Looking Back on April 15th 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.)
There was a buzz in the air last nite as many former singers came to Durant to get some rehearsal time for the Reunion chorus songs. So there was a lot of greeting (and whispering – who is that guy over there [ha]). It was great to see them all.
The usual frenzy to get things set up for the chapter and chorus.
After warm ups, we did indeed work on the Reunion songs for the anniversary show coming up next weekend.
Then there were sectionals to work on “Ed Sullivan.” Noted that Wayne Adams was helping with the basses. Front row guys and some fill-in helpers worked on how to manage all the props and their timing. And Nick Aiuto was on had to do the “Lady of Spain” solo. What fun.
We had a review of “God Bless The USA”.
Bob Madigan from WTOP Radio, 103.5, was there to tape some singing and did a few minutes chat with Director Joe.
Then there were a lot of reps for “CLAP” with both music and visuals included. Sure seems to be coming along.
The meeting period included announcements about the request of FRIENDS IN HARMONY for all members to bring cookies, bar cookies, snacks and such for them to sell in the lobby at the show. Bring them before Fri nite show at 6 pm or before Sat shows.
Those who need housing in Nashville, see Bob Rhome. Those who need uniform pieces, see Tom Kern tonite.
President Stamps had the hard task of announcing the death on Monday of Mike Gorham. Services will be Tues, April 22, at 11 am at Everly Wheatly. Singers look for email – but likely at 10:30 and wear suit and tie.
Bibens filled us in on chorus call for a good paying gig on April 23rd at Reagan Bldg. about 9 pm for the Aircraft Electronics Assoc. Thanks to salesman Bruce Lauther.
Saddest news of the nite was only 30% of tickets sold for the three shows this coming weekend.
Bob Sutton filled in for the ailing Roger Day as membership guy – he welcomed former members back to sing, and several guests.
Secretary Buechler recognized Andy Smith for his 32 years of membership; and presented Bob Mattes with his membership packet. Bob is a dual member from Dundalk.
After the break (there was a big effort to keep it to 10 minutes) the chorus sang “Battle Hymn” and then did a chunk of work on “I Love You Truly” and also “Kiss de Girl” and “Music of the Night.”
A new item was on sale tonite – a 60th anniversary wrist watch. Much like the ones we had a few years ago, and only $20 for man’s or woman’s size. Sale continues thru April 29th. Order goes in on May 1st. Members and former members and guests may buy one too. They will be on sale at the show.
Busy nite for the Harmonizers. With more to come just like it. HURRAY!
Until next time – editorjack!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Chorus Notes #16 - Chapter Meeting April 15, 2008
Special Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's chorus notes!
A Place on the Risers for You
- "There will always..." (beginning): connect the sounds, enunciate, no mush mouth, shoot for "ways".
Side by Side
- Learn the song; listen to the recording; bring the music if you need it next week; if you don't know it, don't sing it.
- Intro: tall vowels, lots of support, use whole instrument, all four parts sing "side" when tenors come in. Crescendo the last "side."
- "See that sun in the mornin..": sing it out, needs a lot of energy after the strong intro.
- "Peeking over the hill...": "Peeking" with a "P".
- Lead, "Through all kinds of weather..." (ms 33-34): Get the melody line right, it's different than some are used to.
Climbin Up the Mountain
- "...was a mighty day. Oh Lord" (m 40, key change): "day" is a quarter note, go right on to "Oh".
- "... didn't come here for to stay." (ms 43-44, after key change): straight, not syncopated.
Ed Sullivan
- Watch Will - follow his tempo - don't get distracted.
- Sing out on the "dum dah dah, dah dah dah dum dah dah..."
- Bass: Let's hear the "bm's"
God Bless the USA
- Big sound when chorus enters and then sustain the intensity.
- "ones who died"
- Bari, "and defend her still today": like violins
Clap Yore Hands
- "Clap-a yore hands (m 29, etc): connect the sounds, got to hear the "c" on clap but make it quick and crisp.
- "shake yore shoe time" (m 41): three hand flicks on "shake yore shoe" but no floppy fingers.
- "Come on you children gather around" (Bass solo, ms 63-64): Bass, bring it home, connect the sound, stay on top of the pitch on "round; Lead: on "woe" need presence, but not too loud.
- "(and we will) lose ...called the Voo doo!" (ms 66-69): must be together on "lose"; give a huge punch to "Voo doo."
- "On the sands of time..." (2nd time, ms 71-72): remember to sway, rows 2-3 start to the left, rows 4-5 start to the right, time the sways so you don't stop until "trouble".
- "hands", last chord: no "z", make the "nds" quick.
Battle Hymn
- "Brum" - roll "r" but don't sound the "r" and the roll of the "r" comes before the beat.
- Think subdivide during the intro.
I Love You Truly
- Know where "do" is.
- Watch Joe's hands; make all breaths inaudible; no blank faces; connect with your sweetheart through Joe.
- Baris, "Coming home": Show your pride.
- "Coming home to you.": same vowel on "to" and "you".
- Bass, "sweetheart" (m 14): press through the sound on the slide on "sweet".
- "I love you truly" (ms 17-18: need absolute precision on the entrance, start with an "h" and turn the dipthong together, sustain the energy into the "l" of love.
- Bass, "feel you are near" (ms 27-28): higher on half-step up on "near."
- "...by your side to stand" (ms 38-40): watch Joe for growth in intensity on "stand" in preparation for "Gone."
- "Gone" (m 41): The "G" needs to be on the pitch and from the heart, not hard; target is "aw"; make it a big chord, but not with loud singing, keep it bright and forward.
-"...is the sorrow." (ms 41-42): sustain the intensity through the phrase.
- "For you love me truly" (ms 45-46): quick turn from "tru" to "ly"; Bass, higher on the jump up on "tru."
