Here are the Rutter Gloria practice recordings, by movement: The files are in Craig's Dropbox. Clicking on the link will take you to the dropbox where you can play the files, or download them to your computer or mobile device. If you need help with the files, send me an email at cmccaa@gmail.com and I'll see what I can do.

Movement 1

Movement 2

Movement 3
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​Dear Choral Society,
 
I am very excited about our new year of making beautiful choral music together.  I hope you have had an enjoyable summer filled with travel and visiting with friends and family.  This letter is for the purpose of giving you information concerning upcoming auditions as well as our first rehearsal.
 
Auditions:  Each member new or returning is asked to complete an “audition” this year.  Please understand that these are not auditions so much as they are an opportunity for me to meet you, hear your vocal range, and assign you a voice part.  There will also be a short sight reading example for the purpose of seeing how well you do or do not read music.  Your place in the group will not depend on this sight reading.  This is a way for me to see where people are with music reading skills.  This process will be done individually or in groups of two and last no more than 10 minutes per slot.  The main thing I want to stress is that these are not meant for the purpose of cutting people but for me to get an idea of who is in the group and what our balance will be.
 
Craig McCaa will be sending out through the internet a schedule for everyone to sign up.  I greatly appreciate his assistance with this. 
Here are the dates and times for “auditions”
August 29 6:00pm-9:00pm
August 30 6:00-9:00
August 31 6:00-9:00
September 11 3:00-6:00
 
Our first rehearsal will be Monday night, September 12 from 7:00-9:00 at Florida Southern College in the chorus room. 
Our Winter concert will be December 11. Place will be announced at our first rehearsal
 
If you are not able to sign up for a time before our first rehearsal, please come and sing and we can schedule a time on that evening. 
Please invite people you know who may be interested to come and sing with us this year.  Your word of mouth and positive encouragement always is the best way to bring new people into the group.
 
If you have any questions please feel free to email me at Kristopher.ridgley@polk-fl.net The schedule for auditions should be sent out soon so stay tuned.
 
I look forward to a wonderful year of making great music together,
Kris Ridgley

Hi LCS Singers ---

Just a reminder that call for tomorrow's performance is 6:45 PM in the Lake Hunter Room.  See you there.

- Craig McCaa

​Dear LCS,

These important Notes:

1.  We have a fine smaller ensemble for the Polk Museum on Friday night [Apr. 8].  Popular vote decided that we are to be in concert dress (tuxes, etc).  Those singers, please try to be at the Art Museum (next to the Public Library at Lake Morton) c. 5:30 p.m.  We sing our program at 6:04, or thereabouts.  Your guests are welcome, but there's a $10 admission for non-members of the museum.

2.  Last Monday's rehearsal went very well, accomplished much! If you're still in need of Beethoven practice materials, try CyberBass.com  You can isolate your part, slow things down, put parts back together, etc.  Just in case you're Google-challenged:   http://www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Beethoven_L_v/beethoven_9th_symphony.htm

3.  Many people strongly recommended that we have regular rehearsal on Monday, so we will!  Monday, 4/11. 7 p.m.  And then we're with orchestra the next night.  Good plan if you can manage that.

4.  From Christine at the ISO office, these logistics/ticket info:
   (a)   The Lake Hunter Room will be available to all choirs as a meeting/warm-up space prior to both rehearsals and the performance. There will be signs to lead you from Lake Hunter,  through the storage area to the back stage area.
    (b)  4/12 rehearsal in Youkey will start with Mvt. 4 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Count on being in place before 7:30!!
    (c)  4/18 dress rehearsal starts at 7:30pm in Youkey, may go in concert order, TBD by Mark
    (d)  Tickets:  I will have comp tickets for each of you to hand out to your choir members at the 4/12 rehearsal, enough for 2 comps each. Please let your members know that additional tickets will be available at 50% off 4/12-4/18 with code ISOJOY through the Lakeland Center box office: (863) 834-8111 or online: http://imperialsymphony.org/event/ode-to-joy (additional fees apply to e-tickets). Please remember that all students are admitted FREE to ISO performances with student ID or paying adult. (student tickets are not available online)5.  I (Larry) will probably already have the comp tickets for you by this coming Monday night, so that will cut down on the frenzy Tuesday evening.

