make up something funny. Or get your spouse to sell one for you.
The chorus had a good workout on “Clap” and then after the break did the recordings for possible CD in the future.
Until next time – editorjack!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Chorus Notes #11 - Chapter Meeting March 11, 2008
Special Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's Chorus Notes!
------------------------------------------------------
Craft
-Did tuning drills on chromatic passages in "Happy Feet" in preparation for the recording session.
- There are chromatic passages in Clap Yore Hands that we also need to be mindful of. From Chuck:
"They're after the (2nd) key change and right before the tag. After the high-voiced chord on "thigh," the whole "Don't ya lose time, don't ya lose time, everybody" passage descends by half-steps. Very difficult to keep perfectly tuned, the more so because it's high in the range. Then after that the three repetitions of "come along" separated by the measure of silence move up a half and then back down relative to the starting chord. As always, the descending ones call for small half-steps. Ideally the chord on the third "come" should feel slightly higher than the starting point.
I Love You Truly
- "Coming home" (ms 1-2): 3 points on the ground, body engaged, keep the chin level, "coming" should be as resonant and open as "home"; Lead - blown pitch is your starting note, be on top of it, don't cover the tone on "home", keep it open; Bari - don't be timid.
- "is all I need to know." (ms 3-5): think of "know" like "home" in terms of destination and the vowel.
- "is my life" (ms 6-7): Bass/bari - watch Director for move on 2nd half of "life", it comes sooner than you expect.
- "sweetheart" (m 13): non-Bass - wait for bass swipe on "sweet."
- "life (my life)" (ms 15-16): Bass/bari - get the tone all the way back up on the repeat of "life", there's a tendency to be under the pitch.
Clap Yore Hands
- "Oh whoa, Oh whoa" (ms 1-4): give full metrical value to each phrase, there's a tendency to short-change the last "oh"; make something out of the "oo" between the "oh's" in each phrase, it's getting lost; Lead - keep good vocal technique when jumping up to "whoa".
- Non-basses, "just remember" (ms 28 and 74): more emphasis on the "just" downbeat (remember the designated breath before "just."
- "Send-him-to-the-de-vil" (m 52, first time): there should be a space between each word/syllable, put "h" on "him", give a strong emphasis to each but don't splat and keep good vowels.
------------------------------------------------------
Craft
-Did tuning drills on chromatic passages in "Happy Feet" in preparation for the recording session.
- There are chromatic passages in Clap Yore Hands that we also need to be mindful of. From Chuck:
"They're after the (2nd) key change and right before the tag. After the high-voiced chord on "thigh," the whole "Don't ya lose time, don't ya lose time, everybody" passage descends by half-steps. Very difficult to keep perfectly tuned, the more so because it's high in the range. Then after that the three repetitions of "come along" separated by the measure of silence move up a half and then back down relative to the starting chord. As always, the descending ones call for small half-steps. Ideally the chord on the third "come" should feel slightly higher than the starting point.
I Love You Truly
- "Coming home" (ms 1-2): 3 points on the ground, body engaged, keep the chin level, "coming" should be as resonant and open as "home"; Lead - blown pitch is your starting note, be on top of it, don't cover the tone on "home", keep it open; Bari - don't be timid.
- "is all I need to know." (ms 3-5): think of "know" like "home" in terms of destination and the vowel.
- "is my life" (ms 6-7): Bass/bari - watch Director for move on 2nd half of "life", it comes sooner than you expect.
- "sweetheart" (m 13): non-Bass - wait for bass swipe on "sweet."
- "life (my life)" (ms 15-16): Bass/bari - get the tone all the way back up on the repeat of "life", there's a tendency to be under the pitch.
Clap Yore Hands
- "Oh whoa, Oh whoa" (ms 1-4): give full metrical value to each phrase, there's a tendency to short-change the last "oh"; make something out of the "oo" between the "oh's" in each phrase, it's getting lost; Lead - keep good vocal technique when jumping up to "whoa".
- Non-basses, "just remember" (ms 28 and 74): more emphasis on the "just" downbeat (remember the designated breath before "just."
- "Send-him-to-the-de-vil" (m 52, first time): there should be a space between each word/syllable, put "h" on "him", give a strong emphasis to each but don't splat and keep good vowels.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Looking Back on M-AD 2008 Prelims
Looking Back on M-AD 2008 Prelims
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on in the Alexandria Harmonizer family. —Ye Ed.)
Well when the dust settled after the contest, Alexandria has reps in all four of the quartets chosen this weekend to go to the International quartet contest in Nashville in July.
OLD SCHOOL with Rick Taylor
RINGERS with Mike Pinto
FOUR ACES with Ed Cazenas, Nick Aiuto, Richard Lewellen
LAST KIDS PICKED with Mike Wallen, Tony Colosimo and Eric Wallen
In addition to those singers on stage, there were a lot of Harmonizers working and running the event: Joe Cerutti was MC for Saturday nite contest and show; Dennis Ritchey was MC for Saturday morning portion of the contest and helped with running the back stage and all the set up for the stage ; Gary Plaag was MC on Friday nite for the contest and a judge for the Youth Adjudication event Saturday afternoon; Dixie Kennett was lighting director; Chuck Harner is VP for Contests and Judging events in District, so he had plenty to do; Chris Buechler was on the judging panel for the Youth Adjudication too; and Phil Stern (up from FL and about to have a knee operation) was on the judging panel for the regular quartet contest all weekend.
Add to those guys all the Harmonizers in the district leadership jobs – Eckman, Keith Jones and Terry Jordan.
Tony Colosimo also appeared several times during the weekend with his gold medal quartet ROAD TRIP
And then there was the crowd out cheering – Pitzer, Ken White, Reynolds, Hohl, McFarland, Calhoun, Wile, Sutton, Maddes.
We were everywhere including some tag singers til 5:30 am I hear.
Until next time – editorjack!
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on in the Alexandria Harmonizer family. —Ye Ed.)
Well when the dust settled after the contest, Alexandria has reps in all four of the quartets chosen this weekend to go to the International quartet contest in Nashville in July.
OLD SCHOOL with Rick Taylor
RINGERS with Mike Pinto
FOUR ACES with Ed Cazenas, Nick Aiuto, Richard Lewellen
LAST KIDS PICKED with Mike Wallen, Tony Colosimo and Eric Wallen
In addition to those singers on stage, there were a lot of Harmonizers working and running the event: Joe Cerutti was MC for Saturday nite contest and show; Dennis Ritchey was MC for Saturday morning portion of the contest and helped with running the back stage and all the set up for the stage ; Gary Plaag was MC on Friday nite for the contest and a judge for the Youth Adjudication event Saturday afternoon; Dixie Kennett was lighting director; Chuck Harner is VP for Contests and Judging events in District, so he had plenty to do; Chris Buechler was on the judging panel for the Youth Adjudication too; and Phil Stern (up from FL and about to have a knee operation) was on the judging panel for the regular quartet contest all weekend.
Add to those guys all the Harmonizers in the district leadership jobs – Eckman, Keith Jones and Terry Jordan.
Tony Colosimo also appeared several times during the weekend with his gold medal quartet ROAD TRIP
And then there was the crowd out cheering – Pitzer, Ken White, Reynolds, Hohl, McFarland, Calhoun, Wile, Sutton, Maddes.
We were everywhere including some tag singers til 5:30 am I hear.
Until next time – editorjack!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Chorus Notes # 10 - March 4, 2008 Chapter Meeting
Special thanks to Dean Rust for this week's chorus notes!
General
- Be ready to sing at all times; must do better as "first note singers".
O Holy Night (to be recorded March 11)
- Starts soft, but still resonate through "all four speakers", keep sound connected and don't let it get wimpy.
- Bass: wrong notes evident, fix them before next Tuesday, 1st and 2nd endings are different.
- "Fall (oh fall) on your knees":
-- bass, take breath after first "Fall" but make sure it's full duration, don't get too heavy on "on your knees"
-- non-basses, support the bass octave jump.
-- all, need movement on "knees" and watch for cutoff on "knees."
- "the angel voices": watch for cutoff on "voices".
- "night" in both endings: Stay on the vowel, watch for placement of "t".
- 1st ending: take a breath before the last "O night divine" and carry that phrase over into repeat of "Fall on your knees."
- Sing "D(ih)vine" not "D(ee)vine"
- If you are reading this please send me an email to let me know that you have read this.
Happy Feet (to be recorded March 11)
- "Wha da dance, do we do": crescendo on dance carries over into "do" before slight softening and another crescendo on the 2nd "do"
- Bass/bari,"Lordy": fast swipe, don't change voice production when moving to different register.
- "Happy Feet, I got those Happy Feet...": crescendo on 1st "feet" carries over into "I got those" before slight softening and another crescendo on 2nd "feet"
- "give them a low down beat": affect on "low"
- "I can't control": don't rush quarter notes (think subdivide)
- bass pickups: must be rock solid.
- "Hey! Hey! Say!": sets up 42nd St, not a throwaway, sing it with anticipation.
- 42nd Street:
-- "Come and meet (come meet)": soft and smoky, but not wimpy. While volume is lower, you're still producing fully resonant sound through all "four speakers."
-- "dancin' feet": Placement of "t", 1-2-3-"t"
-- Bass: sing through the low notes with authority, must hear them.
- Downtown Strutters Ball:
--Bass: make it less wordy, quiet jaw, don't change vocal production as register changes, connect all the sounds, no holes.
-- non-bass: eliminate affect, sing pure vowel sounds.
- Charles-ton:
-- disconnect between "Charles" and "ton" but don't take a breath; crescendo on "ton"
-- "Rhumba": hard roll of the "R" and pronounce "roomba"
- Reprise and Tag:
-- "cause I've GOT hab, hab, habby feet when I'm dancin": "got" not "have" in m 89
-- "Wha-daaaaaaa-dance", Last phrase of song: tall vowels, quick slide, and leave room to grow on "dance."
