Would you believe me if I told you that we have had seven rehearsals so far this semester and we have five more before our first "dress" (orchestra) rehearsal on Wednesday, April 29? It’s true!
I know it feels like we began to work on Sea Symphony not too long ago, and it seems like May is far away, but because our concert is on Saturday, May 2, we have less time than we might think to be performance-ready. In my mind, I can hear us ringing out clearly, boldly and precisely, giving a glorious performance to honor the 50th anniversary of our chorus. If we each commit to this vision and work accordingly to get ourselves ready, we can do it!
For me, it is very helpful to listen to the entire orchestral work repeatedly to see how each of our parts intertwines with the soloists. In this way, the seemingly out-of-the-blue strange phrases of four-part choral singing make sense in the context of the symphony as a whole.
Let’s check in with several more chorus members about what song/music they would listen to if it was the only music they could hear for the rest of their lives.
Isaac Godshalk "I Want You" (Beatles)
Allen Reed "All That Glitters Is Gold" (Smash Mouth’s “All Star”)
Marek The Köln Concert (Keith Jarrett album)
Sue Hilliker The Nelson Mass (Haydn)
Betsy S The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
Dave McLallen "All That You Dream" (Little Feat)
Becky H-W "Chorale St. Antoni" (Haydn/Brahms)
Kate G "These Are Days" (10,000 Maniacs)
Finally, what do red wine blends, coffee blends and vocal harmony blends have in common? The blending effect is better and different than the sum of the parts. One of the greatest compliments that you can receive as a choral singer is when a friend says to you after the concert, “I tried, but I couldn’t hear you!” Meaning, they could not hear you personally, but they could hear your section just fine. Make sure you can always hear the people singing next to you on your right and on your left. If you are interested, here is a link to a four minute video about how to achieve excellent vocal blend while singing in a chorus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaZo3xR5jp0
Enjoy your week, everyone! Happy Spring Equinox on Friday, 3/20!
