Week of February 1, 2026

Dear Friends,

Sorry this is late. I'm still playing catch up from vacation and two weeks with a cold/flu. 

• I appreciate the work that you're doing so far. Continue thinking about ensemble: blend and intonation. 
• For those of you who weren't there on Tuesday evening, we are rehearsing in a classroom in the hall adjacent to the church building, upstairs and to the left.

Requiem

• Throughout the score (English publishing) there are notes tied to an 1/8th note. That's an indication to cut on that beat, i.e., the 1/8th note doesn't sound. For ease in recognition and precision, please mark out all tied 1/8th notes. 
• Highlight and observe all expression markings (ex. pp, crescendo marks) and articulation marks (accents > and tenuto - marks) and words (Slow and solemn, dolce e legato). NOTE: Curious that Rutter mixes languages when using expression terms.
• Please mark your music so that you clearly see which pitches/rhythms are assigned to the Latin text as opposed to the English.

Evocation

• Pp. 4-5, Trebles no breath in mm. 14 or 22. T/B no breath in mm. 23 and 29.
• P. 7, All luftpause in m. 42 before Duh-ruh-nuhn
• P. 9, All no breath in mm. 48 and 50 (after -joh)
• P. 10, All no breath in m. 55
• Highlight all expression marks and breath marks.

Dumela

• Dim is pronounced deem
• There will be no part recording made for this. 
• Begin Memorization

City Called Heaven

• Highlight expression and articulation marks.
• There will be no part recording made for this.
• We will Memorize this. Very simple and repetitive.

For TUESDAY, February 3 - Rehearsal

Requiem

• Review #1 Requiem Aeternam and work to the end of the movement.
• #3 Pie Jesu - p. 21
• #7 Lux Aeterna

Meet Me in the Afterglow

Enfold Us

Dumelo

• Review and work to the end 

Week of January 25, 2026

Dear Friends,

It was great to reconnect after a month and a half at our 1st rehearsal. Also great to welcome new singers, David Irvine and Frank Stevens, as well as returning singers, Lisa van Stuijvenberg and James Ball.

A couple of things about rehearsals: 

1) We're looking into seeing if we can move into one of the classrooms in Adams Hall, the adjacent building. There is concern that the choir room is too small and too acoustically live to best serve our needs. Hopefully we can work that out by Tuesday's rehearsal.

2) Because the doors are locked during the rehearsal time, everyone needs to be there no later than 6:30 to insure no one is locked out. 

FOR TUESDAY, January 27 Rehearsal please review:

Dumela - I won't be making parts recordings of this. The parts are simple and can be learned by rote in rehearsal. Before Tuesday, look at the words and the repetitive rhythm. Once you have that, the notes are a breeze. 

• Tenor/Bass On 3-part divisi section shift on the 5-part chords to TI: Chuck and Jean, TII: Dan and James, Aux Pitch: Dana and Frank. Basses will sing the main pitches as BI: David and Thom; and BII: Matthew, Gregory, and John.

Evocation (Mon-Nee--Joh) Work on pitches and rhythm on "doo". Listen to the pronunciation of the words to begin getting a handle on the diction.

REQUIEM: 1. Requiem Aeternam and 4. Sanctus: Listen to the recording and then work on your parts.

City Called Heaven - you'll get the music on Tuesday.