Snowforms - Movement & Text Notes

Thanks to Erin for taking these excellent notes!!!

Sheet should generally be about 6 inches from the ground, held 6 inches out from the body.

When held with two hands, hands should be slightly more than shoulder width apart.

When held with one hand, hand should be in the centre of the body – except for the people on the ends.

1. Start in very spread out U (two giant steps back)
2. During the first two pages, step forward to take the sheet at the same time as your partner (try to stay in sync) Make eye contact with the person you are taking the sheet from
3. In the second system of page 3 (where the altos have a fast moving pattern g – bflat – g – c – eflat – f) sheet will be dropped in FRONT, starting with the farthest Sop 1 and proceeding quickly around the U (drop right hand then left hand as soon as the person next to you has done so)
4. On “Apingaut” (altos) when the text says “In the well-lit toasty warmth...” begin slightly shaking the sheet to make it shimmer like the aurora borealis. STOP SHAKING ON “FREEZE BARE SKIN IN SECONDS”
5. Text cue : “unanswered questions” will happen right before “Mauyak” – during the singing of “Mauyak”, move to zig-zag line, holding the sheet with one hand
6. “They take everything” is a text cue for “Qanit” (sops). When the Qanit begins, step back into a wide U, holding the sheet with two hands
7. On the building chord of “Akelrorak” we are in a U. When the sliding half tones happen, sweep the sheet out and back (without it flying up over the head) Size goes with dynamics.
8. On sustained unison G, just hold sheet with two hands
9. On “Til-tok-tor”, bunch the bunch the sheet up. Use peripheral vision to be in time with the rest of the U. There will be MORE reps of this. We will continue to decrescendo until Christina cuts us off. There will then be silence during a bit of narration.
10. Text cue : “I suppose that is the only way I will hear the end of it.” When we come back in at the bottom of page 6, we are creating a ship’s sails – a triangle leading to the people in the middle of each side and the two people in the centre of the U. Hands move on the scoop up in the first pattern. Hold there until the text cue below.
11. We bring our hands down with text cue : “Later that day my mother came to find me...” Move forward into a very tight U.
12. Text cue : “She took one of my long braids in her hand...” Then, bring sheet to chest, allowing a small drape between people. Use one hand to pull the sheet in, and place the other hand over top of it. Stay like that until the end of the piece.

POWER WEEKEND WITH ELISE BRADLEY!!

Hey all!

Claire, Tenille, and I are SO SO excited to be heading into this first Power Weekend of the season!  It's going to be super productive but also really exciting and interesting.  Elise Bradley is one of the WORLD'S most recognized pedagogues whose speciality is treble voices.  We are very lucky to have her here.

Our goals for the weekend are:
- learn about vocal production, resonance, and vowels and the role they play in amazing performances
- lock in more of our repertoire and gain new skills for singing it to our best ability
- start locking down some of our movement (especially for Snowforms)
- get an expert's take on the things we can do to develop further as an ensemble

The times are as follows:
Saturday: 9:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Bethany United Church
Sunday: 1:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Fairview United Church (our regular rehearsal venue)

On Saturday, lunch is provided but please bring snacks as per Mackenzie's awesome snack schedule.  Same goes for snacks on Sunday.

Dress Code:
On Saturday, please wear your Xara t-shirts and any form of black bottoms (yoga pants are fine, skirts and dress pants are also fine).  On Sunday, please wear any other Xara "swag" you own (if you do) or, alternately, wear your Xara t-shirts again.  We want to look professional and together for Elise Bradley!

SATURDAY SCHEDULE
9:30 - 11 a.m. 
Workshop with the Halifax Camerata Singers (our sister choir) and Elise on vocal production and vowels
11 - 12:30
Xara alone on Snowforms (first 30 mins locking in your memory work and refining the singing, remaining hour on movement)
12:30 - 1:30
Lunch (provided)
1:30 - 4:00
Xara rehearsal (alone) kicking Womanly Song of God's BUTT (!!) and getting Noviori Ani polished.  There will be one session of sectional time for Womanly Song of God during this period.

SUNDAY will be all focused on singing and will be lead mostly by Elise as she works the repertoire.

Remember that you are expected to have Snowforms by memory on Saturday.  We have 30 minutes (only!!) dedicated to polishing it up without your scores in hand so you really must have your entire line ready before you come, including knowing when you move in relation to the other part.