I Love You Truly (review last week's notes)
- off the sheet music please.
- Bring a high degree of compassion and love to this song; show it in your face and body. Need to develop emotional plan, including climax.
- Word changes in verse (underlined below):
"Coming home to you is all I need to know, coming home to you is my life. All alone with you ever sets my heart aglow, all alone with my sweetheart, my life (my life). Bass - swipe on "sweet" of "sweetheart."
- "Coming home": big rich chord on "home".
- "life" (at end of phrase): execute a quick, clean crisp "f" at the cutoff.
- "Gone": quickly through the "G" to the target.
- Leads, look at "so come be..." (ms 48-49, going into the Tag): it's 1/2 step up from "so" to "come" and a full step down from "come" to "be".
- Word changes in Tag for Lead, Bari, Bass. Rather than sing the whole note "please" in m 57, sing "please be all" with each word on the same chord written for the whole note, then move to the first chord in m 58 and change the word to "mine", and then finish as written with "all mine."
Clap Yore Hands (recording mic malfunctioned; limited notes on Mike Kelley's coaching)
- Chorus performance sounds like a good learning tape; now need dynamics and emphasis on alliteration (repetition of similar word sounds).
- "Come on you children......" Nothin' but trouble..." dynamics: follow Joe's direction, Mike suggested building the dynamic through each of these first two lines of the verse.
- "Let me lead the way, Jubilee today.": Remember avoidance of downbeat and full metric value. Smooth but keep underlying subdivision in mind.
- "He'll never hound you...": Getting ready to have a party, don't let it drag going into the chorus.
- "Come on": invitation to the party.
- Bass, "rebel, you just" (m 51): bring out this arpeggio (right before 1st "send him to the devil").
- "Send him to the devil (1st time). Clap-a yore hands" (ms 52-53): Think ahead. Big change in register. Prepare to move quicky to target sound on "Clap". You do get a breath before "Clap."
- No more big, fat, stupid mistakes: Lead, "...slap a yore thigh, don't ya lose time etc." (ms 81-82): keep it high and light on "thigh etc."
- Bass, new tag, "C'mon you children gather around": take it easy on "C'mon", it's high and you double with Baris. But let's hear it as you peel off on "you children gather around."
General
- Be ready to sing at all times; must do better as "first note singers".
O Holy Night (to be recorded March 11)
- Starts soft, but still resonate through "all four speakers", keep sound connected and don't let it get wimpy.
- Bass: wrong notes evident, fix them before next Tuesday, 1st and 2nd endings are different.
- "Fall (oh fall) on your knees":
-- bass, take breath after first "Fall" but make sure it's full duration, don't get too heavy on "on your knees"
-- non-basses, support the bass octave jump.
-- all, need movement on "knees" and watch for cutoff on "knees."
- "the angel voices": watch for cutoff on "voices".
- "night" in both endings: Stay on the vowel, watch for placement of "t".
- 1st ending: take a breath before the last "O night divine" and carry that phrase over into repeat of "Fall on your knees."
- Sing "D(ih)vine" not "D(ee)vine"
- If you are reading this please send me an email to let me know that you have read this.
Happy Feet (to be recorded March 11)
- "Wha da dance, do we do": crescendo on dance carries over into "do" before slight softening and another crescendo on the 2nd "do"
- Bass/bari,"Lordy": fast swipe, don't change voice production when moving to different register.
- "Happy Feet, I got those Happy Feet...": crescendo on 1st "feet" carries over into "I got those" before slight softening and another crescendo on 2nd "feet"
- "give them a low down beat": affect on "low"
- "I can't control": don't rush quarter notes (think subdivide)
- bass pickups: must be rock solid.
- "Hey! Hey! Say!": sets up 42nd St, not a throwaway, sing it with anticipation.
- 42nd Street:
-- "Come and meet (come meet)": soft and smoky, but not wimpy. While volume is lower, you're still producing fully resonant sound through all "four speakers."
-- "dancin' feet": Placement of "t", 1-2-3-"t"
-- Bass: sing through the low notes with authority, must hear them.
- Downtown Strutters Ball:
--Bass: make it less wordy, quiet jaw, don't change vocal production as register changes, connect all the sounds, no holes.
-- non-bass: eliminate affect, sing pure vowel sounds.
- Charles-ton:
-- disconnect between "Charles" and "ton" but don't take a breath; crescendo on "ton"
-- "Rhumba": hard roll of the "R" and pronounce "roomba"
- Reprise and Tag:
-- "cause I've GOT hab, hab, habby feet when I'm dancin": "got" not "have" in m 89
-- "Wha-daaaaaaa-dance", Last phrase of song: tall vowels, quick slide, and leave room to grow on "dance."
I Love You Truly (review last week's notes)
- off the sheet music please.
- Bring a high degree of compassion and love to this song; show it in your face and body. Need to develop emotional plan, including climax.
- Word changes in verse (underlined below):
"Coming home to you is all I need to know, coming home to you is my life. All alone with you ever sets my heart aglow, all alone with my sweetheart, my life (my life). Bass - swipe on "sweet" of "sweetheart."
- "Coming home": big rich chord on "home".
- "life" (at end of phrase): execute a quick, clean crisp "f" at the cutoff.
- "Gone": quickly through the "G" to the target.
- Leads, look at "so come be..." (ms 48-49, going into the Tag): it's 1/2 step up from "so" to "come" and a full step down from "come" to "be".
- Word changes in Tag for Lead, Bari, Bass. Rather than sing the whole note "please" in m 57, sing "please be all" with each word on the same chord written for the whole note, then move to the first chord in m 58 and change the word to "mine", and then finish as written with "all mine."
Clap Yore Hands (recording mic malfunctioned; limited notes on Mike Kelley's coaching)
- Chorus performance sounds like a good learning tape; now need dynamics and emphasis on alliteration (repetition of similar word sounds).
- "Come on you children......" Nothin' but trouble..." dynamics: follow Joe's direction, Mike suggested building the dynamic through each of these first two lines of the verse.
- "Let me lead the way, Jubilee today.": Remember avoidance of downbeat and full metric value. Smooth but keep underlying subdivision in mind.
- "He'll never hound you...": Getting ready to have a party, don't let it drag going into the chorus.
- "Come on": invitation to the party.
- Bass, "rebel, you just" (m 51): bring out this arpeggio (right before 1st "send him to the devil").
- "Send him to the devil (1st time). Clap-a yore hands" (ms 52-53): Think ahead. Big change in register. Prepare to move quicky to target sound on "Clap". You do get a breath before "Clap."
- No more big, fat, stupid mistakes: Lead, "...slap a yore thigh, don't ya lose time etc." (ms 81-82): keep it high and light on "thigh etc."
- Bass, new tag, "C'mon you children gather around": take it easy on "C'mon", it's high and you double with Baris. But let's hear it as you peel off on "you children gather around."
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Looking Back on March 4th Chapter Meeting
Looking Back on March 4th Chapter Meeting
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
Lot of talking and instructing and coaching started the evening with warm ups, SP for the new contest piece, and reconfirmed riser placement (I sense the ever increasing number of singers means Chorus Manager Klostermeyer (K12) will have to keep making changes. That is a good problem to work on!!
Next week’s meeting will NOT be at Durant. Instead at Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Ft. Washington, MD. Usual 7 pm start tho. Location will allow chorus to rehearse as usual and then, toward end of evening, make recordings of “Happy Feet” and “O Holy Night” as the start of new Harmonizer CDs for next year.
I hear that Joel Golden and his wife suggested the spot, and Scott Kahler checked it out.
The vocal coach was on site this week again and Director Joe asked each section leader to take his turn with the coach.
At the chapter meeting before break, President Stamps updated everyone that Larry Silva is making progress after his back operation, and welcomed Bruce Minnick again this week, and reported that Sam McFarland’s operation was a success and did not effect his singing.
Mick also presented financial support checks to representatives of the quartets that will be at prelims this coming weekend that have Harmonizers in them: FOUR ACES, LAST KIDS PICKED, RINGERS and OLD SCHOOL.
(For new guys – this prelims contest in Newark, NJ, is actually the International Preliminary Quartet contest. The place where a quartet must compete in order to qualify for the contest in Nashville this summer and the right to try to capture the gold medal as International quartet champ.) Quite a few folks from the chapter are going up – some as officers of the district, some to cheer on our guys and just have fun, and some to compete.
Will try to get a wrap up report when we get back.
New guy, Tom Kraus, make a fun pitch to all to help him with selling ads for the spring show this year. He begged for support as he was sort of arm twisted on this job. Let’s all do a little this year. This could be another way for us to get out of the old habits and make the show program a success. Wonder why we have never been too good at this??
Roger introduced a good crowd of guests again including more father and son combos. And he welcomed some folks back we have not seen for a while like Nick Aiuto, Pete Frank and Ed Cazenas who sing with Steve White in a quartet called FULL TILT. Steve says the FT also could stand for FOUR ACES Farm Team, since they got together to help ACES fill jobs in this area and to help Nick and Ed with rehearsals. So after singing a while, decided to form a local quartet. They sang for us last nite too and it was fun to hear a quartet up front. They sang “That Old Feeling” arranged by John Hohl and a fun piece from the Flintstones.
Past President Wile used the occasion to present a service award plaque to Nick for all his work on the chapter website. Thanks from all of us.
Everyone gathered around the old coffee pot last nite since it was cold and damp outside. I note that the Girl Scout cookies some of you all bring in to share really disappear in a hurry. Thanks to all for sharing. And to those who bring a can of decaf now and then and for those to drop a buck or five in the kitty on the table.
After the break, John Hohl and Joe made some word changes on “I Love You Truly” to make them an even stronger ballad message.
