Yes, mein Choir-Posse, countdown to our two concerts has commenced.
Beginning Tuesday 11/8/16 and ending Thursday 12/1/16 ("Dark Day"), there are
23 days until Concert #1.
TWENTY THREE DAYS
Not counting the dress rehearsals, we have:
Bella Voce - 3 rehearsals
Cantemus - 3 rehearsals
Chorale - 7 rehearsals
Chamber - 4 rehearsals
0000000
Having done many, MANY concert/recital countdowns in my career, I offer the following:
One - proper self-care (Eat well and regularly, sleep enough. stay away from excessive white powders - salt and sugar - and DO NOT SMOKE "HERB" OR DRINK ALCOHOL THE WEEK OF THE CONCERTS. Two - incessant obsession with the music (mental, studying, reviewing, chewing chewing digesting digesting). Three - vigilance against viruses. If people are hacking and eructating in your vicinity, GET AWAY FROM THEM AT ONCE. Don't touch public surfaces with bare hands. Wear a face shield if you spend a lot of time in public places or unventilated spaces.
Four - Attitude Adjustment.
Yes, we all have our days when things just seem to hover round the drain from wake-up to put-down, but those are transient phenomena that must NOT affect our resolve. Human nature being what it is, you will likely not 'have time' to study your music, listen to the choral recordings, etc. repeatedly REPEATEDLY REPEATEDLY. You must make time.
YOU MUST MAKE TIME.
MAKE TIME.
MAKE TIME.
FORCE YOURSELF IF NECESSARY. Overcome inertia. Be the master of your fate, the captain of your soul. DO. IT.
See yourself in your concert garb, triumphantly and enthusiastically singing from your very soul. HEAR the immense power of the mighty and puissant Choir Posse shaking the very walls of that cavernous (and bass-devouring!) space. FEEL the satisfaction of a job well done - of having successfully and powerfully communicated the timeless message of glorious music. PUT YOURSELF IN IT. BE IT. LIVE IT.
There will be resistance. There is always resistance. SO WHAT! Comfort yourself with the knowledge that great potential for good is always (ALWAYS!) confronted by great resistance and pull from the opposite direction. Nothing great is EVER achieved without a fight.
Fight for your might! Move from "We can" to "WE WILL."
You have a marvelous opportunity to bring the transcendent and soul-uplifting power of music to yourselves and to many people who may be starving for reassurance that there IS still good in this world. You are ambassadors of hope, life, light, liberty, love, and celebration!
Set your mind for success. Set your body for full function. Set your voice for glorious sound.
EXPECT VICTORY. Settle for nothing less.
EXPECT TRIUMPH. Settle for nothing less.
EXPECT MASTERY. Settle for nothing less.
EXPECT SUCCESS. Settle for nothing less.
EXPECT "OUTSTANDING." Settle for nothing less. "Excellence" is our baseline, our starting point!
AND WORK, WORK, WORK RIGHT UP TO THE LAST SECOND TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
We're positive thinkers, yes - but most importantly, we are POSITIVE DOERS.
End of sermon!
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Vocal Fold Videos
A few looks at the inside of your instrument!
Vocal folds are small and not indestructible - please take care of yours!!
The last video is of four people in standard vocal ranges: S A T B.
Vocal folds are small and not indestructible - please take care of yours!!
The last video is of four people in standard vocal ranges: S A T B.
WOW!
Hello everyone,
FIRST - let me give kudos, BRAVISSIMO, salutations, two snaps, thumbs up, high five, and shout-outs to EVERYBODY for a fabulous pair of Family Weekend Concerts!
On Monday Oct 24 I was delighted to find three - THREE! messages in my email inbox from people who had come to one of our 10/21 concerts and decided to attend the Christmas concerts.
Ticks will be distributed in about 1 1/2 weeks - Management team will be putting the envies together on November 8, so stay tuned.
-------------
Today in noon Chorale section, a wonderful, inspiring, exciting exchange of musical expertise and group spirit between our choir and Gonzaga's choir - they are performing on Saturday 10/29 at 7 p.m. at St. Joe's! We will all be there to support them and hear an entire hour of splendid singing!
Y'all did yourselves mighty proud this afternoon with some of the very best and most musical, full-bodied singing I have heard you do to date. Onward and upward!