This weekend is going to be really exciting and will really give us a sense of the heights that we are going to achieve this year!!  I will also have some more details about our performances of Fatty Legs to share since we are finally getting some real information from the TRC!!

See you soon!
Christina

PS - Here's a map showing where Bethany United Church is in case you need it:

View Larger Map

Notes from Sept 18 and Prep for Sept 25

GREAT rehearsal last Sunday (even though it started off a little sleepy!).  Make sure you get lots of sleep on Saturdays (I know that occasionally fun Saturday plans can interfere but do your best!).

I was really pleased that we made it all the way through Womanly Song of God.  The best way to keep moving ahead with this piece is to listen to the recording OFTEN (to help understand the harmonic workings of the piece and to get used to the interplay of rhythms between sections) and ensure that some of those times are with the score in front of you.  And of course, individual practice of your own line is also important!  By next Sunday, please be ready to go with the notes and rhythms of your line.  If there are sections that you are struggling with, circle them and be ready to ask about them in rehearsal and sectional.

Claire would like to strongly encourage you to walk around your house (or around town!) to a 5/8 rhythm!!  5/8 is a funny time signature!  Because there are an uneven number of pulses (eighth notes) in the bar, the strong beats can either be on 1 and 4 (1-2-3-4-5) or 1 and 3 (1-2-3-4-5).  Each of these has a different feel (as we discovered through Claire's walking exercise).  When they are juxtaposed against one another, they create an interesting effect but it is challenging for the singers to maintain the differentiation, especially because the conductor can only show one at a time.  M. 47 (p.7) is an example of this.  The S2s have a group of 2 (two 16ths + one 8th = two 8th pulses) followed by a group of three (1 quarter + one 8th note = three 8th pulses).  Simultaneously, the A2s have a group of 3 (1 dotted quarter = three 8th pulses) followed by a group of 2 (two 8th notes = two 8th pulses).

Womanly Song of God will need to be memorized by October 16th (just some advanced notice!).  Plan accordingly because we will need to be pretty fierce about no scores in hand for those last two rehearsals.

Snowforms is really coming along well!  Please begin to integrate your memorization of this piece with an understanding of how your line relates to the other line(s) being sung at the same time.  Know what you need to hear before your part moves.  I would like this piece to be memorized by October 1st (Saturday).  This is our power weekend and Claire will have lots of exciting work for us that weekend.  Work toward this goal progressively between now and then so you aren't trying to cram it all in on the Friday night before!

I was also very happy with the work we did on Noviori Ani on Sunday.  This is not a complicated piece but will require a lot of attention to detail when it comes to dynamics, etc.  This piece needs to be memorized by October 10th (Thanksgiving Monday).  As with Snowforms, begin building your memorization of the piece into your personal rehearsal.

For Christmas repertoire, we will be looking at Hanget Soi.  By later this week I will send out an mp3 of the pronunciation to help you along but at-home work on this piece is not yet needed.

Prep List - for Sunday, September 18th

Here's what you should be working on for our rehearsal this Sunday:

• Ensure that all notes and rhythms from the work we did at camp are secure (i.e. all of Snowforms, Noviori Ani to end of p. 4,  the beginning and end of Womanly Song of God
• Listen to the recording of Womanly Song of God with your score several times and begin work on the parts so our work on them this Sunday isn't "from cold".
• Watch this video of Mi'kmaq women drumming to get a feel for the way the mallet bounces off the drum.  This is the feeling we need to get into our bodies for this song - we are the drum (especially in the opening and closing of the piece), so our sound needs to move as steadily and fluidly as a drum mallet.

Finally, remember that the time to start memorizing these pieces is now!  Try to integrate your memory work with your music-learning time so that you are able to achieve your goal of feeling confident in performances and being well prepared in plenty of time.  This will make our concerts less stressful and our rehearsals way more fun!  

Xara Camp Notes

Congratulations on an AWESOME XaraCamp!!  It was the best one yet, by a long shot!

Obviously, we can't summarize here the many hours of workshops and activities we took part in but there are some key items.  These notes will also help Xarites who were at camp to ensure that the work they did is still nice and locked in by next Sunday.

Repertoire Work

• Snowforms: We have now nailed down the whole piece (notes and rhythms are finished) and have the first 3 pages memorized.  
• Womanly Song of God: This is our hardest piece and we did really good work on mm. 1-51 (beginning to middle of p.7) and m.237 to the end.  These parts should now be solid, including the body percussion at the end!
• Noviori Ani: We worked on balance and being able to hear your part in cluster chords.  We got to the bottom of p.4 with notes and rhythms solid.

