NOTES for Week of March 10, 2024

Dear friends,

We're almost to the halfway to our concerts. You've made good progress. Please keep it up. Mark your scores, practice difficult passages, and always rehearse using good vocal technique. That's how it becomes habit.

Please do what you can to get the word out for this concert. It's going to be beautiful and inspirational and benefits a very worthy cause. Share the posts on social media. Strategically help put up posters. Share the  cards. And even write a few of the cards as personal invitations to your friends and acquaintances.
Begin earnestly memorizing the following pieces:

• It Takes a Village
• When You Wish Upon a Star
• Hold On
• Grace Before Sleep

Hold On!

• Please be mindful of (and mark) each of the syncopated chords. They need to be precise. Upon memorization, you will be able to watch me and that should help. 
• I would like to hear any who are interested in the solos for women (5-17, 61-65) and men (37-41, 69-73) the next time we rehearse which will be March 19.
• I want to hear any and all Sopranos who can reach and sing mm. 86-89
• Please practice singing and observing dynamics and articulation (> , sf, sfp,) 
• Basses work on your solos in mm. 21-33. It needs to sound like one voice.

If Music Be the Food of Love

• This is Renaissance, so very dance inspired. Keep it lively and light. Think of the tone you produce when singing on doo.
• Rehearse the words to the second verse.
• Basses make sure the passages where you move up from F to C to F (mm. 3 and 17) are clean and in tune. Also the octave skip in m. 10.
• Sopranos detach slight the 1/8th notes in m. 12. 

When You Wish Upon a Star

• Altos practice the progression in mm. 1-2, especially the chromatics.
• Basses make sure your first two measures are clean. Also we need plenty of depth and accuracy on the BII part in mm. 22-25. 
• Sing with a light, no-vibrato tone all the way through.

The New Colossus

• Clean up any uncertain pitches.
• Next time we rehearse, I want to work on the opening which is unaccompanied. It needs to sound strong and confident.

Grace Before Sleep

• Sing legato on rich vowels with brief, clear consonants.
• Add expressiveness to words like grateful, gen'rous, evening of content, hearth is wide and warm, shelter, light thanks. Also, women be distinct on walked through storm and fled the wolves.
• As you memorize, you can watch the cut-offs (and -t of light) in mm. 40, 42, and 44

For TUESDAY, March 12

• It Takes a Village (if you're interested in the solo be ready to try it out)
• Alleluia
• Breathe
• Ubi Caritas
• The Eyes of All
• Hebrew Love Songs (#1 and #2) with Hebrew