Author Archive

From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

(2/22/2010)
Chorister Inquiry: Would you confirm?

In the Triumphal Scene, Chorus of Priests, Tenors enter at Measures 73 (T2)

and 80 (T1) and sing only through Measure 86. At rehearsal “D,” we return to

the Chorus of the People through Measure 193 (the end).

Answer from Dr. Whitmire:

The audition will be C through D only. Once we know who the priests will be, I’ll clarify when they sing.


From Dr. Whitmire

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

(2/17/2010) Dear Singers,

It was truly wonderful to see you last night. Your beautiful voices and and bright faces were an inspiration.

This Saturday at noon we have Women’s rehearsal. Be sure to know the Witches Chorus.

Next Tuesday we”ll have audtions for the 12 Priests in Triumphal Scene.

In addition to all 6 Opera Choruses, we’ll rehearse Carmina Burana #19, & 20.

Keep up the good, hard work.


Carmina Burana Pronunciation

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

This document was mentioned during the February 16 rehearsal: Carmina Burana Choral Pronunciation Guide

produced for the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus

by Hank Dahlman, DMA; Department of Music; Wright State University; Dayton, OH 45435

The document is published in many locations online, including here:

http://www.scchoralsociety.org/carmina_pronunciation.html

A scan of the original document, distributed to the chorus October 1999: Pronunciation Guide (.pdf)


From Dr. Whitmire

Friday, February 12th, 2010

(2/12/2010) Dear Singers,

Reminder: There is no Saturday rehearsal as I will be in Texas. See you all on Tuesday.


From Dr. Whitmire

Friday, February 12th, 2010

(2/11/2010) Dear Singers,

[Edited for privacy] [I] will leave for Texas on Saturday evening… I will be heading home… on Monday and look forward to seeing you on Tuesday.


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Dear Singers-

I hope that this message finds you safe and warm and enjoying the slower pace that Mother Nature can impose on us. As you probably know, the college will remain closed tomorrow, so there is no rehearsal.

Had we had rehearsed last week, we would have worked on all 6 Opera Chouses and Carmina Burana #1, 24, & 22.

If we were able to rehearse this week, we would have worked on all 6 Opera Chouses and Carmina Burana #18, 19, & 20.

You can get your notes at

www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Orff/orff_carmina_burana.htm

(You don’t have to buy anything. You can listen to your part on the computer free of charge.)

Please work on your music, especially the Opera Choruses, as the concert will be here before we know it.

I know that you will work hard, because that’s what the NOVA Community Chorus does.


NOVA Alert

Monday, February 8th, 2010

UPDATE-NVCC will be closed Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010, due to the snow.


NOVA Alert

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

NVCC will be closed Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, due to the snow.


NOVA Alert

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Fri, 2/5/10 – NVCC will close at noon and be closed Sat (2/6) and Sun (2/7) due to the snow.


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Dear Singers-

As you see below, the college has closed. So build a fire, get a refreshing beverage, and snuggle up with your Opera Choruses. Maybe a nice Italian red is a good choice.

Seriously, we can’t let the weather make us behind schedule. So I am counting on each of you to work on your music and especially your Italian diction. Remember, it took me many hours to put your notes and words on the CD. It will be time well spent only if you work many hours on your notes and words.


NOVA Alert

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Tues, Feb 2, 2010 – NVCC will close at 7:00 pm due to snow. All classes & activities cancelled.


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Here are a couple of links that Bill Brown thought you might enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDrzP4OFMCA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzdDf9hKfJw


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Tonight is our 4th rehearsal of Spring 2010!

Attendance

Please try not to be absent. If you miss more than two rehearsals during preparation for a concert, you will be asked to audition to demonstrate preparedness. Please notify Section Leaders of absences:

Soprano-Peggy Harrison, peggyh [at] ix [dot] netcom [dot] com, [Admin: phone #s removed for privacy]

Alto-Debbie Peetz, peetz [at] rand [dot] org

Tenor-Larry Goldschmidt, lgold2 [at] comcast [dot] net

Bass-Ray Lombardi, ray2408 [at] comcast [dot] net

Schedule change: No men’s rehearsal on Sat, Feb. 13. (posted 01-24-10)

We will begin rehearsing Carmina Burana tonight. Rehearsal CDs will be available. There will be no charge for you Carmina Burana CDs. However, please hold on to your $10. Next month I would like us to make a $1000 contribution to the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic, and $10 from each of us will do the trick. We did this last year, and it was a big help to the orchestra.

Rehearsal Schedule

Opera: I hope to rehearse all six opera chorus at each rehearsal

Carmina: Tonight


Vocal Research

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

(02/01/2010) From Peggie: This is a reminder to the NOVA Chorus women about participating in Kathy Price’s voice study. Jerry Moore and Mary Yee will be available to collect your completed questionnaire and record your voice samples this Tuesday from 6:30 pm -7:25 pm (and every Tuesday in February). We’ll be located in one of the rehearsal rooms just outside the choral room. Just stop by. We’ll have extra questionnaires available in case you need them.


Vocal Research

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

(01/28/2010) From Debbie: Dear NOVA Chorus Altos,

Below is an invitation from alto, Ellie Briscoe, who offers her home for extra alto rehearsals on Sunday evenings. Please read and let Ellie and/or me (Debbie at peetz [at] rand [dot] org) know if you are interested and which sessions you would plan to attend.