If you were not at camp, it's your responsibility to make sure that you are caught up on this repertoire work.

Key Movement Concepts We Explored

• sensitivity and awareness (balancing stick formations, watching your walk, leading your partner)
• moving as a group (flocking like birds, and "The Watching")
• moving lightly on the floor (like birds landing!)
• tension and release

Xara Ambassadors & Administration

• 1 minute pitch: how to talk about Xara to a co-worker, an artist, a politician, or a business person (please see the link Tenille posted on our facebook page)
• You can fund raise your fees away by selling advertisements for our programs!  
• The importance of talking about Xara in your non-Xara life
• How to sell tickets
• Many hands make light work: get involved!  There are many roles Xarites can take on to share in the leadership of the choir!

This can only scratch the surface of an amaaaaazing weekend but hopefully it will help keep the memories fresh and assist those who couldn't be there in preparing for Sunday the 18th.

We were so proud of your commitment, your enthusiasm, your relationship building, and your hard work last weekend.  Thank you SO much!

Love from,
Christina, Claire, Tenille, and Deirdre

Xara Camp - location

Hi all! Just in case you want to see some pictures of the beautiful place we are going to spend the weekend, I thought I'd pass on their web address:
 http://www.artscentre.ca/

 It's a GORGEOUS location on over 100 acres of property that includes waterfront on the Bay of Fundy! They've also got a huge garden of fresh foods that we are free to cook with all weekend. Weeee!

Xara Camp - Driving Directions

Ross Creek GPS:
 Latitude 45.22159
Longitude -64.43816

 If coming from Halifax:
- Take Highway 101
 - Take Exit 11, turn right off ramp
 - Continue straight through lights toward Canning and Port Williams – follow signs for Canning (11km)
 - In the Canning Village centre, turn left at the monument
 - At the T at the top of the mountain, turn left
 - Turn immediately right down Ross Creek Road (gravel)
 - Approximately 3 km down that road, The Ross Creek Centre is on your left

Xara Camp - Packing List

Ross Creek Centre for the Arts is half way between a nice retreat centre and a camp. Your accommodations will be dorm style (two large cabins with 12 bunks in each). They do not have electric lighting but they are heated. Good quality mattresses are provided but bedding is not (although pillow are provided, I'd suggest bringing your own). Good quality bathroom facilities (with electricity) are a short walk from the cabins. The rehearsal facilities are top-notch-gorgeous and the kitchen/dining situation is also really nice (we will be doing our own cooking).

Suggested Packing List:

• Weather-appropriate clothes 
•  Warm clothes for evening 
•  Toiletries 
•  Towels, facecloth 
•  Bedding or Sleeping Bag 
•  Pillow 
•  Shoes for walking around camp
• Gym/yoga clothes for sessions (layers are good) - must be comfortable and able to move in them  
• Gym slippers (Xara shoes for those who have them) 
•  Water bottle, pencil 
•  Yoga mat or large towel 
•  Journal or something to write in/on(very important!!) 
•  $20 for supper at The Port 
•  Flashlight (really important since the bathrooms are a walk away from your cabins) 
•  Ear plugs for light sleepers!

Xara Camp 2011 - Schedule

Location: Ross Creek Centre for the Arts (Canning, NS)

Friday
6:30 Arrival
7:00 Intro Session
9:00 Performance and Rehearsal Philosophy + Day Closer

Saturday (Contract Interviews on-going through the day)
8:30 Breakfast and Clean-up
9:30 Movement Session
10:20 Music Session
11:00 Snack
11:15 “Fatty Legs” Show Orientation
12:15 Lunch prep and eat and clean
1:00 Contract Interviews begin
1:30 Movement Session
3:30 Break
4:00 Music Session 
5:30 Supper Break
6:30 Contract Interviews Resume
7:00 Integrated Vocal/Movement Workshop
9:30 End of Day Ritual / Sister Song

Sunday
8:30 Breakfast/Cleanup
9:30 Yoga
10:30 Music Session
11:30 Break
11:45 Xara Ambassadors Workshop
12:30 Lunch
2:00 Movement/Music Session
4:00 Group Bonding/Closing
4:45 Clear out
5:30 Dinner at The Port

Transitions for F500 Short Program

Hi everyone,

Here is the the order and the transitions for our Short Program. Please have a look at this, put notes in your scores accordingly, and be ready to give these a "go" on Saturday!

