NOVA Community Chorus

Please see below for previous postings regarding Spring 2010.

For archived Fall 2009 information, please see to the right-hand side of the page, under Archives.

(12/21/09) Dear Singers- I hope this message finds you enjoying a wonderful holiday. I love snow, in part because it forces me to slow down some. I hope you enjoy it in the same way.

If you’ve ever wondered what I mean when I say things like, “Altos, your singing the third of an F minor triad,” or “Choir, we are in compund meter here…a dotted quarter gets the beat,” then you would benfefit from my on-line MUS101 Basic Musicianship that is offered this Spring. I use a very effective on-line curriculum that is engaging and fun. The more each of understands about music, the more we grow as a chorus.

If you are not presently studying singing, please consider taking MUS131 Beginning Class Voice. Whether its your first time studying singing or a refresher for seasoned singers, it is guaranteed to improve your sound. The better each of us sounds, the better we sound as a chorus.

I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year (Tuesday, January 12).

Peace on earth!

(12/21/09) Dear Singers- I hope this message finds you enjoying a wonderful holiday. I love snow, in part because it forces me to slow down some. I hope you enjoy it in the same way.

If you’ve ever wondered what I mean when I say things like, “Altos, your singing the third of an F minor triad,” or “Choir, we are in compund meter here…a dotted quarter gets the beat,” then you would benfefit from my on-line MUS101 Basic Musicianship that is offered this Spring. I use a very effective on-line curriculum that is engaging and fun. The more each of understands about music, the more we grow as a chorus.

If you are not presently studying singing, please consider taking MUS131 Beginning Class Voice. Whether its your first time studying singing or a refresher for seasoned singers, it is guaranteed to improve your sound. The better each of us sounds, the better we sound as a chorus.

I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year (Tuesday, January 12).

Peace on earth!

From Chorister Stacy, regarding her CD

I have just lowered the price on a holiday special to just $9, and I wanted to give you a link in case you could spread the word.

http://www.facebook.com/l/70caa;www.cdbaby.com/cd/stacydumas

It’s also on iTunes or people can email me directly at stacy_dumas [at] hotmail [dot] com

I also have a FB fan page with song samples.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stacy-Dumas-SingerSongwriter/38166593947?ref=ts

Performance Program (1.5 MB .pdf) for the Winter Concert performance, December 3

Performance Program (3.3 MB .pdf) for Rutter Gloria performances, December 5 and 6

From Chorister Grace: The web site for the Berkshire Choral Festival is www.choralfest.org. They are accepting registration for this summer’s programs – one week in Montreal, 4 weeks to chose from in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and one week in Italy (I believe this week requires an audition, but the others don’t). For those who think they might be interested, but prefer not to lock in something this far in advance, I’ve talked with people who have signed up almost at the last minute for a week, so don’t think you can’t do it just because you didn’t register before the “deadline”. They do try to keep the chorus numbers to no more than 200, though, so if you wait until the last minute and it’s a popular week that you decide you want, you may not get it (that happened with the Bach Mass in B Minor – they had applications from 175 altos alone!). There are limited scholarships available as well. Anyone who would like more information is welcome to contact me at gfwhite [at] mindspring [dot] com

From Chorister Grace: The web site for the Berkshire Choral Festival is www.choralfest.org. They are accepting registration for this summer’s programs – one week in Montreal, 4 weeks to chose from in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and one week in Italy (I believe this week requires an audition, but the others don’t). For those who think they might be interested, but prefer not to lock in something this far in advance, I’ve talked with people who have signed up almost at the last minute for a week, so don’t think you can’t do it just because you didn’t register before the “deadline”. They do try to keep the chorus numbers to no more than 200, though, so if you wait until the last minute and it’s a popular week that you decide you want, you may not get it (that happened with the Bach Mass in B Minor – they had applications from 175 altos alone!). There are limited scholarships available as well. Anyone who would like more information is welcome to contact me at gfwhite [at] mindspring [dot] com

From Chorister Stacy Dumas: Learn more about Stacy’s music online at http://www.stacydumas.com or http://www.myspace.com/stacydumas. Buy music online at http://www.cdbaby.com/stacydumas or iTunes.

Dear Singers- What an unbelievably wonderful performance you gave last night. I am still on Cloud 9. What a wonderful semester!

I will have 25 CDs of our Brahms Requiem when I come to campus today. Bring $10 and one can be yours. I’ll bring more on Saturday.

Yours-DrW

PS- Theresa LaGoe cannot have one until we get her name spelled right.

(12/3/09) Parking space is limited at Bishop Ireton. Please park as far away from the entrance as you can. This will leave place for our guests near the door. In addition – car pooling will leave even more space.

Thanks, Fred and Mark

(12/1/09) Dear Singers- Let me know if you have someone who can help.

[Just a quick reminder we need 2-3 choir member spouses to help with donation/program table.]

Thanks for a great rehearsal tonight.

Dear Singers-

[Excerpt] What an outstanding season this has been. Brahms and Rutter have proved to be a perfect combination. Next season will be equally exciting, with Italian Opera Choruses and CARMINA BURANA!

