Posts Tagged ‘performances’

Come ever smiling liberty

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire: Voila!
Audio file (.mp3), Come ever smiling liberty.
Also posted on the Performances page.


NOVA Fortnightly

Thursday, December 9th, 2010

The NOVA Fortnightly is the new college-wide, student-run newspaper of the Northern Virginia Community College.
NOVA Fortnightly front page
Article: The NOVA Community Chorus Performs Judas Maccabeus


Survival Tips for New Singers

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

From Stage Manager Fred:

CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY: (Sunday)
www.epiphanydc.org

Metro: This church is ½ block from Metro Center.

By Car: If you come over the 14th. Street bridge, continue into town until you get to G street. Turn right and you’ll see this church in the middle of the block on your left. Many of us use the underground parking garage next door to your left as you face the church. The charge is probably still $8 dollars if you pick up a voucher from the WMP table in the church and $16 if you forget. One of us will usually grab several vouchers and bring them into the Parish Hall where we will gather. Be sure you keep the voucher and the parking ticket in a safe and accessible place. Don’t attempt to pay by credit card. It could cost you $32 and hold up all the people waiting to leave the parking garage.

Parish Hall: When you arrive at the church before 2 PM for the pre concert warmup take your coat and “stuff” to the Parish Hall, a gathering place behind the Altar. Our risers and the orchestra’s chairs should already in place behind the prayer rail.

Bathrooms: There are two very small bathrooms down the right hand hall. There are larger bathrooms upstairs which you can reach via the stairs at the back of this hall.

This is a public space so leave as much as you can in your locked car.

SCHLESINGER CENTER: (Tuesday and Thursday nights)

We will (probably) gather by section in the front rows of the auditorium. Altos to the right, Sopranos to the Left and the men in the middle. The risers will be in front of the stage just in front of these rows.

There are public toilets in the lobby near the elevators. There are separate dressing rooms for men and women behind the stage where you can leave your stuff on the night of the performance. As always, it is safer to leave purses, etc. in your locked car.


From Dr. Whitmire

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

Dear Singers- What a wonderful job you did last night! You have never sounded better. What a treat it is that we get to singing this music two more times.

If, for any reason, you did not attend last night’s concert, please send me an explanation. If you told me about it in advance, please send me a reminder.

Tomorrow’s rehearsal is in Schlesinger at 7:30 pm. The riser arrangement from Sunday should work. The program is only 25 minutes.

Selections from
Judas Maccabaeus
G. F. Handel

Duet: Come ever smiling liberty!
Peggy Harrison, soprano; Carol Pelenberg, alto
Chorus: Lead on

Duet: Sion now her head shall raise
Terri LaGoe soprano; Debbie Peetz, alto
Chorus: Tune your harps

Duet and Chorus: Hail, Judea! Happy land
Alex Berman, soprano; Cindy Gossman, soprano

Duet: Oh! Never bow we down
Francisco Robles, tenor; William Brown, bass
Chorus: We never will bow down

Chorus: Father of Heaven

Chorus: See the conquering here comes

Chorus: Sing unto God
Annette Reilly, alto; Andrew Scott, tenor


Judas Performance Program

Monday, December 6th, 2010

The program for performances (large .pdf file) on December 5 and 12 has been added to the Performances page.


Stage Instructions

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

From Stage Manager Fred:
I have attached my instructions (.pdf) for the Bishop Ireton performance and Mark’s original riser diagram (.pdf). Although it seems complicated, we have fewer complications about leaving the stage and re entering from the other side for different opera choruses like the last time.

I believe that first impressions are important. That’s why going on and off the risers like professionals who have done this a million times works in our favor.

Our Schlesinger Center dress rehearsal on Tuesday and the performance on Thursday will be casual in comparison. We will sit in the front rows of the audience by section so that we can stream onto the risers with minimum confusion. The back row on the risers will be in the front of audience chairs and so on.

See you on Sunday at 1:55 in the hall. (Mark will have been rehearsing since 1:30.)
Please park along the back rows of the parking lot so our audience gets prime parking.


13th Rehearsal Preview

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire:  Dear Singers-
Welcome to our 13th rehearsal of Fall 2010!

Please sign in.

Tonight- In addition to Judas, we’ll sing through Verdi Dies Irae first section and On with the snow.

