This weekend! Leah's Wedding + Our Last Rehearsal!

Hi everyone!!

We hope you've had a lovely couple of weekends off and are feeling rested and ready to hit the road!! We are really excited to share this show with audiences across Nova Scotia. And for you to spend some quality time with your XYE buds! Here's what's coming up:

Leah's Wedding - Sat May 31

We will have a final rehearsal before the wedding for "Two Strings, One Voice". Please meet at St. Matthew's for 1 pm sharp. There will be time after our rehearsal to finish getting ready and have a snack etc!

Sunday June 1 Rehearsal

This is our last regular Sunday rehearsal for the 2013-14 season! Note that this rehearsal will be from 2:30-5:30 pm only! We plan on doing two runs with fixes so that we are all refreshed on the show, and to give Jordyn a couple of chances to run the show. She will be essentially taking Leah's place for the June 8th and 13th shows.

Please bring your letter, suitcases, and knitting to Sunday's rehearsal. You don't need to wear your full costume - just bring your apron so you can use it in the first two songs.

You will need to be prepared to leave your suitcase with Christina and I on Sunday. We will be transporting them to each of the theatres in our cars, leaving more space in each of the cars for all of you and your costumes etc.

I will have tickets with me for XYE's Halifax performance of Free as the Wind on Saturday June 7th. If you and/or your friends and family are planning to attend the performance, you can purchase tickets from me on Sunday!

50/50 Tickets

Don't forget to be selling those 50/50 tickets! Tenille will be doing a check in this Sunday to see how everything is going in the world of fundraising!

Thanks everyone! This last month we just get to enjoy performing this beautiful show across our pretty little province! What an awesome way to end the year!!!! :)

Podium Info!!!! + Leah's Wedding Rehearsal

Hi everyone!!!

The time is finally here! We get to share this amazing show with a national audience TOMORROW! :) We're so excited!! You should be so proud of all the hard work and love you have put into this show. Sunday was a beautiful performance and we know that we will shine tomorrow onstage!!

Important info for Podium:

• Call time: 3:15 pm** note this is a change from what we said on Sunday
• Location: St. Matthew's United Church
• Bring: all costume pieces, suitcases, makeup, hair stuff, water, a light meal 
• Schedule:
• 3:30 pm - soundcheck
• 4:00 pm - backstage to get dressed/hair/makeup
• 5:00 pm - concert starts (AVHC first)
• 5:30 pm approx - we perform!!

Please make sure to bring water and something to eat - as you know it is hot in that room and we want everyone to be hydrated and well-fed! Please try and get a good night's sleep tonight so you're feeling well rested and ready to go. 

Leah's Wedding:

We will be rehearsing for Leah's wedding on Wednesday May 21, from 7:45-9:00 pm, venue TBA. If you can only come for part of the rehearsal, that's ok - any time you can make it is great!

Let's do this, superstars!!!!!!! Let's go show everyone why we're the best women's choir in Canada!!!!!!!!!!!

#weflawless

Notes for WotEL Preview Performance on May 11!!

Hi everyone!!

It's finally here!! We are going to share this beautiful piece with the world this weekend and we couldn't be more excited! We have worked so hard to craft this stunning piece of choral theatre and we are so grateful for your dedication and energy! YAY!!!! Here we go!

Plan for Sunday:

Please arrive by 1:00 pm. We want to give you a good physical warmup BEFORE you get changed! :) We'll then have some time to get dressed followed by a vocal warmup, some fixes, and then we'll do a run. We'll have time for some notes after the run, then you'll have a half an hour before the show to do makeup and get in the zone. The show will be at 4 pm. We'll have about 20 minutes or so after the show for you to chat with your friends and family and then we'll have a little debrief around 5:00 pm. Done by 5:30 pm as per usual. We're really excited to have this opportunity to share the show in a more low-pressure environment before we go to Podium.

Here's what you need to bring/know:

• suitcase (please take care of any alterations that have to be done in advance, ie taping any locks shut with Scotch tape or using pipe cleaners around the handle to dampen the sound if necessary)
• knitting
• costume (ironed or steamed) - blouse, skirt, apron, opaque black tights (absolutely not sheer tights), Xara shoes, any slips and camisoles if needed (please take care of any alterations that have to be done in advance - pinning etc)
• letter (written, and well folded)
• all ticket money
• no jewellery except wedding/engagement rings if you wear them and are appropriate to your character
• no nail polish
• hair needs to be done prior to arriving
• makeup can be done prior to show - basic stage with foundation, eyes, lips, cheeks

Additional Notes:

• There is no rehearsal on Sunday, May 18th.
• As per Christina's post on the Xara Facebook group, we'd like to cancel the May 25th rehearsal. We'd like to schedule a week-day rehearsal for Leah's wedding song (Two Strings, One Voice). Please respond to the Facebook poll to let us know if the proposed date can work for you.

Notes from the run - May 4th

HOMEWORK

-       Letter:

o   write your letter on plain white paper using blue or black pen

o   fold your letter in half

o   handle your letter a lot during the week (fold & unfold, caress etc)

-       Figure out where your suitcase touches the floor so that you are ready to put felt on the bottom

-       Iron or steam your costume

MUSIC NOTES

General Music Notes

Anybody who is singing in the middle of their range needs to be conscious of resonance – make sure to have a raised soft palette.

Apple

The tempo will be slightly slower than we have been taking it – Christina will be conducting in 3.

Watch the “ow” vowels – they need a lot of attention in order to be resonant.

V’la l’bon vent

After the intro & the first chorus, the next chorus is piano.

Continue to be aware of the difference between the vowels on “bon” and “vent”

Altos make sure that you stop your ching ch-k at the appropriate time.

I Lie

In the slow section, be very aware of the soft palette, and keep the internal beat very steady.

Day Dawn

DICTION! Any pitched consonants should be slightly longer – engage the facial muscles!

A little more of the second vowel in any words with diphthongs (e.g. eyes)

More decrescendo at measure 61

Measure 27-28 – The target words are dissolve and veils

Heaven Will Rise

This piece has fallen the  most victim to “talk singing” – it will take a concerted effort to ensure that the soft palette is raised.

MOVEMENT & CHARACTER NOTES

Opening

Come onstage in pairs, rather than one long line.

Apple

Throughout the piece, please make sure you are picturing someone you love.

V’la l’bon vent

Make sure to talk at the end of the piece so that Tenille has something to speak over.

Heaven Will Rise

After you form the two lines and move your suitcase to the centre, look around and interact with each other a bit as though you are actually on a train platform waiting.

Uraren Besotik

At the end of the piece, suitcases go down on the downbeat of your assigned bar – they should make a percussive sound.

Bow Order

Full company with Claire & Christina

Soloists

Composers

Full company