(also, we looked WAY COOL in our T-shirts ;-)
-------------
We still have BIG MUSIC to learn for the Christmas concerts - with just 36 days remaining until Concert #1, it behooves each of us to really get crackin' on the rest of our rep.
To that end, I now offer a few gospel clips that should help get everyone in the groove for my piece ("Glory to the New-Born King").
Choirfolk, listen - be inspired - I know, I am FULLY AND COMPLETELY CONFIDENT that you will do a wonderful performance of my piece. I fully expect you to TEAR IT UP!!!
LL&P,
Lee
FIRST - let me give kudos, BRAVISSIMO, salutations, two snaps, thumbs up, high five, and shout-outs to EVERYBODY for a fabulous pair of Family Weekend Concerts!
On Monday Oct 24 I was delighted to find three - THREE! messages in my email inbox from people who had come to one of our 10/21 concerts and decided to attend the Christmas concerts.
Ticks will be distributed in about 1 1/2 weeks - Management team will be putting the envies together on November 8, so stay tuned.
-------------
Today in noon Chorale section, a wonderful, inspiring, exciting exchange of musical expertise and group spirit between our choir and Gonzaga's choir - they are performing on Saturday 10/29 at 7 p.m. at St. Joe's! We will all be there to support them and hear an entire hour of splendid singing!
Y'all did yourselves mighty proud this afternoon with some of the very best and most musical, full-bodied singing I have heard you do to date. Onward and upward!
(also, we looked WAY COOL in our T-shirts ;-)
-------------
We still have BIG MUSIC to learn for the Christmas concerts - with just 36 days remaining until Concert #1, it behooves each of us to really get crackin' on the rest of our rep.
To that end, I now offer a few gospel clips that should help get everyone in the groove for my piece ("Glory to the New-Born King").
Choirfolk, listen - be inspired - I know, I am FULLY AND COMPLETELY CONFIDENT that you will do a wonderful performance of my piece. I fully expect you to TEAR IT UP!!!
LL&P,
Lee
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
TODAY IS PENULTIMATE DAY TO FWC - ARE YOU READY?!!!
Hello everyone,
Our two Family Weekend concerts are about 50 hours away!
whoooo
I am pleased to inform everyone that a recent email from our contact Ms. Laurie Prince indicates a capacity audience for BOTH CONCERTS!
That's 250 audience members for 7 p.m. and 250 for 8.30 p.m.!
There will likely be a few additional folks in the audience - we don't turn people away.
If I may -
I'm putting on my Aunty Lee hat right now - please consider the following and govern yourselves accordingly, if at all possible!
1. GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
2. GET ENOUGH WATER.
3. GET ENOUGH DECENT FOOD.
4. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL.
5. DO NOT USE "HERBAL" PRODUCTS.
6. DO NOT DRINK MILK ON CONCERT DAY.
7. STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL.
8. DO THE "eeeeeeee" VOCALISE TO KEEP YOUR VOCAL FOLDS TONED AND RELAXED.
9. STUDY YOUR MUSIC!
10. DETERMINE TO HAVE FUN!!!
This is our first real concert of the 2016-2017 academic year. It's a wonderful thing that we do to contribute to Seattle U spirit, welcome parents and family members to campus for the week/end, AND AND AND test-drive some of the more challenging pieces in our Christmas Concert repertoire.
It is not the end!!!!
I know that everyone will do their best to do their best on Friday, and this is a GOOD THING.
However - "the best" is what we hermeneuticists call an ever-receding horizon - there's always something just over the hill - something even better, something even more beautiful, something even more gorgeous - and as musicians, we are committed to continue our relentless pursuit of this something.
SO.
Next week, we'll be working on more of the Christmas concert repertoire - rep that hasn't yet been taken out in rehearsals - rep that you may not have heard or looked over...I encourage everyone to spend a few minutes listening to the next set of pieces on Dropbox over the weekend.
Protect those precious little vocal folds! Enjoy your considerable achievements! STRUT YOUR STUFF! And, get ready to shift it into an even higher gear come Monday.
WE ARE CAPABLE.
WE ARE SMART.
WE KNOW HOW TO WORK SMART.
WE ARE READY.
WE ARE FABULOUS!