We have become an excellent ensemble, and will only get better. I need every singer back in the Spring. Please register now. Our first rehearsal is January 12. If, for any reason, you are not able to return in the Spring, please let me know. Every one of you is important to me, and you must not slip away quietly.

Dear Singers-

Tonight is our 13th and final rehearsal of Fall 2009!

Remaining Schedule

Thursday. December 3

Chorus/Band Holiday Concert

7:30 pm, Schlesinger Center

6:15 pm call in AT130 – please note change (posted 11/17)

Saturday, December 5

Concert, 3:00 pm; 2:00 pm call

Church of the Epiphany

1317 G Street NW, Washington DC

Sunday, December 6

Concert, 3:00 pm; 2:00 pm call

Bishop Ireton High School

What an outstanding season this has been. Brahms and Rutter have proved to be a perfect combination. Next season will be equally exciting, with Italian Opera Choruses and CARMINA BURANA!

We have become an excellent ensemble, and will only get better. I need every singer back in the Spring. Please register now. Our first rehearsal is January 12. If, for any reason, you are not able to return in the Spring, please let me know. Every one of you is important to me, and you must not slip away quietly.

Please remember the NOVA Community Chorus in your end-of-the-year charitable giving.

Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the NVCC Foundation.

See you tonight-DrW

From Fred: Singers,

The 38th. Bi-Annual Messiah Sing-Along will be this Sunday, Nov. 29, at 7:00 pm in the Clarendon United Methodist Church. www.morefaith.org/music/messiah.php

It is located at 606 N. Irving Street, Arlington, VA ( www.morefaith.org/about/location.php )

This is probably the best of the singalongs in this area including any at the Kennedy Center. There will be hundreds of great singers (and non singing listeners), a professional chamber orchestra and professional soloists. It is organized and conducted by none other than *J. Reilly Lewis. (more info below) No rehearsal – just sing it. If you have not sung it before, consider this a total immersion learning experience.

Get there before the 7:00 p.m. start time to park close to the church and get a good seat. Bring your own music: The orange covered Novello (Watkins Shaw) edition is best but you can get by on a Schirmer Edition. Can’t buy or borrow one in time? Then come with someone who will let you look on with them.

The singalong begins with a 30 minute concert by “others” and then Part I (plus the Hallelujah Chorus) of Messiah. You can return around Easter to sing Parts II and III.

I hope to see you there. Flyer (reduced file size .pdf)

*Dr. J. Reilly Lewis has been at the forefront of chorus and organ music in this area for practically his whole life. Google J. Reilly Lewis and you get 680,000 references. He has been director of the Cathedral Choral Society since 1985 and is founder of the Washington Bach Consort. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Reilly_Lewis#Education_and_career )

A recording of the Brahms Requiem performance has been posted to the Performances Page

From Fred: An MP3 version of our Brahms German Requiem performance is now on the chorus web site: novachorus.org. Follow the links that Kate placed for us at the top of the page

Recognize that this is not a finished audio recording. It is a “quick look.”

Mark is still waiting for the man that recorded our concert to deliver that finished recording he promised. When he does, we run into the next delay. The 6-disk duplicating machine we use is broken beyond repair. There are workarounds but they won’t be quick as we hoped. I’d also like to place good labels on the disks and that adds to the delay as well as the amount of work required. Thus my decision to use what we have in hand in its current state: “warts and all.”

My guess from the sound is that the recording that I worked from used only the two mikes that were in front of the Sopranos and Altos and did not include sound from the mikes on center stage. Thus the women’s voices are louder than the men. In addition, the sound is “shrill.” That can be reduced with software filters but they take away some of clarity. So – bear with us for awhile and we’ll get something better (perhaps great) when we can.

Meanwhile, close your eyes and enjoy the show. You’ll hear us stand and sit, breathe, turn pages, and those wonderful sounds at the endings of each track as the piano notes slowly decay and finally the applause and whistles at the end — all the things a professional recording would leave out.

(11/23/09) Dear Singers-

You were fabulous last night. Despite an awkward situation regarding the risers, you made beautiful music. Your eye-contact was excellent, so you were able to stay with me extremely well. You sang up to pitch with a lovely tone. I enjoyed the rehearsal and am really looking forward to our concerts.

-If you missed last night’s mandatory dress rehearsal, please send me an e-mail immediately. If you told me in advance of your absence, please send a message to remind me of your situation.

-If you will be missing any of our upcoming concerts, please send me an e-mail immediately. If you told me in advance of your absence, please send a message to remind me of your situation.

-Over the past few days several of you have told me that you would be missing one of our upcoming concerts. I have tried to respond to each singer exactly the same way: I gave you the calendar in August. If you had a conflict, I should have been notified weeks (or months) ago. Short notice of absence is not fair to the group. Of course there are exceptions – emergencies that could not have been forseen. These are totally understandable.

The NOVA Community Chorus has developed into a finer ensemble than I could have ever imagined. I am very proud.