Kiss the Girl
- "Sha la la la don't be scared you got the mood prepared..." (ms 56-58): with anticipation, sustain energy on "scared" and "prepared", don't hit them and then back off, ditto on subsequent phrases.
- "You got to kiss the" (ms 77-78, near the end):sing out on these barbershop chords.
Music of the Night
- pull pitch off the last note of the recorded intro which is "ti".
- Beginning: the different vowels being sung need to be distinct.
- "Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender' (ms 21-22): no break and Bass bring some emotion to "tremulous"
A Place on the Risers for You
- "There will always..." (beginning): connect the sounds, enunciate, no mush mouth, shoot for "ways".
Side by Side
- Learn the song; listen to the recording; bring the music if you need it next week; if you don't know it, don't sing it.
- Intro: tall vowels, lots of support, use whole instrument, all four parts sing "side" when tenors come in. Crescendo the last "side."
- "See that sun in the mornin..": sing it out, needs a lot of energy after the strong intro.
- "Peeking over the hill...": "Peeking" with a "P".
- Lead, "Through all kinds of weather..." (ms 33-34): Get the melody line right, it's different than some are used to.
Climbin Up the Mountain
- "...was a mighty day. Oh Lord" (m 40, key change): "day" is a quarter note, go right on to "Oh".
- "... didn't come here for to stay." (ms 43-44, after key change): straight, not syncopated.
Ed Sullivan
- Watch Will - follow his tempo - don't get distracted.
- Sing out on the "dum dah dah, dah dah dah dum dah dah..."
- Bass: Let's hear the "bm's"
God Bless the USA
- Big sound when chorus enters and then sustain the intensity.
- "ones who died"
- Bari, "and defend her still today": like violins
Clap Yore Hands
- "Clap-a yore hands (m 29, etc): connect the sounds, got to hear the "c" on clap but make it quick and crisp.
- "shake yore shoe time" (m 41): three hand flicks on "shake yore shoe" but no floppy fingers.
- "Come on you children gather around" (Bass solo, ms 63-64): Bass, bring it home, connect the sound, stay on top of the pitch on "round; Lead: on "woe" need presence, but not too loud.
- "(and we will) lose ...called the Voo doo!" (ms 66-69): must be together on "lose"; give a huge punch to "Voo doo."
- "On the sands of time..." (2nd time, ms 71-72): remember to sway, rows 2-3 start to the left, rows 4-5 start to the right, time the sways so you don't stop until "trouble".
- "hands", last chord: no "z", make the "nds" quick.
Battle Hymn
- "Brum" - roll "r" but don't sound the "r" and the roll of the "r" comes before the beat.
- Think subdivide during the intro.
I Love You Truly
- Know where "do" is.
- Watch Joe's hands; make all breaths inaudible; no blank faces; connect with your sweetheart through Joe.
- Baris, "Coming home": Show your pride.
- "Coming home to you.": same vowel on "to" and "you".
- Bass, "sweetheart" (m 14): press through the sound on the slide on "sweet".
- "I love you truly" (ms 17-18: need absolute precision on the entrance, start with an "h" and turn the dipthong together, sustain the energy into the "l" of love.
- Bass, "feel you are near" (ms 27-28): higher on half-step up on "near."
- "...by your side to stand" (ms 38-40): watch Joe for growth in intensity on "stand" in preparation for "Gone."
- "Gone" (m 41): The "G" needs to be on the pitch and from the heart, not hard; target is "aw"; make it a big chord, but not with loud singing, keep it bright and forward.
-"...is the sorrow." (ms 41-42): sustain the intensity through the phrase.
- "For you love me truly" (ms 45-46): quick turn from "tru" to "ly"; Bass, higher on the jump up on "tru."
Kiss the Girl
- "Sha la la la don't be scared you got the mood prepared..." (ms 56-58): with anticipation, sustain energy on "scared" and "prepared", don't hit them and then back off, ditto on subsequent phrases.
- "You got to kiss the" (ms 77-78, near the end):sing out on these barbershop chords.
Music of the Night
- pull pitch off the last note of the recorded intro which is "ti".
- Beginning: the different vowels being sung need to be distinct.
- "Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender' (ms 21-22): no break and Bass bring some emotion to "tremulous"
Monday, April 14, 2008
New Learning Tracks available
Gentlemen,Tony has provided the Last Kids Picked recording of Mona Lisa that has the interp/breathing that he wants in that song. Get it in the Mona Lisa learning track folder. It is labeled "Mona Lisa for the harmonizers". Also now posted are complete learning tracks for Side-by-Side and Climbin Up the Mountain. Brad
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Chorus Notes # 15 - Chapter Meeting April 8, 2008
Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's rehearsal notes
General
- two weeks to Spring Tonic; be very attentive and ready to sing; lots to cover.
- Please learn the songs for the reunion chorus (Place on Risers, Side-by-Side, Climbin' Up the Mountain); Former Musical Directors Bud Arberg and John Hohl will be conducting.
Craft
- "I Love You Truly" gives judges many opportunities to determine how well we sing in tune.
- Must remain faithful to the tonal center; know where "doe" is as you sing your part.
- Don't "short-change" yourself on the "cents" between 1/2 steps.
- Recall the drill on the verse; sing-lip sync-sing-lip-sync; practice at home with a pitch-pipe.
Place on the Risers
Side-by-Side
Climbin' Up the Mountain
- recall the rhythmic traps: (i) non-leads, "climbin" (m 9) is off the beat; (ii) non-basses, "ha-le-lu" is on the beat, then off the beat; (iii) "never more" is off (m 5), on (m 13), off (m 45); and (iv) "for to" is on the beat (m 43, after key change).
- last three measures: learn the notes; basses, some of you were not going high enough on "judge."
Lift Up My Head
Almost Like Being in Love
-Watch Joe; he's giving lots of interpretive direction.