See you Friday 10/21/16 at 5 p.m. in the Chapel of St. Ignatius.
1. Choir T-shirt
2. Black pants (not black jeans, please - actual slacks)
3. Black shoes
4. Black socks
5. BIG SMILE!!
LL&P,
Lee
Our two Family Weekend concerts are about 50 hours away!
whoooo
I am pleased to inform everyone that a recent email from our contact Ms. Laurie Prince indicates a capacity audience for BOTH CONCERTS!
That's 250 audience members for 7 p.m. and 250 for 8.30 p.m.!
There will likely be a few additional folks in the audience - we don't turn people away.
If I may -
I'm putting on my Aunty Lee hat right now - please consider the following and govern yourselves accordingly, if at all possible!
1. GET ENOUGH SLEEP.
2. GET ENOUGH WATER.
3. GET ENOUGH DECENT FOOD.
4. DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL.
5. DO NOT USE "HERBAL" PRODUCTS.
6. DO NOT DRINK MILK ON CONCERT DAY.
7. STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE ILL.
8. DO THE "eeeeeeee" VOCALISE TO KEEP YOUR VOCAL FOLDS TONED AND RELAXED.
9. STUDY YOUR MUSIC!
10. DETERMINE TO HAVE FUN!!!
This is our first real concert of the 2016-2017 academic year. It's a wonderful thing that we do to contribute to Seattle U spirit, welcome parents and family members to campus for the week/end, AND AND AND test-drive some of the more challenging pieces in our Christmas Concert repertoire.
It is not the end!!!!
I know that everyone will do their best to do their best on Friday, and this is a GOOD THING.
However - "the best" is what we hermeneuticists call an ever-receding horizon - there's always something just over the hill - something even better, something even more beautiful, something even more gorgeous - and as musicians, we are committed to continue our relentless pursuit of this something.
SO.
Next week, we'll be working on more of the Christmas concert repertoire - rep that hasn't yet been taken out in rehearsals - rep that you may not have heard or looked over...I encourage everyone to spend a few minutes listening to the next set of pieces on Dropbox over the weekend.
Protect those precious little vocal folds! Enjoy your considerable achievements! STRUT YOUR STUFF! And, get ready to shift it into an even higher gear come Monday.
WE ARE CAPABLE.
WE ARE SMART.
WE KNOW HOW TO WORK SMART.
WE ARE READY.
WE ARE FABULOUS!
See you Friday 10/21/16 at 5 p.m. in the Chapel of St. Ignatius.
1. Choir T-shirt
2. Black pants (not black jeans, please - actual slacks)
3. Black shoes
4. Black socks
5. BIG SMILE!!
LL&P,
Lee
Monday, October 3, 2016
October 3
This %*&@$^! program just ate my ENTIRE post, which I had put quite a bit of time and effort into.
----------
Highlights
1. 18 days remaining until FWC, hustle to the max and we will again do a wonderful job this year!
2. New people: there are 2 Family Weekend concerts, each under an hour. 7 to 8 p.m., then 8.30 to 9.30 p.m. I suggest that EVERYONE "eat big" around 6 p.m. and pack a little snack to tide over and eat between 8. and 8.30. There won't be enough time to grab and safely ingest something from 12th Avenue eateries - if you try to do that, you'll find yourself getting into position with half your dinner still on its way down to your tummy!
3. Bella Voce: Quickie Trick for learning the Britten Hodie - prepare your own score and write 'neumes' (little markings above syllables that indicate where pitch rises, falls, etc.)
A bit about neumes here (read the first 2 paragraphs): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neume
Easy to do: just copy the text by hand on a sheet of paper or use what I've given below. (Copying by hand will help you memorize the words very quickly, btw).
In the text below, I've maintained syllabification - Copy (or copy and paste, format in 14 point type with double space between the lines):
Ho-di--e-- Chri-----tus na-tus- est---;
Ho-di-e-Sal-va-tor ap--pa-ru--it:
Ho-di--e in ter-ra ca---nunt an-ge-li---
lae-tan--tur arch-an-ge-li:
Ho-di-e------ ex-sul----tant jus-ti--- di-cen-tes
glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o.
Al-le-lu-ia!
Al-le-lu------ia!
Al-le-lu------ia!
