RISE Intro!

Hello all!

I know it's just about time to check out of the world and go into holiday mode, but I wanted to get some info in your hands about the amazing show we are about to get started on in the new year.

SUMMARY/ETHOS OF THE SHOW:

RISE explores what it means to be a woman searching for agency and fighting for change while trying to honour her elders and her past. Xara Choral Theatre Ensemble will be joined by Xara alumnae, several young singers from our Chrysalis Youth Mentorship program, and guest artists Rebecca Thomas, El Jones, and Michelle Raine. Each section of the show will be collaboratively developed with the featured artist and will include a re-imagined Greek myth, slam poetry, and vulnerable monologue.

The three pieces with guest artists will be developed in January - each artist is writing a piece (2-4 mins in length) and a piece of choral theatre of approx 10 mins will be developed in conjunction with their performance pieces. Because these pieces are still in development, the Xara-only portion of the show will be rehearsed exclusively through January and early February and will be at performance-ready by the beginning of March. This section of the show will be about 25 minutes long.

The starting point for our Xara-only piece was the Greek myth of Pyrrha. Pyrrha was the only woman saved from a flood that Zeus sent to destroy humanity’s wickedness. When she and her husband were faced with repopulating the earth, they consulted an oracle that told them to “throw the bones of your mother behind you." This piece will focus on the relationship between generations who struggle to understand when to cast the work and perspectives of their foremothers aside, when to build on them, and when to rest in them. It offers a meditation on the impact of Third Wave Feminism in the relationships between women of different generations. The flood/storm functions as a metaphor for a life experience that throws women deep into contending with misogyny. The “bones” represent the teaching of our “foremothers” in the feminist movement. 

Here's a youtube playlist of the music!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJuoUIADDBk&list=PL11qX29U_Egw8PW0VTsoCy_C18Nqzfkvg

And if you want to download mp3s to help you practice, you can find them here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nCPuw-HovBsnaQPzmHaOZ3tLoQYgmTmO

And if you're not sure about Third Wave Feminism (or other aspects of Feminism), here's a great little article that is really helpful!

https://www.pacificu.edu/about/media/four-waves-feminism

You could also have a look at our website (www.xara.ca) for the "public" info about the show. :)

DATES:

First rehearsal: Jan 7 (2:00-5:30)

Show Week rehearsals:

  - Apr 25, 6-10 PM

  - Apr 26, 6-10 PM

  - Apr 27, 6-10 PM

Shows: Apr 28 at 3PM and 8 PM

Rehearsals are every Sunday (mostly 1:15-5:30) except February 19 evening instead of Feb 18 (due to the long weekend) and Apr 2 evening instead of Apr 1 (due to Easter weekend).

A blog post will go up every week on Tuesdays to help you prepare and rehearse!

A NOTE ABOUT GETTING BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS:

I want to end this post by saying that you were all troupers for a really weird term this fall. Obviously we did lots of great things but it was really strange not having a show to get ready for and no major goals. It will be important to note that once we get started in January you are going to need to reserve regular times to practice between rehearsals in a way that you probably didn't during the fall. Starting the third week of January, a new piece of music will need to be memorized every week (starting with Womanly Song of God!). Prepping a show is really exciting and there's an awesome sense of momentum but it's also more intense that what we had on our plates last this fall. 

For now, have an amazing holiday!!! I can't WAIT to get started on RISE with you ... it's going to be such a rewarding show for us!!!

Prep for Wreaths & Warrior Video Shoot

Hellooooo!!

I can't even tell you how pumped I am for Wreath Day and our video shoot. It's going to be a fun weekend being with all of you! Let the bonding times roll!

WREATH DAY - Saturday, Nov 25

1. Location: Bethany United Church: 2669 Joseph Howe Drive (yellow church). There is limited parking in front of this entrance to the church but there is more around back (off of Clinton Ave).
2. Time: Arrive between 9:45 and 10:00 am. People will start picking their wreaths up at 1:00 PM. We will definitely be all done by 4:00 PM but maybe before.
3. Bring wire cutters and scissors if you have them (as many as you've got).
4. Bring SNACKS ... lots of snacks! Tea and coffee will be provided to keep us going through the day. :)
5. You are in charge of making sure all your wreaths get picked up or distributed. If you can't be present, you need to arrange with someone to check off your people as they pick them up or to take wreaths you are delivering with them.
6. If you have any outstanding money for sold wreaths, please bring it on Saturday.
7. Bring your playlists so we can listen to tunes. Christmas music and any other fun music is welcomed!
8. If you want to be super keen and review how to make bows before Saturday, check out this youtube video: 

WARRIOR VIDEO - Sunday, Nov 26

LOCATION: Nova Scotia Choral Federation Office - 1113 Marginal Road (the building that Garrison Brewery is in right in front of the Seaport Market).