Mike Kelly was with us all evening and working with Joe on “Clap Your Hands” to add some dynamics and encourage the singers to keep the fun and energy going in places. He will be back to help more since he is located nearby in MD.
I heard that the board elected another new member at their meeting during the break, and I saw another guy hand Roger his application last nite. We GROW each week. I bet there is someone you could bring on Tuesday nite that would get into the Harmonizer spirit.
Until next time – editorjack!
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
Lot of talking and instructing and coaching started the evening with warm ups, SP for the new contest piece, and reconfirmed riser placement (I sense the ever increasing number of singers means Chorus Manager Klostermeyer (K12) will have to keep making changes. That is a good problem to work on!!
Next week’s meeting will NOT be at Durant. Instead at Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Ft. Washington, MD. Usual 7 pm start tho. Location will allow chorus to rehearse as usual and then, toward end of evening, make recordings of “Happy Feet” and “O Holy Night” as the start of new Harmonizer CDs for next year.
I hear that Joel Golden and his wife suggested the spot, and Scott Kahler checked it out.
The vocal coach was on site this week again and Director Joe asked each section leader to take his turn with the coach.
At the chapter meeting before break, President Stamps updated everyone that Larry Silva is making progress after his back operation, and welcomed Bruce Minnick again this week, and reported that Sam McFarland’s operation was a success and did not effect his singing.
Mick also presented financial support checks to representatives of the quartets that will be at prelims this coming weekend that have Harmonizers in them: FOUR ACES, LAST KIDS PICKED, RINGERS and OLD SCHOOL.
(For new guys – this prelims contest in Newark, NJ, is actually the International Preliminary Quartet contest. The place where a quartet must compete in order to qualify for the contest in Nashville this summer and the right to try to capture the gold medal as International quartet champ.) Quite a few folks from the chapter are going up – some as officers of the district, some to cheer on our guys and just have fun, and some to compete.
Will try to get a wrap up report when we get back.
New guy, Tom Kraus, make a fun pitch to all to help him with selling ads for the spring show this year. He begged for support as he was sort of arm twisted on this job. Let’s all do a little this year. This could be another way for us to get out of the old habits and make the show program a success. Wonder why we have never been too good at this??
Roger introduced a good crowd of guests again including more father and son combos. And he welcomed some folks back we have not seen for a while like Nick Aiuto, Pete Frank and Ed Cazenas who sing with Steve White in a quartet called FULL TILT. Steve says the FT also could stand for FOUR ACES Farm Team, since they got together to help ACES fill jobs in this area and to help Nick and Ed with rehearsals. So after singing a while, decided to form a local quartet. They sang for us last nite too and it was fun to hear a quartet up front. They sang “That Old Feeling” arranged by John Hohl and a fun piece from the Flintstones.
Past President Wile used the occasion to present a service award plaque to Nick for all his work on the chapter website. Thanks from all of us.
Everyone gathered around the old coffee pot last nite since it was cold and damp outside. I note that the Girl Scout cookies some of you all bring in to share really disappear in a hurry. Thanks to all for sharing. And to those who bring a can of decaf now and then and for those to drop a buck or five in the kitty on the table.
After the break, John Hohl and Joe made some word changes on “I Love You Truly” to make them an even stronger ballad message.
Mike Kelly was with us all evening and working with Joe on “Clap Your Hands” to add some dynamics and encourage the singers to keep the fun and energy going in places. He will be back to help more since he is located nearby in MD.
I heard that the board elected another new member at their meeting during the break, and I saw another guy hand Roger his application last nite. We GROW each week. I bet there is someone you could bring on Tuesday nite that would get into the Harmonizer spirit.
Until next time – editorjack!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Chorus Notes #9 - Chapter Meeting February 26, 2008
Special Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's Rehearsal Notes!
General
- Always be ready to perform, lot to do in coming months, stay with Joe, be focused while on the risers.
- You should have only 3 points on the ground when performing.
Craft
- Review: sing with the whole instrument (all resonances), most effectively done with openness and raised soft palate such as the feeling when you smell your favorite childhood dish. Keep the sound connected and stomach taut.
- I Love You Truly: Be ready when you're switching registers within your part. Practiced by humming to get the feel for the connected sound as you change registers. Bass has big challenge on "tears" swipe in m 24.
- Kirk Young concepts of subdivision, and full metrical value also apply to ballad. Subdivision is the pulse of the music, try to think of underlying eighth or sixteenth note pulses as you sing quarter, half and whole notes in the ballad. Full value means singing all the way out to the very end of these pulses for each note.
- Chorus needs to be in receive mode and anticipating even before the Director steps up to begin song.
Clap Yore Hands
- "Oh, whoa" (Intro): remember subdivision, and full value.
- Bass, "I mean the" (m 11, pickup): swing it.
- "But you can chase the hoodoo" (ms 16-17): Lead, no "ch" in "but you can" pickup; All: word fart #1 - "chase the hoodoo", not "chase that hoodoo."
- "Let me lead the way" (ms 21-22): smooth and mysterious, quarter notes don't swing.
- "Come along and shake yore shoe time" (ms 40-41): word fart #2
- it's "shake yore shoe time" not "#^&@*". [Recall Kirk Young admonition that it's beneath the Harmonizers to be fumbling with memorization weeks after we were asked to be off the music.]
- "Send him to the devil": first time is eighth notes, second time quarter notes; notes are also different.
- Bass solo (ms 63-70): All parts, make it spooky; Bass, break before pickup "and we will" (m 66) and make sure it's swung; Non-basses, You get a big breath after singing "oh" (ms 63-66) and before coming back in on "lose that evil..." (m 67); non-bassesalso get stronger during "Voo" whole note (m 69) while basses are coming up on the quarter notes.
- "Send him to the devil" (ms 78-79): bass, too much weight on "send", take off some pressure.
- "Come a-long, rest, come a-long, rest" (ms 84-87, just before tag): make sure the 2nd" come a-long" gets up that half-step. New Tag
- All: Good strong "K" on "Come"; confident but not loud.
- "Come a-long and": full duration on "and".
- Lead, "C'mon": stick it right before the other parts come in on the downbeat
- Bass, "C'-mon you children" (first time): easy on high note, baris are doubling, but then be strong as you peal off.
- Baris: sing out with confidence, big and full.
- Bass, "gather around" (3rd time of 5, C-flat octave jump): not getting high enough on upper octave. Don't get heavy on higher notes.
- All but leads: "clap your hands" (last three notes of tag): this one is "your" not "yore." - "Hands": good "nds" on the last chord.
I Love You Truly
- Watch Joe's hands: don't go off any note unless he does. Learning track is slow.
- "Coming home..." (ms 1-2): let's hear the "k" but in the style of the song, target is "oh" of "home", warm and expressive, connect all the word sounds (e.g. m and ing in "coming), a little louder on "home", don't decay on "oh" of "home".
- Lead, "Coming home to you" (ms 1-3): be ready for change of register on "to", lighten up on that note, don't raise your chin.
- "is my life" (ms 7-8): short "f" on cutoff.
- "I love you truly" (ms 15-16): bite the apple on "ah" of "I."
- "Ah yes tis something" (ms 33-34, first time): break after "yes" (it's not written as a break).
- "Gone" (m 41): Bari and bass hit all the notes in the slides, both start at the same time but baris go slower. Leads and tenors, back off as other parts begin to slide and then come back (go from a 7 to 6 to 8).
- "Gone is the sorrow" (ms 41-42): break after "Gone", come back in at the same level on "is".
- "sorrow" (m 42): lead - don't slide around, sing accurate notes; bass - let's hear it.
- "gone" (m 43): another break after bass slide on "gone."
Ed Sullivan
- "da, da, da, da, da, da, da" (beginning): make it clean, stays in tempo, don't speed up.
- Next chorus entrance "bum" (m 43): Quartet bass sings "bum" (m 41) on the tonic (F) , chorus entrance is on "So" in octaves (C). Sit out if you're not sure of the note.
- "Yah, da, da...and yah, yah, yah..." (ms 57, 65, 73): these are novelties and need to stick out. Sections between them should be "elegant" to further emphasize the contrast.
- "Dum duh dah..."(3 times, slight break in Lady of Spain solo, ms 80-82): each "dum, duh dah" crescendoes into the next one.
- Bass: don't move your chin on the "bum, bum's"
If I Ruled the World
- Provide full expression from the gitgo (see last note under craft above).
- "And we'd sing of the joy every morning..." (ms 14-15): big holy-moly "oh" vowels on "joy" and "morning"
- "If I ruled the world" (ms 17-18, 2nd chorus): Don't sit on "If; lead and bari have to energize their sustained "world" to support tenor and bass repeat of "the world" - "Every voice..." (m 20): Don't milk the "v", get right to the vowel.
- "My world...(m 25, 1st time): slight "m" with pitch before downbeat, solid "ah" on downbeat.
- Lead: "dreams. My world" (ms 28-29): crescendo through the whole note on "dreams" (as other parts cut off and sing "sudge dreams") and into "My".
- "My World" (m 29, 2nd time): Joe loves this spot; make a statement. Crescendo on "world from a 5 to an 8.
- "would wear a smile on its face" (ms 29-30): don't turn vowel on "smile" as we get softer.
General
- Always be ready to perform, lot to do in coming months, stay with Joe, be focused while on the risers.
- You should have only 3 points on the ground when performing.
Craft
- Review: sing with the whole instrument (all resonances), most effectively done with openness and raised soft palate such as the feeling when you smell your favorite childhood dish. Keep the sound connected and stomach taut.
- I Love You Truly: Be ready when you're switching registers within your part. Practiced by humming to get the feel for the connected sound as you change registers. Bass has big challenge on "tears" swipe in m 24.
- Kirk Young concepts of subdivision, and full metrical value also apply to ballad. Subdivision is the pulse of the music, try to think of underlying eighth or sixteenth note pulses as you sing quarter, half and whole notes in the ballad. Full value means singing all the way out to the very end of these pulses for each note.
