Week of April 16, 2018

Practice instructions – at least 20 minutes per day

Concert/Treble upcoming Concerts, Saturday April 28 at Richmond Public Library and Tuesday May 1st at Sitter & Barfoot Veteran Care Center. 

Treble:

Learn:  It’s in My Desk – This needs to be completely memorized by next rehearsal.

Review:  Heaven, Lady of Liberty with middle sections, Love is Little, How Can I Keep From Singing?, America the Beautiful.  Check memory work.

Concert:

Sakura – Finish memorizing.  Work hard on holding your own part in tune.

(Soprano 1 – Caetie, Maria and Shantoya; Soprano 2 – Wills, Marquita and Nishorgo; Alto 1 – Kamirra and Molly, Alto 2 – Matilde, Keziah and Nora)

May God be Merciful – Finish memorizing.  Be sure you can hold your own part.

(Voice 1 – Molly, Matilde, Nora; Voice 2 – Kamirra, Keziah, Marquita and Maria; Voice 3 – Wills, Nishorgo, Shantoya and Caetie).

The Old Carrion Crow – Finish memorizing.  Be sure your part is accurately learned.

(Part 1 – Caetie, Shantoya, Wills, Nishorgo, Maria and Marquita;   Part 2 – Molly, Nora, Kamirra, Matilde, Keziah)

Review:  Lady of Liberty with middle sections, How Can I Keep From Singing?,  and America the Beautiful

Practice instructions

Pro Arte/Cavalieri - next concert Sunday April 29th at Westminster Canterbury

Mass for Three Voices:  Please finish learning notes and rhythms for the Sanctus and Agnus Dei by practicing in the following ways:   Practice counting while singing your part, singing on solfege syllables for tuning, and singing with the text while carefully thinking about rhythm.   Pay special attention to memorizing the counting on rests and longer note values.  Sopranos and Altos need to secure starting pitches of phrases throughout the Sanctus-Benedictus and Agnus Dei.  Altos, carefully review the Agnus Dei, pick up to mm. 39 – end.  Finish memorizing the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei.   

Remember to use the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Am1PQ0p39w

Remember to give slight crescendos on longer note values.  Also, remember to lift on dots and repeated notes.

Simple Song – Finish memorizing

Gloria Tibi  - Finish memorizing. 

Cavalieri – Finish memorizing Laudate Dominum.

Pro Arte – Continue working on Vocalise.  We will not sing this on the next concert.

Draw the Circle Wide – Shaandro, please be ready to sing Owen’s solos.

Week of March 19, 2018

Continue using these instructions until we meet again April 9-10. Thanks!

Concert/Treble

Practice instructions – at least 20 minutes per day

Treble:

Learn:  It’s in My Desk – notes on solfege.  First page, B-flat is Do.  Pp. 3-end, G is Do.  Begin to memorize.  This should be completely memorized by April 10th.

Review:  Heaven, Lady of Liberty with middle sections, Love is Little, How Can I Keep From Singing?, America the Beautiful.  Check memory work.

Concert:

Sakura – review solfege for entire piece.  D is Do. (Soprano 1 – Caetie, Maria and Shantoya; Soprano 2 – Wills, Marquita and Nishorgo; Alto 1 – Kamirra and Molly, Alto 2 – Matilde, Keziah and Nora).  Secure your own part.  Begin memorizing.  Memory needs to be completed by April 10th.

May God be Merciful – learn solfege through the end of the piece. B-flat is Do.

(Voice 1 – Molly, Matilde, Nora; Voice 2 – Kamirra, Keziah, Marquita and Maria; Voice 3 – Wills, Nishorgo, Shantoya and Caetie).  Secure your own part.  Begin memorizing.  Memory needs to be completed by April 10th.

The Old Carrion Crow – Learn notes on solfege through the end of the piece.  C is Do.  Secure your own part.  Begin memorizing.  Memory needs to be completed by April 10th.

Like most nursery rhymes, there are hidden meanings that are based in historical facts.  The one we will focus on is the crow being a symbol of bad luck.  This is why the tailor needed to try to protect himself.  In the end, this could be about life going on no matter what challenges come our way. 

Review:  Lady of Liberty with middle sections, How Can I Keep From Singing?,  and America the Beautiful

Pro Arte/Cavalieri

Mass for Three Voices: Please finish learning notes and rhythms for the Sanctus and Agnus Dei by practicing in the following ways: Practice counting while singing your part, singing on solfege syllables for tuning, and singing with the text while carefully thinking about rhythm. Please work on memorizing the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei. The deadline for memorizing this is April 9th. Remember to use the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Am1PQ0p39w

Remember to give slight crescendos on longer note values. Also, remember to lift on dots and repeated notes.

Simple Song – Learn notes on solfege and text for entire piece. Cavalieri sings first page through m.19 on p. 2 alone. Cantare sings mm. 24 – 63. Cavalieri sings mm. 71 – end. Begin memory work. The deadline for memorizing this is April 9th.

