Hi Everyone,

Another great rehearsal last night! Now that you have your CDs, start
by going over the songs, and the parts of the songs that we have
already gone over as a group. This will help reinforce what we've
already started to do.

Songs to Look at:

"Star Spangled Banner," (remember the note changes we made, if you
missed the first rehearsal, double check with someone who was there
for changes made to your part.)

"Rise an Shine" this is a tricky one, start by reviewing the first
two sections that we've already looked at as a group. Basses,
remember to keep your part light and don't get bogged down in each note.

"American Folk Rhapsody" review "Cindy" and start to look ahead at
"Simple Gifts." We'll look at that as a group next rehearsal. All
parts, double check your "du du's". Those are still a little weak.
Make sure you are jumping to the right notes and getting the rhythms
correct.

"Turkey in the Straw" review page 5 through 7 that we learned last
night. We'll continue to branch out into the other sections in the up
coming rehearsals, but make sure that for now pg 5 through 7 are nice
and strong.

"Red River Valley" review your notes that we learned last night.
Baritone and Bass, focus on your part in the "refrain" There were
still some odd notes happening last night when we were singing that
section.

Keep up the great work everyone!
Brittany

Hi Everyone,

Great first rehearsal on Thursday! The chorus is already sounding
great and I'm very excited about our Spring season. We have a variety
of fun music that we will be learning over the next couple of months.
It was great to see so many new faces, as well as those returning!

The CDs will be passed out at this week's rehearsal. In the meantime,
please start drilling the text for "I've Been Everywhere," like we
were doing at the end of rehearsal. This is something that you can do
without the assistance of the rehearsal CD.

The rest of the music will also be passed out at this week's
rehearsal. Please get there a little early to make sure you have
everything and to pick up a CD. We want to be ready to start singing
right at 7pm to get as much done as we can.

Thank you! and see you Thursday,

Brittany

Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year! I Hope you all had wonderful holidays and are
enjoying your winter break.

As we gear up towards the start of the Spring 2010 season, I figured
that I would let you all know what I was planning. I'm busy putting
together a program of all American music for our Spring concerts,
which will be called "Songs of America." I've got a number of songs
picked so far but I would love to hear from all of you about any
suggestions or favorite American songs you have that you think might
work well on the program. Please email us any suggestions you have.

Important Spring 2010 Season Dates:

First Rehearsal:
March 11th, 7pm at Morse Pond School

Concert Dates:
Saturday, June 12th 7:30pm
Sunday, June 13th 3:00pm

Thank you! See you soon,
Brittany Haskell

Hi Everyone!

Great rehearsal last night! It's wonderful to be starting to pull
everything together as we head into our final week of rehearsals
before the concert! It was great to have Olivann joining us as our
accompanist as well!

Before next rehearsal, take some time to review the harder pieces
with your cds. These pieces include: "Seeds of Love," "I Love My
Love" "Spring Plowing" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas." Also review the
songs we worked on last night, paying special attention to dynamics
and text. No one should be stumbling over words at this point!

At next week's rehearsal, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30th, we'll be starting
with the beginning of the program and running as much of it as we
can, paying close attention to Spring and Summer in particular.

A few important notes:

- PLEASE make sure that you're music is now in program order in your
folder. The order was posted in one of the previous blog posts here
on the website.

- I'll be rehearsing "Shine on Harvest Moon" with SMALL GROUP II at
6pm on Monday, November 30th before the full group rehearsal at 7pm.
Please be one time!

- Anyone who has sleigh bells or jingle bells, please bring them to
next Thursdays rehearsal. We'll be passing them out to children in
the audience to ring during "Jingle Bells."

- Just an overall reminder that it is really important to get to
rehearsal on time!! Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to get
signed in and seated so we don't have to wait.

Thanks everyone for all your hard work, have a great Thanksgiving!
Brittany

Hi Everyone,

Below is the order for our December concert, subject to change of
course! Starting this Thursday, we're going to be trying to run as
much of the program as we can. Please take time to work with your
cds, reviewing notes and rhythms, but also text. We shouldn't be
tripping over text at this point. Small Group II, be ready to
rehearse at the end of rehearsal this Thursday. See you all tomorrow
at 10am for Veteran's Day.