- "Maybe the sun...": smooth and connected, a little more on "sun".
- "for I could swim Loch Lomond...": sing lighter.
- "What a" (pick up to the chorus): back off a little on "a" and don't change your mouth posture (don't go wide).
Drunken Sailor
- Leads to be tested individually next week on ms 122-128; baris are next as a group.
Great Day
- Lots of interpretion in the verse is not being performed; instead of squaring off at the beginning, go to center audience and keep your peripheral on Joe.
- Focal goes to Joe for the refrain "When you're down and out..."
- Focal goes back to center audience at the Tag.
Clap Yore Hands
- Performance with choreo has led some to oversing; be careful.
- Intro - duration (again), start with a purpose, good oh vowel
- "Clap-a-yore-hands, Slap-a-your-thigh": crescendo on "hands" and "thigh"
- "Hallelujah, hallelujah, everybody...": Sing through it, don't let the choreo move on "jah" cause you to break the flow of sound.
- "On the sands of time...(first time)": eyes on Joe for choreo direction; smooth singing
- "Join the Jubilee Oh me Oh my Oh me Oh" (ms 58-62): turn out (along the risers) on "lee", keep facial focal to CA, break after "lee", no break through the rest of the phrase with a little extra push on "my" as you make the key change, sustain support after the key change to help set up the bass solo.
- "Everybody come along" (ms 83-84, near the end after the 4th Clap-a-yore hands): the turn to the left starts on "everybody"
- ripples near the end: make the turns quick, flash your hand with spread fingers.
- Movement on last chord: 12 (4 + 8) count starts from a crouch; 1-4 arms up slowly, bring hands together, still in crouch; and then on a new count from 1-7 slowly stand up and slowly spread arms, 8 recover.
- Last chord "Hands": emphasize "nds" on cutoff.
I Love You Truly
- Feel the song, show it in your vocal and visual presentations.
- You need to be in a solid singing position to start the song; get a good breath; take responsibility for being on top of the pitch when you start the song.
- Bari: too thin at the start, need all your resonances.
- Lead, "Coming home to you" (ms 1-3): make sure you're on top of the pitch on "you".
- "Coming home to you is...": feel and show the musical tension on "is" (m 3); ditto for the first chord on "life" (m 7).
- "I love you truly, truly dear" (ms 17-20): no sliding from note to note.
Happy Feet
- Keep moves small, even smaller, all the time
- "Charle-ston, Charle-ston, and even the rhumba": crescendo on "ston" both times, and have a good face on "rhumba".
- "Weary blues don't get into my shoes" (reprise, ms 77-79): faces, there are no choreographed moves for a few measures and the faces tend to drop out.
Mona Lisa
- Interpretation to be used on the Tonic will be sent to you. Please study it.
- Watch Director. It goes much better when you do this; otherwise there is a tendency to go too slow.
Jezebel
- Watch Joe at the end, "Night and day, every way etc."
General
- two weeks to Spring Tonic; be very attentive and ready to sing; lots to cover.
- Please learn the songs for the reunion chorus (Place on Risers, Side-by-Side, Climbin' Up the Mountain); Former Musical Directors Bud Arberg and John Hohl will be conducting.
Craft
- "I Love You Truly" gives judges many opportunities to determine how well we sing in tune.
- Must remain faithful to the tonal center; know where "doe" is as you sing your part.
- Don't "short-change" yourself on the "cents" between 1/2 steps.
- Recall the drill on the verse; sing-lip sync-sing-lip-sync; practice at home with a pitch-pipe.
Place on the Risers
Side-by-Side
Climbin' Up the Mountain
- recall the rhythmic traps: (i) non-leads, "climbin" (m 9) is off the beat; (ii) non-basses, "ha-le-lu" is on the beat, then off the beat; (iii) "never more" is off (m 5), on (m 13), off (m 45); and (iv) "for to" is on the beat (m 43, after key change).
- last three measures: learn the notes; basses, some of you were not going high enough on "judge."
Lift Up My Head
Almost Like Being in Love
-Watch Joe; he's giving lots of interpretive direction.
- "Maybe the sun...": smooth and connected, a little more on "sun".
- "for I could swim Loch Lomond...": sing lighter.
- "What a" (pick up to the chorus): back off a little on "a" and don't change your mouth posture (don't go wide).
Drunken Sailor
- Leads to be tested individually next week on ms 122-128; baris are next as a group.
Great Day
- Lots of interpretion in the verse is not being performed; instead of squaring off at the beginning, go to center audience and keep your peripheral on Joe.
- Focal goes to Joe for the refrain "When you're down and out..."
- Focal goes back to center audience at the Tag.
Clap Yore Hands
- Performance with choreo has led some to oversing; be careful.
- Intro - duration (again), start with a purpose, good oh vowel
- "Clap-a-yore-hands, Slap-a-your-thigh": crescendo on "hands" and "thigh"
- "Hallelujah, hallelujah, everybody...": Sing through it, don't let the choreo move on "jah" cause you to break the flow of sound.
- "On the sands of time...(first time)": eyes on Joe for choreo direction; smooth singing
- "Join the Jubilee Oh me Oh my Oh me Oh" (ms 58-62): turn out (along the risers) on "lee", keep facial focal to CA, break after "lee", no break through the rest of the phrase with a little extra push on "my" as you make the key change, sustain support after the key change to help set up the bass solo.
- "Everybody come along" (ms 83-84, near the end after the 4th Clap-a-yore hands): the turn to the left starts on "everybody"
- ripples near the end: make the turns quick, flash your hand with spread fingers.
- Movement on last chord: 12 (4 + 8) count starts from a crouch; 1-4 arms up slowly, bring hands together, still in crouch; and then on a new count from 1-7 slowly stand up and slowly spread arms, 8 recover.
