Dear friends,
Because we've had significant absences over the last few weeks, please continue to work independently on your music. Pay particular attention to expressiveness. Don't wait for the performance to sing artistically.
Also, there are some who are reticent to put down their music on the pieces to be memorized. Practice singing without your music at home (or in the car). When in grad school and having to memorize everything, I practiced singing with a recording of the piece so I would be help along by the other parts.
Continue to reach out to your friends and family about the concert. This is going to be a beautiful and meaningful concert they will not want to miss.
It Takes a Village
- Sopranos make sure you are synced on the motif in mm. 45-48 when you sing the initial one. It takes about a measure until your rhythm clicks in.
- Basses watch me and I will cue the variances in your line.
- All drop to mp at mm. 77-80 to underscore the soloists.
The New Colossus
- The composer has written expressive words throughout the score. Please highlight and observe them.
- Treat the 3rd bead half-notes in mm. 52 and 58 (poor and free) like sfp. In other words, hit the accent firmly then immediately soft, followed by the crescendo. Similarly to how we do it in Hold On!
Alleluia
- I'd like to start this a bit lighter so we have time to expand.
- In the 4/4 sections stretch the initial vowel of each syllable and distinctly tap the combined consonants returning quickly to the next vowel. Don't chew the diction.
- You're over-singing at both key changes mm. 43 and 51. Let them grow in fullness but don't release the Kraken.
Five Hebrew Love Songs- #1 Temuna: There will be a great deal of rubato in this movement, so please look up continually.
- #2 Kala kalla: Tenors, in particular, continue to work on a pure, unison with complete accuracy. And don't push on the D in m. 3 on she-li. Also, Tenors work out the accuracy of mm. 29-32. It's still ragged.
- #3 Larov: Sopranos and Altos tell the story in your lines. All make your entrances clean in m. 6 as if merely continuing to sing the entire line from where the start.
- #4 Eyze sheleg!: All make the initial entrance slightly more distinct giving the vowel on bong a moment, then reduce volume. Think of dropping a ball which sounds lighter and slightly faster as its bouncing subsides. Soprano I sing the "solo" section in mm. 1-7 with a greater confidence and freedom. Tenors remember the G in your last series of "bongs" as that is your note in the next movement.
- #5 Rakut: Sopranos I want to work on your grace notes when we have everyone at a rehearsal. They need to be accurately synchronized. All sing the crescendo at mm. 18-19 and make it a subito piano at m. 29 because it means softly
- All ideally, these are best performed without restating pitches. Movements #1 and #2 are in the same key so Men you should be able to get your starting pitch for Kala kalla from the previous piece. #3 starts on D which is a step down from the E-major chord that #2 ends on. If you can't find it, I can have the violinist play it quietly. #4 starts on an E which is a step up from your last sung chord in D-major. #5 is attacca (without pause).
FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 15
Song for Justice
Can We Sing the Darkness to Light
Hold On!
Grace Before Sleep
Breathe
