Notes for Sunday + Government House Performance!

Hi everyone!!

Thanks so much for your great effort during our long but productive rehearsal on Sunday!! We just have a few more rehearsals before our Christmas break, so let's make the most of it and end 2013 with a bang!

Scott Jones Fundraiser
Please read last week's blog post for information about the Scott Jones Fundraiser this Thursday (tomorrow).

Please remember that we will be wearing Xara T-shirts and black bottoms to this performance and that the call time is 5:15 pm.

Sunday's Rehearsal
Here's the plan for this Sunday's rehearsal:

1:15-2:00 pm   Soprano Sectional
2:00-5:00 pm   Full company
5:00-5:30 pm   Rehearsal at Government House

This Sunday we'll be finishing the blocking for Pseudo-Yoik Lite (memorized), Earth (memorized), and working on the repertoire for the performance at Government House. We will also be doing a run-through of Aglepta and Illumina to keep your memory work fresh on those pieces.

For this Sunday, please bring your black Xara dress so we can make sure everyone's dress will work for the performance on Tuesday evening.

Government House Performance
Here's the schedule for the Government House concert on Tuesday December 3.

6:00   Call time
7:00   Concert starts - welcome from Lieutenant Governor and his staff prior to us singing
8:00   Concert ends, reception and mingling in the dining room

We will not be able to get into the ballroom where we're performing until the concert itself, so when you enter the building we'll be meeting upstairs where we can warm up and get ready.

There are some protocols surrounding the interaction with the Lieutenant-Governor and we'll be going over those on Sunday.

Please advise your guests that they need to arrive between 6:30-6:50 pm on the day of the concert so the staff can prepare for the official entrance of the Lieutenant-Governor.

Here's the set list for the Government House Performance:

WOMEN of SONG
Sister Song
Magnificat
Ave Maria
Apple*
Warrior

WINTER
Sure on this Shining Night*
Pakkanen
Ice*

NIGHT SKY • HEAVENS • STARS
Nuit d’Étoiles*
Lux Aeterna*
I Himmelan
Illumina le tenebre
Perhaps They Are Not Stars*

* denotes to be sung with folders

Please note: Sister Song is to be memorized.

Rehearsal Notes - November 24

November 24^th – Rehearsal Notes

Homework

·      Talk to your Muse buddy to find out about character

·      Edgewood-Oxford United Church next Saturday for wreath decorating from 9am until we are done!

·      Revontulet – If you don’t mind spending 99¢, go on iTunes and purchase the Concerto Della Donna version of this for reference (the recording on SoundCloud is a bit too "little girl"ish)

·      Ice singers, please look it over for next week

·      Earth to be memorized for next week

·      Go over the rep for the LG show on Dec 3^rd and make sure you get a black folder

·      Bring your black Xara dress to rehearsal next week!

Pseudo-Yoik Lite

Enter from the NW aisle

o   Zoe, Paige & Kristin

o   Joanna, Nikki & Krystal

o   Jenny, Sara & Devon

o   Colleen & Mackenzie

Enter from the SW aisle

o   Jordyn & Robin

o   Leah & Tenille

o   Kallie & Shannon

o   Brianna & Nelle

o   Hayley, Sarah & Emily

Form a circle, arrive by measure 11 (the high A).  Refer to image for location (order may be slightly different)

Ave Maria

Take note of new positions for Maritime Museum performance :

From Ash You Rise

See images. If there is no image indicated for a certain measure, that means there is no movement

Yay Radio Radio!!! Plus notes for Sunday + Scott Jones Fundraiser info!

Hi everyone!

Wow what an amazing show last night!!!! Definitely a different type of show than we've ever done before, but I think we absolutely delivered an excellent performance and wowed the crowd! Thank you for your hard work, energy, dedication, and dance moves!!!!

Here's the plan for this Sunday (note a few slight changes):

1:15-2:10 pm     Lyra Text Rehearsal (Leah, Brianna, Kallie, Hayley, Zoe, Joanna, Jordyn, Jenny,       Colleen)
2:10-2:30 pm     Scott Jones Fundraiser Rehearsal (everyone who will be singing at the show)
2:30-5:30 pm     Full Company Rehearsal

In our full company rehearsal this Sunday, we'll be learning the blocking for Pseudo-Yoik Lite (memorized) and From Ash You Rise (memorized). We'll also be working on Earth, Lux Aeterna, and Revontulet (sections 1 and 5 should be memorized). We'll also be looking at the repertoire for the Lieutenant-Governor's performance. Pakkanen should also be memorized for this Sunday.