Gloria Tibi - Work on solfege and text for the entire piece. Pages 7&8 are the same as p. 4 middle – p. 5. Begin memory work. The deadline for memorizing this is April 9th.

Cavalieri – Continue learning Laudate Dominum and begin memorizing.

Pro Arte – Continue working on Vocalise and begin memorizing.

Week of March 12, 2018

Concert/Treble

Practice instructions – at least 20 minutes per day. You could find this helpful: http://davidkulma.com/musictheory/solfege

Treble:

Learn: It’s in My Desk – notes on solfege. First page, B-flat is Do. Pp. 3-end, G is Do.

Review: Heaven, Lady of Liberty with middle sections, Love is Little, How Can I Keep From Singing?, America the Beautiful

Concert:

Sakura – review solfege for entire piece. D is Do. (Soprano 1 – Caetie, Maria and Shantoya; Soprano 2 – Wills, Marquita and Nishorgo; Alto 1 – Kamirra and Molly, Alto 2 – Matilde, Keziah and Nora)

May God be Merciful – learn solfege through the end of the piece. B-flat is Do.

(Voice 1 – Molly, Matilde, Nora; Voice 2 – Kamirra, Keziah, Marquita and Maria; Voice 3 – Wills, Nishorgo, Shantoya and Caetie).

The Old Carrion Crow – Learn notes on solfege through m. 82. C is Do. We will talk about the text this coming rehearsal. Like most nursery rhymes, there are hidden meanings that are based in historical facts. The one we will focus on is the crow being a symbol of bad luck. This is why the tailor needed to try to protect himself.

Review: Lady of Liberty with middle sections, How Can I Keep From Singing?, America the Beautiful

Week of March 5, 2017

Practice instructions

Concert/Treble

Practice instructions – at least 20 minutes per day

Treble:

Learn: It’s in My Desk – notes on solfege (photocopied pages). Originals will arrive by next rehearsal.

Review: Heaven, Lady of Liberty with middle sections, Love is Little, How Can I Keep From Singing?, America the Beautiful

Concert:

New: Sakura – review solfege for entire piece. (Soprano 1 – Caetie, Maria and Shantoya; Soprano 2 – Wills, Marquita and Nishorgo; Alto 1 – Kamirra and Molly, Alto 2 – Matilde, Keziah and Nora)

May God be Merciful – learn solfege through the end of the three part round.

(Voice 1 – Wills, Nishorgo, Shantoya and Caetie; Voice 2 – Kamirra, Keziah, Marquita and Maria; Voice 3 – Molly, Matilde, Nora)

The Old Carrion Crow – Learn notes on solfege through m. 42.

Review: Lady of Liberty with middle sections, How Can I Keep From Singing?, America the Beautiful

Pro Arte/Cavalieri

Mass for Three Voices: Please finish learning notes and rhythms for the Sanctus and Agnus Dei! We perform these pieces on March 18th! Practice counting while singing your part, singing on solfege syllables for tuning, and singing with the text while carefully thinking about rhythm. I will hear one, possible two, on a part next week. Remember to use the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Am1PQ0p39w

Remember to give slight crescendos on longer note values. Also, remember to lift on dots and repeated notes.

Continue to review the Kyrie and Gloria. Practice the same way that has been suggested above.

Review hymns and Psalm for March 18th

Review: Out of the Depths, Freedom is Coming, God of Still Waiting (especially the text on the last page), Grant Peace and Draw the Circle Wide.

Simple Song – Learn notes in solfege for entire piece. Cavalieri sings first page through m.19 on p. 2 alone. Cantare sings mm. 24 – 63. Cavalieri sings mm. 71 – end.

Gloria Tibi - Work out solfege for the entire piece. Pages 7&8 are the same as p. 4 middle – p. 5.

Week of February 19, 2018

Practice instructions

Practice instructions for this Sunday’s performance by Concert and Treble Choirs at Westover Hills United Methodist Church

Treble Choir:

Please review Heaven (don’t be shy about animal sounds!).  Memorize.

Practice How Can I Keep from Singing?  Be sure all the words are memorized.  Do not breathe, unless there is a rest or a comma.

Love is Little – review.  Memorize.

Review hymns.

Concert Choir:

Review and secure memory on Song of Thanksgiving.  At the end of the piece, those singing the bottom part should practice holding your own part in tune.

How Can I Keep from Singing?  Part 1, keep working to hold your own part at the end.  Be sure you have text memorized correctly, especially for the middle section.

Love is Little – review.  Memorize.

Review hymns.

Both choirs:  Work to keep your beautiful open and light tone, using a deep breath.  Never feel you need to force your voice.