Wind Song - 3 pods with spoken opening (walk up on opening)
Scantei Solare - break into mixed scattered during p. 1
Transition: spoken translation and move to U (Claire will work the timing of this on Saturday)
Satakieli - U formation: S2|A1|S1a+S1b|A2
Las Amarillas - on opening, S1 step forward and to their usual places, others move when they sing to a loose U
Transition: at end of applause move to U for Enns
Tree of Life - U with Xara-arms

See you soon!
Christina

Movement notes - April 29

Played - Movement notes to Apr 29

Sisarueni

-The Processional
-Story: going to work but not happy about it, other people around you but you don’t make contact with them
-Starting positions: Parts 1/4 - in aisle audience left; Parts 2/5 - in aisle audience right; Part 3 - upstage left entrance
-Parts 1/2/3 start first; Parts 4/5 start on repeat when you come in
-Walking throughout the space (balancing the space), one step per measure, start with right foot, step on beat 1
-stillness (facing front) on “sisarueni” motif (m 11-18, m 28-36, m 45-48, m 49-68, m 79-end)
-**Remember you have your pillowcase with you to be used in an “everyday fashion” (sack over your shoulder, scarf, shawl, baby etc)

Transition: Must get into Counting starting positions during measures 69-78

Counting

-Story: We are doing our daily tasks and it is hard work
-Starting positions: Mixed scattered, first two rows sitting on the floor, some kneeling, some standing in the back
-Doing your specific work actions throughout piece (singing to baby, feeding chickens, cleaning floor etc)

Breadbaking

-Story: We are doing our daily tasks and it is still really hard work
-Starting positions: Same positions as Counting
-Doing your specific work actions throughout piece (singing to baby, feeding chickens, cleaning floor etc)

I’ve No One in the World

-Story: We are lonely and sad doing our work, we wish we had friendship and excitement in our lives
-Starting positions: same positions as Counting & Breadbaking
-Holding pillowcase, sitting/standing still, looking up wistfully and dreaming of the life you could have

Chant for a Long Day

-Story: going home after a long day of work, dreaming about what your life could be
-Starting positions: Start in same positions for Hungarian pieces
-Transition from Hungarian positions to Chant positions during first two measures of Chant, make one long line at back of stage, alternating SASASA (order has been determined)
-Sopranos start first at m 7, Altos start when you come in at m 9
-Walk towards front of stage, one step per measure, start with right foot, step on beat 1, -Sops remember to take two BIG first steps
-Stop walking at m 21 (**this will need to be redetermined in St Matt’s on Sunday)
-Lay down bed at m 33
-Sit on knees at my 37
-Start to stand at m 61
-Standing by m 65
-Move to sitting on last repeat of your phrase at m 99
-All lie down together at m 103 (hands to the left, slide bum the the right, lie down)

Transition: Lie down at end of Chant, lights fade to black, in black, pillowcases turned inside out, wind noises increasingly harsh, Christina sings Hotaru Koi alternated with gasp and sit up from singers, stand and tuck pillowcase into belt; by m 10 all are standing

Hotaru Koi

-Story: We see this amazing light and want to follow it and figure out what it is
-Starting positions: standing from transition, moving into a large clump (60%)
-Following light around space TBA according to lighting cues

Lulilola

-Story: this strange feeling is coming over me, but it feels soooooo good
-Starting positions: one big clump (approx 60% clump) closer toward back of stage, all following leader
-Camila is leader of everyone at beginning
-Tenille leader of sops, Camila leader of altos once parts split at m 9
-Tenille leader of sops, Camila leader of middles, Sara J leader of altos once parts split at m 22
-Cue to move back to big clump at m 64
-”Sunbathing pulse” at m 73, one pulse per measure, hands facing forward
-Stop pulsing at m 100
-Slow spins going counterclockwise starting at m 104 (use peripheral vision!!!)
-End in larger clump
-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Essassa