Scott Jones Fundraiser

Thank you all again for being willing to consider performing at the Scott Jones Fundraiser on Thursday November 28. It will be a wonderful thing to be a part of and will mean so much to him and the community. Here's the set list with some formation notes. We'll go over the formation stuff in rehearsal on Sunday:

Sister Song (walking to MS from around the audience)
Royals (MS formation + chorus choreography - no Cassiopeia/Andromeda)
Pakkanen (U with walk forward on C2)
Ave Maria (full choreo)
Warrior (MS with walk forward on verse 3)
One Voice (U with soloists in front, move to MS at full chorus)

The event will be taking place at the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre, 2158 Gottingen St. The opening welcome and choir singing will be taking place from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. There will be a pow wow circle ceremony happening at 6:30. Your call time is 5:15 pm. We'd like you to wear your new Xara t-shirts (if you didn't receive one on Tuesday, let us know and we'll have some for Sunday) + black bottoms.

A reminder that the previously mentioned Meet & Greet with Mandy has been CANCELLED due to scheduling conflicts with her flights.

Also, remember that wreath order forms are due this Sunday! Please make sure to collect all monies, place them in an envelope, and be 100% clear of how many wreaths you will be ordering. Any questions regarding wreaths should be directed to Tenille.

Thanks everyone!!!!!!

Love Claire & Christina

Important Info for Radio Radio Gig!

Hi everyone!

Some important details re: this week's Radio Radio rehearsal and performance.

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday Nov 19
Time: 6-10 pm
Location: CBC Radio Building Studio H (same studio as our September rehearsal)
Notes: Please enter through Sackville St doors. This rehearsal will involve two hours of pure rehearsal with Radio Radio, and then two hours of recording. There will be camera crews so please look and act professional.

Wednesday Nov 20
Times:
Rehearsal 3-5 pm
Dinner Break 5-6 pm
Dress Rehearsal 6-7 pm
Show 7:30 pm
Location: CBC TV Building on Bell Rd
Notes: Please enter through main Bell Rd doors unless we are instructed otherwise on Tuesday. The rehearsal in the afternoon will be in the studio with the camera crews, and to get used to singing with the back track we recorded the night before.

CLOTHING:

Tuesday: Xara T-shirts and black bottoms. We will provide you with the new Xara t-shirts on Tuesday when you arrive.

Wednesday: Black tunic, opaque leggings, black boots.

MUSIC:

We will be recording on Tuesday evening with our scores. For the performance on Wednesday we will have music stands onstage for reference. Please look over your scores, and listen to the tracks that have been posted so that we can be as familiar with the music as possible.

TICKETS:

If you have any remaining undistributed wristbands for Wednesday's performance, please post on our Facebook group so we can try to find people to take them. We want the studio to be full!!!

SOCIAL MEDIA:

I have been told by CBC that they are super keen to have this get lots of attention on social media. So, don't hesitate to snap photos or post Facebook/Twitter/Instagram updates (at an appropriate moment of course!!!!!!!!!)

Any other questions should be directed to myself or Christina. We are PUMPED about this super exciting gig and we know you will all be focused, professional, and enthusiastic!!!

Thanks y'all!
Claire

November 17 – Rehearsal Notes

Important Information

RADIO RADIO

On Tuesday, we are recording ourselves singing, you can hold music (quietly!)

For the show, there will be music stands in front of the risers with music on them for your reference. Try to have them as memorized as possible!

