NOTES for Week August 27, 2023

Hello friends,

In case you haven't heard, Carissa was involved in a pretty serious car accident on her way to rehearsal Tuesday evening. She'll be ok, but sustained a broken jaw (2 places) and a broken clavicle. She is having surgery Wednesday to repair her jaw. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

1.    Thank you Hunter for the breakdown of our branding, marketing, sales, and advertising which you oversee. Also thank you Joanna for coordinating the sizing of the tops for the women's uniforms.

2.    Bel Canto Responsibilities: I will plan to have a sign-up sheet next Tuesday for some of the responsibilities for which we need help. Please give some thought to how your gifts (in addition to singing) can help Bel Canto run more smoothly.

3.    BIOs: We're still in need of your bios. If you haven't yet set it, please send it directly to Hunter at hunter.artworks@gmail.com.

4.     Absences: Thank you for those who texted or emailed me about a last minute absence. If you know you'll be absent before the evening of the rehearsal (at least a few hours), please enter it into the calendar. It helps when we have record all in one place. 

Great rehearsal last night! I appreciated your attentiveness and patience hammering out parts. Please remember, that if you missed the rehearsal, you need to pay particular attention to what we covered (check with your section leader) and/or I will give what we covered in the NOTES. I also expect all singers to be fairly solid on the music we went over when we next revisit those passages.

Alleluia! A New Work is Come on Hand

• Review the entire piece. We worked out all notes and rhythms on doo.
• Begin to incorporate the words.
• Highlight all expressions marks. Pay particular attention to dynamic changes.
• Observe cut-offs!

O Come, Emmanuel

• Review NOTES for August 20, for directions on unison/divisi.
• WOMEN insert luftpause between O come in mm. 6, 8, 12, 7274, 76, 104, 106

Cantata 191-Gloria in excelsis Deo

• Review all notes and rhythms mm. 25-101 on doo.
• When you can sing it confidently, insert the text, keeping it relatively light.
• These are incredibly long phrases, so for now stagger your breathing. (When we get it up to tempo, you may be able to sing the entire phrase in a single breath.)
• Reminder about Cyberbass. The Gloria and Et in terra pax are to be found in the recordings of the B-minor Mass. There are no parts yet on the website for Cantata 191.

FOR TUESDAY, August 29

Cantata 191-Et in terra pax

• Please look through and sing on doo. Mm. 101-end
• This is about twice as long as the Gloria in excelsis Deo and has some quick imitative counterpoint. We'll work slowly.

The Waiting Sky

• Look through notes and rhythms on neutral syllable.
• When you're confident add words.

Soon We Will Be Done

Still, Still, Still

• When solid on pitches and rhythms sing words with rich, open vowels.

Until Tuesday,

Ted

NOTES for Week of August 20, 2023

Dear friends,

It was a delight to meet with you all and begin rehearsing for our 9th Season. Welcome to the new members (Susan and Raja) and welcome back to Suzi.

1. RESOURCES: If you have any questions about the resources site, please let Chuck know and he can either email you or maybe take a few minutes in our next rehearsal.
2. VOLUNTEER: Be thinking of how you can help Bel Canto as either coordinator or helper on the various committees for which we need help. I'll provide a more detailed explanation at our next rehearsal along with a sign-up sheet.
3. MUSIC PAYMENT/DONATION: Please follow up with Joanna or Lisa.
4. WOMEN WARDROBE: Joanna will be bringing several sizes of the tunic top to try on for fit next rehearsal.
5. BIOS: For those who didn't get the email describing this, we need a 100 word bio that gives your a) name, b) part you sing, c) music degree or training if any, d) Music Experience (choral, solo, musical theater - highlights); and personal fun fact (optional). 
6. MARKING MUSIC: It was great to start singing again. Please be sure to read carefully and mark any directions into your music. Remember to highlight all dynamic, tempo, and slur markings.

Sussex Carol

• Maintain an inner 1/8-note pulse so transitions from simple to compound meter will be smooth, and watch for change in beat patterns to correspond. 
• Carissa sing SI, Michele sing AII, Robert sing BII in divisi sections.
• Breathing: m. 17 no breath, m. 21 luftpause, m. 34 no breath, m. 38 luftpause, m. 43 no breath, m. 55 luftpause, m. 59 no breath, m. 81 and 85 no breath.
• Cutoffs: I will move to 3-beats (3/2 time) and you cut off on the third beat in mm. 26, 64, and 90.
• Memorize: Have memorized by Boot Camp.

