Pro Arte:
Music for December 9th concert:
Please work to make this concert the best it can be, which means being your best!
Be sure you are practicing with open and supported tone quality. Always think about a lifted soft palate to avoid a nasal tone quality.
O Music – be sure to review perfect rhythm and counting. Keep a steady beat so the round stays together.
Folk Songs of the Four Seasons:
Be sure to study “road map” and become extremely comfortable with the text (work as though you were memorizing). We need to keep our faces up and out of the music.
*p. 59 – review letters F through end of piece. Work out ending, letter R to the end.
*p. 65 – review entire piece, especially descants. Practice descants on solfege and counting. Work on bringing them accurately up to tempo.
I Believe in the Sun – I have added this in to the program instead of Da Pacem – please carefully review.
African Noel – memorize – check dynamics as you work on memory
A New Year Carol – memorize – The verses are to be sung pianissimo. The refrain is mezzo forte, except for the final pianissimo refrain. Remember, singing softly takes a lot of breath support.
Sing-along music – review.
Continue working on the following for future performances:
Folk Songs
p. 70 – Concert choir sings Soprano I, Pro Arte sopranos sing Soprano II. Work out solfege through the bottom of p. 74 (up to the fermata).
p. 78 – review through rehearsal letter E. work on text for the entire piece. Sopranos, learn descant at the end of the piece.
Da Pacem:
Review your part for this entire piece, especially entry notes at measure 9. Check the entire system beginning at measure 9 for note and tuning accuracy. Work especially on counting sustained notes. Memorize.
S I: Dominique and Matilde
S II: Molly and Lily
A I: Kamirra and Lauren
A II: Siara and Katherine
Review Folk Songs we have already performed. Review Messe Basse.
Concert Choir Practice Instructions
Music for December 9th Concert:
Jubilate! – check rhythm, especially half notes at the end of phrases. Practice C naturals in the beginning of the melody. Check pronunciation of Deo (Deh-oh). Also, words with “ow” (now, etc.) should keep the “ah” sound, not moving to the “w” sound. To be sung by memory.
Hine Ma Tov - accurately learn the two-part sections by reviewing your part on solfege. To be sung from memory. Make sure everyone keeps singing in head (floating) voice throughout this piece. Try to not over sing/force your sound.
O Music – be sure this is memorized accurately with a steady beat. The last word of this song is “sing” not “ring.”
Sing You Now – Study rhythms from m. 23 through m. 27. To be sung from memory.
Folk Songs of the Four Seasons:
Carefully study the texts as though you were memorizing. We need to keep our faces up and out of the books for he performance.
p. 59 – review soprano and alto parts through letter J. These parts repeat beginning at the bottom of page 63 through letter R. One measure after R everyone sings the bottom (alto) line. All Concert Choir members please learn the alto line (the melody) from letter K through letter N.
p. 65 – Review melody on solfege. When this piece divides into two parts, Concert Choir sings the bottom “Full Chorus” part.
African Noel – review your part on solfege syllables for the entire piece, paying careful attention to rhythm and rests. After that, practice with text. Study where the repeats occur in the music. To be sung from memory.
A New Year Carol – review solfege. Practice text for entire piece. To be sung from memory.
Review sing-along music.
Beyond December 9th:
Continue studying Folk Songs beginning on p. 70 (Concert Choir learns Soprano 1 part) and p. 78. Review Folk Songs we have already performed
Regarding the key signatures and how the solfege syllables relate, it can be helpful to sing the scale that matches the key signature on the syllables (do, re, mi, etc.) before working on the piece. If you do not have a piano, download a free pitch pipe app to be certain you are learning your music on the correct pitch. Refer to the scale sheet I handed out. Remember, music making is a process and learning music takes time. These instructions are a guide. Do the best you can! The more regularly you practice, the more rewarding our rehearsals and performances will be.
Treble Choir
Part 1 - Caleb, Star, Lydia, Chris, Zari
Part 2 - Evan, Othniel, Jailyn, Aiden
O Music - Sing through entire melody on your own. Remember all vowels should be pure and round.
Traveler’s Tale - Sing through the song and remember - sing to something in your hands that is soft and cuddly! Finalize memorizing this piece. Speak the text out-loud and maybe get a sibling or parent to help you “fill in the phrase”, like we did in rehearsal. Practice bouncing your tone and singing in your head voice! Also, continue to work on your diction.
Good Night – Sing through entire song on your part. Finalize memorizing the piece. Nice tall, lifted soft-palates!
African Noel – Sing through the whole song and memorize the phrases. Don’t forget that after you sing your low “sings”, it stays low for the rest of the song.
New Year Carol – Memorize the song and the verses. Remember, the order of the text – toe & west & old, chin & east & new. Practice singing with a tall lifted tone all the way through the piece.
Sing Along Packet – Sing through each of the sing along songs a few times to familiarize yourself with the melody.
Additional Notes: Everyone - Work specifically on singing in your head voice. Start by yawning and singing an “A” in the same space. Try recording yourself singing and listening back. When you do this, you can hear what I hear and it may help you to work on it at home.