-Story: This feeling coming over me is so fun and strange, wait, what is happening to our friends (S2s) they are starting to act really weird, I think it’s your fault
-Back away from one another into two opposing groups (S&A), speaking to one another, leaning forward in unison as a group each time you speak/sing)
-m 29 - middles break off back and centre to create three groups
-starting at m 73 - each group gets poked in unison in right shoulder of their first syllable of first “Essassa”
-starting at m 75 - each group gets poked in unison in left shoulder of their first syllable of second “Essassa”
-m 77 middles are overtaken by Trickster, movement is similar to Iki, lower centre of gravity etc
-starting at m 81 - Altos and Sop 1s pointing first to middles then the opposite group in unison in an accusing manner until m 89
-m 131 - all taking small steps backwards (Altos on first beat of every second measure, Sops on each “Essa!”)
-m 151 all move toward one another in a big clump slowly, frightened, unsure

Ikimilikiliklik

-Story: I have now been possessed by the Trickster and things are going CRAZY
-Starting positions: during first two measures (hn-na’s), move to Alto 1/2 in “U” at back of stage, alternating Alto 1s and 2s, Sop 1/2 in smaller “U” inside Alto “U”
-Sops talking/whispering/cackling etc to one another in U shape from m 3-10
-Everyone begins to move in small pairs/groups, cackling/whispering/interacting with one another once you start the “Baga biga” text:
S1s: m 11 (Deirdre/Brianna/Simone and Kallie/Claire)
S2s: m 13 (Erin/Tenille and Julia/Sarah S)
A1s: m 23 (Camila/Jenny and Mackenzie/Amy/Margaux)
-Spinal undulation at m 36 following the line of your pitch, listen for loud vocal cue from Christina and all snap up
-Standing facing forward at m 38 - but keep low center of gravity, fluid movement, like someone has possessed you and your body is not your own, the venom is taking over your body and you are losing control!!!
-***Note: m 72-79 we will now be stomping ONLY on the last two eighths of each bar (ie - “la la la” *stamp stamp*)
-m 83 - running around frantically whispering to one another, end up clustered near section’s usual place on the stage (S1, S2, A1, A2)
-At m88 yell “Ikimilikiliklik” twice and fall to floor
-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Transition: light keeps going wild after all fall, lift heads at beginning to sing

Urok
-Story: we must work together to banish the Trickster by using these traditional spells that we know
-Starting positions: laying on the floor where you have fallen after Iki, but clustered near your section’s usual place on the stage (S1, S2, A1, A2)
-beginning to letter A - sitting on floor
-Letter A - on floor, hitting floor instead of clapping
-move into a trance at top of page six while still sitting, moving with quarter tone section and then growing stiller as finger points to you
-p 11 second system, pulsing on last note of each measure in four groups, moving back as a group
-p 11 last measure - pushing venom out of your body
-p 13 second system, first three measures - spinal undulation
-spit to right side

Waking up Soundscape

-Story: We have fallen back asleep after our crazy night, and are having fitful dreams, all of a sudden we wake up
-Starting positions: on floor laying down, mixed scattered throughout stage
-Roll to fetal position on right side, then roll over to left side; wind sounds starting loud and becoming increasingly softer, spreading hum of first note of Enns

blue the triangular why

-Story: it is the very early morning, and we are just waking up from our crazy night, everything is in a bit of a fog
-sitting up slowly; asleep and waking up slowly, rising to standing

Kungala

-Story: It’s a new day, we see the people in our community and all of a sudden we know them and like them! Life is looking up!
-Starting positions: same position as standing from Enns
-”Kungala!” (Claire) - everyone is chattering, talking; Christina will yell a pitched “Kungala” that will be a cue for everyone to sing
-m 1-3 - transition to new position - Parts 1/2 down stage right, Part 3 up stage center, Part 4 down stage left
-m 5-8 - each group takes a collective step toward center on first “Kungala!” (talking to one another)
-moving around space, socializing, happy to see one another at m 8-19
-transition to new position at m 20-21 - Part 1 down stage right, Parts 3/4 up stage center, Part 2 down stage left
-talking to one another in groups, excited, at m 22-43
-m 49 - transition to S1s and A2s in centre, S2s and A1s in ring around the back, both groups join hands
-m 71, S1s and A2s spread out to fill middle space, all stand and sing to the front
-m 100 all run forward a few steps
-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Sister Song

-Recessional - Companion piece to Sisarueni
-Story: we are going to work but we are happy this time because we see all of our awesome sister friends
-Starting positions: TBA but likely mixed scattered
-Walking throughout the space (balancing the space), one step per measure, start with right foot, step on beat 1
-stillness (facing front) on pickup to “sisters sing” motif (m 27-50, m 62-end)
-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Movement notes - April 17