- Last chord "Hands": emphasize "nds" on cutoff.
I Love You Truly
- Feel the song, show it in your vocal and visual presentations.
- You need to be in a solid singing position to start the song; get a good breath; take responsibility for being on top of the pitch when you start the song.
- Bari: too thin at the start, need all your resonances.
- Lead, "Coming home to you" (ms 1-3): make sure you're on top of the pitch on "you".
- "Coming home to you is...": feel and show the musical tension on "is" (m 3); ditto for the first chord on "life" (m 7).
- "I love you truly, truly dear" (ms 17-20): no sliding from note to note.
Happy Feet
- Keep moves small, even smaller, all the time
- "Charle-ston, Charle-ston, and even the rhumba": crescendo on "ston" both times, and have a good face on "rhumba".
- "Weary blues don't get into my shoes" (reprise, ms 77-79): faces, there are no choreographed moves for a few measures and the faces tend to drop out.
Mona Lisa
- Interpretation to be used on the Tonic will be sent to you. Please study it.
- Watch Director. It goes much better when you do this; otherwise there is a tendency to go too slow.
Jezebel
- Watch Joe at the end, "Night and day, every way etc."
Friday, April 4, 2008
Looking Back on April 1st 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.)
First off, great to see Carolyn Hall back at her post on Tuesday with the 50/50 tickets and Script cards to sell.
First thing after the 7 pm start was the terrific first-time appearance of another new chapter quartet. PRIME TIME with Sutton, Plaag, Ken White and TJ Barranger who directs Ann Arundel chapter.
They were also testing a new chapter idea – to use a mic when a quartet sings in front of the chapter since that huge room in Durant just eats up the sound. Was good.
Director Joe thanked folks for attending the recent round of Studios – nearly 100%. He did remind everyone that they need to attend at least one of the visual studios that are coming up at the dance studio (that is where we got the name for these workouts in the first place).
Then the chorus worked hard on “Clap” with the front row out in the lobby working with their new benches Bill Stewart made. We are all eager to see the routine. Some new guys are in front row these days – Scipio Garling, Patrick Kim and brand new member Kyle Blomgren.
Next was a revival of “Kiss de Girl” with Ken White doing the solo part up front and Roger Day continuing in the duet roll. Rhythm was done by Blair, Plaag and Cameron.
During the chapter meeting period, President Stamps thanked Brad Jones for all the work that made this past weekend’s Harmony Youth Festival such a success. About 60 students and 4 or 5 music educators, including former Harmonizer Alan Weberg, participated. Brad thanked lots of chapter members and their partners who helped with the work of the day starting with set up Friday nite, food prep and serving and clean up, teaching and registering, preparing packets including the special t-shirt Roger had made, putting on the show Sat nite for a crowd of over 100, and bringing in lots of goodies to share. Friends in Harmony were a big help too.
President Stamps also gave an early warning that we are hosting the Southern Division Contest in Reston on Memorial Day weekend – Friday and Saturday, May 23 and 24. It makes us some needed cash and is a way for guys to get in on the action of barbershop outside the chapter. Section chiefs have been lined up and so be ready to offer to help when they call you to assist. Certainly a good way for non-singers to get in on the fun too.
The usual reminders were made to see Nick or Steve Murane regarding selling tickets; Tom Kraus about selling program ads; Ike Evans for new photos.
There was word announced of a paying job lined up by Bruce Lauther for the chorus on April 23rd – so mark your calendar.
Secretary Buechler presented the following membership cards: Bob Rhome for 7 years; Brad Jones , 16 years; Dennis Ritchey, 16 years; TJ Jones, 17 years; Gerry Levine, 21 years; Terry Jordan, 44 years and 8 Men of Note; Bob Wachter, 56 years and 12 Men of Note.
The usual guest announcement routine and welcome song preceded the break. There were lots of goodies left from the weekend, including pie which got gobbled up first!
After break, there was a review of “Lady of Spain” including all the front row antics; and then a few minutes on realigning the chorus. Evening ended with more solid work on contest songs. And the admonition to work on music at home; AND to take note of what is being planned for next Tuesday nite when you get the schedule via email mid week.
It was Ken White’s nite – he also won the raffle and directed the send off song.
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.)
First off, great to see Carolyn Hall back at her post on Tuesday with the 50/50 tickets and Script cards to sell.
First thing after the 7 pm start was the terrific first-time appearance of another new chapter quartet. PRIME TIME with Sutton, Plaag, Ken White and TJ Barranger who directs Ann Arundel chapter.
They were also testing a new chapter idea – to use a mic when a quartet sings in front of the chapter since that huge room in Durant just eats up the sound. Was good.
Director Joe thanked folks for attending the recent round of Studios – nearly 100%. He did remind everyone that they need to attend at least one of the visual studios that are coming up at the dance studio (that is where we got the name for these workouts in the first place).
Then the chorus worked hard on “Clap” with the front row out in the lobby working with their new benches Bill Stewart made. We are all eager to see the routine. Some new guys are in front row these days – Scipio Garling, Patrick Kim and brand new member Kyle Blomgren.
Next was a revival of “Kiss de Girl” with Ken White doing the solo part up front and Roger Day continuing in the duet roll. Rhythm was done by Blair, Plaag and Cameron.
During the chapter meeting period, President Stamps thanked Brad Jones for all the work that made this past weekend’s Harmony Youth Festival such a success. About 60 students and 4 or 5 music educators, including former Harmonizer Alan Weberg, participated. Brad thanked lots of chapter members and their partners who helped with the work of the day starting with set up Friday nite, food prep and serving and clean up, teaching and registering, preparing packets including the special t-shirt Roger had made, putting on the show Sat nite for a crowd of over 100, and bringing in lots of goodies to share. Friends in Harmony were a big help too.