Homework

Revontulet – Sections 1& 5 must be memorized by Nov. 24

Pakkanen – To be (re)-memorized by Nov. 24

From Ash You Rise – To be memorized by Nov. 24

Earth – To be memorized by Dec. 1 (refer to recordings as needed)

Rehearsal Notes

I himmelen

Vocal notes:

o   Choir 2 needs a fuller sound through the end of the piece

o   The “dah”-ers need to inject more mysticism into their sound (Nikki, Krystal & Devon this doesn’t apply to you), give more shape to the sound rather than just holding the note

Movement notes:

o   Be lighter on your feet

o   Engage your whole body in each movement

o   Facial expression at the end of the piece needs to be joyful and full of wonder

Revontulet

ä is pronounced like in “cat” or “dad”

Yö is pronounced “euh”

Pick-up to page 2:

o   make sure to keep the eighths steady and in line between the parts

o   start at a true mp and build through the page

Earth

This piece will be transposed up slightly

Note the special divisi for this piece:

Pseudo Yoik Lite

o   Resist the temptation to rush :-)

o   Shore up memory work

From Ash You Rise

Measure 43 – remove the comma

Notes for November 17!!

Hi everyone!

Here's the plan for this Sunday:

1:15-2:00   Alto Sectional *** note time change from previous blog post
2:00-4:00   Full Company Rehearsal
4:00-5:30   Radio Radio Rehearsal

To be memorized this Sunday: Pseudo-Yoik Lite and Section 5 of Revontulet (pg 12-end, starts at English words "they craze and crack like ice"). Also, Christina will be emailing out the Earth score - please look through it and listen to the Imogen Heap recording to help familiarize yourself with the piece. Christina will also be emailing out the new Radio Radio score for you to look over this week.

Scott Jones Fundraiser

We have requested a spot to sing on Thursday November 28th at the Scott Jones fundraiser. We have been told that choirs will be singing outdoors (bring warm clothes!) on a stage between 6-8 pm. We will let you know more details as soon as we can, including what repertoire we will be singing.

Meet & Greet with Mandy

Mandy, the amazing force behind our extremely generous sponsor, FreshCo, will be in Halifax on November 28 and 29. She would love to meet Xara and would like to have a little meet & greet gathering while she's here. So, since many of us will already be singing at the Scott Jones Fundraiser on the 28th, we're proposing a short gathering around 8 pm on Thursday November 28th. We would sing at the fundraiser, then head over to a TBD location close by for drinks and nibbles. The gathering would last for about an hour or so, and then you would be free to either leave, or head back to Gottingen St for the rest of the Scott Jones event. Please try and make yourselves available for this gathering, as Mandy has been extremely supportive of our organization and we want to show her how grateful we are!!!

Thanks so much and see you Sunday!

Notes for Sun Nov 10!

Hi everyone!!

Bravo on an amazing performance on Sunday afternoon!!! We were so pleased with the two excerpts from Constellations and your energy, dedication, and storytelling. We totally knocked the audience's socks off and hopefully got them excited to come and see the big show in January!

Now we work on the rest of the show! :)

For Sunday's rehearsal:

• Full company called from 1:15-5:30 pm. 
• We will be working on the music for the rest of Constellations from 1:15-4:00 pm. 
• From 4-5:30 pm we will be working the Radio Radio material. You'll be getting revised scores this week for all the songs. Please review the scores you currently have, and listen to any of the songs available on YouTube to refresh your memory about what they sound like. Erin has posted links to several of the songs on the blog.

Claire will not be at rehearsal this Sunday as she will be in 500-hour yoga teacher training. It's music music music this weekend!

Upcoming By-Call Schedule:

Sunday Nov 10  
1:15-5:30 pm      FULL COMPANY

Sunday Nov 17   

1:15-2:00 pm      Alto Sectional
2:30-5:30 pm      Full Company

Sunday Nov 24
1:15-2:20 pm     Muses (Leah, Brianna, Kallie, Hayley, Jordyn, Joanna, Zoe, Colleen, Jenny)
2:30-5:30 pm     Full Company

Sunday Dec 1    
1:15-2:00 pm     Soprano Sectional
2:30-5:30 pm     Full Company

Memorization Schedule

Here's the upcoming memorization schedule from now until January. Note that we've broken up Revontulet into smaller sections so you can slowly assimilate the piece into your memory. Christina will be letting you know each week which pages of Revontulet you need to memorize for the next week.

Nov 17              Pseudo Yoik-Lite, Section 5 of Revontulet
Nov 24              From Ash You Rise, Pakkanen, Section 1 of Revontulet
Dec 1                Earth (+ Lt Gov rep well prepared)
Dec 8                Lux Aeterna, Section 2 of Revontulet
Jan 5                 Ice, all of Revontulet