Played - Movement notes to Apr 17- for Atlantic Band Festival show (Fri Apr 29)

Sisarueni

-The Processional

-Story: going to work but not happy about it, other people around you but you don’t make contact with them

-Starting positions: Parts 1/4 - in aisle audience left; Parts 2/5 - in aisle audience right; Part 3 - stage left entrance

-Parts 1/2/3 start first; Parts 4/5 start on repeat when you come in

-Walking throughout the space (balancing the space), one step per measure, start with right foot, step on beat 1

-stillness (facing front) on “sisarueni” motif (m 11-18, m 28-36, m 45-48, m 79-end)

-**Remember you will have pillowcase with you to be used in an “everyday fashion” (sack over your shoulder, scarf, shawl, baby etc)

Chant for a Long Day

-Story: going home after a long day of work, dreaming about what your life could be

-Starting positions: one long line at back of stage, alternating SASASA (order has been determined)

-Sopranos start first at m 7, Altos start when you come in at m 9

-Walk towards front of stage, one step per measure, start with right foot, step on beat 1, -Sops remember to take two BIG first steps

-Stop walking at m 21

-Lay down bed at m 33

-Sit on knees at my 37

-Start to stand at m 61

-Standing by m 65

-Move to sitting on last repeat of your phrase at m 99

-All lie down together at m 103 (hands to the left, slide bum the the right, lie down)

Lulilola

-Story: this strange feeling is coming over me, but it feels soooooo good

-Starting positions: one big clump (approx 60% clump), all following leader

-Camila is leader of everyone at beginning

-Tenille leader of sops, Camila leader of altos once parts split at m 9

-Tenille leader of sops, Camila leader of middles, Sara J leader of altos once parts split at m 22

-Cue to move back to big clump at m 64

-”Sunbathing pulse” at m 73, one pulse per measure, hands facing forward

-Stop pulsing at m 100

-Slow spins going counterclockwise starting at m 104 (use peripheral vision!!!)

-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Ikimilikiliklik

-Story: I have now been possessed by the Trickster and things are going CRAZY

-Starting positions: Alto 1/2 in “U” at back of stage, alternating Alto 1s and 2s, Sop 1/2 in smaller “U” inside Alto “U”

-Sops talking/whispering/cackling etc to one another in U shape from m 3-10

-Everyone begins to move in small pairs/groups, cackling/whispering/interacting with one another once you start the “Baga biga” text:

S1s: m 11 (Deirdre/Brianna/Simone and Kallie/Claire)

S2s: m 13 (Erin/Tenille and Julia/Sarah S)

A1s: m 23 (Camila/Jenny and Mackenzie/Amy/Margaux)

-Spinal undulation at m 36 following the line of your pitch, listen for loud vocal cue from Christina and all snap up

-Standing facing forward at m 38 - but keep low center of gravity, fluid movement, like someone has possessed you and your body is not your own, the venom is taking over your body and you are losing control!!!

-***Note: m 72-79 we will now be stomping ONLY on the last two eighths of each bar (ie - “la la la” *stamp stamp*)

-***April 29th show only: At m 88 yell “Ikimilikiliklik” twice and fall to floor

-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Waking up Soundscape

-Story: We have fallen back asleep after our crazy night, and are having fitful dreams, all of a sudden we wake up

-Starting positions: on floor laying down, mixed scattered throughout stage

-Roll to fetal position on right side, then roll over to left side; back and forth like this as you sing your pentatonic scale, moving faster as you accelerate your scale

-Sit upright when you sing your ascending interval

-***We didn’t do much on this but will work more on Monday!

Kungala

-Story: It’s a new day, we see the people in our community and all of a sudden we know them and like them! Life is looking up!

-Starting positions: mixed scattered

-m 1-3 - transition to new position - Parts 1/2 down stage right, Part 3 up stage center, Part 4 down stage left

-m 5-8 - each group takes a collective step toward center on first “Kungala!” (talking to one another)

-moving around space, socializing, happy to see one another at m 8-19

-transition to new position at m 20-21 - Part 1 down stage right, Parts 3/4 up stage center, Part 2 down stage left

-talking to one another, excited, at m 22-43

-next section TBA

-moving around space, socializing, happy to see one another at m 71-91

-ending TBA

-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

Sister Song

-Recessional - Companion piece to Sisarueni

-Story: we are going to work but we are happy this time because we see all of our awesome sister friends

-Starting positions: TBA but likely mixed scattered

-Walking throughout the space (balancing the space), one step per measure, start with right foot, step on beat 1

-stillness (facing front) on pickup to “sisters sing” motif (m 27-50, m 62-end)

-**Wearing pillowcase on “pretty” side

April 29 Program Order

Here's what we are singing at the Atlantic Band Festival:

Sisarueni
Chant for a Long
[Soundscape]
Lu-li-lo-la
Ikimilikiliklik
[Soundscape]
Kungala
Sister Song

PLAYED Lead-up!

