Season 5 Begins

Dear Singers,

It was great to see and hear most of you sing this week during the assessments. As I previously mentioned, this was an opportunity for me to hear some of you sing independently for the first time. It provided me with information regarding your vocal quality, your range, your ability to hear, discern, and reproduce melodic relationships, your reading skills and your knowledge and performance of the music you've sung. I'm still convinced we have the best singers in the Napa Valley. I will be using the knowledge to provide personal feedback and thus help each singer continue in his/her development as a member of the ensemble. For the record, you all did GREAT!

We begin rehearsals this Wednesday, August 14 at John and Cyndi's home. Annie will be reminding you about the time for the social which proceeds the rehearsal and what you can bring. You will be receiving published copies of the music then. In addition, there are several pieces on the Bel Canto Resources Site under "Files" which you need to print out. The last two are in the book, but the copies may be easier to insert in your folder.

• Jubilate Deo - Gabrieli
• Lobet den Herrn - Bach
• Resonet in laudibus - di Lasso
• Verbum caro factus est - Hassler
• Christ Was Born on Christmas Day - Shaw/Parker
• I Saw Three Ships - Shaw/Parker

Chuck has uploaded some of the parts so that you can begin looking at and rehearsing them. Please look at Verbum caro factus est before Wednesday.

• Soprano II - Annie, Eileen, Carissa, Joanna, and Wendy
• Tenor II/Baritone - Thom, Dana, Ovid, John  

Also, please look at Lobet den Herrn, pp. 1-3 and the Alleluia section starting on p. 11. The recording of this is one half-step lower than your music, in the key of B. Our scores (and instrumental parts) are in C. I chose this recording because of the phenomenal way it's performed. Start S-L-O-W-L-Y on "doo."

I'm really looking forward to seeing you en masse and singing together again.

T.