Hello everyone,
Here 'tis - info on being the very best possible guests at our dress rehearsals and concerts.
"Upstairs" - is every space upstairs: the nave ("auditorium"), narthex ("lobby"), etc.
EVERYBODY
Food Upstairs - NO. Don't consume it or display it openly (i.e., wrapped salad plates, foam containers, etc.) No sight or smell of food in the nave or narthex.
Food In the Social Hall - YES. This is our eating space.
Water in closed containers - YES upstairs and downstairs. However: Pack out your trash.
Other beverages (coffee cups, juice, etc. etc.) NO. Not upstairs. Okay in social hall (pack out your trash).
Noise - The church hosts a group of homeless men who sleep in the church gymnasium, directly across from the social hall. I don't know when their lights-out time begins (I think, 8 p.m.) but if you see people in the gymnasium, PLEASE BE VERY QUIET WHILE IN THE HALLWAY AND ON THE STAIRS LEADING UP TO THE NAVE.
Noise, elsewhere - Save your singing voices by speaking in a low tone when in the social hall. The room is super-echoey. If you're not vigilant, you'll find your pitch and volume rising.
Things - Please be very careful when walking around anything that is free-standing in the nave or narthex. Particularly! - be careful if there are tables set up near or in the main processional aisle and topped with objects.
DRIVERS
Parking - dress rehearsals: Okay to use UN-MARKED parking spaces in the church parking lot. Okay to park on the street.
Parking - concerts: Not okay to use the church parking lot - find parking on the street (see below)
Parking along 18th Avenue (the front entrance to the church).
Do not park in the loading zone. You are allowed to unload people or equipment, but after you do that, you need to find a parking space.
Directly in front of the church, there is a patch of concrete that looks like a parking space BUT IS NOT. The church officials call this "the sidewalk" and cars do not belong on it. If in doubt, just follow the curb line from the actual corner of 18th and Aloha, down 18th. Park only in the actual street.
BE GOOD COMPANY!
Respect the space, space needs, and wishes of our hosts. Help each other to remember the guidelines.
I deeply appreciate all of the care and effort shown by everyone in our group, particularly when we're at St. Joseph.
Let's continue to work together as we respectfully engage our most important, CRUCIAL off-campus rehearsal and performance venue.
PRIZE CODE
Well, nobody gave me BUTTS IN SEATS from my previous post, so it still stands. Sits. Crouches. Whatever ;-)
Friday, November 20, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Butts in seats means, more pizza for US!
Hello everyone,
It's really important that we all do our part to sell tickets to the concerts.
Our budget allocations cover only a fraction (a large fraction, but still a fraction!) of the cost of running the choir program. By November, the budget allocations for program expense FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!!! are usually tapped out (or close to it). Apart from salaries, we are paying our own way for roughly two quarters of every academic year.
Last year, an accident with a rented truck put enormous, serious dents (!) in our funds. We began this year with less than $100 in money that we'd made for ourselves.
There are many ways we could look at the situation, not all of them constructive. I choose to take the high road (!) and think that with all of the enthusiastic, go-getting, networking, talented people in our organization, we can MOVE THOSE TICKETS and PACK THE HOUSE at both concerts. We're good! People love our work! Let's get out there and invite and sell tix and work together to provide a first-class musical experience for our audiences - which will also rebuild our choir war chest.
Butts in seats, y'all - butts in seats.
Have those tix handy.
Grab concert postcards from the choir room and get the word out!
If people try to snake away by saying, "Well, I will be busy - I can't come to the concert" -don't let them off the hook! Ask them for a donation!
The money we make for ourselves goes here:
1. We cover concert expenses (Christmas this year will run about $5.3K, and that's on the lean side!).
2. We build our stash against unexpected but necessary expenses (truck accident, for example)
3. We build money to provide fun experiences for ourselves (Pizza! Guest presenters! Inside track to Stretch! Supporting Music Division projects that benefit us all! More pizza!)
4. We avoid the scary and totally unnecessary experience of being forever "close to the bone" financially. NO one should have to endure that - particularly a group of people as talented, hard-working, well-connected as our group.