Hi everyone!  


So we are getting close and you are doing GREAT work in rehearsals.  Thank you!!


I wanted to give you a sense of how the next few weeks will unfold so here is an outline.   Of course, things may need to change here and there but I intend to stick to this, barring brillance or catastrophe!  Included is a detailed schedule for this coming Sunday and a basic outline for the following weeks so you can see how things will go once Claire is back (woot!).  The remaining rehearsals leading up to Played are absolutely critical!!  Please move heaven and earth to be at every minute of rehearsal!!  It's just going to get more exciting from here!!!


PLEASE NOTE: I am going to let you go at 9 PM this Sunday as I know our productivity drops radically after that time due to tiredness.  Please also note, however, that the Easter Monday Rehearsal now starts at 6 PM and will be a long one!

April 10, 2011:

6:00 Warm-Up

6:15 Sister Song

6:30 Hungarian

6:55 Essassa

7:20 Essassa with mvt

7:40 Ikimilikiliklik

8:00 Iki mvt

8:20 Enns

8:45 Sisarueni

9:00 Home!

April 17:

1:30 – 3:15: Music

3:30 – 5:30: Mvt, focusing on Atlantic Band Fest program

April 25:

6:00 -7:30: ABF Dress Rehearsal (all ABF music hard-core memorized!!!)

7:45 – 9:30: Remaining movement (integrated rehearsal method)

May 1: ALLLLL music hard-core memorized!!!!

If you have any questions, please be in touch.

Thanks again, everybody!

Christina

Sound Files for Played

Hi lovelies!

The sound files for Played are here:
https://public.me.com/arumai

The password is: satakieli7

Click on "Xara Music" and you have the full set list!  Julia will let us know if they all work!

Repertoire Order and Text Links

Hey everyone - here is the chart I was talking about in rehearsal that lists each piece, the composer, the language, and the text links to the narrative of Played.  Click on it to view it in full size.  Please download it and read it through!

Movement notes from the Power Weekend

Hey Ladies

Thanks for all your hard work this weekend. I am SO excited about this show, especially now that we have started to dig in to the music and movement.

Just a reminder to check in with members of your section if you missed any of the power weekend. We worked on several of the pieces in terms of movement, so it will be important to catch up on what we did. Here is a brief summary of what we worked on with some key terms:

Warmup: spinal undulations, throwing the net, poking

Essassa - we worked on the first page of spoken text, moving in groups with low centers

Chant for a Long Day - we started in mixed scattered, finding your “home” on the stage, transitioning between standing and sleeping by end of piece

Urok - we worked in three groups to devise sections of movement for each spell

Urok groups:

Group 1/Spell 1: Deirdre, Claire, Tenille, Mackenzie, Sarah Sl, Michelle
Group 2/Spell 2: Brianna, Kallie, Liz, Amy, Jenny, Sara, Melissa
Group 3/Spell 3: Simone, Sarah Sa, Erin, Julia, Margaux, Camila, Emma, Robin

Instructions: Create a ritual for each section that is teachable to the rest of the group. Be inspired by the text translations and interesting rhythms or vocal patterns. It does not have to be literal.

Spell 1 - we worked through the whole section extensively
Spell 2 - we worked pg 11, 2nd system through to the end of the spell
Spell 3 - we worked most closely on the last page (pg 13)

Lu-li-li-lu-la - flocking exercise, in clumps moving in unison with organically changing leadership, starting in one large group and breaking off into sectional groups as each part is introduced (m 1 - ~m 72); pulsing in one big group (m 73 - m 102)

Sisarueni - the processional, starting in aisles and offstage, moving throughout the space (balancing the space), and then stillness (facing front) on “chorus” motif (ie pickup to m 11 - m 18)

Ikimilikiliklik - we worked on the clapping/stomping section, lightness in the upper body

Final Concert Order

First Set

Come Again, Sweet Love 

Weep, O Mine Eyes

Faire Phyllis

Il est bel est bon

When I am Laid in Earth  Mackenzie Costron, mezzo soprano

Care selve  Deirdre Kellerman, soprano

Vier Lieder und Romanzen 

aus dem Jungbrunnen, Op. 44

Nun stehen die Rosen in Blüte

Die Berge sind spitz

Am Wildbach die Weiden

Und gehst du über den Kirchhof

Silent Noon  Kallie White, soprano

What’ll I Do? 

