Concert Choir in Chapel today

Hi all,

Just a reminder that Concert Choir is singing in Chapel today at 1:00 p.m. Wear "presentable casual"--I have on khakis and a polo shirt if that helps define what I mean. We'll be singing "You Having Walked This Earth". See you this afternoon!

RCB

Rehearsal in Hamilton Room again today

Concert Choir will rehearse in the Hamilton Room in the Wilder College Union again today!

Creating room for silence

Hi all,

The minister at our church spoke this past Sunday about "Finding Time for Meaning". In his sermon, he quoted 20th-century composer Arnold Schoenberg on the importance of rests in music, and how that symbolizes the importance of silence in our lives.

It brought to mind another quote by Arvo Pärt, contemporary Estonian composer (and subject of my doctoral dissertation): "How can one fill the time with notes worthy of the preceding silence?" I play a short musical interlude between the sermon and time for joys & concerns, and was inspired to insert long pauses after each phrase. It was amazing how many people paid attention to silence in a portion of the service that's usually background "traveling music".

We have trouble as a society with handling silence. Think about all the things by which we're bomarded every day:

• background Muzak
• TV screens simultaneously filled with the current show and ads for upcoming ones
• speakers booming in cars driving down the street
• talking automated check-outs at Wal-Mart
• cell phones ringing in every room we enter

We hear so much every day, and yet I think that, as a culture, all of us have lost some of the ability to truly listen. I get invitations all the time from community organizations to have one of the choirs perform for them at a luncheon or other function where they want "entertainment", but I rarely accept, because we would be just another element of audio "background radiation". To really let choral music touch the soul, the audience has to be placed in an environment that allows for some silence to let the music seep through the spirit.

I encourage you to find some silent time in your busy lives. Have a great fall break!
RCB

Concert Choir in Ballroom today

Hey gang,

We'll be rehearsing in the Wilder Union again today. The Hamilton Room is set up for another function, so we'll use the Ballroom side of the room to rehearse. It's VERY "ringy" in there, so extraneous noise will really have to be kept to a bare minimum. See you at 3:25!

RCB

New Singers study files on website

Hi Lambuth Singers,

Just noticed that I hadn't uploaded the "Cloudburst" study files to the website. Sorry about that! They're now online. Spend time with them over the next week--we need to have all note problems squared away on it by next Thursday, Oct. 12.

I've also added a link to a pronunciation file streamed from musicanet.org for "Il Est Bel et Bon". Note especially the pronunciation on "pays" and "poulailles" - the Old French spelling threw me off so I taught those two words to you incorrectly. The main vowel on "pays" is eh, and on "poulailles" it's ah.

Personality clashes

Hi all,

It's getting about that time of year where the pressure of upcoming midterms, stress of busy lives, and overall personality clashes bring out interpersonal conflicts between choir members.

In an ideal world, nothing would make me happier than to have every singer in our choirs get along with everyone else. Whether you do or not, however, is irrelevant; it CANNOT and WILL NOT get in the way of our shared goal of musical excellence.

I've spoken to several people individually. This is a gentle reminder to everyone:

• Check your personal problems, egos, and personality conflicts at the door when you enter rehearsal.
• Review the Professional Standards set forth in your syllabus and find ways in which you can improve in fulfilling them. They are a requirement for membership in the choirs and determine your grade.
  
• Make EVERY MINUTE of rehearsal focused towards making our ensembles the best they can be.

It is your responsibility now to see that no further reminders (which would be much less gentle) are necessary.

RCB

Rehearsal in Hamilton Room today

Just a reminder that today's rehearsal is in the Hamilton Room (left end of the ballroom) in the Wilder Union building. We'll rehearse in the round so you'll get a better sense of how the "Prayer of St. Patrick" works. See you at 3:25 this afternoon!

Dr. B

Tour, program update

Tour program update:

Thanks to those of you who responded to my earlier post and in-class inquiries about the concert closer. I appreciate your input! The prevailing opinion is that too many people are weary of the piece to make it effective; it was worth considering because of how well it worked in the programming, but I agree with the general consensus.

Be careful, though, that we don't fall into the trap of always equating complexity with appropriateness for a college ensemble. Just because a piece is simple, or has been done by a high school choir, doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it. One of the masterpieces of the choral repertoire, Mozart's "Ave verum" from last year's tour, can be performed by junior-high choirs, but I've also performed it with professional choirs. Not that I'm placing "The Awakening" with Mozart, by any means! However, a good university choral concert has to balance fast/slow, foreign language/English, somber/joyous, simple/complex, major/minor, and a host of other factors to be truly effective for our audiences. The challenge is to take a simpler piece and perform it at a college-appropriate level of artistry.

In reviewing the tour program, I decided that it was weighted really heavy on the front end, so I'm shifting some things around. The movement from the Rutter "Gloria" will be moved to the end, right after "'Tis You" and "Sky-Born Music". We'll follow it with a recessional, "Down to the River to Pray". We did it 3-4 years ago and it was very effective; it also sets up positioning for Alma Mater/Irish Blessing.

Tour venue update:

I'm still in the process of getting tour scheduled. It's been much more challenging this year getting venues lined up, so several things aren't firmed up yet, but I thought I'd give you some idea of what we have so far.

Sunday Nov. 12 -
We may be singing at Northside UMC here in Jackson that morning. It's not confirmed yet, so I'll let you know as soon as I know anything.
That evening we'll be at First UMC in Crossville, TN, between Nashville and Knoxville.

Monday Nov. 13 -
This day is stil up in the air. I was shooting for First UMC in Montgomery, AL, but nothing seems to be firming up so I'm looking at other options. We'll do a high school or two during the day.

Tuesday Nov. 14 -
Another couple of high school stops. Tuesday evening will be at Brentwood UMC in Nashville.

Friday Nov. 17 -
We'll perform for the All-Southwest Honor Choir in Memphis, at the beginning of their afternoon rehearsal.

Sunday Nov. 19 -
Fall concert at Lambuth, 3pm in the Chapel. Invite your family and friends!

More details as they develop....

RCB