So - go forth, all ye who care - and sell those tickets! Solicit those donations! GET THOSE BUTTS IN THE SEATS!! We're good. They need to hear us. They'll be glad they came to our concerts. They don't know it yet, but we're the best thing since sliced kielbasa. Music and money aren't mutually exclusive!
The prize password for this post is: BUTTS IN SEATS. First 5 people to communicate this to me, AND give me some idea of what I put in this post, will win their sweet and interesting tchotchke treats.
GO FORTH AND CONQUER.
Y'all, I'm on the Chrome Book at home right now and I couldn't link inspirational videos to my post if someone put a gun to my head. I'll take care of that tomorrow.
Sweet dreams, wonderful practice, and KA-CHING! Music and money, YEA! BUTTS IN SEATS!
LL&P,
Lee
It's really important that we all do our part to sell tickets to the concerts.
Our budget allocations cover only a fraction (a large fraction, but still a fraction!) of the cost of running the choir program. By November, the budget allocations for program expense FOR THE ENTIRE ACADEMIC YEAR!!! are usually tapped out (or close to it). Apart from salaries, we are paying our own way for roughly two quarters of every academic year.
Last year, an accident with a rented truck put enormous, serious dents (!) in our funds. We began this year with less than $100 in money that we'd made for ourselves.
There are many ways we could look at the situation, not all of them constructive. I choose to take the high road (!) and think that with all of the enthusiastic, go-getting, networking, talented people in our organization, we can MOVE THOSE TICKETS and PACK THE HOUSE at both concerts. We're good! People love our work! Let's get out there and invite and sell tix and work together to provide a first-class musical experience for our audiences - which will also rebuild our choir war chest.
Butts in seats, y'all - butts in seats.
Have those tix handy.
Grab concert postcards from the choir room and get the word out!
If people try to snake away by saying, "Well, I will be busy - I can't come to the concert" -don't let them off the hook! Ask them for a donation!
The money we make for ourselves goes here:
1. We cover concert expenses (Christmas this year will run about $5.3K, and that's on the lean side!).
2. We build our stash against unexpected but necessary expenses (truck accident, for example)
3. We build money to provide fun experiences for ourselves (Pizza! Guest presenters! Inside track to Stretch! Supporting Music Division projects that benefit us all! More pizza!)
4. We avoid the scary and totally unnecessary experience of being forever "close to the bone" financially. NO one should have to endure that - particularly a group of people as talented, hard-working, well-connected as our group.
So - go forth, all ye who care - and sell those tickets! Solicit those donations! GET THOSE BUTTS IN THE SEATS!! We're good. They need to hear us. They'll be glad they came to our concerts. They don't know it yet, but we're the best thing since sliced kielbasa. Music and money aren't mutually exclusive!
The prize password for this post is: BUTTS IN SEATS. First 5 people to communicate this to me, AND give me some idea of what I put in this post, will win their sweet and interesting tchotchke treats.
GO FORTH AND CONQUER.
Y'all, I'm on the Chrome Book at home right now and I couldn't link inspirational videos to my post if someone put a gun to my head. I'll take care of that tomorrow.
Sweet dreams, wonderful practice, and KA-CHING! Music and money, YEA! BUTTS IN SEATS!
LL&P,
Lee
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
This Mr. Handel, I wish I'd known him.
Hello everyone,
Mr. Handel was quite a character!
What incredibly delicious scandal, mayhem and enmity!!
Fabulous.
Mr. Handel was quite a character!
What incredibly delicious scandal, mayhem and enmity!!
Fabulous.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
NOVEMBER 12, 2015 - C MINUS 22 DAYS!
Hello everyone,
The Word is: STEADY AS YOU GO!
Your self-care habits NOW will help determine your state of body and mind at the concerts.
1. Eating properly and at reasonable hours.
1B. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!
2. Limiting alcohol consumption (and for the love of Bacchus and Polyhymnia, NO ALCOHOL AT ALL DURING CONCERT WEEK!!)
Here's an info-article about alcohol and its effects upon the singing voice.