President Stamps also gave an early warning that we are hosting the Southern Division Contest in Reston on Memorial Day weekend – Friday and Saturday, May 23 and 24. It makes us some needed cash and is a way for guys to get in on the action of barbershop outside the chapter. Section chiefs have been lined up and so be ready to offer to help when they call you to assist. Certainly a good way for non-singers to get in on the fun too.
The usual reminders were made to see Nick or Steve Murane regarding selling tickets; Tom Kraus about selling program ads; Ike Evans for new photos.
There was word announced of a paying job lined up by Bruce Lauther for the chorus on April 23rd – so mark your calendar.
Secretary Buechler presented the following membership cards: Bob Rhome for 7 years; Brad Jones , 16 years; Dennis Ritchey, 16 years; TJ Jones, 17 years; Gerry Levine, 21 years; Terry Jordan, 44 years and 8 Men of Note; Bob Wachter, 56 years and 12 Men of Note.
The usual guest announcement routine and welcome song preceded the break. There were lots of goodies left from the weekend, including pie which got gobbled up first!
After break, there was a review of “Lady of Spain” including all the front row antics; and then a few minutes on realigning the chorus. Evening ended with more solid work on contest songs. And the admonition to work on music at home; AND to take note of what is being planned for next Tuesday nite when you get the schedule via email mid week.
It was Ken White’s nite – he also won the raffle and directed the send off song.
Until next time – editorjack!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Chorus Notes #13 - Chapter Meeting March 25, 2008
Special Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's rehearsal notes.
General
- Focus; on top of your game every second of rehearsal; no talking on the risers.
- Have the instrument ready when the Director raises his hands.
- Good singing posture.
- Off the music by April 8 on "From This Moment On"
Climbin' Up the Mountain
- Word change, Lead (m 9): "Climbin' up the mountain" NOT "Climbin' in the judgment"
- Word change, Bass, (m 17): "Jonah" NOT "Hannah"
- non-basses: "Hal-le-lu" is on the beat in ms 18, 26,34, and on the off-beat in ms 20, 28, 36.
Side By Side
Bass, "Sing-in' a song" (ms 51-52): easy on the upper octave on "in", let Bari handle it.
Music of the Night
- learn the words
- follow the Director
- Intro: Lead - More of the lyric line, need to understand the words; non-leads - back off a little.
- "Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation" (m 11), first Bass solo: Bass, more emotion (here and in other solo passages), breathless quality; non-basses, more support.
- "darkness of the Music of the Night" (ms 45-46): more on "Night"
- last measure: only section leaders put "t" on "night"
From This Moment On
- Off the music by April 8
- "Hang on baby" (m 89): return to tempo.
Great Day
- Remember dynamic plan at the beginning.
- Bass, "...there's a Great Day." (ms 23-24): review the entire line (after the dms), there are 2 beats on "Day" before the octave jump.
- " Ta, ta, ta, ta, It's not far ..." (ms 36-37): Carry over to "It's", no break.
Happy Feet
- Keep the choreo moves small and crisp.
- Choreo move on the last chord: knees bent, move slowly out to audience first with knees still bent, and then straighten up.
- "Wha-da-dance, do we do" (ms 1-2): Keep "Wha-da-dance" smooth and connected; crescendo on "dance" and carry that volume over to the first "do".
- "Lordy" (m 3): the swipe is fast, as is the move with the hat.
- "Happy Feet..." (ms 13-14): remember to increase energy through "Feet-2-3" and also on "beat", "those", "toes", "blues", "shoes", "refuse".
- Don't speed up the quarter notes during Happy Feet, i.e. on "I got those", "give them a", "ten li-ttle", "and when they", "I can't con-trol my", "to save my soul", "can't get in", "be-cause my".
Clap A Yore Hands
- Intro: duration
- Lead, "Come on you children": tell the story.
- "Clap a yore hands" (m 29): lighter, but with energy, let the rhythm tell the story.
- Lead, "slap a yore thigh" (m 30, etc.): don't change your vocal instrument as the notes go up.
- Non-leads, "Come join the jubilee" (ms 35-36): emphasis on "join" and "ju" of "jubilee".
- Tenor-Bass, "Don't lose time" (ms 39-40)": with drama, make each note go somewhere.
- "Come on you children gather around", bass melody (m 63): Bass, make it swing, not heavy, tell the story, don't make it stale, put a vocal inflection on "gather"; Non-bass, nice clean "oh", lots of resonance; Tenor, a little punch as you move to the next "oh"; Lead/Bari, spin the sound as the tenors move.
- "Clap a yore hands", 4th time (m 80): Bass melody, let's hear it; non-Bass, lighter.
- "Come a-long and", new tag, (ms 88-90): smooth and connected.
- Bass, "C'mon you children" (m 92): cool it, yield to Bari on high notes on "C'mon".
- Bass, "gather a-round" #2 of 4 (m 94): upper octave
C-flat tends be under the pitch. Fix it.
I Love You Truly
- Follow the Director (for the umpteenth time)
General
- Focus; on top of your game every second of rehearsal; no talking on the risers.
- Have the instrument ready when the Director raises his hands.
- Good singing posture.
- Off the music by April 8 on "From This Moment On"
Climbin' Up the Mountain
- Word change, Lead (m 9): "Climbin' up the mountain" NOT "Climbin' in the judgment"
- Word change, Bass, (m 17): "Jonah" NOT "Hannah"
- non-basses: "Hal-le-lu" is on the beat in ms 18, 26,34, and on the off-beat in ms 20, 28, 36.
Side By Side
Bass, "Sing-in' a song" (ms 51-52): easy on the upper octave on "in", let Bari handle it.
Music of the Night
- learn the words
- follow the Director
- Intro: Lead - More of the lyric line, need to understand the words; non-leads - back off a little.
