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 – January 5

Starborn - Music notes

Sing each fragment as many times as you went, progressing through them in order, until the choreographed movement comes to an end. Dynamics build as you progress through the sections. It is not necessary to make it to number 7– progress at a speed that has you singing in your range throughout the piece. At the end, Christina will cue the chord (in a six part split – Jordyn will sing the G with Sara & Devon) Remove the slide to the D at the end. Just a clean jump on Christina’s cue.

Starborn - Blocking

Drift to aisle positions while singing.

All together, Leah, Jenny, Brianna, Hayley, Zoe & Joanna process forward to form the constellation.

Others, create a very loose line behind your Muse. The person at the back of the line will have the light, and it will pass forward to the six Muses who are forming the constellation.

After passing the light, drift backwards to leave the Muses in the centre.

Lights will be turned on at the cue for the big chord at the end of the piece. After the note dies away, the lights go off.

Revontulet

This piece will not involve choreography at all – reserve all your brain power for the singing! :-)

There is a note error in the Alto 2 line – bottom of page 7,  last beat of the first measure should be two C-sharps.

Lux Aeterna

Measures 33-36 are in perfect time. Watch Christina for the cut-off at the end of 36.

I himmelen

New English text! Woo! This should be memorized by next week.

Gemini (Castor and Pollux)

The basic story is :

Pakkanen : Dawn is breaking, getting the boats ready to sail

Revontulet : One ship gets lost, sees bursts of St Elmo’s Fire, Castor and Pollux come and save the sailors.

Pakkanen

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.

Earth - anything in RED is new or changed from last time

Enter on Joanna’s line : Let’s stay together this time, ok?

Letter A

Altos in a clump in the middle of the stage, Sopranos walking around them in a clockwise circle. Sing to each other.

Measure 14 – Sops go to the North and sit down (Sop 3s nearest the centre of the space), Altos 1 & 2 go to the South and stay standing. Alto 3s go to the South and sit down.

Letter B

South group sing to North group  and moves toward the centre

Measure 32 – 34 – Sop 3s stand and confront South group

Measure 45 – 47 – Sop 1 & 2 stand and join the Sop 3s as the North group

Letter C

Step on the downbeat of 50, 51 & 52 (North group advances)

Step on the downbeat of 54, 55 & 56 (North group backs up)

“End of conversation” – North group turns 90˚ over left shoulder and looks back at South group

“Put your back in it” – North group continues turning left and starts walking away from South group

“Make it up” – North group turns back over right shoulder and gestures to South group

“Make it work”  - Sops sit down.

Letter D

Sops sit in the East. Alto 1 & 2 rotate around to face East.

Sop 3s stand up on Measures 78 – 80.

Sop 1 & 2 and Alto 3 stand on Measures 94 – 96

Letter E

Sop 1 & 2, Alto 3 Step forward on the downbeat of 98, 99 & 100 and again on 106, 107, 108

“End of conversation” – North group turns 90˚ over left shoulder and looks back at South group. South group turns 90˚ over right shoulder and looks back at North group.

“Put your back in it” – North group continues turning left and starts walking away from South group. South group continues turning right and starts walking away from North group.

“Make it up” – North group turns back over right shoulder and gestures to South group. South group turns back over left shoulder and gestures to North group.

Letter F

Same as Letter A, Sopranos create a circle from both sides (when the ends meet, start walking clockwise in a circle)

Letter G

Sop 1, Alto 2 & 3 split and go North and South. Other remain in the centre and make the magical moving rectangle.

Letter H & I

Diagonal line down the centre of the space, in normal U formation.

Sarah Sampson is the pivot at the centre of the line.

Letter J

Rotating around the pivot point. One step per bar.