Thanks and welcome to the newcomers.

If there is any interest, I will host alto practice sessions for the Italian Opera choruses and Carmina Burana.

Five Sundays, Feb. 7 to March 7.

Time for all: 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Allergy warning: I have two cats. Let me know if you prefer that I sequester them. One of them is excessively friendly.


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Dear Singers-

Tonight is our 3rd rehearsal of Spring 2010!

When you arrive Please sign in and proof the roster. Make sure your name and info are correct.

All singers must be registered for Chorus (MUS 137 or 237).

If you are not registered, you must do so immediately. If you are registered as a senior, please consider making a donation in lieu of tuition. Donations of any amount are appreciated.

Attendance

Please try not to be absent. If you miss more than two rehearsals during preparation for a concert, you will be asked to audition to demonstrate preparedness. Please notify Section Leaders of absences:

Soprano-Peggy Harrison, peggyh [at] ix [dot] netcom [dot] com, [Admin: phone #s removed for privacy]

Alto-Debbie Peetz, peetz [at] rand [dot] org

Tenor-Larry Goldschmidt, lgold2 [at] comcast [dot] net

Bass-Ray Lombardi, ray2408 [at] comcast [dot] net

Schedule change: There will be no men’s rehearsal on Sat, Feb. 13.

We will begin rehearsing Carmina Burana next Tuesday, Feb. 2. Rehearsal CDs will be available

Sing Well -DrW


Newsletter

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Chorus Newsletter, (.pdf) January 2010


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

(1/25/2010) Dear Singers-

Please note this schedule change:

There will be no men’s rehearsal on Saturday, February 13.

See you tomorrow.


Vocal Research

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

From Peggie: Dear NOVA chorus sopranos and altos:

Mary Yee has asked me to post this request for volunteers to participate in a a doctoral candidate’s vocal study by Kathy Price. Kathy directed the chorus and taught voice at NOVA for many years. She currently lives in Kanasa City and teaches at a college there, but also is in this area regularly as director of Philomela, a women’s vocal ensemble.

[Admin] For more information, please find the entire message here. (.pdf)

If you have any questions about the study, please send them directly to Mary Yee: maryyee [at] mitre [dot] org


NOVA Idol

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

(1/20/2010) Update: A promotional flyer from Susan (.pdf)

(1/18/2010) From Peggy:

Come Support Our Nova Finalists Terri Lagoe, Sam Howell and Stacy Dumas on their journey to become our next

NOVA IDOL 2010

They can do it ……With our support…….. Friday January 22nd in our Alexandria Tyler building (the Building we rehease in) in the ‘gym’ at this year’s Semi-Final Show. . .

Last year NOVA Chorus alto Susan Bilodeau won it all!

It starts at 5pm. Terri Lagoe told me her time is 7:25pm. Hope to see you there!


E-mailing List Test

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

(1/17/2010) From Peggy: Just seeing if new members I’ve added to the NOVA Chorus e-mail list get the e-mail. I’ll ask who didn’t get this message at the next rehearsal (I know, I’m speaking to the choir…)


Choral Workshop

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

(1/14/2010) From Peggy:

We don’t have the opportunity to sing a lot of early music in the chorus, so If you like singing early music, this is something you might find worthwhile.

POLISH’D GEMS

Renaissance & Baroque

Choral music from Poland

A Chorworks one-day workshop led by Philip Cave

Saturday 30th January 2010

Registration from 9:30am

Workshop 10:00-4:30pm

Informal Concert 5:00pm

All Souls Episcopal Church

2300 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Pre-registration and further information: www.chorworks.com

General enrollment: $45. Students and Seniors $25. Music & soft drinks included.

5 minutes from Woodley Park Metro. Limited parking available.


Class Handouts

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Handouts provided at the January 12 rehearsal:

Updated Chorus Schedule (.pdf) for Spring 2010

Rhythm and Pitch Worksheets (.pdf)

Opera Chorus Translations (.pdf)


Cathedral Choral Society Sings

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

(1/7/10) From Fred:

Cathedral Sings! Durufle Requiem

Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 7:00 pm

Washington National Cathedral

Dr. J. Reilly Lewis, conductor

Brandy Hawkins, mezzo soprano

Aleksey Bogdanov, baritone

Members of the Washington National Opera

Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists Program

Scott Dettra, organist

Join us for the popular Cathedral Sings! program – sing-alongs of some of the finest choral masterworks of all time. Singers of every ability are welcome to experience the ethereal Requiem of Maurice Durufl


Sheet Music

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

(1/6/10) From Fred:

Das Patania

Poitye pyessni slvyi

Slava, Slava, Slava, Slava, …etc.

If you sang the all Russian program with us awhile ago you already own the thick, red covered, Opera Choruses book, edited by John Rutter that we’ll use for the all Italian concert.

Same goes for Carmina Burana if you sang our opening concert for the Schlesinger Center.

The rehearsal CD is set up so the first 10 tracks are note learning and the next 7 or so is the performance version.

Based on my Bass CD

Track 1, wedding = pg. 107, Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor

Track 2, Scottish (refugees) = pg. 260

3 = pg. 291

4 = pg. 292 (Tracks 5 – 8 you’ll have to extrapolate from the measure numbers)

9 = Pg. 253

10= Pg. 107 (beginning of the performance versions)