- "Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation" (m 11), first Bass solo: Bass, more emotion (here and in other solo passages), breathless quality; non-basses, more support.
- "darkness of the Music of the Night" (ms 45-46): more on "Night"
- last measure: only section leaders put "t" on "night"
From This Moment On
- Off the music by April 8
- "Hang on baby" (m 89): return to tempo.
Great Day
- Remember dynamic plan at the beginning.
- Bass, "...there's a Great Day." (ms 23-24): review the entire line (after the dms), there are 2 beats on "Day" before the octave jump.
- " Ta, ta, ta, ta, It's not far ..." (ms 36-37): Carry over to "It's", no break.
Happy Feet
- Keep the choreo moves small and crisp.
- Choreo move on the last chord: knees bent, move slowly out to audience first with knees still bent, and then straighten up.
- "Wha-da-dance, do we do" (ms 1-2): Keep "Wha-da-dance" smooth and connected; crescendo on "dance" and carry that volume over to the first "do".
- "Lordy" (m 3): the swipe is fast, as is the move with the hat.
- "Happy Feet..." (ms 13-14): remember to increase energy through "Feet-2-3" and also on "beat", "those", "toes", "blues", "shoes", "refuse".
- Don't speed up the quarter notes during Happy Feet, i.e. on "I got those", "give them a", "ten li-ttle", "and when they", "I can't con-trol my", "to save my soul", "can't get in", "be-cause my".
Clap A Yore Hands
- Intro: duration
- Lead, "Come on you children": tell the story.
- "Clap a yore hands" (m 29): lighter, but with energy, let the rhythm tell the story.
- Lead, "slap a yore thigh" (m 30, etc.): don't change your vocal instrument as the notes go up.
- Non-leads, "Come join the jubilee" (ms 35-36): emphasis on "join" and "ju" of "jubilee".
- Tenor-Bass, "Don't lose time" (ms 39-40)": with drama, make each note go somewhere.
- "Come on you children gather around", bass melody (m 63): Bass, make it swing, not heavy, tell the story, don't make it stale, put a vocal inflection on "gather"; Non-bass, nice clean "oh", lots of resonance; Tenor, a little punch as you move to the next "oh"; Lead/Bari, spin the sound as the tenors move.
- "Clap a yore hands", 4th time (m 80): Bass melody, let's hear it; non-Bass, lighter.
- "Come a-long and", new tag, (ms 88-90): smooth and connected.
- Bass, "C'mon you children" (m 92): cool it, yield to Bari on high notes on "C'mon".
- Bass, "gather a-round" #2 of 4 (m 94): upper octave
C-flat tends be under the pitch. Fix it.
I Love You Truly
- Follow the Director (for the umpteenth time)
Looking Back On March 25th Chapter Meeting
Looking Back on March 25th 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.)
Director Joe called the chorus to the risers at 7 pm with the familiar “Harmonizers on the Risers” and the usual hustle to all get papers put away and get into your spot on the risers. That was the kick off for the usual physical and musical warm ups.
Joe took us all through “Side By Side” and “Climbin Up The Mountain” in prep for the 60th anniversary reunion chorus spot on the show this spring. Already anniversary chair, Terry Jordan, has gotten about 25 former member signed up to learn the three songs and sing.
I also heard Jordan talking about the anniversary potluck later in the year and a “talent show” with Harmonizers and their families or friends. We did it years ago and it was lots of fun (Wonder if Savage still plays guitar? Or do you think Wilt would come up from Richmond?) So start thinking of it for yourself or encourage another member to start working on his act. No quartets in this one, tho. Maybe a famous MC will be hired.
Joe thanked Brad Jones for the tons of work he has done in preparing and planning the Youth Festival this weekend. The chorus did a work session on “Music of the Night” which the chorus will sing on the Saturday nite show with and for the students. It starts at 7 and the chorus needs to be there about 6. Wear the new blue shirt with some kind of kaki pants or as close as possible to that if you don’t have the shirt. We need more singers to attend. I do know that a set up crew is slated for Friday nite to get risers in place and chairs up and all of that.
And I know that another cake or two, or a few more big plates of cookies, would help feed the 60 plus students and the 8 or 10 music educators during lunch and dinner. You can drop them off Friday nite or before 11 am on Saturday. All events are at Durant.
The chorus tackled the new arrangement by John Hohl of “From This Moment On” for the first time. Lots of chatter around about it being a great new tune. But it is not an easy one, so there is work to do – in a hurry. Joe did invite any guys who had prepared to sing it today without music to come forward and so an octet of guys did so and it was darn good.
The troops regrouped back into their new risers positions and worked on hats for “Happy Feet” and did a solid review on SP for “Great Day.”
During the chapter meeting, Rhome thanked the four guys who put up risers tonite and solicited help for take down.
President Stamps reported that Carolyn Hall was in the hospital for tests and that Larry Silva is home and recovering with help from Cathy.
Joe thanked Steve White for taking on the Tuesday nite scheduling job needed to plan in advance the music to be sung or practiced, who would do what and how much time would be spent. Also for getting it done each week in advance to go in the HarmoGram published by Riffer. Everyone gets that and can (or should) prepare themselves for Tuesday nite rehearsal.
Ike Evans continues his photo project of updating the Harmo picture board in the meeting room. So if your picture is out-of-date, see Ike for a reshoot.
Spring Tonic business manager, Tom Kraus, pleaded for more men to sell show program ads. (I decided to just buy one myself.)
Secretary Buechler and Membership VP Day welcomed two newest members – Kyle Blomgren, a new bass, and Max Kieba, a new tenor. Chris also presented membership renewals to Dan O’Brien for 3 years, Arthur Lewis for 13 years, and Ken Ives for 23 years.