Pro Arte/Cavalieri

Mass for Three Voices:

Please finish learning notes and rhythms for the Sanctus and Agnus Dei.   Practice counting while singing your part.  Remember to give slight crescendos on longer note values.  Also, remember to lift on dots and repeated notes.

Continue to review the Kyrie and Gloria.  Practice the same way that has been suggested above.

If this music is learned, we will begin on two new pieces – exerpts from Leonard Bernstein’s Mass.

Week of February 12, 2018

Cantare Choir -please spend time on the Sanctus and Agnus Dei from Mass for Three Voices.  Continue to review the Gloria and refer to the recording.

Week of February 5, 2018

Concert/Treble

Practice instructions – at least 20 minutes per day

These are the last few days before our concert.  Please put in the extra work!  A singer who doesn’t completely know their part is not able to hide behind the other singers.  That one singer will impact the success of the musical offering.  Please, give this 110% between now and Sunday.  Let’s have a great concert!

Treble:

 Heaven – practice animal sounds

Lady of Liberty – practice rhythms on the last page, second ending.  Especially study where the rests are.

America the Beautiful – memorize text

Concert:

For the Beauty of the Earth – study where you should breathe and NOT breathe.  Never breathe in the middle of a word.  Unless otherwise directed, do not breathe if there is no comma in the text or rest in the music. 

Song of Thanksgiving – Review your part in the two-part section on the last two pages.

How can I keep from singing – If there isn’t a comma in the text, please do not breathe.  Also, work to not breathe in the middle of words.  Review text memory, particularly the middle section, mm. 32&33.  Part two, please review your part on pp. 6&7.  Throughout the piece, be sure to crescendo on the longer note values in the middle of the musical phrases.

Hope for Resolution –Many of you do not know your text for this piece!  Read through this text each day and have another person challenge your memory work.

Lady of Liberty – review

America the Beautiful – memorize text

Pro Arte/Cavalieri

Mass for Three Voices:  Continue to work on memory.  Even if we are using our scores on this for this concert, the less reliant you are on the scores the better off you will be.  Secure notes and, especially, rhythms!  Review pronunciations with the guide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Am1PQ0p39w

Winter Solstice, Mvt. II – Pro Arte – Review

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor – Cavalieri - learn

Hope for Resolution – Review second ending, p.11.  It still was insecure on Monday.  Altos, you seemed to have forgotten you part on the Thula Sizwe.  Be certain you know this very well by Sunday.

Aus tiefer Not – Cavalieri – work on singing your part in tune, particularly on the first line.

Verleih uns Frieden – Cavalieri – review pronunciations

Out of the Depths and Grant Peace – Cantare – review

America the Beautiful – be sure your parts are memorized.

Continue reviewing:  God of Still Waiting - text, Freedom is Coming, The Storm is Passing, Draw the Circle – rhythmic energy, Lady of Liberty

Week of January 29, 2018

All choirs- Please review your parts for musical details and for memorization for the following program. Remember Monday and Tuesday's rehearsals this week are mandatory in preparation for the concert. (And Concert Choir please remember you will also be attending Monday night's rehearsal staying from 6:20-7:15.) Thank you!

Note to Cantare to please spend extra time on the Mass, especially sopranos. 

February 11, 2018 Greater Richmond Children’s Choir Concert at Bon Air Presbyterian Church

How Can I Keep from Singing?                              Quaker Song, arr. Ginger Littleton

For the Beauty of the Earth                                                                          Kenton Coe

Song of Thanksgiving                                                                            Malcolm Archer

Concert Choir

Heaven                                                    Poem: Langston Hughes, Music: Pete Curry

Treble Choir

Winter Solstice, 2. “These nights pass slowly”                                                               Paul Carey

Pro Arte Choir

God of Still Waiting                                                                                                     Alfred V. Fedak

Mass for Three Voices                                                                                                           William Byrd

    Kyrie

    Gloria 

Five Choral Motets                                                                                                                                Carl Shalk

     “From depths of woe I cry to Thee”

     “Grant peace, we, pray, in mercy, Lord” 

Freedom is Coming                                             South African Song, arr. Henry Leck

The Storm is Passing Over                                    Charles A. Tindley, arr. Barbara Baker

(Sharita Shamin and Katherine Pierre-Louis, soloists)

Draw the Circle Wide                                                                                 Mark A. Miller

(Erica Axtell and Owen Peck, soloists)

Cantare Choir

Give me Your Tired, Your Poor (from the stage production Miss Liberty      I. Berlin

(Shaandro Sarkar, soloist)

Cavalieri Choir

Hope for Resolution (A Song for Mandela and de Klerk)arr. P. Caldwell & S. Ivory

(Tiffany Cook, djembe; Donovan Williams, violin)

Cantare and Concert Choirs

Lady of Liberty                                                                                           Nancy Gifford

All Choirs

America the Beautiful                                              Materna, Samuel Augustus Ward

Sing-Along