Brittany

Fall 2009 Concert Program Order

“Now is the month of Maying” by Thomas Morley
“The Seeds of Love” by Ralph Vaughan Williams
“I Love My Love” arr. by Jameson Marvin
“You’re as Welcome as the Flowers in May” by Dan Sullivan (sm group)
“Aura Lee” by George R. Poulton (sm group)
“Spring Plowing” by Jacques Wolfe

“Summertime” by George Gershwin
“Stars of the Summer Night” â€" traditional
“In the Good Old Summertime/Take Me out to the Ballgame”

INTERMISSION

“September Song” by Kurt Weill
“Shine on Harvest Moon” by Nora Bayes-Norworth (sm group)
“Autumn Leaves” by Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prevert and Joseph Kosma

“Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” by Jule Styne
“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Randall Thompso
“Stars I Shall Find” by Victor C. Johnson
“Good King Wenceslas”

Christmas Sing Along:
Joy to the World; The First Nowell; We Three Kings; Jingle Bells

“A Holly Jolly Christmas”

encore: "America the Beautiful"

Hi Everyone,

Nice rehearsal Thursday! We concentrated on a lot of our toughest
music, and are really starting to sound more comfortable with most of
it! We've gotten through most of the major pieces for the concert and
will delve into the others this week.

At this Thursday's rehearsal we will be having sectionals. I'd like
each section to focus on their parts in "I Love My Love" and "Spring
Plowing" specifically. If there are other pieces you'd like to look
at please make a note of which ones and which sections of the pieces
in particular. Section leaders, please be ready to help rehearse your
section! If you're not a strong piano player that's ok, find someone
who can at least plunk out the starting pitches. Basses, please be
ready to work on your part in "Holly Jolly Christmas" as well. I will
be visiting each sectional to check on progress and help out with
problem areas.

I'm in the process of making a second batch of CDs for everyone which
will include the music that wasn't in yet when I made the first
batch. I'm going to try my very hardest to have it ready by Thursday,
which should be possible barring any unforeseen technical difficulties.

Besides sectionals we will also learn the chorus part for "Seeds of
Love," and review "Autumn Leaves," "Stars Shall I Find" and learn the
2nd half of "Good Old Summer/Ballgame."

At the end of rehearsal, I will be meeting with small group II to
start working on "Shine on Harvest Moon." This will also be included
on your new cds!!

Great work everyone!
Brittany

Hi Everyone,

Great rehearsal last Thursday! Some of the pieces we are singing this
season are fairly hard and we made some good headway on them during
rehearsal. Thank you for your hard work and patience!

This week we will be continuing to work on pieces as well as looking
at some of the new ones we haven't started yet. We will be reviewing
and learning the rest of "A Holly Jolly Christmas" as well as
reviewing and learning the end of "I Love My Love." This song is
particularly difficult, but you are all doing really well with it! It
will come together more and more in the next few weeks. Make sure to
take a few minutes and review your parts on your own with the CD.

On Thursdays rehearsal we will also be learning "Stopping By Woods"
and the first half of "In the Good Old Summertime." We will be
reviewing pieces we've already looked at including "Spring Plowing"
and "Let it Snow."

At the end of rehearsal, from around 8:50 to 9:15, I'll be meeting
with Small Group I to sing through Aura Lee and learn "Welcome as the
Flowers in May."

The Small Groups are as follows:

GROUP I: (Aura Lee and Welcome as the Flowers in May)

Tenor I:
Ann Devenish
Pamela Taft
Carla Zavorskas

Tenor II:
Joyce Hosford
Charles Clarkin
Larry Wood

Bari:
Henry Leeds
Tom Gregg

Bass:
Joe Ferreira
David Skyes

GROUP II: (Shine on Harvest Moon)

Tenor I:
Tonya Bishop
Ann Devenish
Marcy Lerner

Tenor II:
Arden Edwards
Sherry Martin
Dave Whittaker

Bari:
Tom Gregg
Henry Leeds
Bob O'Loughlin

Bass:
Joe Ferreira
David Skyes


See you all tomorrow!
Brittany

Hi Everyone,

GREAT first rehearsal last week! It is very exciting to be starting a
fall season with you, and wonderful to see so many new faces! We made
some good headway on a few of the more difficult pieces in our
repertoire this season. This week, start reviewing the sections of
the pieces we learned during rehearsal using your cds. Pay
particularly close attention to "Spring Plowing" and focus on the
rhythms when your part has the melody. We will drill that more during
this week's rehearsal.

This week, we will review the songs we have already looked at, then
dive into other new pieces as well. We'll hopefully have the rest of
the music for you this week so you can start practicing it on your
own as well.

Thanks for the good work so far, and see you Thursday!

Brittany

Hi Everyone,

GREAT job last night! I'm very pleased with how the program has come
together. It was clear to me that everyone has been working hard with
their cds and learning their music! It made a huge difference for
everyone to sing lighter so they could hear the other sections better
as well.

Before I get into specific notes, I've made some changes to the
program order since we are going to be reprinting it. The NEW order is:

Anchors Aweigh
The Navy Hymn
Columbia, Gem of the Ocean
Service Medley
The Water is Wide
We Saw the Sea
Away from the Roll of the Sea
We Be Three Poor Mariners
A Whale of a Tale
The Mermaid
INTERMISSION
Fogarty's Cove
Skye Boat Song
Cape Cod Girls
Sea Shanty Sing-Along: Paddy Doyle, A Hundred Years
Hoodah Day
Calm is the Sea
What Shall we do with a Drunken Sailor

As you can see it's mostly the second half that I have changed
around. Please reorganize your folders so the music is in this order!

