NOTES for Week of November 23, 2025

Dear friends,

We are down to the wire. We have 2 regular rehearsals left before our dress rehearsal. It is during this time that we need to really pull things together. We will need your focus, your energy, and your commitment to make this music come alive.

Nutcracker Medley, African Noel, and 30-Second Merry Christmas:

• EVERYONE must be off-score by Tuesday. No exceptions.  We will not spend extra rehearsal time so you can memorize by repetition.
• Basses: Gregory has provided some resources to help you clean up your descending lines in Nutcracker. Practice slowly and accurately and then increase to tempo.
• Everyone memorize the dynamic. You will not always be able to see me while processing/recessing to get dynamic cues.

The Angel's Message

• We will work on this to really get a lighter, more fluid and dancelike feel. 
• Your Latin lyrics should be practiced daily until they are second-nature.

Frostbound

• Continue to work on accuracy of pitch and rhythm.
• Sing phrase to phrase with emphasis on verbs.
• Practice the last page, starting at measure 51 for intonation and contol.

Iesous ahatonnia'

• Be careful with intonation on unison melody lines. The tonic pitch (F) must always be high.

Vivaldi: Gloria (RV 588)

• Everyone, but especially Sopranos make sure of notes/intonation on descending lines of Et in terra pax. Each one is a little different and many are part of harmonic shifts so there are surprises. 
• Every in needs to be marked "een" as many are still pronouncing it like English.

Everyone needs to be conscious of their expressiveness both in singing/phrasing and in their facial features. You are singing songs of joy and wonder, and yet many look intense and overly concentrated. Some, frankly, look dour. 

• Practice singing without making a sound. Mouth the words as if you are singing to an audience and expressing the sentiments of the song. Make your eyes shine, your energy flow. You are not a studio musician. You are a performer. Sing like one.
• I will be giving feedback on Tuesday.

See you then!

Ted