- Chorus needs to be in receive mode and anticipating even before the Director steps up to begin song.
Clap Yore Hands
- "Oh, whoa" (Intro): remember subdivision, and full value.
- Bass, "I mean the" (m 11, pickup): swing it.
- "But you can chase the hoodoo" (ms 16-17): Lead, no "ch" in "but you can" pickup; All: word fart #1 - "chase the hoodoo", not "chase that hoodoo."
- "Let me lead the way" (ms 21-22): smooth and mysterious, quarter notes don't swing.
- "Come along and shake yore shoe time" (ms 40-41): word fart #2
- it's "shake yore shoe time" not "#^&@*". [Recall Kirk Young admonition that it's beneath the Harmonizers to be fumbling with memorization weeks after we were asked to be off the music.]
- "Send him to the devil": first time is eighth notes, second time quarter notes; notes are also different.
- Bass solo (ms 63-70): All parts, make it spooky; Bass, break before pickup "and we will" (m 66) and make sure it's swung; Non-basses, You get a big breath after singing "oh" (ms 63-66) and before coming back in on "lose that evil..." (m 67); non-bassesalso get stronger during "Voo" whole note (m 69) while basses are coming up on the quarter notes.
- "Send him to the devil" (ms 78-79): bass, too much weight on "send", take off some pressure.
- "Come a-long, rest, come a-long, rest" (ms 84-87, just before tag): make sure the 2nd" come a-long" gets up that half-step. New Tag
- All: Good strong "K" on "Come"; confident but not loud.
- "Come a-long and": full duration on "and".
- Lead, "C'mon": stick it right before the other parts come in on the downbeat
- Bass, "C'-mon you children" (first time): easy on high note, baris are doubling, but then be strong as you peal off.
- Baris: sing out with confidence, big and full.
- Bass, "gather around" (3rd time of 5, C-flat octave jump): not getting high enough on upper octave. Don't get heavy on higher notes.
- All but leads: "clap your hands" (last three notes of tag): this one is "your" not "yore." - "Hands": good "nds" on the last chord.
I Love You Truly
- Watch Joe's hands: don't go off any note unless he does. Learning track is slow.
- "Coming home..." (ms 1-2): let's hear the "k" but in the style of the song, target is "oh" of "home", warm and expressive, connect all the word sounds (e.g. m and ing in "coming), a little louder on "home", don't decay on "oh" of "home".
- Lead, "Coming home to you" (ms 1-3): be ready for change of register on "to", lighten up on that note, don't raise your chin.
- "is my life" (ms 7-8): short "f" on cutoff.
- "I love you truly" (ms 15-16): bite the apple on "ah" of "I."
- "Ah yes tis something" (ms 33-34, first time): break after "yes" (it's not written as a break).
- "Gone" (m 41): Bari and bass hit all the notes in the slides, both start at the same time but baris go slower. Leads and tenors, back off as other parts begin to slide and then come back (go from a 7 to 6 to 8).
- "Gone is the sorrow" (ms 41-42): break after "Gone", come back in at the same level on "is".
- "sorrow" (m 42): lead - don't slide around, sing accurate notes; bass - let's hear it.
- "gone" (m 43): another break after bass slide on "gone."
Ed Sullivan
- "da, da, da, da, da, da, da" (beginning): make it clean, stays in tempo, don't speed up.
- Next chorus entrance "bum" (m 43): Quartet bass sings "bum" (m 41) on the tonic (F) , chorus entrance is on "So" in octaves (C). Sit out if you're not sure of the note.
- "Yah, da, da...and yah, yah, yah..." (ms 57, 65, 73): these are novelties and need to stick out. Sections between them should be "elegant" to further emphasize the contrast.
- "Dum duh dah..."(3 times, slight break in Lady of Spain solo, ms 80-82): each "dum, duh dah" crescendoes into the next one.
- Bass: don't move your chin on the "bum, bum's"
If I Ruled the World
- Provide full expression from the gitgo (see last note under craft above).
- "And we'd sing of the joy every morning..." (ms 14-15): big holy-moly "oh" vowels on "joy" and "morning"
- "If I ruled the world" (ms 17-18, 2nd chorus): Don't sit on "If; lead and bari have to energize their sustained "world" to support tenor and bass repeat of "the world" - "Every voice..." (m 20): Don't milk the "v", get right to the vowel.
- "My world...(m 25, 1st time): slight "m" with pitch before downbeat, solid "ah" on downbeat.
- Lead: "dreams. My world" (ms 28-29): crescendo through the whole note on "dreams" (as other parts cut off and sing "sudge dreams") and into "My".
- "My World" (m 29, 2nd time): Joe loves this spot; make a statement. Crescendo on "world from a 5 to an 8.
- "would wear a smile on its face" (ms 29-30): don't turn vowel on "smile" as we get softer.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Looking Back On Feb. 26th Chapter Meeting
Looking Back on Feb. 26th Chapter Meeting
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
The stage at Durant was packed with guys at 6 pm for Chuck McKeever’s stage presence class and review of material taught at the weekend retreat. The VLQ was meeting in a back room and working on a new song.
For warm ups there was the usual physical drill led by Craig and then Tony worked hard on better breathing and other vocal exercises. He was really fired up by the good singing and work effort displayed by the troops on the risers.
First song of the nite was a review of the “Ed Sullivan Medley.” The big laugh of the nite was when Director Joe volunteered to sing the bass part in the radio quartet. The whole place broke up on that one.
Chuck Hunter taught another of his terrific barbershop craft classes – use of the whole vocal instrument.
Director Joe used the “mirrors” on the wall and had the men check their facial expressions for “If I Ruled The World.” Then he worked on “Clap Yo Hands” reviewing the new tag taught by coach Kirk Young during the weekend retreat.
For the business session: President Stamps reported on Larry Silva’s back operation and that Larry is home now to recover from this serious medical procedure; McKeever told chorus members to pick up copies of stage right or stage left CDs with visual plan and moves demonstrated for “Clap”; Brad Jones launched the taping program for this season; Secretary Buechler presented Steve White his 31-year membership card. Roger Day brought out the large line of guests – several returnees from last week’s guest nite.
After a great break around the goodies table, singing resumed with Joe working on “I Love You Truly” – with an acknowledgment of John Hohl, back from FL, who helped with the arrangement for this beautiful contest ballad.
Then the chorus was taken thru a review of the stage presence for “Clap” while the front row worked on their routine for this exciting contest uptune.
We ended with the 50/50 drawing and KTWWS and another great effort by all to dismantle and put away and clear the meeting place in record time.
Until next time – editorjack!
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
The stage at Durant was packed with guys at 6 pm for Chuck McKeever’s stage presence class and review of material taught at the weekend retreat. The VLQ was meeting in a back room and working on a new song.
For warm ups there was the usual physical drill led by Craig and then Tony worked hard on better breathing and other vocal exercises. He was really fired up by the good singing and work effort displayed by the troops on the risers.
First song of the nite was a review of the “Ed Sullivan Medley.” The big laugh of the nite was when Director Joe volunteered to sing the bass part in the radio quartet. The whole place broke up on that one.
Chuck Hunter taught another of his terrific barbershop craft classes – use of the whole vocal instrument.
Director Joe used the “mirrors” on the wall and had the men check their facial expressions for “If I Ruled The World.” Then he worked on “Clap Yo Hands” reviewing the new tag taught by coach Kirk Young during the weekend retreat.
For the business session: President Stamps reported on Larry Silva’s back operation and that Larry is home now to recover from this serious medical procedure; McKeever told chorus members to pick up copies of stage right or stage left CDs with visual plan and moves demonstrated for “Clap”; Brad Jones launched the taping program for this season; Secretary Buechler presented Steve White his 31-year membership card. Roger Day brought out the large line of guests – several returnees from last week’s guest nite.
After a great break around the goodies table, singing resumed with Joe working on “I Love You Truly” – with an acknowledgment of John Hohl, back from FL, who helped with the arrangement for this beautiful contest ballad.
Then the chorus was taken thru a review of the stage presence for “Clap” while the front row worked on their routine for this exciting contest uptune.
We ended with the 50/50 drawing and KTWWS and another great effort by all to dismantle and put away and clear the meeting place in record time.
Until next time – editorjack!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Chorus Notes #8 - Kirk Young Coaching - Feb. 22-23, 2008
Special Thanks to Dean Rust for these great notes from the retreat weekend!
Clap a Yore Hands
A. General
- You are forbidden to listen to the learning track.
- Swing is relaxed, gentle, meant to be late, pull don't push (you pull on the reins of a horse to control it, push and you'll fall off)
- Critical that you think of subdividing the beat into triplets; feel it before you start singing and retain it throughout the song. Focus as the director prepares to begin song.
- Don't lose the sense of subdivision when singing quarter and half notes, which form the rhythm sections.
- Recall snapping and fist exercises as a way to unify the backbeat, which fits together with swing.
- Give full metrical value to all the notes.
- Precise execution of the breathing plan will help you sing full note values and avoid synchronization errors. Need to sing into the preplanned breath spots, don't let the note decay.
- Minimize downbeats.
- Need quiet jaw given fast tempo; let your lips, teeth and tongue do the work on the lyrics.
- You can't swing flat-footed.
- You must be thinking "subdivision" when doing choreography.
- We comprehend, now we must be consistent. There must be no green rocks among the string of pearls.
B. Specific
- Intro: Recall subdivision work that swung the "Whoa" and ensure duration up to beat 4.
- Lead: work on the three note pickups in ms 8 and 16.
- Tenor/Bari/Bass: full value on "children" in ms 8 and 16.
- "Let me lead the way", "Jubilee today", etc. (other quarter note passages): full metrical value with underlying triplet subdivision.
