Videos from January 11 & 12 - I himmelen, Ave Maria, Magnificat, Pakannen

I himmelen

Ave Maria +transitions

Middle and End of Magnificat

Pakannen

Rehearsal Notes - January 11 - Prologue, Polaris, Gemini & Epilogue

I'll try to get videos up this evening or early tomorrow morning :-)

Here are some positioning photos to get started with. Remember that the large windows with the harbour outside are to the East.

PROLOGUE & POLARIS MUSIC NOTES

I himmelen – Music notes

Diction is far more important now that we are singing in English. Be sure to enunciate your words, without sacrificing the vowel sounds. Double-check the locations of the commas, and don’t break where there is no pause in the text.

Ave Maria – Music notes

Check the rests at the end of phrases, rehearse by speaking them aloud to maintain the tempo. As well, stagger breathe by taking a whole work off, rather than trying to sneak a breath in between notes.

PROLOGUE & POLARIS MOVEMENT NOTES

I himmelen – Movement notes

At the end, turn to face Christina in the centre of the stage.

Ave Maria – Movement Notes

Review movement notes :-)

Magnificat – Movement notes

When you begin chanting words, move to a clump in the middle (Christina will move to the East) Face outward.

During the section when Sara & Zoe are singing alone (page 11, measure 28)

Measure 28: Neck roll to the left, up, and back to centre

Measure 29: Shoulder roll backward on the left side

Measure 30: Lead with the chest, turn to the right 90˚

Measure 31: Back bend and look up, stand straight by the end of the phrase (begin to return after the high note in the phrase)

Measure 32: Return to original outward facing position. Shift in emotion I have been lost and searching, and now I have been changed. (Sense of hope)

GEMINI & EPILOGUE MUSIC NOTES

Pakannen – Music Notes

Make sure to sing into the space, especially while moving.

Revontulet – Music Notes

Letter N: Make more of the dynamics, and pay attention to the accented notes. Go right to the “M” sound.

GEMINI & EPILOGUE MOVEMENT NOTES

Pakkanen – Movement Notes

You are sailors on the docks, not floaty sirens ;-)

Beginning in the aisles, soloists at the front.

A – S1, S2 & A2 remain in the aisles, everyone else moves toward the centre

A1 – Mezzo parts move to two lines in the centre. A1 move to the edges

A2 – Mezzos pulling on a rope, in time with their HaHas

B1 – Mezzos stand, mingle with A1, end up on the South of the stage, facing centre. S1 & 2, A2 move to a new aisle, remaining together.

A3 – Lifting the mast, tying down the ropes, raising the sail

B2 – Mill about, everybody ends up in a clump on the South facing centre. In place by C1. Be near your part in a 4-part split, Alto 2 furthest East, Soprano 1 furthest West.

C1 – first 4 bars, remain still, anticipating boarding the boats. Next 4 bars, move to boat shapes in 4-part split

C2 – lean to the right for 4 bars, lean to the left for 4 bars

D1 – walking forward (heading out to sea).

D2 – turn over left shoulder and wave to the shore, turn back at measure 93. Continue sailing out to sea until the end of the piece.

S1 boat docks in the NE corner aisle

            S2 boat docks in the E aisle

            A1 boat docks in the SE corner aisle

            A2 boat docks in the S aisle

Revontulet – Movement Notes

No movement. Where your boat docks is where you will sing.

Lux Aeterna – Movement Notes

Walk to mixed scattered formation throughout the space, cheating toward the centre (which is where Christina will be standing)

Measure 1 – 4 Lights come on when the notes are sung, in this order

Jenny

Mackenzie

Nelle

Nikki

Jordyn

Shannon

Colleen

Sara

Joanna

Kallie

Zoe

Hayley

Measure 9 – 11 Lights come on when the notes are sung, in this order

Tenille

Krystal

Emily

Leah

Devon

Brianna

Paige

Kristen

Measure 12 – rotate in your own time

Measure 17 – process back to aisles from Revontulet

Measure 25 – Walk toward the centre on the downbeat of each bar

Measure 29 – Take 4 more (large) steps to return to a mixed scattered formation

Measure 38 – 39 Sop 1 & Alto 2 turn your lights off

After the piece ends – Sop 2 & Alto 2 turn lights off

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

UPDATED Rehearsal Notes – October 27

Rehearsal Notes – October 27

Theme of the Day: Pharyngeal Space Makes Better Blended Vowels and Tone Quality!

 

I took video of most of the pieces we rehearsed today. They are taking a while to upload, so I will update this post when they are ready.

Here is Warrior to start with.

Aglepta

Illumina le tenebre

I himmelen

Ave Maria transition

Christmas Wreaths!

·      Please use the form that Tenille posted on Facebook to track the wreaths that you sell.

·      Deadline for orders & money is Sunday November 24^th.

·      Decorating (all day) and Pick Up (2-5pm) on November 30^th, there will be a bake sale put on by the board during the pick up time.

·      Location TBA.

·      Goal is 10 wreaths per person.

·      Price: $20 per decorated wreath; $15 for a plain wreath.

