NOTES for BC Boot Camp (Saturday, 3/21)

Dear friends,

A few announcements regarding this weekend's Boot Camp rehearsal.

1.       Time is 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. 

2.        There is a change of venue. 

• It will be held at the Club House at Rancho de Calistoga. The address is 2412 Foothill Boulevard, Calistoga, CA. You can use your GPS, but if you're familiar with Calistoga, you proceed on Hwy. 29 past the main street sturn off and proceed to the light, which if you turn left will take you to Santa Rosa. Instead, turn right and proceed a few yards, and it will be on the left.
• Parking is in front, but is somewhat limited, so carpooling is better (saves gas too.)

3.        Bring a lunch and plenty of water. Coffee, tea, etc., is fine as well

4.        Dress comfortably for the weather. The morning will be cool, but should warm up by lunch time,            so layers are good.

5.        Of course, remember you music and a couple of pencils.

6.        We will be singing primarily in the round, somethimes in sections and sometimes in mixed                   formation. Make sure your know you music so you're not dependent on your neighbor of the                   same part. 

7.        We will be going through all the repertoire over the course of the day.

I look forward to seeing you all.

WEEK of March 15, 2026

Hello friends,

I would like everyone to be moving to the point of mastery of the pitches and rhythms and begin the process of singing musically.

• Double check all pitches and rhythms
• Highlight and sing observant of all expression marks
• Pay attention to the words and express them as well

Enfold Us

• Work on singing phrases rather than counting beats, especially in the mixed meter sections.
• Sopranos, be ready to breathe (when appropriate) and move on in the phrases following my direction.
• Sopranos and Altos practice the key change transition in m. 29 and 30, respectively
• Tenor stagger from mm. 33-37, being rhythmically stead on the quarter notes in m. 34.
• ALL stagger from mm. 37-41.
• Sopranos no breat in m. 58.

Dumela

• Make the dim section more consonant than vowel.
• ALL soften when the soloist comes in. Larry, if you can give us more volume, that would be great. I'd rather not mic you.
• Memorize.

Meet Me in the Afterglow

• I'd like this sung with a light, breathy, non-vibrato jazz tone--not pop.
• Listen for the melody which is predominantly in the alto part. 
• Keep the syncopation accurate but don't accent.

Evocation

• Energize all sustained pitches. Be careful not to drop on pitches. Keep intonation up.
• Don't oversing ff at m. 46. Sing with fullness, not loudness.
• There will be rubato at a cappella section starting m. 61. Watch me.
• Tenors be careful to balance other voices at m. 68. You're medium high in your range and they're all low.
• Keep repeated B-flats in mm. 71-72 high.

All of Us

• pp. 6-10 should be sung with energy and liveliness. Round, clear tone.
• Starting at the chorale on p. 11, work on a rich, full tone and though slow, keep flow to it. 
• Breathe together at rests and breath marks, otherwise, stagger.
• NOTE: Dynamics at mm. 71-74 are piano. Then crescendo to mp.
• Choir II, make sure of your parts and sing with vigor.

For TUESDAY, March 17

• Rutter: #'s 1, 2, 3, and 5
• My Soul's Been Anchored
• City Called Heaven