Roger Day welcomed guests present and encouraged all of us to use the supply of voucher cards he can give you that entitles you to a free show ticket if you bring a guest. See him to explain it better.
Someone also announced that show flyers went out last week, so now is the time to alert your customer list to get their orders in. See Nick or Steve Murane regarding tickets.
After eating lots of goodies and drinking the 40 cups of coffee, the singers went to work on “Clap” both musical and visual details.
Busy and hard working evening in the old Harmo Hall. And did you notice that Steve Murane wore his Pitzer College sweatshirt too!
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.)
Director Joe called the chorus to the risers at 7 pm with the familiar “Harmonizers on the Risers” and the usual hustle to all get papers put away and get into your spot on the risers. That was the kick off for the usual physical and musical warm ups.
Joe took us all through “Side By Side” and “Climbin Up The Mountain” in prep for the 60th anniversary reunion chorus spot on the show this spring. Already anniversary chair, Terry Jordan, has gotten about 25 former member signed up to learn the three songs and sing.
I also heard Jordan talking about the anniversary potluck later in the year and a “talent show” with Harmonizers and their families or friends. We did it years ago and it was lots of fun (Wonder if Savage still plays guitar? Or do you think Wilt would come up from Richmond?) So start thinking of it for yourself or encourage another member to start working on his act. No quartets in this one, tho. Maybe a famous MC will be hired.
Joe thanked Brad Jones for the tons of work he has done in preparing and planning the Youth Festival this weekend. The chorus did a work session on “Music of the Night” which the chorus will sing on the Saturday nite show with and for the students. It starts at 7 and the chorus needs to be there about 6. Wear the new blue shirt with some kind of kaki pants or as close as possible to that if you don’t have the shirt. We need more singers to attend. I do know that a set up crew is slated for Friday nite to get risers in place and chairs up and all of that.
And I know that another cake or two, or a few more big plates of cookies, would help feed the 60 plus students and the 8 or 10 music educators during lunch and dinner. You can drop them off Friday nite or before 11 am on Saturday. All events are at Durant.
The chorus tackled the new arrangement by John Hohl of “From This Moment On” for the first time. Lots of chatter around about it being a great new tune. But it is not an easy one, so there is work to do – in a hurry. Joe did invite any guys who had prepared to sing it today without music to come forward and so an octet of guys did so and it was darn good.
The troops regrouped back into their new risers positions and worked on hats for “Happy Feet” and did a solid review on SP for “Great Day.”
During the chapter meeting, Rhome thanked the four guys who put up risers tonite and solicited help for take down.
President Stamps reported that Carolyn Hall was in the hospital for tests and that Larry Silva is home and recovering with help from Cathy.
Joe thanked Steve White for taking on the Tuesday nite scheduling job needed to plan in advance the music to be sung or practiced, who would do what and how much time would be spent. Also for getting it done each week in advance to go in the HarmoGram published by Riffer. Everyone gets that and can (or should) prepare themselves for Tuesday nite rehearsal.
Ike Evans continues his photo project of updating the Harmo picture board in the meeting room. So if your picture is out-of-date, see Ike for a reshoot.
Spring Tonic business manager, Tom Kraus, pleaded for more men to sell show program ads. (I decided to just buy one myself.)
Secretary Buechler and Membership VP Day welcomed two newest members – Kyle Blomgren, a new bass, and Max Kieba, a new tenor. Chris also presented membership renewals to Dan O’Brien for 3 years, Arthur Lewis for 13 years, and Ken Ives for 23 years.
Roger Day welcomed guests present and encouraged all of us to use the supply of voucher cards he can give you that entitles you to a free show ticket if you bring a guest. See him to explain it better.
Someone also announced that show flyers went out last week, so now is the time to alert your customer list to get their orders in. See Nick or Steve Murane regarding tickets.
After eating lots of goodies and drinking the 40 cups of coffee, the singers went to work on “Clap” both musical and visual details.
Busy and hard working evening in the old Harmo Hall. And did you notice that Steve Murane wore his Pitzer College sweatshirt too!
Until next time – editorjack!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Chorus Notes # 12 - Chapter Meeting March 18, 2008
Special Thanks to Dean Rust for this week's rehearsal notes!
General
- Follow the Director (oft repeated).
- Be on top of your game during chorus rehearsal; think, anticipate, be ready to sing, use good vocal technique. "Vocal technique is paramount" (J. Cerruti, 1-3-08)
- (See a few reminders at the end of this E-mail from previous notes.)
Clap Yore Hands (aka Nashville Uptune)
(from Stephanie and Joe)
- General: Watch Joe for texture changes, exploit them, need more dynamic variation; feel the pulse (subdivide); sing a connected vocal line; sustain vocal quality through phrases, maintain quality vocal production even as the notes jump around.
- Intro: Lead, be on the money on that minor third; All, don't short-change the last "oh" in each sequence, give full duration.
- "Clap-a-yore-hands" (m 29): begins a new part of the song, should see and feel a difference.
- "jubilee, oh, me, oh, my" (ms 58-60): break after "lee".
- Lead, reminder to cool it on "slap a yore thigh, don't ya lose time" (ms 81-82) near the end when you jump up high.
I Love You Truly
(from Stephanie and Joe)
- Learn the music.
- Get involved in the passion of this Roger Payne arrangement.
- Watch's Joe's direction to make sure all are striking the target vowels at the same time.
- Sustain energy through the breaths. Breathe on Joe's direction.
- "Ah yes tis something" (ms 33-34): marks the takeoff point, build toward the "Gone" phrase; break after "yes" the first time, carry over the second time (opposite from the sheet music); the breath after "yes" should be alive, full of emotion; Bari - there is no move the first time on "some" of "something.
- "doubt and fear" (ms 43-44): Lead, do not move on "fear", get it right or you'll be having sectionals at Joe's. Tenor (1st) and Bari (2nd) move, Lead and Bass do not.