- Four eighth notes in a row proved to be a problem in application. "everybody" in ms 32, 56, 83; "come a long and" in ms 40; "you are only a" in ms 46, 72.
- "Send him to the devil" (1st time, ms 52): straight, don't swing; but don't make it sound like a mistake; accent each word but don't splat.
- Last "Clap a yore hands.." (right before new tag, ms 80-86): need commitment, swing it, full duration, take out downbeats.
- New Tag: Baris stick it to the top note on "C'mon"; Bass lay off on "C'mon" as you are doubling with Bari, but then let's hear it as you peel off; Tenor/Bari/Bass: recall different rhythm on third "gather (a)round."
Clap a Yore Hands
A. General
- You are forbidden to listen to the learning track.
- Swing is relaxed, gentle, meant to be late, pull don't push (you pull on the reins of a horse to control it, push and you'll fall off)
- Critical that you think of subdividing the beat into triplets; feel it before you start singing and retain it throughout the song. Focus as the director prepares to begin song.
- Don't lose the sense of subdivision when singing quarter and half notes, which form the rhythm sections.
- Recall snapping and fist exercises as a way to unify the backbeat, which fits together with swing.
- Give full metrical value to all the notes.
- Precise execution of the breathing plan will help you sing full note values and avoid synchronization errors. Need to sing into the preplanned breath spots, don't let the note decay.
- Minimize downbeats.
- Need quiet jaw given fast tempo; let your lips, teeth and tongue do the work on the lyrics.
- You can't swing flat-footed.
- You must be thinking "subdivision" when doing choreography.
- We comprehend, now we must be consistent. There must be no green rocks among the string of pearls.
B. Specific
- Intro: Recall subdivision work that swung the "Whoa" and ensure duration up to beat 4.
- Lead: work on the three note pickups in ms 8 and 16.
- Tenor/Bari/Bass: full value on "children" in ms 8 and 16.
- "Let me lead the way", "Jubilee today", etc. (other quarter note passages): full metrical value with underlying triplet subdivision.
- Four eighth notes in a row proved to be a problem in application. "everybody" in ms 32, 56, 83; "come a long and" in ms 40; "you are only a" in ms 46, 72.
- "Send him to the devil" (1st time, ms 52): straight, don't swing; but don't make it sound like a mistake; accent each word but don't splat.
- Last "Clap a yore hands.." (right before new tag, ms 80-86): need commitment, swing it, full duration, take out downbeats.
- New Tag: Baris stick it to the top note on "C'mon"; Bass lay off on "C'mon" as you are doubling with Bari, but then let's hear it as you peel off; Tenor/Bari/Bass: recall different rhythm on third "gather (a)round."
Friday, February 22, 2008
Chorus Notes #7 - Chapter Meeting February 19, 2008 and Joe's Vocal Studio Notes
Thanks to Dean Rust for the following notes on our last rehearsal and the recent vocal studios.
Clap Your Hands
A. Joe's introductory notes given to attendees at the vocal studios on February 17 and 21.
- Lead pickup (m 8): "And you will..." not "we". (Bass pickup in m 66 is "and we will" and is correct as written.)
- no dialect: yo=yore, not your; and debble=devil.
- "Pebble" - second syllable is like "oo" in "book", and don't let the "l" creep in.
- Lead note change on "ber" of "remember" (ms 48 and 74): in both cases "ber" is one full step lower than written in the sheet music.
- "don't you lose time, don't you lose time", lead and bari in ms 39-40 and all parts in ms 82-83: use the schwa "ya" instead of "you".
- "Hallelujah, etc."(ms 31...): Not "Hal" but "Hall", use ah vowel.
B. Chapter Meeting February 19, 2008
- General: must know cold the notes, words and breathing plan for this weekend's retreat; stop using learning track; swing all the 1/8 notes.
- "Oh--, whoa--oh, Oh--, whoa-oh" (ms 1-4): Good round "Oh" vowel to start, not loud but not wimpy; "whoa" explodes but lead up to that dynamic, don't drop off on the 2nd "oh", finish it.
- Lead pickups, "And you will" (m 8) and "But you can" (m 16): anticipate them, they're important.
- "CHASE" (m 17): Learn it.
- "Clap-a yore hands" (m 29): Let's hear the "c" in "clap" and get right to the vowel in "clap" which is like "a" of "at", make it tall. Bari: use the entire instrument on the vowel, don't wimp out.
Happy Feet
- Don't move jaw when doing non-durational "doots"
- "Wha-da dance, do we do" (ms 1-2): remember dynamic plan, start at 6, up to 8 on "dance", back to 6 on first "do" and cresc. to 8 on second "do" -
- "Happy Feet" (m 13, etc.): Don't clip "happy", sing "habby" if it helps. -
- Charleston - "Rumba" - roll "r" and make sure the "m" has pitch.
Mona Lisa
- General: watch director; more movement, less waiting; song moves along except when it doesn't; many changes from the learning track.
- "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you, (You're) You're so" (ms 16-20): Don't drag but don't rush either, watch director, break after first "Mona Lisa"; bass take a quick breath before pickup on "You're", other parts cutoff at direction of bass pickup. Remember emotional context from the intro "What does she want? No one knows."
- "Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art?" (ms 52-56): break after "lovely", leads take it easy on the octave jump on "art", bass don't plod on "cold and lonely"
- tenor/bari, "Mona Lisa" (ms 61-62, at the end): don't get "swipey" with your moving line.
Music of the Night
- "...my music." (m 9, first "my music"): make a production of "sic" and a slight emphasis on the "c".
- Bass solo, "Night time sharpens...", Non-Basses on "ooh" (ms 11-14): All parts - Be there with confidence on the entrance; Non-basses be like violins, no breaths, stagger if necessary.
- Lead - "Soar" (m 34): don't pinch the sound, and don't lean into the swipe as you come down.
- "the darkness of the music of the night" (ms 44-46): this is the loud one, watch the director, he'll let you know.
- "...where you want to be!" (m 52): strength on "be" and throw the frisbee on the cutoff.
- Lead pickup - "Only" (m 52): With confidence.
- "night." (m 71, last word of song): only section leaders provide the "t" on "night."
Clap Your Hands
A. Joe's introductory notes given to attendees at the vocal studios on February 17 and 21.
- Lead pickup (m 8): "And you will..." not "we". (Bass pickup in m 66 is "and we will" and is correct as written.)
- no dialect: yo=yore, not your; and debble=devil.
- "Pebble" - second syllable is like "oo" in "book", and don't let the "l" creep in.
- Lead note change on "ber" of "remember" (ms 48 and 74): in both cases "ber" is one full step lower than written in the sheet music.
- "don't you lose time, don't you lose time", lead and bari in ms 39-40 and all parts in ms 82-83: use the schwa "ya" instead of "you".
- "Hallelujah, etc."(ms 31...): Not "Hal" but "Hall", use ah vowel.
B. Chapter Meeting February 19, 2008
- General: must know cold the notes, words and breathing plan for this weekend's retreat; stop using learning track; swing all the 1/8 notes.
- "Oh--, whoa--oh, Oh--, whoa-oh" (ms 1-4): Good round "Oh" vowel to start, not loud but not wimpy; "whoa" explodes but lead up to that dynamic, don't drop off on the 2nd "oh", finish it.
- Lead pickups, "And you will" (m 8) and "But you can" (m 16): anticipate them, they're important.
- "CHASE" (m 17): Learn it.
- "Clap-a yore hands" (m 29): Let's hear the "c" in "clap" and get right to the vowel in "clap" which is like "a" of "at", make it tall. Bari: use the entire instrument on the vowel, don't wimp out.
Happy Feet
- Don't move jaw when doing non-durational "doots"
- "Wha-da dance, do we do" (ms 1-2): remember dynamic plan, start at 6, up to 8 on "dance", back to 6 on first "do" and cresc. to 8 on second "do" -
- "Happy Feet" (m 13, etc.): Don't clip "happy", sing "habby" if it helps. -
- Charleston - "Rumba" - roll "r" and make sure the "m" has pitch.
Mona Lisa
- General: watch director; more movement, less waiting; song moves along except when it doesn't; many changes from the learning track.
- "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you, (You're) You're so" (ms 16-20): Don't drag but don't rush either, watch director, break after first "Mona Lisa"; bass take a quick breath before pickup on "You're", other parts cutoff at direction of bass pickup. Remember emotional context from the intro "What does she want? No one knows."
- "Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art?" (ms 52-56): break after "lovely", leads take it easy on the octave jump on "art", bass don't plod on "cold and lonely"
- tenor/bari, "Mona Lisa" (ms 61-62, at the end): don't get "swipey" with your moving line.
Music of the Night
- "...my music." (m 9, first "my music"): make a production of "sic" and a slight emphasis on the "c".
- Bass solo, "Night time sharpens...", Non-Basses on "ooh" (ms 11-14): All parts - Be there with confidence on the entrance; Non-basses be like violins, no breaths, stagger if necessary.
- Lead - "Soar" (m 34): don't pinch the sound, and don't lean into the swipe as you come down.
- "the darkness of the music of the night" (ms 44-46): this is the loud one, watch the director, he'll let you know.
- "...where you want to be!" (m 52): strength on "be" and throw the frisbee on the cutoff.
- Lead pickup - "Only" (m 52): With confidence.
- "night." (m 71, last word of song): only section leaders provide the "t" on "night."
We Hope to Go Tonight As Scheduled
Gentlemen,
Our coach was delayed but is now in the air on his way to us. They just reduced the Winter Storm watch to an Advisory and indicated less precip than expected on WTOP. I'm cautiously optimistic we can go forward on a regular schedule this evening, but the reports from the weather channel are not as favorable as WTOP so we'll continue to watch and will provide an update one or more times as the afternoon progresses. Hope to see everyone there this evening, but if there is any problem in your area be very careful...we want you there safely!