Here's what you need to know to be ready:

1. Memorize Warrior if you haven't already.
2. Enjoy (but DON'T SHARE) the edited version of our recording session
3. Sign up for a time slot for your personal shoot.
4. Arrive 5 mins before your time and be ready (see below for what that means re: makeup and hair)

Hair and Makeup:

1. Full coverage foundation so your skin looks more flawless than is possible in nature
2. Blush and lips that make you look natural (no extreme colours or heavy applications)
3. Simple eye makeup (definitely mascara but not much else ... maybe minimal eyeliner but no shadow)
4. If you have hair long enough to pull back, pull it back - should be very neat (so no fly aways or "loose" ponies/buns) ... think ballerina.
5. No jewelry (except face piercings) - no earrings or necklaces or rings if possible)

Morgan and Anna will have foundation, blush, mascara, and simple lip colour if you are not a person who owns much makeup. Morgan will be focusing on making sure your face looks amazing and Anna will be painting ears. For those who are there in groups, it's possible that ear painting can become a group activity with some instruction. :)

Your time slot will be approximately 1 hour (could be less). Your actual time in front of the camera will be about 10 mins. Some of your shot will be of you singing and some of it will just be candid filming of you being you. Denique will make sure you look amazing when all is said and done. :)

I'll be there for nearly the whole day so I can't wait to see the magic happen! Denique and I are working on big plans for more videos in the coming months so enjoy this process and consider it a learning experience for more future endeavours!

Prep for Nov 12 Rehearsal

Hi everyone!

I’ve missed you!!!!!! The Fatty Legs tour was intense and wonderful but I am SO looking forward seeing (and hearing) all of you this Sunday!

Rehearsal will be 2:00-5:30 PM this week and our main task is preparing for our recording session the following Sunday. Please review the back half of Winter Sun and Warrior as those are the two pieces we will record, both with a music video in mind. I will also be introducing you to an epic new piece that will be part of RISE and is going to take quite a bit of time to learn.

Importantly, WREATH ORDERS ARE DUE this Sunday! If you haven’t yet met your goal of selling 10, now is your chance to call people up and send some emails! Jessica will be coming to collect money and orders.

Alto 2s are on snack!

Can’t wait to get caught up with you!!

Prep for Oct 22 Rehearsal

Hi everyone!

First of all, it's important that I summarize the big news that we shared at last week's rehearsal since there were a few folks who couldn't be there and I don't want them to be in the dark.

Change in Schedule for the Year (AGAIN)
If you're new to Xara this year you must be wondering why our dates are changing constantly. Please know that this is highly irregular for us and we typically have the whole year quite clearly laid out by the summer that precedes our start up. However, this year, many things have made that impossible. The first was the potential Neptune collaboration (as you know). Once that was settled and off the calendar, we thought that everything would be good to go without any notable changes. However, a bit more than a week ago, we got some very disappointing news - for the first time since Xara has existed we were turned down for a large grant that our season hinged on. We have an astonishing track record of getting grants but I guess it had to happen sometime. Furthermore, there was an administrative mix-up that meant we heard the news about this grant far later than normal.

What this all boils down to is that we do not have sufficient funding to move forward with The Girl Who Stole the Sun. The Board of Directors thought long and hard about this and we were very, very grateful for the perspectives of our new singer reps. Instead of just pushing "pause" on Xara life until January (tears!!) we decided to make the most of this time!! There are several smaller projects that we've been wanting to do but haven't been able to fit into our schedule. Plus, with so many new folks this year, we could really, really use some extra group bonding time, vocal pedagogy time, and "Beyonce training" (a la Claire!).

So, this fall, we are going to work up a few of the pieces that were from the show to recording level and record them - giving us new, high quality material to share with our fans and use for promo. On top of that, we are going to shoot a new music video!! It's been two years since we have been able to do this and it has always been such a rewarding and useful thing. Finally we will also do a bunch of group bonding and skill development activities. :)

The other "silver lining" to this situation is that we will get to start on RISE (our Spring show) in January instead of in February. The extra time this gives us allows us to make that show even more spectacular ... which is important because it's our 10th anniversary performance!!

If you have any questions about this news, please feel free to talk to me or to any of the singers who sit on the board (Hayley, Georgia, Morgan).

Prep for Oct 22 Rehearsal
First of all, rehearsal will be from 2:00-5:30 PM again. Alto 1s are on snack duty!