Some specific Notes:

Anchors Aweigh: Great job! It was much more blended and balanced last
night, and I could hear all four parts clearly which is what we need.
Try to look up more in this one and be a bit "cheerier," it is the
opening piece to our concert!

The Navy Hymn: This was also very solid last night. Remember we need
to think a little more about the over all line, and less about each
note, as this will help it flow better.

Columbia, Gem: Much better! The verses were much more solid and
together and the refrain was very well-tuned and polished.

Service Medley: Over all very nice, once again, double check those
two areas that have been a problem: the rhythm of the word "high" in
the Coast Guard, and the bass notes in the end of the Merchant
Mariners. Otherwise very nice. Do be aware though that during the Air
Force song at the beginning, the basses and baritones have been doing
a crescendo on "hear our thunder," but the tenors haven't. It would
be nice to have a bit of a crescendo there, but I need less crescendo
from the lower parts and more from the upper parts. (the crescendo
would be during that rising line, both times it happens)

The Water is Wide: VERY nice! Can always use more dynamics and inner
voices, make sure to bring out your moving parts.

We Saw the Sea: This one is getting there! Musically it is fine. Some
comments that were made last night were that too much acting is
coming from the ladies and nothing from the men! So ladies, if you
can tone it down a bit that would be great, we don't want to be a
distraction from the men, and men, please bring it up a few notches!
There's a lot you can do there, it doesn't have to be gestures but
facial expressions can add a lot.

Away from the Roll of the Sea: Great job bari and bass on the melody
lines, it was very lullaby-like and the rhythms were together!
Tenors, if you can give us a bit more on your "oo's", especially a
the beginning. Don't be afraid to be expressive with them. Right now
you're there but not doing much with your lines.

We Be Three Poor: Over all very nice! Watch out for the transition
between verses. Remember we hold the last note for 2 beats, then 1
beat of rest, then the pick up. Please circle that and be ready.
Always think stronger on the chorus.

A Whale of a Tale: Getting better! Once we got some balance issues
worked out it was much more solid on the 2nd run. The clapping
however can be stronger now because we have the soloists using the
mic. The 2nd time it was toned-down a little too much, and kind of
wimpy, so it lost it's coherency. Everyone please review this one,
make sure you have it memorized so you can clap freely. Be clear on
all the words, your humming notes and the clapping. Use your CDs!!

The Mermaid: Very nice! I've decided to end the first half with this
piece. Good job small group!

Fogarty's Cove: I've decided to put this as the opening piece for the
2nd half. It's going very well. Occasionally the "do" parts overlap
the melody, but over all it was nicely balanced. Basses and tenors,
make sure you are right there and ready to go after the baritones
opening. We have to sing strong immediately, we can't slide in there
otherwise it looses it's punch and energy that the baritones have set
up for us.

Skye Boat Song: This piece is going ok, we just need to do A LOT more
listening, particularly on the chords that end the phrases. Everyone
needs to watch more at the end so we are together!!

Cape Cod Girls: Good! I need a bit more sound from the tenors at the
beginning, and everyone can be stronger and more energetic during the
refrain.

Hoodah Day: Over all very nice, those of you singing the verses, make
sure you know your words very well so there aren't any surprises!

Calm is the Sea: Everyone needs to look up more on this piece and
watch me. We have a tendency not to be together sometimes. Make sure
you are observing all of the breath marks, remember they are
different for verse three. Also remember the last phrase has to be
quieter than the rest!!

Drunken Sailor: I've decided to end the program with this because it
is absolutely stunning!! It was particularly strong the 2nd time we
ran it. Tenors, sing out at the beginning, think more of a mf or f
there. The basses and baritones are doing a nice job of supporting
you, so don't be afraid to sing out, you have the melody!! PLEASE
PLEASE PLEASE mark, circle, highlight, whatever you need to do to
remember those two places where the rhythm changes!!!! Please try to
look up there. The far majority of people are getting it but all it
takes is a couple of people to plow ahead and it makes that whole
section sloppy. Basses, double check your notes in the "poop poop"
section. For everyone, when we have all those different staggered
entrances, all through the piece, make sure you are very strong and
present on your entrances. Over all VERY good work, this is a
challenging piece and we didn't get the music until late!! NICE JOB!!

In general, we could use a lot more looking up. It's a lot better for
the audience to have some eye contact with the choir, rather than
watching us sing while we're buried in our music. You know the music,
there's no need to be looking down every second!

THANK YOU to all of you for your hard work, I've really enjoyed
working with you so far and I'm looking forward to TWO awesome concerts!

Brittany