Brad
Our coach was delayed but is now in the air on his way to us. They just reduced the Winter Storm watch to an Advisory and indicated less precip than expected on WTOP. I'm cautiously optimistic we can go forward on a regular schedule this evening, but the reports from the weather channel are not as favorable as WTOP so we'll continue to watch and will provide an update one or more times as the afternoon progresses. Hope to see everyone there this evening, but if there is any problem in your area be very careful...we want you there safely!
Brad
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Retreat Agenda and Snow/Ice Plans
i all.
Given the poor weather forecast we decided to establish a two possibility plan for tomorrow...assuming that a normal evening is not likely to be in the cards given the current expected conditions. Immediately following the snow/ice options are two possible agendas for the weekend depending on conditions.
1. ASSUMING THE ALEXANDRIA GOVERNMENT OFFICES DO NOT CLOSE, DURANT WILL NOT CLOSE. THEREFORE, ON FRIDAY NIGHT IF WEATHER IS BAD BUT DOES NOT PRECLUDE ANY ARRIVALS AT DURANT AT ALL, WE WILL HOLD THE FRIDAY NIGHT PORTION OF THE RETREAT WITH WHOEVER FEELS THEY CAN SAFELY MAKE THEIR WAY TO DURANT. IF FULL ATTENDANCE IS CLEARLY NOT FEASIBLE RISER PLACEMENT WILL AWAIT SATURDAY'S RETREAT. SMALL GROUP COACHING...REMEDIAL SWING TRAINING...ETC. WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH WHOEVER MAKES IT TO FRIDAY EVENINGS RETREAT.
2. IF THE WEATHER IS SO BAD THAT IT IS NOT ADVISABLE FOR ANYONE TO ATTEMPT TO REACH DURANT WE WILL CANCEL AND ATTEMPT TO START SATURDAY'S REHEARSAL AS PLANNED. SINCE THE STORM IS PROJECTED TO END SOMETIME SATURDAY MORNING, IT IS POSSIBLE WE MAY HAVE TO DELAY THE STARTING TIME...BUT IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY WE WILL CANCEL ALL OF SATURDAY'S RETREAT.
WE WILL OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE INFORMATION ON THE ABOVE OPTIONS BY THE YAHOOGROUPS EMAIL AND ON THE HARMOPHONE at (703)836-0969. INFORMALLY WE WILL ALSO ADD IT TO THE HARMOBLOG. My plan is to provide an update sometime tomorrow before 2:00pm and a final determination no later than 5:00pm
Several applicants who are in process have been invited to attend the retreat. If you have contact info for any applicants who may be planning to attend, please forward this information to them.
Friday
7:00 - 7:10 - Physical Warm-Up
7:10 - 7:30 - Vocal Warm-Up
7:30 - 7:40 - Riser Placement
7:40 - 7:55 - Clap Yo Hands Tag
7:55 - 8:30 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
8:30 - 8:50 - Sectionals
8:50 - 9:00 - I Love You Truly
9:00 - 9:30 - Clap Yo Hands Choreo
9:30 - 10:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
Saturday
9:00 - 9:10 - Physical Warm-Up
9:10 - 9:30 - Vocal Warm-Up
9:30 - 9:45 - I Love You Truly
9:45 - 10:00 - Clap Yo Hands Tag
10:00 - 10:30 - Riser Placement
10:30 - 11:00 - Clap Yo Hands Choreo
11:00 - 12:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
12:00 - 1:30 - Lunch
1:30 - 2:00 - Sectionals
2:00 - 5:00 - Clap Yo Hands
If we cancel Friday and start Saturday late, due to weather, it might look like this:
10:00 - 10:10 - Physical Warm-Up
10:10 - 10:30 - Vocal Warm-Up
10:30 - 10:45 - I Love You Truly
10:45 - 11:15 - Riser Placement
11:15 - 11:40 - Clap Yo Hands Tag
11:40 - 12:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
12:00 - 1:00 - Lunch
1:00 - 1:30 - Sectional
1:30 - 2:30 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
2:30 - 3:15 - Clap Yo Hands Choreo
3:15 - 3:30 - I Love You Truly
3:30 - 5:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
All of the above will be with the appropriate 5-10 min breaks here and there if needed.
Given the poor weather forecast we decided to establish a two possibility plan for tomorrow...assuming that a normal evening is not likely to be in the cards given the current expected conditions. Immediately following the snow/ice options are two possible agendas for the weekend depending on conditions.
1. ASSUMING THE ALEXANDRIA GOVERNMENT OFFICES DO NOT CLOSE, DURANT WILL NOT CLOSE. THEREFORE, ON FRIDAY NIGHT IF WEATHER IS BAD BUT DOES NOT PRECLUDE ANY ARRIVALS AT DURANT AT ALL, WE WILL HOLD THE FRIDAY NIGHT PORTION OF THE RETREAT WITH WHOEVER FEELS THEY CAN SAFELY MAKE THEIR WAY TO DURANT. IF FULL ATTENDANCE IS CLEARLY NOT FEASIBLE RISER PLACEMENT WILL AWAIT SATURDAY'S RETREAT. SMALL GROUP COACHING...REMEDIAL SWING TRAINING...ETC. WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH WHOEVER MAKES IT TO FRIDAY EVENINGS RETREAT.
2. IF THE WEATHER IS SO BAD THAT IT IS NOT ADVISABLE FOR ANYONE TO ATTEMPT TO REACH DURANT WE WILL CANCEL AND ATTEMPT TO START SATURDAY'S REHEARSAL AS PLANNED. SINCE THE STORM IS PROJECTED TO END SOMETIME SATURDAY MORNING, IT IS POSSIBLE WE MAY HAVE TO DELAY THE STARTING TIME...BUT IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY WE WILL CANCEL ALL OF SATURDAY'S RETREAT.
WE WILL OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE INFORMATION ON THE ABOVE OPTIONS BY THE YAHOOGROUPS EMAIL AND ON THE HARMOPHONE at (703)836-0969. INFORMALLY WE WILL ALSO ADD IT TO THE HARMOBLOG. My plan is to provide an update sometime tomorrow before 2:00pm and a final determination no later than 5:00pm
Several applicants who are in process have been invited to attend the retreat. If you have contact info for any applicants who may be planning to attend, please forward this information to them.
Friday
7:00 - 7:10 - Physical Warm-Up
7:10 - 7:30 - Vocal Warm-Up
7:30 - 7:40 - Riser Placement
7:40 - 7:55 - Clap Yo Hands Tag
7:55 - 8:30 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
8:30 - 8:50 - Sectionals
8:50 - 9:00 - I Love You Truly
9:00 - 9:30 - Clap Yo Hands Choreo
9:30 - 10:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
Saturday
9:00 - 9:10 - Physical Warm-Up
9:10 - 9:30 - Vocal Warm-Up
9:30 - 9:45 - I Love You Truly
9:45 - 10:00 - Clap Yo Hands Tag
10:00 - 10:30 - Riser Placement
10:30 - 11:00 - Clap Yo Hands Choreo
11:00 - 12:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
12:00 - 1:30 - Lunch
1:30 - 2:00 - Sectionals
2:00 - 5:00 - Clap Yo Hands
If we cancel Friday and start Saturday late, due to weather, it might look like this:
10:00 - 10:10 - Physical Warm-Up
10:10 - 10:30 - Vocal Warm-Up
10:30 - 10:45 - I Love You Truly
10:45 - 11:15 - Riser Placement
11:15 - 11:40 - Clap Yo Hands Tag
11:40 - 12:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
12:00 - 1:00 - Lunch
1:00 - 1:30 - Sectional
1:30 - 2:30 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
2:30 - 3:15 - Clap Yo Hands Choreo
3:15 - 3:30 - I Love You Truly
3:30 - 5:00 - Clap Yo Hands Vocals
All of the above will be with the appropriate 5-10 min breaks here and there if needed.
updated sheet music and bari file - I Love You Truly
For those of you who have already downloaded the sheet music, I have uploaded today an updated version of "I Love You Truly" that has the composer, arranger and copyright language added. Please print out a copy with the copyright info on the bottom of each page from the updated file and destroy your prior printed copy. Also, for the Baritones...there was a glitch in transmitting the bari predominant learning track that resulted in an electronically produced modification to key and speed. An intact version has been uploaded. The old sheet music file and the old bari file have been removed. The copies you see on the web page are the updated versions. Also, a few people have indicated that they have problems downloading and making a cd for learning purposes. If you run into that situation please let me know and I will arrange for you to get a cd.
Brad
Brad
Looking Back on Feb. 19th Chapter Meeting
Looking Back on Feb. 19th Chapter Meeting
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
If you were there, you saw the grin on Director Joe’s face when he stepped up to direct the NINE risers full of singers this week. Guest nite worked and brought out a lot of first timers to our meeting, and a lot of guys we have not seen for awhile. Which is always a treat.
First thing Joe did was have all the members greet the guest next to them on the risers. And then humorously, he said, “Enough greeting. We have a lot of fun singing to do tonite.” And off it went.
The coffee table was loaded with goodies the Harmo-family brought to share with the guests! Roger brought sodas too and Lew brought some ice to cool’em. Everyone looked sharp in the various shirts with logos – especially the new electric blue ones with the kaki pants. Guys who don’t have these new outfits yet should see Tom Kern.
The evening included a strong work out on “Clap Yo Hands” and “Mona Lisa” and “Happy Feet.” There was a promise to roll out the stage presence plan for “Clap Yo Hands” this weekend at the retreat on Fri nite and all day Sat. Joe asked the guys to consider coming to all or even parts of the weekend.
He also encouraged members to take a serious look the chapter calendar and add chapter events to their schedules, as the calendar was done on purpose, far in advance, so we could all plan ahead with family and work.