And another...
3. Taking care of your respiratory system.
An article on "winterizing" your voice - good stuff here.
4. STAYING AWAY FROM, OR GETTING AWAY FROM, people who are sick!
5. Sleeping well and regularly.
6. Using your full armamentarium of stress-reduction techniques to best effect.
It's no good to do these things for only 2 or 3 days just before a concert. The time is NOW!
You might find it useful to schedule self-care routines as you schedule the rest of your days.
I have been there! (Actually, I'm still there - when I get in a creative mood, sleep is the last thing I even think about - I have been known to nod off at my worktable at dawn, with an unfinished project in my lap and a crochet hook in my hand...)
Getting up at 6 a.m. isn't the real problem - getting up at 6 a.m. after going to bed at 4 a.m. is the problem ;-)
-----------------
Inspiration!
John Rutter's "Joy to the World" arrangement has wonderful riffs of 16th notes requiring the technique of glottal articulation.
Here's a bit of inspiration - Cecelia Bartoli - I call her the Queen of Glottalia
Translation: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/agitata-da-due-venti-shaken-two-winds.html
Can choirs "glottal?" They can, indeed!
Simon Preston and the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford with Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music - Handel's Messiah (For Unto Us a Child is Born)
0000000000000
Special Offer!
I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading these posts. I mean, I thoroughly enjoy writing them, but they're written in order to be READ. I already know this stuff ;-)
I have therefore acquired small treats to bestow upon the next 5 people who come up to me in rehearsal and say the password, "GLOTTAL ROCKS!"
Be well, practice well, sing well.
Lee
A true artist at work, with a fantastic musical ensemble.
The Word is: STEADY AS YOU GO!
Your self-care habits NOW will help determine your state of body and mind at the concerts.
1. Eating properly and at reasonable hours.
1B. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!
2. Limiting alcohol consumption (and for the love of Bacchus and Polyhymnia, NO ALCOHOL AT ALL DURING CONCERT WEEK!!)
Here's an info-article about alcohol and its effects upon the singing voice.
And another...
3. Taking care of your respiratory system.
An article on "winterizing" your voice - good stuff here.
4. STAYING AWAY FROM, OR GETTING AWAY FROM, people who are sick!
5. Sleeping well and regularly.
6. Using your full armamentarium of stress-reduction techniques to best effect.
It's no good to do these things for only 2 or 3 days just before a concert. The time is NOW!
You might find it useful to schedule self-care routines as you schedule the rest of your days.
I have been there! (Actually, I'm still there - when I get in a creative mood, sleep is the last thing I even think about - I have been known to nod off at my worktable at dawn, with an unfinished project in my lap and a crochet hook in my hand...)
Getting up at 6 a.m. isn't the real problem - getting up at 6 a.m. after going to bed at 4 a.m. is the problem ;-)
-----------------
Inspiration!
John Rutter's "Joy to the World" arrangement has wonderful riffs of 16th notes requiring the technique of glottal articulation.
Here's a bit of inspiration - Cecelia Bartoli - I call her the Queen of Glottalia
Translation: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/agitata-da-due-venti-shaken-two-winds.html
Can choirs "glottal?" They can, indeed!
Simon Preston and the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford with Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music - Handel's Messiah (For Unto Us a Child is Born)
0000000000000
Special Offer!
I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading these posts. I mean, I thoroughly enjoy writing them, but they're written in order to be READ. I already know this stuff ;-)
I have therefore acquired small treats to bestow upon the next 5 people who come up to me in rehearsal and say the password, "GLOTTAL ROCKS!"
Be well, practice well, sing well.
Lee
A true artist at work, with a fantastic musical ensemble.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
And now, 30 days!
Hello everyone,
This quarter has been warping by like the frets on a guitar - days seem to get shorter as we approach the Singularity!
(get out your umbrellas - metaphor shower ahead)
A few words for your delectation at this critical time.
