Bel Canto Notes - Please Read

Dear Singers,

I’m writing to give you an update on what his happening with Bel Canto over the course of the summer in preparation of our 5^th season.

However, before I do, I want to again tell you how pleased and proud I was of the excellent work you did last season. I am thrilled with the holiday CD we recorded. I think it is a terrific first effort and I’ve heard many exclamations in praise of your singing on it. Also, if I’m not mistaken, the holiday concerts, Our Heart’s Delight were our highest attended so far.

The spring benefit concert I Hear Music Overhead brought in $1,000 dollars for Napa Wildlife Rescue and also received rave reviews. Many thought it was the best concert yet, and we drew many new Bel Canto fans. I was pleased with the musical growth exhibited in that concert and was thrilled to be able to work with some of Napa Valley College’s finest young students. I want to continue giving developing performers more opportunities to exhibit their talents to discriminating audiences.

The Bel Canto board met on June 24, and here are a couple of things of which you will want to be aware.

REHEARSL SPACE: Since we are no longer partnered with NVC, we need to find another venue for rehearsals. I have looked into possibly rehearsing at:

• Harvest Middle School Choir Room. We won’t know if we can use this space until after school starts and they get all their school related requests worked out; and
• Napa Methodist Church.

CONCERT DATES and VENUES:

Fall Semester 2019

Assessments*                 Week of August 5           actual dates and times TBD

First Rehearsal:               August 14                       6:30 – 8:30 pm (location TBD)

Boot Camp:                     October 19                      9:30 am – 3:00 pm (location TBD)

Holiday Concert: The Beautiful Sing (tentative title based on title of one of our songs – rough translation of bel canto.)

Dress Rehearsal:             December 4                     6:30 – 9:00 pm (location TBD**)

Performances:                 December 6                     7:30 pm (location TBD**)

                                        December 8                     3:00 pm – Mont La Salle

** We are looking into both First Presbyterian and Jarvis Conservatory

Spring Semester 2020

First Rehearsal:               January 15                        6:30 – 8:30 pm (location TBD)

Spring Concert: Title and Repertoire (TBD)

Boot Camp:                     March 21                          9:30 am – 3:00 pm (location TBD)

Dress Rehearsal:             April 29                             6:30 – 9:00 pm  (location TBD)

Performances:                 May 1                                7:30 pm (location TBD)

                                        May 3                                3:00 pm – Mont La Salle

ASSESSMENTS:

Since it has been some time since I have heard some of you sing individually, I would like to conduct a brief assessment of each member in Bel Canto. This will aid me in working with individuals, sections, and the group as a whole. This is not meant to put anyone on the spot, but will provide me a chance to encourage each singer’s growth as a member of the ensemble. As noted above, I would like to conduct the assessments the first week of August. As soon as I have determined where they will occur, I (or someone with computer skills) will create a tool for scheduling and each of you can sign up for a 12 minute time. Please plan to sing:

• ·       16 bars of anything that best shows your voice. 
•       I will provide music which will demonstrate various vocal qualities (soloistic, choral (some vibrato) and choral (non-vibrato).
•       Ear training (interval retention)
•       Sight-singing

AGREEMENT TO PARTICIPATE

During our second season, singers signed an Agreement to Participate form. Since many of you have entered since then, I would like you to look at it and bring it signed to your assessment. Please note, that in addition to the regular requirements of attending rehearsals and performances, learning music both cooperatively and independently, and encouraging attendance at our performances, we would like each person to participate in one of our organizational committees. The following is a list of the committees and the name of the member who currently heads it:

Board:                 Ted von Pohle – President/Artistic Director and Conductor

                             Joanna Mittman – Secretary/Project Manager

                             Lisa van Stuijvenberg – Treasurer/Bookkeeper

Non-board         Website/IT Coordinator – Chuck Dresel

                             Design/Brand Development/Marketing Coordinator – Hunter Hollingsworth

                             Publicity Coodinator – Suzi Gilbert

                             Volunteer Coordinator – Wendy Valle

                             Stage Manager – Dan Bunnell

                             Social Coordinator – Annie Budash

                            Reception Coordinator – open

                           

THIS and THAT

I have chosen the holiday repertoire, the music is ordered (some has already arrived) and I’m beginning to make rehearsal recordings. The music is going to be challenging this semester. We are doing two complex Renaissance motets (Hassler, di Lasso), two expansive Baroque pieces (G. Gabrieli, J.S. Bach), a couple of Shaw/Parker carol arrangements, a simple, but beautiful new-Renaissance piece by Norwegian composer, Egil Hovland, more Poulenc (four pieces in Latin, not French), Al Hanissim (for sure this time), two Eric William Barnum pieces, and an encore by contemporary composer Victor Johnson in the style of a traditional Spiritual. My plan is to do the Gabrieli in the style of the day with the baritone and bass lines doubled by trombones, as well as the Bach doubled by string quartet with continuo (hopefully harpsichord and double bass). Since some of the music has been printed from public domain sources, I will scan it, send it, and you can print it out and begin working on it as soon as possible.