A crew of guys (Cerutti, Plaag, McKeever, Kujawa) were in NY this past weekend to learn the SP plan from the creator of the plan. They will then teach the front row and quad leaders and us. All of those guys are really excited about the plan and look forward to seeing us in action.
As part of the chapter meeting, Dick Hall promoted the sale of script cards and encouraged guys to plan ahead and buy from other stores where the chapter gets a larger percentage. Michael Calhoun thanked key players (Bibens, Kahler, D. Hall, Mankin, Klinge, B Jones, Dixie Kennett) in the Singing Valentine effort – 86 orders and a nice net income to help the bottom line. Great stories are coming in, from all around, of warm or funny things that happened when the quartets made their presentations.
Past President Wile did some catch-up work on award presentations that were not made at the annual banquet. Jason and Judson Stewart were given Certificates of Appreciation for their hard work at the fall show and the holiday show – back stage, in the kitchen, or working with set construction. Parents Bill and Jean had great smiles too!!!
There was a special recognition for Assistant Director Tony Colosimo for representing the chapter as a member of Gold Medalist Collegiate Quartet ROADTRIP.
The Harmonizer Honor Award (which we were all wondering about that was not presented at the banquet) was given to Bob Rhome for all he does for the chapter. Well deserved. He was on travel for two or three weeks, and thus the delay to make the presentation.
Service Awards went also to Martin Banks for his successful marketing efforts for the chapter and to Bruce Lauther for his successful booking efforts for the chorus.
Secretary Buechler and President Stamps gave a board member-at-large lapel pin to Brian Miller.
Then it was time to meet all the guests. One surprise was Bob Johnson Jr., past chapter president and leader in the ‘80s, visiting from FL. Ken White assisted Roger in presenting the MANY first-time guest pins tonite too.
After the coffee break and social time, Roger invited all the guests to go to another room where they were given a little more info about the chapter, and taught a couple of tags. When they returned, to a rousing welcome back, the guests sang both tags. Sounded darn good too!!
Then it was turn-around and the chorus performed for the guests with staging and all. And Joe taught the whole gang a great tag that really rang the rafters. It was fun for new and old alike.
Hopefully many of these guys will get a chance to stop by the chorus retreat this weekend at Durant, Fri. nite and all day Sat. There is a surprise coach coming to teach a new tag to “Clap Yo Hands” and help get us fired up on this great new uptune. If you are not active these day , why not come by this weekend and see the excitement. Get a cup of coffee and stay a little while.
Until next time – editorjack!
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
If you were there, you saw the grin on Director Joe’s face when he stepped up to direct the NINE risers full of singers this week. Guest nite worked and brought out a lot of first timers to our meeting, and a lot of guys we have not seen for awhile. Which is always a treat.
First thing Joe did was have all the members greet the guest next to them on the risers. And then humorously, he said, “Enough greeting. We have a lot of fun singing to do tonite.” And off it went.
The coffee table was loaded with goodies the Harmo-family brought to share with the guests! Roger brought sodas too and Lew brought some ice to cool’em. Everyone looked sharp in the various shirts with logos – especially the new electric blue ones with the kaki pants. Guys who don’t have these new outfits yet should see Tom Kern.
The evening included a strong work out on “Clap Yo Hands” and “Mona Lisa” and “Happy Feet.” There was a promise to roll out the stage presence plan for “Clap Yo Hands” this weekend at the retreat on Fri nite and all day Sat. Joe asked the guys to consider coming to all or even parts of the weekend.
He also encouraged members to take a serious look the chapter calendar and add chapter events to their schedules, as the calendar was done on purpose, far in advance, so we could all plan ahead with family and work.
A crew of guys (Cerutti, Plaag, McKeever, Kujawa) were in NY this past weekend to learn the SP plan from the creator of the plan. They will then teach the front row and quad leaders and us. All of those guys are really excited about the plan and look forward to seeing us in action.
As part of the chapter meeting, Dick Hall promoted the sale of script cards and encouraged guys to plan ahead and buy from other stores where the chapter gets a larger percentage. Michael Calhoun thanked key players (Bibens, Kahler, D. Hall, Mankin, Klinge, B Jones, Dixie Kennett) in the Singing Valentine effort – 86 orders and a nice net income to help the bottom line. Great stories are coming in, from all around, of warm or funny things that happened when the quartets made their presentations.
Past President Wile did some catch-up work on award presentations that were not made at the annual banquet. Jason and Judson Stewart were given Certificates of Appreciation for their hard work at the fall show and the holiday show – back stage, in the kitchen, or working with set construction. Parents Bill and Jean had great smiles too!!!
There was a special recognition for Assistant Director Tony Colosimo for representing the chapter as a member of Gold Medalist Collegiate Quartet ROADTRIP.
The Harmonizer Honor Award (which we were all wondering about that was not presented at the banquet) was given to Bob Rhome for all he does for the chapter. Well deserved. He was on travel for two or three weeks, and thus the delay to make the presentation.
Service Awards went also to Martin Banks for his successful marketing efforts for the chapter and to Bruce Lauther for his successful booking efforts for the chorus.
Secretary Buechler and President Stamps gave a board member-at-large lapel pin to Brian Miller.
Then it was time to meet all the guests. One surprise was Bob Johnson Jr., past chapter president and leader in the ‘80s, visiting from FL. Ken White assisted Roger in presenting the MANY first-time guest pins tonite too.
After the coffee break and social time, Roger invited all the guests to go to another room where they were given a little more info about the chapter, and taught a couple of tags. When they returned, to a rousing welcome back, the guests sang both tags. Sounded darn good too!!
Then it was turn-around and the chorus performed for the guests with staging and all. And Joe taught the whole gang a great tag that really rang the rafters. It was fun for new and old alike.
Hopefully many of these guys will get a chance to stop by the chorus retreat this weekend at Durant, Fri. nite and all day Sat. There is a surprise coach coming to teach a new tag to “Clap Yo Hands” and help get us fired up on this great new uptune. If you are not active these day , why not come by this weekend and see the excitement. Get a cup of coffee and stay a little while.
Until next time – editorjack!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
M&P meeting canceled
Gents,
Alexandria Public Schools just cancelled all after school and evening activities, so the M&P meeting scheduled for this evening is cancelled. I will try sending out some thoughts on the issues we needed to discuss this evening by email. If any committees have information or reports to convey please do so by email. Perhaps we can meet briefly during a break in the retreat if any of the issues appear to require some live discussion.
Brad
Alexandria Public Schools just cancelled all after school and evening activities, so the M&P meeting scheduled for this evening is cancelled. I will try sending out some thoughts on the issues we needed to discuss this evening by email. If any committees have information or reports to convey please do so by email. Perhaps we can meet briefly during a break in the retreat if any of the issues appear to require some live discussion.
Brad
M&P Agenda and snow plan
Gents,
If the weather should cause us to have to cancel tonights M&P meeting, I will send an email notice to all of you and I will also use the new Harmo blog to post a notice for those who may be somewhere where they have internet access but can't see their email. Assuming the weather doesn't hold us we have a lot of issues to discuss tonight. The agenda is:
Agenda for M&P Meeting – February 20, 2008
Update as of 9:30am 2/20
1. Scholarship committee – Jack Shields and Harmony
2. Retreat planning – actions/activities
3. Finale training/experts?
4. MMB Recording Program
5. Youth Festival
6. Valentines Lessons Learned
7. Recording session
8. 60th anniversary proposal
9. Committee reports
Brad
If the weather should cause us to have to cancel tonights M&P meeting, I will send an email notice to all of you and I will also use the new Harmo blog to post a notice for those who may be somewhere where they have internet access but can't see their email. Assuming the weather doesn't hold us we have a lot of issues to discuss tonight. The agenda is:
Agenda for M&P Meeting – February 20, 2008
Update as of 9:30am 2/20
1. Scholarship committee – Jack Shields and Harmony
2. Retreat planning – actions/activities
3. Finale training/experts?
4. MMB Recording Program
5. Youth Festival
6. Valentines Lessons Learned
7. Recording session
8. 60th anniversary proposal
9. Committee reports
Brad
Friday, February 15, 2008
Chorus Notes #6 - Chapter Meeting February 12, 2008
SIGN UP FOR VOCAL STUDIOS: Sun Feb 17 - 2-5pm, Thurs Feb 21 - 7-10pmBe sure to bring a recording device, pencil, and music to the vocal studio.
GUEST NIGHT: This coming Tuesday Feb 19
Don't be the odd man out, bring a guest to rehearsal!
RETREAT/COACHING - Fri. Feb 22 7-10pm, Sat. Feb 23 9am-5pm
Don't miss our special guest coach for the retreat!
Thanks to Dean Rust for this weeks installment of chorus notes!
Clap Yo Hands
- first note singers; be ready
- bass, "Chase the hoo do" (m 17): get the words right
- "You do" (m 20): on the beat, first "you do" in m 19 is syncopated.
- "Clap-a yo hands" (ms 29-30): linear singing; "clap" vowel is like vowel in "at"; make the "C" on "Clap" small and get right to the vowel. No fuzziness.
- "thigh. Hallelujah..." (ms 30-31, 54-55): Be ready to go on the downbeat on "Ha" of "Hallelujah". Entrance on "Ha" is too tentative.
- lead, "Come join me" (ms 35-36): need lots of linear singing, here and elsewhere.
- "send him to the devil. Clap-a yo hands" (ms 52-53): Jump right back in on "Clap..." after "devil." Sing it light, but sing it!
Mona Lisa
- "...or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art?" (ms 52-56, begins with lead-bari duet): watch the Director, take some time on "lovely", then break after "lovely"; take it easy on "art"; baris: more melodic on "or just".
- "Mona Lisa" (ms 56-57): you are crying out to her, but be restrained the first time, not too much, you should feel like you have more to give.