Maintain the dashes between syllables. If there's a melisma (group of notes sung over a single syllable of text), indicate this with a longer dash.
Then, listening to the choral recording, mark or draw a wavy pencil line ABOVE the text to help feel the melodic contour. Mark in breaths!! Use pencil!
Sing with the clip - test yourself
Then using your score and the clip, play 1 phrase / sing it / play it again and check yourself, etc.
Get together with others from B.V. and test each other!!
Here is a nice clip - it's too long to put in DropBox - just follow the link -
it leads to an SATB version of the "Ceremony of Carols," which Britten originally scored for 3-voice treble choir and harp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXyjrhz5bzs
Here's another clip - also too long to put in DropBox because it is of the entire C of C. DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT FOLLOWS THE 'HODIE' MOVEMENT - it is not good!!!!! The "Hodie" is the best of this performance, imo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQyunriE1zg
Bon chance!
Lee
----------
Highlights
1. 18 days remaining until FWC, hustle to the max and we will again do a wonderful job this year!
2. New people: there are 2 Family Weekend concerts, each under an hour. 7 to 8 p.m., then 8.30 to 9.30 p.m. I suggest that EVERYONE "eat big" around 6 p.m. and pack a little snack to tide over and eat between 8. and 8.30. There won't be enough time to grab and safely ingest something from 12th Avenue eateries - if you try to do that, you'll find yourself getting into position with half your dinner still on its way down to your tummy!
3. Bella Voce: Quickie Trick for learning the Britten Hodie - prepare your own score and write 'neumes' (little markings above syllables that indicate where pitch rises, falls, etc.)
A bit about neumes here (read the first 2 paragraphs): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neume
Easy to do: just copy the text by hand on a sheet of paper or use what I've given below. (Copying by hand will help you memorize the words very quickly, btw).
In the text below, I've maintained syllabification - Copy (or copy and paste, format in 14 point type with double space between the lines):
Ho-di--e-- Chri-----tus na-tus- est---;
Ho-di-e-Sal-va-tor ap--pa-ru--it:
Ho-di--e in ter-ra ca---nunt an-ge-li---
lae-tan--tur arch-an-ge-li:
Ho-di-e------ ex-sul----tant jus-ti--- di-cen-tes
glo-ri-a in ex-cel-sis De-o.
Al-le-lu-ia!
Al-le-lu------ia!
Al-le-lu------ia!
Maintain the dashes between syllables. If there's a melisma (group of notes sung over a single syllable of text), indicate this with a longer dash.
Then, listening to the choral recording, mark or draw a wavy pencil line ABOVE the text to help feel the melodic contour. Mark in breaths!! Use pencil!
Sing with the clip - test yourself
Then using your score and the clip, play 1 phrase / sing it / play it again and check yourself, etc.
Get together with others from B.V. and test each other!!
Here is a nice clip - it's too long to put in DropBox - just follow the link -
it leads to an SATB version of the "Ceremony of Carols," which Britten originally scored for 3-voice treble choir and harp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXyjrhz5bzs
Here's another clip - also too long to put in DropBox because it is of the entire C of C. DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT FOLLOWS THE 'HODIE' MOVEMENT - it is not good!!!!! The "Hodie" is the best of this performance, imo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQyunriE1zg
Bon chance!
Lee
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
USS. SUCHOIRS HAS NOW LEFT THE SOLAR SYSTEM!
Hello everyone,
WOW - we are going to have the best group this year!!!
I waited until everyone had met at least once before posting this rave -
Beginning with Cantemus and Chamber Singers on 9/21, then Chorale on 9/22, then the marvelously effective and efficient Chamber Intensive on 9/24 AND wow - Bella Voce on 9/26...what a feast!
Doc and I have been grinning with happiness and high-fiving since last Wednesday afternoon. We are beyond delighted with the nascent sound of every single group. We look forward to incredible concerts in 2016-2017.
This choir - it is SMOKIN'. We are going to TEAR IT UP this year!
Okay -
With 24? days remaining until Family Weekend, there's no time to waste - all hands at their posts - if you are having ANY kind of trouble with ANYTHING, raise your barbaric yawp to the Heavens and alert your section leader - alert me - alert Doc - don't wait, do it NOW.
At the beginning of last school year, I posted a bunch of links to free keyboard apps, interactive music theory sites, etc. - go to ARCHIVES in this site and look for the posts made in late September and early October 2016.
