You knocked my socks off on Tuesday night! Everyone else’s too! It was a glorious concert! Your singing was a perfect balance of beauty and power. Our accompanists Ms. Koo and Ms. Hagan really brought it, didn’t they? And how about our awesome soloists Stania, Dorothea, Francisco and Brandon. I have never known a 4-year college that could better these four on the Ninth.
Please don’t miss tomorrow’s picnic. It is always great fun. As it turns out I will not be there as I have my daughter’s graduation in the morning, and she has made it known that I have engagements in the afternoon as well. Have a refreshing beverage for me.
You have been the greatest this year. I must have every one of you back in the Fall. In the meanwhile, have a great summer.
From Dr. Whitmire: Welcome to our 14th rehearsal of Spring 2011! Please sign in.
You were amazing on Sunday! It was surely the highest rung on our ladder of musical excellence. Your tone was excellent, diction was superb, entrances were secure. It was a stunning performance in every regard. I was very proud.
If you missed the concert for any reason, please see me tonight.
Contribution to WMPO – As you know, our relationship with the WMPO is priceless. I would like the NOVA Community Chorus to become a Sponsor again this year. If you are able to make a contribution, please make a check to NVCC Foundation.
Tonight – all of Brahms and all of Beethoven This Saturday 4/23 – No Rehearsal Next Tuesday 4/26 – Rehearsal in Schlesinger Center Tuesday 5/3 -Band Chorus Concert, Schlesinger Center Saturday 5/7 – 3:00 pm Annual Chorus Picnic at the Wulff’s
This has been the most rewarding year ever for our chorus!
We have moved steadily upward into the ranks of the finer choruses in Metropolitan Washington. Next year we will continue to grow, improve and excel. But I need everyone one of you back. I have planned excellent repertoire for the Fall:
Sundays, October 16 and 23: Concert with the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. Frederick Delius: Songs of Sunset, featuring Grace Gori (Mezzo-soprano) and Aurelius Gori (baritone).
Friday, November 11: Civil War Commemoration Concert with the Alexandria Band, Schlesinger
Thursday, December 1: Spring Concert. Rachmanov, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Schlesinger
From Stage Manager Fred: We have done this drill many times so it should be a “no brainer.”
We will be on the risers to warm up and rehearse at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Music will be at your side in your left hand until Peggy brings up her music. Smile.
Details:
—–
Arrive by 1:45. Leave your coat in your car (best) or the band rehearsal room.
1:50: form up in the hall facing AWAY from the auditorium.
An experienced singer should be on the end of each row.
1:55: move to the stage entrances.
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The left (Alto) end of the top row (4), followed by row 2, will move to the stage right entrance via the band room. – Remember: Don’t touch the tympani !!
Row 3: Right end (sopranos) will then peel around and move to the stage left entrance. Row 1 will follow.
– We may move on stage while the orchestra is still rehearsing.
– There will be a minimum number of chairs on each side of the stage.
– We may have a row of singers in front of the risers. If so, they will move on stage from stage left.
—–
During the first part of the concert we will sit in seats on the right side of the back/upper rows in the audience Once the 3rd. movement has started, we will silently file out of our seats and form up in the hall. Use both the exit behind the top row and the side entrance.
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers- Bravo! I couldn’t have been more pleased and proud last night. Your sound was rich and beautifully in tune. You had excellent eye contact and stayed with the conductor very well. We’ll work hard on the Ninth again on Tuesday and give an even more exciting performance next Sunday. I am hoping that we have a much better crowd next week. This is an excellent concert, so invite your friends.
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
Reminder: No Rehearsal Tomorrow (Saturday).
Be sure to invite all your friends to Sunday’s performance. I love the sound in Church of the Epiphany. Everybody loves Beethoven’s Ninth!
I’ll see you on Sunday at I:45 pm. Be on the risers and ready to sing at 2:00 pm sharp.
Yours-DrW
Welcome to our 12th rehearsal of Spring 2011! Please sign in.
Thanks for your excellent work at Sunday’s Dress Rehearsal with the orchestra. I’ve heard many good reports.
If you missed the Dress Rehearsal for any reason, please see me tonight. If you have already spoken to me or your section leader about your absence, please see me again.
Tonight
We will rehearse all of Brahms and all of Beethoven (especially the tempo change on p 46). Rehearsal will end at 9:15 pm.
Also tonight- Music Majors 2nd Exam (Beethoven pp 28-36)
Brahms Love Song Waltzes # 1-6-You can find your notes at www.novachorus.org
Rehearsal CDs- I still have CDs for any singers who are unable to download your parts.
This Saturday 4/09– No Rehearsal
This Sunday 4/10 – 2:00 pm call, 3:00 pm concert
Concert: Beethoven Ninth
Church of the Epiphany
1317 G Street NW, Washington DC
Please review the following guidelines regarding concert dress. [Admin: These are always posted to the right in Performance Guidance document (.pdf)] Women’s Concert Dress
Dress Options
Floor length dresses or separates—top with floor length skirt or dress slacks
(Floor length means to the ankle/top of the shoe)
Color
Black matte finish
Neckline
Modest, unadorned “V” Neckline–no ruffles, flounces, collar, or cleavage
Sleeves
Long sleeves or 3/4 sleeves
Footwear
Black shoes with black hosiery
Accessories (when allowed)
Jewelry should be unobtrusive–modest, not flashy.
Men’s Concert Dress
Tuxedo
White shirt
Black bow tie
Black shoes and socks Calendar (.pdf)
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
-Today’s Dress Rehearsal (April 3) is at 5:00 pm. Please come at 4:00 pm to help Fred set up chairs if you are able. Everyone must arrive by 4:45 pm so that you are ready to begin on time. Please do not be late as it is very disruptive.
-The location is First Baptist Church, 2932 King St., Alexandria
-Please listen carefully to Fred prior to the rehearsal. Please listen carefully to Ul during the rehearsal. No talking whatsoever during the rehearsal. Most questions that you might have can be answered by simply paying very close attention.
-Please do not miss this rehearsal. If you are a music major an absence will result in a failing grade.
-Thanks for letting me spend today with my daughter on her birthday. I know you will make me proud.
Yours-DrW
From Chorister Mary: Five years ago members of the NOVA Chorus sang the choral movement of the Beethoven Ninth Symphony with the Alexandria Symphony. The attached two-page document was distributed to the chorus, and contains a translation of Friedrich Schiller’s poem, on which Beethoven’s libretto is based, and also a word-by-word translation which I find especially helpful. There is also a short explanation of how Beethoven decided he needed additional text to make a transition to Schiller’s poem.
The last line of the first page was cut off so the English translation is missing. Perhaps someone with knowledge of German could fill that in for us.
From Chorister Mary: Last June Tom Ashcroft aired an entire episode devoted to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony on his NPR show On Point. In this broadcast he interviews Harvey Sachs, music historian and author of the book, “The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824.” They discuss the oppressive political environment that influenced Beethoven’s composition and how Beethoven felt his mission was to encourage mankind to lift itself out of those dark circumstances. The broadcast is 47 minutes long, and specific discussion about the choral section, though slight, begins at about the 37 minute mark.
From Stage Manager Fred: New information about our dress rehearsal this Sunday.
From Archie Doering, Building Superintendent: Everyone should enter through the doors marked 4. They are on the side of the building next to the big parking lot. Go to the right, once inside, to areas 150A and 150B.
From the Orchestra:
First Baptist Church of Alexandria’s Welcome Center
2932 King Street
Alexandria, VA
The schedule:
4:00 PM Setup
5:00 PM Beethoven, Movement 4 with Chorus. When we are finished working with the chorus, movements 2, 1 and 3
See you Sunday!
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers- Welcome to our 11th rehearsal of Spring 2011! Please sign in.
Beethoven– Ul James is here to work with you tonight at 8:15 pm. We will work without a break and dismiss a bit early (no later than 9:30 pm). Then I will work with soloists for the 5/3 performance.
This Sunday (April 3) at 5:00 pm is our Dress Rehearsal with the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. The location has been changed: New location: First Baptist Church 2932 King St.
Alexandria, Virginia
The church is 2.6 miles from the college on King Street toward Old Town.
The rehearsal is in the Welcome Center, located on the right side of the property.
We will not have risers, but will sit in 3 rows of 40 chairs, encircling the orchestra.
Brahms Love Song Waltzes # 1-6-You can find your notes at www.novachorus.org
Rehearsal CDs- I have 28 copes for any singers who are unable to download your parts.
This Saturday
1 pm – Full Rehearsal Rehearsal (SATB) EVERYONE
4 pm – Francisco Robles Graduation Voice Recital
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
The location of this Sunday’s (April 3) 5:00 pm Dress Rehearsal with the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic has been changed:
New location: First Baptist Church 2932 King St.
Alexandria, Virginia
The church is 2.6 miles from the college on King Street toward Old Town.
The rehearsal is in the Welcome Center, located on the right side of the property.
We will not have risers, but will sit in 3 rows of 40 chairs, encircling the orchestra.
Please be ultra-prepared for tomorrow night when Ulysses James will be here to conduct. Please do not be absent.
Yours-DrW
From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-
Thanks to all who auditioned for solos in Beethoven Ninth (May 3 performance). It was wonderful to hear such a well-prepared and capable group of singers. The soloists will be:
Stania Shaw, soprano
Dorothea Kamara, alto
Francisco Robles, tenor
Brandon Homayouni, bass
Today at 1 pm: women’s rehearsal
Today at 3 pm: Steven Rich Graduation Voice Recital
Yours-DrW
Welcome to our 10th rehearsal of Spring 2011! Please sign in.
Beethoven-We have only 1 rehearsal until Ul James is here to work with you on March 29. We have only 2 rehearsals until our Dress Rehearsal with orchestra on April 3.
Brahms files have been added to the Music Files page.
Beethoven files are also located on the Music Files page.
Photos provided by Mary Yee have been added to the NOVA Community Chorus Flickr account. Feel free to add your photos to the Photo Group.
Please note that both Flickr links have been permanently added to the “Helpful Links” section, to the right of the page. Flickr is a free and easy tool to share photos online.
Brava/o on your wonderful performances this weekend! It was a treat to get to sit in the hall and hear you sing. Saturday was a good performance and Sunday was GREAT! You had an excellent tone-full of both strength and beauty-and a fine sense of ensemble-with clear entrances and good rhythm. You did all this despite the anxiety that was caused by that fact that the powers that be did not think though the seating arrangements. Thanks for your positive vibes, smiling faces and cooperation. Special thanks to our Stage Manager Fred Wulf and the sections leaders for their invaluable help.
Please don’t miss this week’s rehearsal. After an exhilarating performance it is tempting to take a day off. We have only 2 rehearsals until Ul James is here to work with you on March 29. We have only 3 rehearsals until our Dress Rehearsal with orchestra on April 3.
(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.