 

Warrior

o   Sing TO Andromeda, don’t become her.

o   Double-check the places where we have decided to sing what is written and when we have decided to follow the recording.

o   Also double-check the feeling for each verse

o   In the last chorus, make sure the “T”s are plosive at the end of “fight”

Warrior Movement

At the end of Illumina, hands can relax by sides

A – B: Stand one at a time in the opposite order from Illumina le tenebre (See notes from Oct 20^th for the order)

B: Zoe and Kristin stand and help Paige up by the elbows; Tenille begins walking forward to stand behind and to the left of Paige (in place by the beginning of the chorus)

C:

Step forward on beat 1 of the following measures, right foot first :

 37, 38 (then together); 40, 41 (then together); 42,43 (then together)

See video for reference J

Transition Information – For Nov. 3rd

Prologue/Polaris

Between I himmelan & Ave Maria:

·      Jenny moves forward and gives her line

·      Choir moves to U formation in proximity to Ave Maria positions (Nikki, Kristin & Krystal in the centre)

·      At the end of Krystal’s line, move to Ave Maria positions

Learn the note relationship between your last note of I himmelan and your first note of Ave Maria

Between Ave Maria & Magnificat:

·      Whisper as quietly as possible! Group 1: Ave Maria, ave maris stella; Group 2: Come to us Mary, O star of the sea; Group 3: Venez à nous Maria, étoile de la mer

·      On whispering, move to Magnificat positions in the aisles, build volume gradually to a very strong whisper

·      Stop as soon as Sara begins to sing

At the end of Magnificat, don’t move to the sides for the Nov 3^rd show (doesn’t make sense without lighting)

Andromeda

At the beginning of Royals:

-  Positions as normal, Emily, Nelle & Brianna out in front for their text

Between Royals & Aglepta

·      On pedal ‘F’ drift from the end of Royals to a tight U in standard order, around Cassiopeia & Andromeda.

·      Colleen & Sopranos speak on hummed pedal F once into position

Between Aglepta & Illumina le tenebre

·      No text

·      Move to seated positions during the opening of Illumina

Between Illumina le tenebre & Warrior

• ·      No text
• ·      Move to standing on first verse

Rehearsal Notes and Homework - Sept 22

September 22 2013

Homework

• There have been a significant number of changes to dates and repertoire for various events that are coming up. Please be sure to check the Google Calendar in order to double-check all of those dates.
• Write Sara’s words in the Magnificat onto your line so you know what is coming. Refer to the youtube recording of Xara performing this piece to get a good feel for it. Christina will post a recording of the Latin pronunciation.
• If you were absent, please make sure to get the phrasing notes for Illumina le tenebre
• Memorize I himmelen for next week (Sept 29). View Claire’s video of the movement.

Rehearsal Notes

On Vepsian Pathways and Vem kan segla have both been cut from this show. Pakkanen has been added. There have been some minor changes to the running order, more information to come.

Ave Maria

Sop 1a please join Sop 1b the first time at A

Sopranos please be sure that your timing is exactly lined up with the pulse underneath.

Focus on becoming familiar with the structure of the piece (repeats, second endings) so that you are less dependant on the score.

Movement – notes in green are a repeat of a previous week’s movement notes (red are additions).

See standing positions in the seating order post on the blog!

A  & B– each action happens on the downbeat of the bar (even if you aren’t singing yet). Keep tension in hands and shoulders

-       Right hand forward     

-       Left hand forward

-       Cross arms to chest (pull in with shoulders) Part A shift weight slightly and turn towards right foot, Part B to left foot

-       Release arms down to the sides

On the first ending:

-       Left hand drops on the rest after “Maria” & Right hand stays in place for the downbeat at the repeat of A re-articulate with the right hand on the downbeat

C – Reach forward with right hand, small step forward on the downbeat and hold for the bar in the following sequence (repeat movement on repeat):

M17 Sop 2

M18 Sop 1

M19 Sop 3

M20 Alto 1

M21 Alto 2

M22 Alto 3

M23 nobody moves

D – Two bar sequences this time (start with the right hand reach and step, then step and pull back in pain) in the same order as above.

This means that there will be no movement at all on measure 31 (Alto 3s will be ending their movement on measure 30)

E – Repeat of D

F – All movements at the same time. Exactly the same on the repeat (straight out of the reach in measure 47 into the downward reach at measure 40)

M40 Hands down and turn to the right

M41 Both hands up and turn to the right

M42 Hands down to sides

M43 Three shoulder pushes, lean back slightly (Right-Left-Right)

M44 Turn to face front (MMA to face Christina)

M45 Two shoulder pushes (Right-Left)

First ending:

M46 Stay still

M47 Two shoulder pushes (R-L) and then a reach forward with Right Hand and step with Left Hand

Second ending: TBD

G & H – Exactly the same movement as letters A & B

Magnificat

Check the seating chart post for confirmation of which part you sing in this piece.

Starting on page 5, your “prayers” are in your own time, and you go through them only once.

 

Illumina le tenebre

When rehearsing, please observe the phrasing we went over in rehearsal.

Aglepta

Casting a spell over Andromeda

Use recording as reference