- "For you love me truly" (ms 45-46): watch Joe for tempo, don't drag it; Bari - get up there on "love me"
- "So come be my wife" (ms 48-50): Lead - "be" is whole step lower than "come"; non-leads - be ready to join the phrase on "come" after lead pickup.
- "The joy of my life" (ms 50-52): lock the chord on "life" and then press into the swipe with more volume. Keep chin level, maintain correct singing posture. Bring a little more brightness and brilliance to your tone to enhance intensity.
Mona Lisa
- Follow the Director.
- Three major points: don't go slow, watch Director for breaks at the end, sing well in the middle.
- Have lots of air, connected singing. Think of lyric line. Paint the picture before starting to tell the story
- "In a villa" (m 1): stress first syllable of "villa" just as if you were speaking it. Target vowel for second syllable is "uh" not "ah".
- "What does she want?" (ms 13-14): more emotion.
- "Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art." (ms 52-56): Lead - keep the pitch up on "or just a"; All - break after "lovely" but keep the energy flowing throughout the line; think of the emotional contrast between this line and the previous one ("Are you warm, are you real").
- Bari - "Mona Lisa" (ms 56-57, right after "lovely work of art"): open up on the higher note on "sa" of"Lisa".
Almost Like Being in Love
- "Maybe the sun" (m 1): Lead - more lyrical; Bass - lighten it up, don't plod; Tenor/Bari - don't be late.
- "All the music of life seems to be" (2nd time): stay in tempo, this is a change from previous interp.
From Previous Notes
- "Be ready to sing" includes proper stance, facial involvement and energy in body, instrument ready when D's hands go up, breathe through first vowel shape, start with an "h", release warm air before making sound.
- "Good vocal technique" includes use of all resonances, openness and raised soft palate such as the feeling when you smell your favorite childhood dish. Chin level. Proper breathing. Stomach taut.
- "Good singing" includes connectivity of word sounds, proper target vowels and duration, maintain support to ends of phrases, give full metrical value to each note.
General
- Follow the Director (oft repeated).
- Be on top of your game during chorus rehearsal; think, anticipate, be ready to sing, use good vocal technique. "Vocal technique is paramount" (J. Cerruti, 1-3-08)
- (See a few reminders at the end of this E-mail from previous notes.)
Clap Yore Hands (aka Nashville Uptune)
(from Stephanie and Joe)
- General: Watch Joe for texture changes, exploit them, need more dynamic variation; feel the pulse (subdivide); sing a connected vocal line; sustain vocal quality through phrases, maintain quality vocal production even as the notes jump around.
- Intro: Lead, be on the money on that minor third; All, don't short-change the last "oh" in each sequence, give full duration.
- "Clap-a-yore-hands" (m 29): begins a new part of the song, should see and feel a difference.
- "jubilee, oh, me, oh, my" (ms 58-60): break after "lee".
- Lead, reminder to cool it on "slap a yore thigh, don't ya lose time" (ms 81-82) near the end when you jump up high.
I Love You Truly
(from Stephanie and Joe)
- Learn the music.
- Get involved in the passion of this Roger Payne arrangement.
- Watch's Joe's direction to make sure all are striking the target vowels at the same time.
- Sustain energy through the breaths. Breathe on Joe's direction.
- "Ah yes tis something" (ms 33-34): marks the takeoff point, build toward the "Gone" phrase; break after "yes" the first time, carry over the second time (opposite from the sheet music); the breath after "yes" should be alive, full of emotion; Bari - there is no move the first time on "some" of "something.
- "doubt and fear" (ms 43-44): Lead, do not move on "fear", get it right or you'll be having sectionals at Joe's. Tenor (1st) and Bari (2nd) move, Lead and Bass do not.
- "For you love me truly" (ms 45-46): watch Joe for tempo, don't drag it; Bari - get up there on "love me"
- "So come be my wife" (ms 48-50): Lead - "be" is whole step lower than "come"; non-leads - be ready to join the phrase on "come" after lead pickup.
- "The joy of my life" (ms 50-52): lock the chord on "life" and then press into the swipe with more volume. Keep chin level, maintain correct singing posture. Bring a little more brightness and brilliance to your tone to enhance intensity.
Mona Lisa
- Follow the Director.
- Three major points: don't go slow, watch Director for breaks at the end, sing well in the middle.
- Have lots of air, connected singing. Think of lyric line. Paint the picture before starting to tell the story
- "In a villa" (m 1): stress first syllable of "villa" just as if you were speaking it. Target vowel for second syllable is "uh" not "ah".
- "What does she want?" (ms 13-14): more emotion.
- "Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art." (ms 52-56): Lead - keep the pitch up on "or just a"; All - break after "lovely" but keep the energy flowing throughout the line; think of the emotional contrast between this line and the previous one ("Are you warm, are you real").
- Bari - "Mona Lisa" (ms 56-57, right after "lovely work of art"): open up on the higher note on "sa" of"Lisa".
Almost Like Being in Love
- "Maybe the sun" (m 1): Lead - more lyrical; Bass - lighten it up, don't plod; Tenor/Bari - don't be late.
- "All the music of life seems to be" (2nd time): stay in tempo, this is a change from previous interp.
From Previous Notes
- "Be ready to sing" includes proper stance, facial involvement and energy in body, instrument ready when D's hands go up, breathe through first vowel shape, start with an "h", release warm air before making sound.
- "Good vocal technique" includes use of all resonances, openness and raised soft palate such as the feeling when you smell your favorite childhood dish. Chin level. Proper breathing. Stomach taut.
- "Good singing" includes connectivity of word sounds, proper target vowels and duration, maintain support to ends of phrases, give full metrical value to each note.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Looking Back on March 18th Chapter Meeting
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!
(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!
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.
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