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
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
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
Key Movement Concepts We Explored
Xara Ambassadors & Administration
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
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.
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
Thursday, September 8, 2011
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!
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
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:
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
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
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