Blue Skies  Julia Grieve and Sara Jellicoe

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Intermission #1

My Funny Valentine

Rock-a-Bye Baby

Draw Me a Circle

Bye, Bye Blackbird

Dancing in the Dark

[3 pieces by Zoe]

Intermission #2

Frobisher Bay 

À la claire fontaine  Simone Lemieux, soprano

Fare Thee Well Love

Live Auction

Water of Tyne

Danny Boy  Brianna Coombs, soprano

Kaipaava 

Las Amarillas

Finding Edgewood-Oxford United Church

The directions to Edgewood-Oxford were posted a while back on the blog at this address:
http://xaraxinger.blogspot.com/2010/10/where-is-edgewood-oxford-united-church.html

Teams for Sweet on You

Hi everyone!

Thanks for your willingness to pitch in and help tomorrow.  It makes what is otherwise an insurmountable task possible!

Here are the teams:

Team 1: Jenny, Stephanie, Robin, Melissa, Simone, Dave

Where: Meet at Edgewood-Oxford United Church at 3:00 p.m. (Map of this location will be posted above)

What: Load up tables and chairs, travel to MMA to drop off, put them in place at 5 p.m.  Return tables to the church at the end of the night.

Team 2: Brianna, Emma, Shannah, Jade

Where: Meet at Edgewood-Oxford United Church at 3:00 p.m.

What: Count and pack up dishes at church, unload them at MMA, help set tables, then take them back to church, wash them, and put them away. 

Team 3: Michelle, Sarah, Liz, Mackenzie, Deirdre, Sarah Sa

Where: Meet at MMA at 4:15

What: Decorate and set tables, bus tables, trash all table cloths at end of night, save ALL table decorations, sort the decorations into like groups, sweep and mop the floors

Team 4: Amy, Sara, Kallie

Where: Meet at MMA at 4:30

What: Make sure all food is here, cut it, display it, plan it for the tables according to map and dietary needs, be in charge of restocking tables but ensure that food will last the night.

Team 5: Julia, Erin Danielle, Zoe

Where: meet at Goodspeed house at 3:30 p.m. - 3493 Connolly St

What: Retrieve silent auction items from Goodspeed house and deliver them to MMA, set up auction items with bid sheets, staff tables during breaks, deal with payment/distribution at end, help display live auction items (be Vanna White)

Working Concert Order (may be updated after this rehearsal)

Love Songs Of Old:
Madrigals (16th-17th C):
Come Again, Sweet Love (Small Ensemble I)
Weep, O Mine Eyes (Small Ensemble II)
Faire Phyllis (Small Ensemble III)
Il est bel est bon (full choir)

Mackenzie Costron: When I am Laid

Johannes Brahms (19th C): Vier Lieder und Romanzen aus dem Jungbrunnen, Op. 44
1. Nun stehen die Rosen in Blüte
2. Die Berge sind spitz
3. Am Wildbach die Weiden
4. Und gehst du über den Kirchhof

What'll I Do? (Irving Berlin) - 1920s

Duet: Blue Skies (Sara and Julia with Michelle)

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - 1940s

BREAK - Jazz combo plays

Love Songs Near and Far:
My Funny Valentine, arr. Zoe Leger (full group)
Rock-a-Bye Baby arr. Michele Weir (Small Ensemble I)
Bye, Bye Blackbird arr. April Arabian Tini (Small Ensemble II)
Draw Me a Circle arr. Michele Weir (Small Ensemble III)
Dancing in the Dark arr. Ryan Billington (full group)

Frobisher Bay (Northern Canada)
Fare Thee Well Love (Eastern Canada)
Solo: Danny Boy (Brianna Coombs)
Water of Tyne (England)

Kaipaava (Finland)
Solo: ?? (Deirdre)
Las Amarillas (Mexico)