The memorization schedule is no longer in effect and this Sunday I'll be discussing which pieces we are going to focus on and to what level we are going to take them (ex. will they just be for recording or will they be memorized and blocked)?

For this week, please review your music and the choreography for Stig In, Lucia and Sure on This Shining Night. We will be running both of these and expect to see them in really top-notch shape. Several of you still had quite a bit of work to do on your Swedish so hopefully you've been doing that!

Otherwise, there is nothing else you need to formally prepare for this week. Come ready to do lots of singing and a bit of personal sharing too!

Schedule of Important Dates for the Season
Based on the latest developments, the schedule of important dates for the season has changed again. Hopefully this will be the last major change!!!! Please find it here. Also, please note that you are off both next Sunday and the Sunday after (Oct 29 and Nov 5) because the whole artistic team (Christina, Jenny, Claire, Erin plus 14 singers, our lighting designer and two guest artists) are touring Xara's show Fatty Legs through southern Ontario. Please wish us well!! It's a really intense schedule (14 shows) and a very emotionally intense story to tell through our singing.

Rehearsal Notes - October 15

Stig In, Lucia, Stig In - Video

Process in, starting on right foot, one step per measure - eye contact with each other. Move to the following mixed scattered locations. Arrive by the end of the first verse.

First 4 measures of Verse 2, move to a circle (all facing towards the audience)

Measures 5 - 8 of Verse 2, stay in the circle formation.

Measures 9-12 of Verse 2, move to double diamond formation

Measures 13 - 16 of Verse 2, hold in the double diamond formation

Measures 17 - 22 of Verse 2, move to two line formation :

Measures 1 - 4 of Verse 3, move to double V formation :

Measures 5 - 8 of Verse 3, hold in the double V formation.

Measures 9 - 12 of Verse 3, move to four line formation :

Measures 13 - 16 of Verse 3, hold in 4-line formation

Measures 17 - 22 Move apart into a mixed scattered formation.

Prep for October 15 Rehearsal

Hi all,

I miss you!!!!! I hope you each had a relaxing and/or productive Thanksgiving Weekend and that you are looking forward to digging back in to our music making this Sunday!

We are back to our regular location at St. Matthew's United Church and this week our rehearsal will be from 2-5:30 PM (please note the later start time).

Please have Stig In, Lucia, Stig In memorized for this Sunday (as you were meant to for last Monday) and review the blocking/music for Sure On This Shining Night.

In addition to some regular rehearsing we have a couple of exciting announcements to make as well as some new information about something we'll be working on over the next two months!

Please come wearing comfortable clothes that are easy to move and that won't cause you embarrassment if you need to do a forward fold or some floor work in (i.e. short skirts with no cautionary leggings underneath!) since Claire will be doing some movement training work with you.

Soprano 2s you are on snack!

Prep for Grease FR & Oct 9 Rehearsal

I hope you've all been coming up with creative costume ideas for our Grease Fund Raiser on Friday evening!  Here are important reminders about upcoming events and rehearsals.

Movie Musical Fundraiser - Grease - Friday, Oct 6

Please, please, please invite as many people as you can to this event! It's not an expensive evening to attend but if we get lots of people it has the potential to make a real difference for our organization! 

Please arrive at St. Matthew's United Church no later than 6:30 PM. The doors will open for the public at that time. Our job is to create an atmosphere of fun, warmth, and friendliness. We want people to feel like they are at a happy-making event, not just a movie! Soprano 2s are on concession this time and they've come up with some awesome ideas for snacks so you should bring some cash along! It won't be expensive but it will be yummy!! 

Thanksgiving MONDAY Rehearsal - Oct 9 - Room 121 in the Dal Arts Centre

Our rehearsal this weekend is on Monday evening from 6-9 PM in order to give you a long weekend.  Please note that we are in an alternate location - the basement of the Dal Arts Centre on University Ave. in Room 121. I will post some instructions about how to find that room on our facebook group in case you've never been there before. You were asked to have two pieces memorized for this rehearsal but I am going CHANGE that based on some developments in our season that have happened this week. I will explain in much more detail on Monday but you only need to have Stig In, Lucia, Stig In memorized now.

Fees & Scheduled Absences

Just a reminder that if you haven't already paid your fees you need to make arrangements with Jess about doing so (email her at manager@xara.ca). As well, please email both Erin (eringaudet06@gmail.com) and me (conductor@xara.ca) as soon as possible with any scheduled absences you have this term. Just in case you haven't read the document yet, Xara's list of committed dates for the year can be found here. This is a live document and will be updated regularly so that it is always correct.