No, really!
Hello, everyone,
Here's hoping we are all returning from our various "vacances" with energy, determination, and renewed fire ;-)
Tuesday, March 29 is the first day of Spring Quarter.
First dress rehearsal (at the church): Monday, April 18
Second dress rehearsal (in Campion): Thursday, April 21
Third dress rehearsal (at the church): Tuesday, April 26
FIRST CONCERT: Friday, April 29
SECOND CONCERT: Saturday, April 30
I've prepared my Task Calendar for this epic prep and momentous weekend.
Because I absolutely LOVE making charts of all kinds, my Epic Concert Planning Thing is handwritten on 18 x 24 inch drawing paper - a tabletop-sized spreadsheet/calendar/Gantt Chartt hybrid capable of holding sticky notes detailing Very Import Urgent Tasks that would otherwise keep me tossing and turning all night ;-)
But then, this is my job.
I recommend a somewhat less epic version of The Big Sheet for all y'all. Some things actually sink in better if planned out the old-fashioned way - by hand (writing).
Make a calendar for the time period from March 28 (day before) to April 30. Write in ALL rehearsals that require your presence. Time and venue!
Then: copy learning/mastery deadlines from your assignment sheets to the appropriate dates in the calendar. This will be particularly useful if you are in more than one group.
F'r instance: if you're in Women's Chorale and Chamber Singers, you have TWO "sets" of repertoire assignments due on Mondays. If everything is on one sheet, nothing will be forgotten or lost.
I mentioned the use of sticky notes as personal reminders for practice focus (i.e., make/date note of things you missed in rehearsal or need more work to master and put that sticky note IN YOUR MUSIC, right at the spot!)
If you need to dry clean/ press/ otherwise freshen up your concert attire, buy something (socks? bowtie? hair scrunchies? hose?), get a haircut, or do other extra-musical prep, PUT IT IN THE CALENDAR!
LONG REHEARSALS ARE LONG...
10 things to do when you are not on the risers or being directed to move somewhere:
1. Review text (memorizing practice).
2. Tap rhythms.
3. Practice diction sotto voce, or subvocalize.
4. Don't succumb to electronic distractions. Although dress rehearsals may SEEM more "free-form" than rehearsals in Campion or the choir room, they aren't. They're actually more intense, more focused.
5. Support your colleagues with engaged listening and APPLAUSE!
6. If you need to nosh at a time other than scheduled group nosh time - please remember to do so in the Social Hall or outside the building. Nothing other than water (in water bottles) may be ingested inside the nave or narthex. We're free to nosh in the Social Hall.
When you are on the risers, really "rise" to the challenges of singing in a new space and projecting your wonderful self out towards where our audience will be seated. Practice everything! "No phones at rehearsal" also means, "Don't phone in your performance!"
I'll always be grateful for this rehearsal and performance advice from one of my concert-pianist teachers: "The minute you step on stage, those cameras are CLICKING - walk the walk and talk the talk!" Word!
CONCERT HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY: DON'T GET SICK!
Yes, it happens to the best of us - but mind must triumph over matter.
Counting March 29 through April 28, there are 31 days until Concert #1.
Take care of yourself, beginning NOW - eat properly, get enough sleep!!, stay hydrated, be alert to the faintest drumbeat of oncoming problems and take firm measures to stop The Gunkk dead in its tracks. You know the drill: extra Vitamin C, echinacea, Air-Borne (yup, the gunkk is still going around)...Alcohol dehydrates a person...a smart person will stay away from it during the entire concert week, if not before ;-)
If you're flying or taking the train back to Seattle this weekend, please consider fortifying your immune system with Air-Borne or similar preventative.
Your body is your instrument is your body - you are now in the final and most intense stages of training for The Main Event.
LISTENING UP
At this point, I'm hoping Soundcloud tracks are history for you. Time to hunker down with the choral recordings in Dropbox!
They're listed alphabetically (that's Dropbox' doing, not mine) - but it's a simple thing to arrange the Spring music in concert order and transfer to other playback mode so you can listen to the concert music in more holistic fashion. I recommend doing this with "sets" as well - just take this information from the concert order in your syllabus and make yourself a nice little bunch of mixtapes.
Listening Tips:
1. Listen to the piece as background music.
2. Listen to the piece as "foreground" music - i.e., sitting with your scores and following along.
3. Listen for one particular voice part (not necessarily your part!)
4. In pieces where the musical texture is generally laid out high / low alternation (Red, Red Rose, for example) - focus on the entire group of parts (if you're a tenor, focus on tenor AND bass parts)
5. Focus on the outer parts.
6. Focus on the inner parts.
7. "Performance" listening - stand in singing position and listen to the piece, singing your part aloud or audiating it as the music plays.
8. Stand in singing position, begin the track, and practice an attitude of relaxed alertness during piano introductions, interludes, and postludes. What you practice will come naturally to you in performance! You won't have to remind yourself to "get ready."
9. I love this one: Conduct! Dance around!
...to be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment