From Section Leader Debbie: Just wanted to make sure everyone is aware that there are only one or two alto music/voice majors in the chorus so there will spots available in the small ensembles in Rachmaninoff. I have copied the information about these auditions from Dr. Whitmire’s note, below.
From Dr. Whitmire: Auditions for non-majors who want to sing Rachmaninoff # 5, 6, 13, 18 will be October 25.
From Section Leader Debbie: My apologies for not getting tickets to everyone Tuesday night. Not enough time to distribute, take checks/money AND keep track of transactions during the short break. Unfortunately, I will not be at rehearsal this Saturday but I will be there next week Tuesday and will arrive early. As Dr. Whitmire said, it is to our advantage to sell the tickets and fill the house for both concerts.
That said, I will only give you as many tickets as you request — no maximum, no minimum. Just please sell/pay for those you take.
From Chorister Jane: Which line do the first altos sing on page 85 (you didn’t record most of this one for the altos, so I can’t tell). There is one voice on the soprano line and there are 3 voices singing on the alto line. Do first altos sing the top notes of the alto line or the middle notes of the alto line?
From Dr. Whitmire: Good question.
On page 85, top staff the alto part will be divided as follows:
top part- Soprano 2
middle part-alto1
low part-alto 2
From Alto Section Leader Debbie: Good afternoon! Just a few reminders for you and me:
This Saturday, Sept 17th, is an optional rehearsal for chorus women — 1 PM at NVCC (I regret I will not be able to join you.)
Next alto sectional at Ellie’s is the last Monday of September, the 26th, 7:30 PM
She will host another on Monday, October 3rd.
Please let Ellie or me know if you’re planning to attend.
I will DEFINITELY be there on the 26th…. The music this semester is very challenging.
From Alto Section Leader Debbie: Good morning. Ellie responded to a question from Halina and Jane about Tuesday’s rehearsal and I thought we could all profit from her answer:
From Ellie: Here’s what I was trying to remember earlier:
We are not singing Rach. 7, 9, 10, 15.
Rach. 5,6,13,18 are to be done by audition and music majors are required to audition.
He’s aware that the recording for A1 for 13 is truncated at the first page.
Rach 3, stop at the end of the 4th bar on top system, page 19, before “Gospodi.”
He didn’t say it explicitly but implied the double chorus No. 14 will also be by audition. He didn’t say how it would be divided.
He also wants the music majors to populate the front row of each section.
Chichester: learn pages 27-20 for sure before next rehearsal.
Men’s extra rehearsal is this weekend.
From Section Leader Debbie: Good afternoon and welcome to the NOVA Community Chorus Alto section.
Following is information about an additional, but not required, opportunity to learn the notes and rehearse with other NOVA Altos.
If you were at the first rehearsal last week, you may have found a note on your chair with dates and directions to Ellie’s home. She has kindly offered to host alto sectional rehearsals on Sept 19 & 26 and Oct 3. These start at 7:30 and run for no more than 1-1/2 hours. All we ask is that you let Ellie and/or me know that you plan to attend so she can be prepared.
Ellie — ellie_briscoe [at] yahoo [dot] com
Debbie Peetz — peetz [at] rand [dot] org
Thanks and see you tonight!
Where: Chorister Ellie’s home, about ten blocks from NVCC campus
When: 7:40 – 9:00 pm on four Mondays: Sept. 5, 12, 26 and Oct. 3.
We’ll focus on Chichester Psalms, at least to start with.
Allergy Warning: I have cats.
Contact Ellie for more details.
(2/16/2011) Update: Reminder: This will be the LAST alto rehearsal for the Verdi REQUIEM at Ellie’s — Sunday, February 20th, 7:30 – 9pm.
(2/3/2011) Update: Reminder: Despite or because of the Super Bowl there WILL BE an Alto rehearsal at Ellie’s on Sunday — February 6th, 7:30 – 9pm.
(1/29/2011) Update: From Section Leader Debbie: Sunday, optional Alto rehearsals at Ellie’s will resume next week on Feb 6th. Although, I believe that is Super Bowl Sunday so I’m not sure how many altos will be attending.
I think everyone could use a reminder that you can play your part really slowly on cyberbass.com.
(1/21/2011) Reminder:
From Section Leader Debbie: Ellie is offering to continue note learning rehearsals once the semester has started. Please see note below. My apologies for clogging your email inbox if you will not be singing with us this Spring. I will clean up the Alto Alias when we have a new roster. Cheers and Happy New Year
From Chorister Ellie:
Altos: optional note learning sessions
Where: Ellie’s home, about ten blocks from NVCC campus
When:7:30 – 9:00 pm on four Sundays: Jan. 23, Feb 6, 13, 20
(If someone else wants to host one on Jan. 30, do it; I have a conflict)
Allergy warning: I have cats.
Non-altos are welcome also but we will be using the alto practice CDs for Verdi and Beethoven.
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear NOVA Community Chorus Women-
I want to bring the appearance of our chorus women in line with the formality and uniformity of our chorus men. I asked a group of women to work on this, and they developed the following profile (.pdf) of appropriate concert dress. I think it will be a big improvement and I thank them for their good work.
Yours-DrW
From Section Leader Debbie: Note from Ellie who has also asked to post on the NOVA Chorus web site. See you tomorrow night.
From Chorister Ellie: This is where I think each of the Verdi alto rehearsal tracks begin:
Track 1: page 2, top system
2: page 19, top
3: page 30, 4th system, to bottom of page 34
No recording for chorus notes between 35 and 43 but for altos it’s the same note and phrase repeated.
4: page 43 just before G, top staff, to page 46
5: page 51 2d system, last measure, to page 65
6: Page 80, top system, to page 84
7: page 85, end of 3d system, to p. 100
8: page 124 (chorus I)
9: page 124 (chorus II)
10: page 149
11: page 167
12: page 172, top system
13: page 182, top system
14: page 186, top system
15: page 205, top system, 3d measure
I think there is an error in the alto CD on page 43, 2d staff, last measure, but I would appreciate someone else’s checking that.
(11/10/2010) From Chorister Debbie: Here’s the schedule of extra Alto rehearsals at Ellie Briscoe’s home:
Dec 21, Dec 28, January 4
(Ellie also plans to create a flyer with this information.)
From Ellie:
Altos: optional Verdi learning sessions
Where: Ellie Briscoe’s home, about ten blocks from NVCC campus
When:7:30 – 9:00 pm on three Tuesdays: December 21, 28, January 4
Allergy warning: I have cats. Non-altos are welcome also but we will be using the alto practice CD.
Directions from NVCC to 1709 Stonebridge Road, Alexandria
Go east on Braddock from campus. Go up the hill (through a traffic light), down the hill and under 395 (and through a second light), and up the next hill to the third traffic light, turn right onto Howard St. Take the fourth right onto Loyola; go to the end and turn right onto Stonebridge. 1709 is the first house on your right on Stonebridge, two-story brick-fronted house with a porch, and a rock by the curb that says “1709.”
If coming north on Howard from Seminary, Loyola is the first left. Note that you cannot see the Loyola street sign behind the BIG tree.
In case you get lost: phone is 703 461 7383.
From Section Leader Debbie: Ellie has suggested and offered to host VERDI rehearsals… See
below. Please let me know your interest in participating by reply to: deborah_peetz [at] rand [dot] org
From Ellie: Since we know most people don’t have standing commitments on Tuesdays, how’s about in December after chorus is over, I host Tuesday “Verdi” sectionals, to sing through the Requiem and get somewhat familiar with it? People will already have the practice CD. I could open that to sopranos, too, or even
anyone who wants to come; then maybe we’d have half a dozen folks show up.
Or, I could set them up for Mondays, and begin next week; if he keeps telling us which movements he’s going to work on we can anticipate them.
We have I think four class sessions left before the end of chorus, and the second performance of “Judas” is after the last one.
From Chorister Ellie: The time for next Sunday has not changed, only the location, so my original
proposal stands: Rehearsal at my house for Judas from 2 – 4 pm.
Note about “See the Conquering Hero”: I have written Soprano on the top line and Alto on the second line in my
music so, unless there has been a change, all of the women are singing about Conquering Heros.
From Alto Section Leader Debbie: First, my apologies if this arrives in your inbox and you are NOT singing
with the chorus this semester. I modified last semester’s list and may have missed someone. AND we miss you, of course.
Second, please mention this to fellow altos at the rehearsal on Saturday, 10/16, in case I inadvertently left someone OFF the alias.
If you are interested in attending an Alto sectional at Ellie’s house, please send her a message — addresses in the forwarded message, below (ellie [at] briscoe [dot] com). Specify which date you would be able to attend so she can get a count. I’m not sure I will be be there, so best to let Ellie know.
Ellie’s proposal:
Oct. 17, 7:30 pm (or else immediately after the Planets gig, since we’ll all be out and about)
Oct. 24, 2 – 4 pm.
After that, Mark’s Saturday rehearsal schedule kicks in.
She has a great set-up to sing along with the rehearsal CD, the recording and/or bang out notes on a keyboard. Also, two very friendly cats, in case of allergies.