(pause while I pull on my Auntie Lee hat)
1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Eat well, sleep well, breathe deeply, dress for the weather, stay away from alcohol and other intoxicants, and stay away from people who are sick! Don't touch anything "public" with your bare hands (everything from toilet flush levers to door handles to bus pull-cords - ESPECIALLY do not touch anything on a bus with bare hands.) If you use the computer lab, bring sanitizing wipes with you and CLEAN THAT KEYBOARD before you put your fingers on it.
Your pores are "pore-tals" to a variety of tiny critters, many of whom do not have your best interests at heart.
If you have to spend a lot of time in filthy places (as I do, being dependent upon public "transit" to get around) - wear a face mask and MOVE AWAY if you hear coughing/sneezing/snorky sniffles etc. within 3 feet of you. Better safe than sorry.
2. Take your echinacea! Drink your hot ginger tea! Stay hydrated in general (plain water is the best thing - drink hot water with a slice of lemon in the mornings). Buy and start taking some "Airborne!"
3. If despite all precautions, you feel something invade your germ barriers, go to work against it AT ONCE.
Extra water
Extra sleep
Extra garlic, citrus, and sunlight
Keep your head and extremities warm. If it's difficult to fall asleep at night, try adding a knit cap and warm socks to your sleep ensemble.
Extra portions of hot fluids
Lighten up your diet - don't force your digestive system to cope with dense food.
Gargle with warm lightly salted water.
If you know how to use a neti pot, get going with it.
4. What works for one person may not work for another, but certain things seem to work for everyone: hydration, plenty of rest, sensible eating, stress reduction, anger management.
If you know a Reiki practitioner, ask them if they'll give you a brief treatment.
(takes hat off)
The very most important part of our final countdown, however, is not physical but attitudinal.
Here are a few power words for you. It's amazing what keeping one of these power words in mind can do for your mood and accomplishments during the day.
Success!
Yes!
Mastery!
Blend!
Aware!
Alert!
Awake!
Afire!
This quarter has been warping by like the frets on a guitar - days seem to get shorter as we approach the Singularity!
(get out your umbrellas - metaphor shower ahead)
A few words for your delectation at this critical time.
(pause while I pull on my Auntie Lee hat)
1. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Eat well, sleep well, breathe deeply, dress for the weather, stay away from alcohol and other intoxicants, and stay away from people who are sick! Don't touch anything "public" with your bare hands (everything from toilet flush levers to door handles to bus pull-cords - ESPECIALLY do not touch anything on a bus with bare hands.) If you use the computer lab, bring sanitizing wipes with you and CLEAN THAT KEYBOARD before you put your fingers on it.
Your pores are "pore-tals" to a variety of tiny critters, many of whom do not have your best interests at heart.
If you have to spend a lot of time in filthy places (as I do, being dependent upon public "transit" to get around) - wear a face mask and MOVE AWAY if you hear coughing/sneezing/snorky sniffles etc. within 3 feet of you. Better safe than sorry.
2. Take your echinacea! Drink your hot ginger tea! Stay hydrated in general (plain water is the best thing - drink hot water with a slice of lemon in the mornings). Buy and start taking some "Airborne!"
3. If despite all precautions, you feel something invade your germ barriers, go to work against it AT ONCE.
Extra water
Extra sleep
Extra garlic, citrus, and sunlight
Keep your head and extremities warm. If it's difficult to fall asleep at night, try adding a knit cap and warm socks to your sleep ensemble.
Extra portions of hot fluids
Lighten up your diet - don't force your digestive system to cope with dense food.
Gargle with warm lightly salted water.
If you know how to use a neti pot, get going with it.
4. What works for one person may not work for another, but certain things seem to work for everyone: hydration, plenty of rest, sensible eating, stress reduction, anger management.
If you know a Reiki practitioner, ask them if they'll give you a brief treatment.
(takes hat off)
The very most important part of our final countdown, however, is not physical but attitudinal.
Here are a few power words for you. It's amazing what keeping one of these power words in mind can do for your mood and accomplishments during the day.
Success!
Yes!
Mastery!
Blend!
Aware!
Alert!
Awake!
Afire!
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