See you tomorrow. We will rehearse 7:30 to 9:00 pm, so you can all get home and bake.

(11/22/09) Long time member of our alto section, Sopie Korczyk, died on November 15.

There will be a funeral mass for Sophie on Monday, November 23, at 11 am, in

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church

2700 19th. Street South

Arlington, VA 22204

Website: ourladyqueenofpeace.org

Sophie was a long time member of this church and sang in their choir.

Please keep her husband, Glenn, and daughter, Michelle, and their extended family and friends (including us) in your thoughts and prayers. Messages of condolence may be sent to the Hassell Family (706 Little Street Alexandria, VA 22301).

(11/21/09) Flyer (.pdf), for Rutter performances, 12/5 & 12/6

(11/20/09) Dear Singers- Here are the verses we will sing. We will sing all verses as written. In other words, if there are four parts, we will sing them, Please mark your music accordingly. See you tommorrow at 1:40 pm.

Song Verses, .pdf

Update:

Five Christmas Carols

Verses we will sing:

I. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen -1, 2, 5

II. O Come, All Ye Faithful – 1, 3, 6, 7

III. Unto Us is Born a Son – all

IV. The First Nowell – 1, 2, 3, 6

V. Hark, the herald angels – all

Dear Singers- Several of you have requested the latest Spring Chorus Schedule so that you can plan accordingly. Here it is. Spring 2010 Chorus Schedule, .pdf

Dear Singers – Here is a preview of tonight. I look forward to seeing you.

Welcome to our 11th rehearsal of Fall 2009! Please sign in.

Thanks to all the women who auditioned for solos in the Rutter.

The soloists will be Stacy Dumas, Peggy Harrison, and Dorothea Kamara.

Thanks to all who attended our rehearsal with orchestra on Sunday. It was a great learning experience!

At our concert on Thursday, December 3, we will close with the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah with the band. Bring your scores next week. We use the Watkins Shaw Edition which is available at many local music stores.

You can download a free of copy of “Hallelujah Chorus” at http://www.gbod.org/worship/music/hallelujahchorus-keyofc.pdf

To learn the notes go to www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Handel_GF/Handel_Messiah.htm

Saturday, November 21, Full Rehearsal-SATB, 1:40 pm-3:00 pm, AT130

Sunday, November 22, Dress Rehearsal (mandatory), 5:00 pm, Bishop Ireton HS

Saturday, November 28, No Rehearsal

Thursday. December 3, Chorus/Band Holiday Concert, 7:30 pm; 6:15 pm call in AT130 – please note change

Schlesinger Center

Saturday, December 5, Concert, 3:00 pm; 2:00 pm call

Church of the Epiphany, (1317 G Street NW, Washington DC)

Sunday, December 6, Concert, 3:00 pm; 2:00 pm call

Bishop Ireton High School

Sing Well -DrW

Dear Singers- Several of you have requested the latest Spring Chorus Schedule so that you can plan accordingly. Here it is. Spring 2010 Chorus Schedule, .pdf

From Fred: We will begin the concert at 7:30 pm with the Rutter Gloria and 5 Christmas Carols. Chris will accompany us. We’ll be on standing risers in front of the stage with chairs in front. We’ll return to our seats in the front rows of the audience.

The band will play their concert. Then we’ll file back onto the risers and sing the Hallelujah Chorus with the Band. (Don’t Worry!! The music will appear.) Last year we invited the audience to sing with us and a surprising number did.

Rehearsal begins at 6:30 pm. Be in your designated chairs in the audience before then.

The band will warm up. We’ll go on the risers and rehearse the Hallelujah Chorus with them. They leave. We warm up some more and return to our chairs as our audience comes in.

We’ll go on the risers at 7:30 and the concert begins. If the audience is late we’ll stay in our audience seats until told to go up.

See you tonight.

Poster from our Art Dept. attached: (updated 5:30 pm) Poster, original file size (6.3MB) | Poster, reduced file size

Dear Singers- Our very own Kimberly Young will present her Graduation Recital today at 4:00 pm. I hope you can come. Yours-DrW

(11/13/09) Dear Singers- I am still amazed by the wonderful crowd that you brought to our October 27 Brahms Requiem concert. Dr. Ryland said there were 500! on a Tuesday night! In the rain! Amazing! As you can imagine, I want to do it again. Our partnership with the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic is a key element in our program, and it is built on our ability to generate an audience. We have a fantastic track record of doing just that, and I am counting on you to do it again.

I have an idea. I have printed small green invitation cards. Pick some up at rehearsal. Put as many in your coat pocket as you have friends, and when you see a friend tell them how much you hope they can come to the concert and give them a card. Be sure to write their name and yours on the card to make it personal. I’ll have some at NVCC tomorrow, [they will be] put them on the web as well.

Invitation Cards (.pdf)

This is just one idea, You guys can come up with even better ones. The important thing is that we get busy. There are many concerts in December, and we want our friends to come to ours.

Women’s Rehearsal tomorrow at 1:40 pm. Solo auditions to follow.

Peace-DrW