I am about to do some work in Sound Cloud. You should find your tracks newly alphabetized by this evening. If you still have trouble finding something, please email me at once.
And now - a little inspiration!
We're doing Sergei Rachmaninoff's moving "Nunc dimittis" setting at Family Weekend. This is a small part of a much larger work, "The All-Night Vigil," that uses Russian Orthodox chant in a felicitous fusion with Rachmaninoff's unique, unforgettable harmonic language and choral "soundscape."
Seattle University is located very near a Russian Orthodox church (look it up on Google). If you've never attended an Orthodox service, I recommend you visit the Capitol Hill church or the Orthodox cathedral, which is downtown.
http://www.saintnicholascathedral.org/
Those of you who have read your church history will recognize the date "1054" - what you will hear in the Orthodox service is a descendant of liturgies and theology from the OTHER side of that schism. Additionally, the Orthodox Communion has a thriving mystical tradition, beginning as far back as the writings of the Desert Fathers. If you'd like some titles, I'm happy to recommend...My own communion, the Ecclesia Gnostica, is more "eastern" than "western" in several important regards.
All of that said - visit these links and feast your eyes on the art and architecture of Russian Orthodox houses of worship. - Particularly, spend time contemplating the ikons. Ikons are crucial to the Orthodox Way, with strict rules of painting and an accompanying theology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_churches_in_Moscow - LOTS of links.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_icons - Good introductory article about ikons.
About the"All-Night Vigil" -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Night_Vigil_(Rachmaninoff)
Story of the text "nunc dimittis" (Canticle of Simeon) -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunc_dimittis
WOW - we are going to have the best group this year!!!
I waited until everyone had met at least once before posting this rave -
Beginning with Cantemus and Chamber Singers on 9/21, then Chorale on 9/22, then the marvelously effective and efficient Chamber Intensive on 9/24 AND wow - Bella Voce on 9/26...what a feast!
Doc and I have been grinning with happiness and high-fiving since last Wednesday afternoon. We are beyond delighted with the nascent sound of every single group. We look forward to incredible concerts in 2016-2017.
This choir - it is SMOKIN'. We are going to TEAR IT UP this year!
Okay -
With 24? days remaining until Family Weekend, there's no time to waste - all hands at their posts - if you are having ANY kind of trouble with ANYTHING, raise your barbaric yawp to the Heavens and alert your section leader - alert me - alert Doc - don't wait, do it NOW.
At the beginning of last school year, I posted a bunch of links to free keyboard apps, interactive music theory sites, etc. - go to ARCHIVES in this site and look for the posts made in late September and early October 2016.
I am about to do some work in Sound Cloud. You should find your tracks newly alphabetized by this evening. If you still have trouble finding something, please email me at once.
And now - a little inspiration!
We're doing Sergei Rachmaninoff's moving "Nunc dimittis" setting at Family Weekend. This is a small part of a much larger work, "The All-Night Vigil," that uses Russian Orthodox chant in a felicitous fusion with Rachmaninoff's unique, unforgettable harmonic language and choral "soundscape."
Seattle University is located very near a Russian Orthodox church (look it up on Google). If you've never attended an Orthodox service, I recommend you visit the Capitol Hill church or the Orthodox cathedral, which is downtown.
http://www.saintnicholascathedral.org/
Those of you who have read your church history will recognize the date "1054" - what you will hear in the Orthodox service is a descendant of liturgies and theology from the OTHER side of that schism. Additionally, the Orthodox Communion has a thriving mystical tradition, beginning as far back as the writings of the Desert Fathers. If you'd like some titles, I'm happy to recommend...My own communion, the Ecclesia Gnostica, is more "eastern" than "western" in several important regards.
All of that said - visit these links and feast your eyes on the art and architecture of Russian Orthodox houses of worship. - Particularly, spend time contemplating the ikons. Ikons are crucial to the Orthodox Way, with strict rules of painting and an accompanying theology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_churches_in_Moscow - LOTS of links.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_icons - Good introductory article about ikons.
About the"All-Night Vigil" -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Night_Vigil_(Rachmaninoff)
Story of the text "nunc dimittis" (Canticle of Simeon) -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunc_dimittis
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