- Bari, "Lisa" (m 57): open sound with more presence when you jump to the high note. Have plenty of air and ready to give as soon as you hit the high note, then crescendo but don't lose control.
- "Mona Lisa" (ms 58 to the end): give more on 2nd Mona Lisa, but then back off. lead: have plenty of air, let it flow, don't shut down as you get softer, listen to others and match, unit sound.
GUEST NIGHT: This coming Tuesday Feb 19
Don't be the odd man out, bring a guest to rehearsal!
RETREAT/COACHING - Fri. Feb 22 7-10pm, Sat. Feb 23 9am-5pm
Don't miss our special guest coach for the retreat!
Thanks to Dean Rust for this weeks installment of chorus notes!
Clap Yo Hands
- first note singers; be ready
- bass, "Chase the hoo do" (m 17): get the words right
- "You do" (m 20): on the beat, first "you do" in m 19 is syncopated.
- "Clap-a yo hands" (ms 29-30): linear singing; "clap" vowel is like vowel in "at"; make the "C" on "Clap" small and get right to the vowel. No fuzziness.
- "thigh. Hallelujah..." (ms 30-31, 54-55): Be ready to go on the downbeat on "Ha" of "Hallelujah". Entrance on "Ha" is too tentative.
- lead, "Come join me" (ms 35-36): need lots of linear singing, here and elsewhere.
- "send him to the devil. Clap-a yo hands" (ms 52-53): Jump right back in on "Clap..." after "devil." Sing it light, but sing it!
Mona Lisa
- "...or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art?" (ms 52-56, begins with lead-bari duet): watch the Director, take some time on "lovely", then break after "lovely"; take it easy on "art"; baris: more melodic on "or just".
- "Mona Lisa" (ms 56-57): you are crying out to her, but be restrained the first time, not too much, you should feel like you have more to give.
- Bari, "Lisa" (m 57): open sound with more presence when you jump to the high note. Have plenty of air and ready to give as soon as you hit the high note, then crescendo but don't lose control.
- "Mona Lisa" (ms 58 to the end): give more on 2nd Mona Lisa, but then back off. lead: have plenty of air, let it flow, don't shut down as you get softer, listen to others and match, unit sound.
Looking Back on Feb. 12th Chapter Meeting
Looking Back on Feb. 12th Chapter Meeting
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
The chapter met in Jeff Houston School last nite because Durant was being used as a voting place for the Virginia primary.
But to complicate things – an ice storm hit the whole area about 4 or 5 pm. Streets were not too bad, but overpasses like the new ones in Springfield were solid ice and filled with crashes. People walking had to use the streets as brick sidewalks in Old Town were slick too – tough for the guys coming from Metro stop. But as always, the streets were at a standstill.
The record was about 3 hrs. and 45 min. to get to the meeting. And some of the guys who lived closest took a couple hours.
BUT – from a start of 7 guys or so, there were over 50 guys singing when Director Joe told everyone to get home safely at about 9 pm.
He started with a small circle of guys in the school gym and then as the numbers grew, it became two circles. He worked hard on vocal warm up, and offered some great exercises.
When the crowd swelled, he and Tony worked the chorus on some solid singing for “Clap Your Hands” and “Mona Lisa” – including some sectional work.
There were a couple guests present, and Joe Sawyer was back to see us. And some new guys who are making their way thru the membership process were there too. The ranks are growing!
Next week is the official guest nite. Bring some one!! There will be extra refreshments – the cookies each of us are asked to bring. Joe has a plan to entertain and involve the guests. Roger has asked each of us to bring a guest. This is especially true of some of the new men who had not already brought all their neighbors and buddies. And those of you who read this but don’t get down to Durant each week – come on down on Feb. 19th at 7 pm.
The Singing Valentine project was being managed too during the evening. A crew of us wrote the personal messages in cards that would go out with the quartets when they delivered their songs. I think I heard there were 80 Valentines sold. Good job all.
We did have some goodies to share thanks to the Jordans. (And thanks to Dennis Ritchey who made the coffee and set things up for me last week!) Some of the guys gotta turn around and do it all again on Wed. nite for the Board meeting. Thanks to them for making things run smoothly.
Until next time – editorjack!
(This message is prepared for your review if you were there, for your information if you had to miss, and as a historical record of the great things going on each week at an Alexandria Harmonizer Chapter meeting. —Ye Ed.)
The chapter met in Jeff Houston School last nite because Durant was being used as a voting place for the Virginia primary.
But to complicate things – an ice storm hit the whole area about 4 or 5 pm. Streets were not too bad, but overpasses like the new ones in Springfield were solid ice and filled with crashes. People walking had to use the streets as brick sidewalks in Old Town were slick too – tough for the guys coming from Metro stop. But as always, the streets were at a standstill.
The record was about 3 hrs. and 45 min. to get to the meeting. And some of the guys who lived closest took a couple hours.
BUT – from a start of 7 guys or so, there were over 50 guys singing when Director Joe told everyone to get home safely at about 9 pm.
He started with a small circle of guys in the school gym and then as the numbers grew, it became two circles. He worked hard on vocal warm up, and offered some great exercises.
When the crowd swelled, he and Tony worked the chorus on some solid singing for “Clap Your Hands” and “Mona Lisa” – including some sectional work.
There were a couple guests present, and Joe Sawyer was back to see us. And some new guys who are making their way thru the membership process were there too. The ranks are growing!
Next week is the official guest nite. Bring some one!! There will be extra refreshments – the cookies each of us are asked to bring. Joe has a plan to entertain and involve the guests. Roger has asked each of us to bring a guest. This is especially true of some of the new men who had not already brought all their neighbors and buddies. And those of you who read this but don’t get down to Durant each week – come on down on Feb. 19th at 7 pm.
The Singing Valentine project was being managed too during the evening. A crew of us wrote the personal messages in cards that would go out with the quartets when they delivered their songs. I think I heard there were 80 Valentines sold. Good job all.
We did have some goodies to share thanks to the Jordans. (And thanks to Dennis Ritchey who made the coffee and set things up for me last week!) Some of the guys gotta turn around and do it all again on Wed. nite for the Board meeting. Thanks to them for making things run smoothly.
Until next time – editorjack!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Guest Night
Harmonizers!!!
Last nights rehearsal was so unexpected!!! It took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to go 10 miles, and many of you had a much, much longer commute (I need to teach some of you Virginians how to drive in ice and snow, my friends from Boston would've laughed at the mess last night). I thought we would've never had rehearsal, let alone a productive one! We started with a whopping 7 and ended with around 50+ and had a a surprising and very productive rehearsal. I hope that you all got home safe and I can't thank you enough for coming out in that weather and traffic.
I write you this email to remind you that we have guest night on Tuesday. Please be sure to bring a guest with you. It can be a family member, neighbor, former harmonizer, waiter/bartender at your local watering hold, bag boy at the grocery store, stranger on the street that was humming as he was waling past you, anyone!!! Bring a guest! The format of the rehearsal is going to be very different and geared towards the guests for the evening so be ready for a couple of twists and turns and be ready to showcase your best vocal behavior!
Please remember to wear a shirt with the Harmonizer logo and to bring some sort or refreshment, cookies, chips, cake, etc.
We will be performing, at the very least, Great Day and Music of the Night for the guests at the very beginning of the rehearsal so please brush up on those songs before Tuesday so that we can WOW them from the start!
Thanks for turning a horrible night last night into a fun and productive one! It's GREAT to be a Harmonizer!
Last nights rehearsal was so unexpected!!! It took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to go 10 miles, and many of you had a much, much longer commute (I need to teach some of you Virginians how to drive in ice and snow, my friends from Boston would've laughed at the mess last night). I thought we would've never had rehearsal, let alone a productive one! We started with a whopping 7 and ended with around 50+ and had a a surprising and very productive rehearsal. I hope that you all got home safe and I can't thank you enough for coming out in that weather and traffic.
I write you this email to remind you that we have guest night on Tuesday. Please be sure to bring a guest with you. It can be a family member, neighbor, former harmonizer, waiter/bartender at your local watering hold, bag boy at the grocery store, stranger on the street that was humming as he was waling past you, anyone!!! Bring a guest! The format of the rehearsal is going to be very different and geared towards the guests for the evening so be ready for a couple of twists and turns and be ready to showcase your best vocal behavior!
Please remember to wear a shirt with the Harmonizer logo and to bring some sort or refreshment, cookies, chips, cake, etc.
We will be performing, at the very least, Great Day and Music of the Night for the guests at the very beginning of the rehearsal so please brush up on those songs before Tuesday so that we can WOW them from the start!
Thanks for turning a horrible night last night into a fun and productive one! It's GREAT to be a Harmonizer!
Retreat Coming Soon!!!
Just a friendly reminder...
We have a local retreat scheduled for Fri Night Feb 22 from 7-10pm and all day Sat Feb 23 from 9am-5pm at our regular rehearsal venue, Durant Center. PLEASE plan to attend, this has been on the schedule for quite some time!
During the retreat we will be covering the following:
- voice placement on the risers for international (mucho importante)- heavy duty work on the uptune
- learning new tag to the uptune
- sectional work on unit sound
- beginning work on the ballad
- introduction of choreo for the uptune
- we will have a coach on Saturday to help us with the uptune so please be note and word perfect!
See you at the retreat!
We have a local retreat scheduled for Fri Night Feb 22 from 7-10pm and all day Sat Feb 23 from 9am-5pm at our regular rehearsal venue, Durant Center. PLEASE plan to attend, this has been on the schedule for quite some time!
During the retreat we will be covering the following:
- voice placement on the risers for international (mucho importante)- heavy duty work on the uptune
- learning new tag to the uptune
- sectional work on unit sound
- beginning work on the ballad
- introduction of choreo for the uptune
- we will have a coach on Saturday to help us with the uptune so please be note and word perfect!
See you at the retreat!
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