Freude,
Larry

Dear Singers,
 
Thanks to all of you for a wonderful and memorable concert on Sunday!  I assure you that this was a highlight for me, as well as a showcase for your fine talent as singers.  There have been excellent reviews from members of the audience, as we always hope there will be.
 
A few “housekeeping” items are important here:

1.  The LCS has been invited to provide a brief musical beginning to an exhibit opening at the Polk Museum of Art, Friday, April 8, 6:00 p.m. We’ll strive to create a small ensemble from the larger membership [c. 15 – 20?] to sing 2 short pieces.  We’ll discuss at rehearsal, but I might do recruiting/selecting, in order to create a workable balance of voice parts.
2. Your Beethoven rehearsals are subject to the ISO calendar, as well as providing some additional time for the choruses to meet together.  These sessions are all on Mondays or Tuesdays, but please consult the website information for particulars.
3. As you know, the scope of last Monday’s rehearsal was completely different from our first combined session, in which an overview was attempted.  On Monday, we were able to slow down and devote time to individual passages, both notes and text.  I believe that this was important: we needed to demystify the piece, to find out that those scary passages and words really are manageable.  And further, only with a little familiarity with the score can we make some informed decisions about your assignment to specific vocal lines. [Sopranos: Some of you will be altos at times.  Altos: You’ll occasionally be tenors. Etc…..]  We’ll give you some of those reassignments in advance anyway.  It’s important that your voices are used wisely.
4. Some of your Beethoven scores are already marked with measure numbers and rehearsal letters.  If they are not, you need to have them clearly indicated.  Also, there are several performance marks that Mark Thielen has already given us.  These will be provided separately from this note on the website, so please take time to mark your scores accordingly. (Should be posted within the next day.)
5. On Monday, we got halfway through.  Next rehearsal will be the rest! [But please don’t forget what we’ve accomplished.]

 
Best,

When I have sung my songs to you I’ll sing no more, T’would be a sacrilege to sing at another door.  We’ve worked so hard to hold our dreams just you and I.  I could not share them all again I’d rather die with just the thought that I had loved so well so true.   That I could never sing again, that I could never never sing again except to you!
  
Larry

​

​Dear Singers,
 
It’s that exhilarating and nervous time:  Only one more Monday rehearsal remains before the March 20 concert!  We know so much of the music well, but will everything be ready to put together?  We can sing all (well, mostly all) of our pieces effectively now – but sometimes it takes the third time through to accomplish that.  Last Monday’s session reminded us dramatically that pieces that we’ve not reviewed in a few weeks can become very stale.  There are real challenges in learning a full program without losing the things we’ve learned in early weeks. You’re a fine ensemble and I know you’ll do well.  But please keep in mind the following:
 
-  On Monday, we managed to do a complete run-through of our music, until the final pieces.  These were the spirituals, and they’ll need particular attention next rehearsal.  Please look at the Moses Hogan especially.  Listen to one of the YouTube versions and emulate the accuracy/clarity/expression you hear.  There are tough rhythms there and we need to make them right.
 
-  We’re still stuck with noses in music. There’s no excuse for that. None. No singer can do the job if eyes are down.  It’s a posture thing; it’s a communication thing; it’s an energy thing.  Thanks to the many who are doing well here.
 
-  The pieces we’ve had for a shorter time are less internalized.  We’ve simply not lived with them long enough to “own” them and feel natural as we sing.  You can speed that process by looking at them before Monday, by singing though your part, by listening to other performances.  Last rehearsal taught us that many folks haven’t been reviewing the pieces we thought we knew – and we had to relearn.  Are you comfortable enough with each piece to make it come alive?  Can you make the “pop” music POP?
 
-  Men: You sounded very good on the “Ave Maria,” but there isn’t much time to polish.  We’ll sing it for the women on Monday, but we definitely need a “woodshedding” by ourselves.  We’ll possibly fit it in at the end of rehearsal, so please be able to stay 15 minutes at the end.
 
-  And, please mark your calendar for the LCS “dress” rehearsal on Saturday, March 19, from 10:00 a.m. – noon at All Saints.
 
I look forward to a wonderful Monday rehearsal. Sell tickets!
 
Best,
Larry