The Work of Christmas (Encore)

• No oh will be sung on humming sections. 
• Breathing: This may be different than before because I can't find my score, but m. 14 no breath, m. 23, 26, and 62 luftpause. 
• Memorize: Anyone who sang this last holiday must be off score going forward. All others have memorized by Boot Camp.

Dixit Maria

• Tone: Work pitches and rhythm on doo for lightness of tone. When accurate, practice in a supported light tone with words.
• Phrasing: Again, mark in a slur over any repeated notes on a single syllable. Energize a) slurs, b) accented syllables, and c) moving pitches, i.e., 1/4-notes and 1/8-notes. 
• Accented Syllables: Di-xit Ma-ri-a ad An-ge-lum, Ec-ce an-cil-la Do-mi-ni, se-cun-dum ver-bum tu-um. Always de-emphasize the last syllable.
• Memorize: Have memorized by Boot Camp.

Spotless Rose

• Divisi: Carissa SI, Michele AII, Robert BII
• Tone: Work pitches and rhythms with neutral syllable (doh, dah, doo) with a full Romantic (think Brahms) tone. 
• Language: We will be singing this in Norwegian. Attached is a IPA transcription. We'll work on this together next time. 

FOR TUESDAY, August 22

Gloria in excelsis Deo

• Women Divisi: Divide as you do on Sussex Carol (SI, SII, A)
• Pitches and Rhythm: Practice the first section mm. 25-101 using doh. No words! Start slowly and speed up only when proficient. Sing with medium-light tone and articulated.

Soon We Will Be Done

• Rhythm: Rhythm is swung. 
• Pitches and Rhythm: Work pitches and rhythm to the end. All Parts I (ex. SI, AI), sing the pitches in m. 110 Thy will be. Parts II, speak the words.
• Expression: Highlight all dynamics and slur markings.
• Rap: If you are interested in doing one of the rap sections, please let me know. I will have to divide it between 2-3 sections so no section is missing more than one singer. Diction must be crystal clear.
• Memorize: Have memorized by Boot Camp.

The Waiting Sky

• Pitches and Rhythm: Sing through pitches and rhythms on doo. Sing lightly with semi-straight tone.
• Expression: Highlight all dynamics, tempi, and slur markings.

O Come, Emmanuel

• Divisi: Divide as indicated when in 3-part (ex. S and AI/AII in mm. 12 and 13). Alto sing with Sopranos in mm. 4-8, 37-40. ALL WOMEN sing those measures p-pp
• Expression: Highlight all dynamics, tempi, and slur markings.

Alleluia! A New Work is Come on Hand

• Expression: Highlight all dynamics, tempi, and slur markings. All begin practicing with very clear diction and slightly detached articulation. Make it dancelike.

See you on Tuesday,

Ted

NOTES for Week of August 13, 2023

Dear Singers,

I'm writing in great anticipation of first rehearsal of the 2023-2024 season. I'm so excited about working together making beautiful music.

A FEW NOTES and INSTRUCTIONS

1. We begin rehearsing, Tuesday, August 15 at 6:30 pm at the Harvest Middle School Music Building. Please try to get there a few minutes early, if possible, as you will need time to greet friends, get you music, and hear some announcements.
2. Please bring a check in the amount of $43, or coordinate with Lisa or Joanna when you arrive about how to pay through a couple of online sites.
3. Please bring a folder for your music as well as a pencil with an eraser.
4. Make sure you have a printed copy of Dixit Maria which is on the Resources Site (explanation below). Please review your part before rehearsal on Tuesday and write the following translations in your score:

Dixit Maria ad Angelum (Mary said to the angel); Ecce ancilla Domini (Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord); fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. (let it be done to me, according to your word.

Also, mark the following sections in the score: m. 1 - A, m. 22 - B, m. 48 - C

Mark slurs into your part anywhere there are successive notes on a single syllable. For example, tenors in m. 3, connect the A to the C on the syllable an- of angelum. 

REGARDING the RESOURCES SITE

The resources site has been updated. (THANK YOU, CHUCK!) You can access it at www.belcantonv.org/members. The Resources Site has:

• PDFs of scores such as Dixit Maria
• Part recordings for each section
• Performance recordings of the pieces we will be learning
• It also has a link and instructions on how to put into the calendar any rehearsals you know you will have to miss.

If you have any questions, Chuck will help explain it.

I really look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday.

Ted