Click the link to sign up for the potluck on 5/19/25 at 6pm at the United Women's Club.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4EAEAB2AAA8-56172051-spring
Great rehearsal tonight! We went through all of the Gospel Mass to find the areas that need more work.
Starting in April, we will be rehearsing until 9:00pm every Monday to be prepared for our Spring concert. Here are the section notes from rehearsal: Soprano American Tapestry Wartime
Alto Gospel Mass Credo
Acclamation
American Tapestry Wartime
Tenor No notes submitted Bass Gospel Mass Kyrie
Credo
Gloria
American Tapestry Wartime
There will be NO REHEARSAL next week for Spring Break. During the time off, please become a lot more familiar with all of the pieces so you can look up from your music from time to time. We will run Gospel Mass all the way through at the next rehearsal. We started a new song, "I Hear America Singing" by Andre Thomas. Here's the official Youtube video for the song, where you can follow along with the music: Here are the section notes for this week:
Soprano I Hear America Singing
Gospel Mass V. Sanctus
Alto I Hear America Singing:
Gloria Mass: Sanctus and Angus Dei
American Tapestry: IV: Expansion West
Tenor: I Hear America Singing
American Tapestry IV: Expansion West
Gospel Mass
Bass I Hear America Singing
Gospel Mass Sanctus
American Tapestry IV: Expansion West
Soprano Gospel Mass IV. Acclamation
Alto Gospel Mass IV. Acclamation
Tenor No notes submitted by section leader. See other parts as needed Bass Gospel Mass IV. Acclamation
We've been missing a lot of members at the past few rehearsals. We definitely want you to stay home if you're not feeling well, but we'd otherwise love to see you. If you have a friend who hasn't shown recently, please reach out and make sure they're okay. Here's a link to a Youtube playlist for the Gospel Mass conducted by the composer, Robert Ray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMQCvGymaag&list=PLF5ECE51DFAF18FFF Also here are some videos to practice Bring Me Little Water Sylvie: Here's the form for the song. It will need to be MEMORIZED:
• Body percussion 2x • Hum verse 1 • Sing verse 1 in unison • Sing verse 2 in harmony • B section chorus (no motions) • Repeat verse 1 • B section chorus (no motions) • Hum verse • Sing "ev'ry little once in a while", on the third time, no body percussion and add a ritardando And finally, here's the rehearsal notes for each section this week: Sopranos: American Tapestry II. Celebration
Gospel Mass I. Kyrie
Altos: American Tapestry II. Celebration:
Gospel Mass I. Kyrie
Tenors: No notes submitted by section leader. Please look at other section notes for assistance. Basses: American Tapestry II. Celebration:
Gospel Mass I. Kyrie
Check out last week’s notes for the “Bring Me Little Water Silvy” body percussion and the week before for “Gospel Mass” conducted by the composer, Robert Ray.
Sopranos Bring Me Little Water Silvy
Altos Bring Me Little Water Silvy
Tenors: Bring Me Little Water Silvy · Tenors sing the Alto 2 part · The “B” section starts higher than you may think · Bucket in “HER” hand, not “my” Gospel Mass · Agnus Dei o There is a tenor solo at the beginning of the piece. o Tenor section sings the top notes of the bass line until m.26 · Sanctus o Practice m. 23-30. Tricky fast rhythms and text o Pg. 45, m 47, elide praise and sing together o Pg 46, m 52, ever part releases together Basses Bring Me Little Water, Silvy · Basses sing the "tenor" line · M. 11-12 sing "bucket in her hand" instead of "bucket in my hand" Gospel Mass · Agnus Dei o Practiced the whole section o M. 45 basses do not sing o M. 5-25 the basses sing on the 2nd time only · Sanctus o Practiced the whole section o m. 47 beat 4 is a different rhythm than the upper three voice parts o M. 52 cut-off on beat 2 o M. 44 cut-off on beat 3 We had an excellent showing for Bring-a-Friend night on Monday! Thank you to all who brought someone. We hope they consider joining!
Here are a couple videos of “Bring Me Little Water Sylvie,” a folk song from the American south, which we started learning at rehearsal this week. If you’d like some extra practice to feel comfortable with the body percussion, the third video is a tutorial that can help. Bring Me Little Water, Silvy – Zero8 & Bel Canto Choir Vilnius youtube.com Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie Women of the Sea Chanters Chorus youtube.com Bring Me Little Water, Silvy [Body Percussion Tutorial w/Moira Smiley] youtube.com General Rehearsal Notes: -Please look over the “Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie” videos above. We practiced the first eight beats of the 16 beat body percussion pattern and learned the A section of the song by rote, without using music. This is a song that would traditionally be passed orally generation to generation without sheet music. -We reviewed notes for the second movement of American Tapestry, and started learning notes for the third movement. -We reviewed notes for the second movement of the Gospel Mass and started learning notes for the third movement. -Please study the portions of both American Tapestry and Gospel Mass that were reviewed at rehearsal so notes are confident next week. Sopranos: American Tapestry (II. Celebration) Crescendo on do? m.19 into m.20 and decrescendo on do? m.23 into m.24 Don't start so loud at m.18 so there is room to grow on the crescendo Match the men's dynamic level when women come in at m.34 Gospel Mass (II. Gloria) Crescendo on glory in m.15 Altos:Gospel Mass (II. Gloria) Listen for same “oooh” shape Watch out for key changes Diction Dynamic contrast on longer notes Tenors: No notes submitted from section leader Basses: American Tapestry (II. Celebration) m. 10-17 Keep the "skips" crisp and articulate m. 51-52 unison m. 68 watch the rhythm Gospel Mass (II. Gloria) m. 2 hold the "est" of "high-est" for its full value into the next measure m. 15 crescendo from "glo" to “ry" m. 37 Watch the piano volume m. 44 don't forget about the repeat |
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