Thursday night 12/2, 8-8:30 pm. Rehearsal with the band in Schlesinger

Sunday night 12/2 – Concert at Bishop Ireton; 2:00 pm call

Next Tuesday 12/7- Rehearsal in Schlesinger; 7:30 pm

Next Thursday 12/9- Concert in Schlesinger; 6:30 pm call

Music Majors- Final Exam is tonight following rehearsal

As you know, Judas Maccabaeus is going to be a wonderful concert. Bring your friends and family. Everyone will be glad it was a part of their of their holidays.
Sing Well-DrW


Judas Flyer

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire:  Here is a flyer (.pdf) produced by the college art students. Spread the word!


Riser Chart Arrangements

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

From Stage Manager Fred:  Chorus:

We will stand for the entire performance, which will last over one hour. The dress rehearsal will last over 2 hours but you will be able to sit in place when soloists sing or the orchestra plays alone.

There is space on the floor in front of the risers for only 20 chairs for some soloists and those who cannot stand for an hour.

If you wish to be seated in a chair but are listed on the risers, please send an Email to me with your name and where you are now shown on the risers (for example B1 Fred – Row 3, #11).

Conversely, if you are shown as seated on the floor row but are capable of standing or would rather stand; please send me an Email with the same information. (We may be able to negotiate where soloists might stand vs sit in a chair.)

Just reply to this message and it will show up in my Email.


11th Rehearsal Notes

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers-Welcome to our 11th rehearsal of Fall 2010!
Please sign in.

At this table, take note of word correction to On with the Snow.

If you were absent last week, pick up Verdi Requiem Rehearsal CDs. The 2-CD set is $10. Make checks to NVCC Foundation.

Thanks to the great group who attended Sunday’s rehearsal with orchestra. I was happy to have you there.

This Saturday (11/20) we have a Full Rehearsal 1:00 to 2:15 pm here in AT130. Please plan to attend.

This Sunday (11/21) is our Dress Rehearsal at Bishop Ireton High School (201 Cambridge Rd). This rehearsal is mandatory. THE TIME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 6:00-8:30 PM.

12/5-12/12 Soloists please stay after rehearsal tonight.


Judas Program Notes

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire: Dear Singers- Hopefully this info (.pdf) will help you more fully understand what we are singing. It will go in the program, so let me know if there are any glaring typos.
See you tomorrow. Yours-DrW


Riser Chart

Monday, November 15th, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire:
Dear Singers- Attached is a seating chart (.pdf). If you can’t open, don’t worry, I’ll  print it for tomorrow. If you are omitted or in the wrong section, please let me know. Yours-DrW


Voice Recital

Friday, November 12th, 2010

From Chorister Peggy:   Sam Howell is a NOVA music major, and chorus baritone who is not singing with us this semester.  See the information below about his recital next Wednesday at 7:30 in the room we rehearse in, with Chris Hagan on the piano.

From Accompanist Chris:  Could you send an announcement out to the chorus about Sam Howell’s voice recital, which is next Wednesday, November 17 at 7:30 in Room 130?  He’s been in the chorus, studies w/ Rex Gori, I’m going to be accompanying him.  It’s going to be a wonderful performance and it would be great to support him.


Judas Flyer

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

From Chorister Carolyn: . . . I will bring some next Tuesday mounted on colorful paper, and will ask for volunteers to place them in specific “high impact” locations. I’ll try to do some of that before 7:30, but may need some time before the break as well.

. . . I think it best to wait until after Halloween to begin the publicity. It’s not a good idea to start too soon as people forget.


8th Rehearsal Preview

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire:  Dear Singers-
Welcome to our 8th rehearsal of Fall 2010! Please sign in.

Brava! for the 12 women who gave 2 fine performances of The Planets. Special thanks to Chris who subbed in on soprano I on the second performance.

Thanks again to Chris and David Hagan
for their wonderful program last Tuesday and to each of you for to showing up with your friends and supporting the Vocal Scholarship so generously. We raised over $2000.00! We will be able to provide a full scholarship to one of our voice majors again next year.

Tonight – Judas #25 to the end

AuditionsTonight (10/26) at the end of rehearsal I will hear auditions from MEN for #48, #50 and #58 (tenor)
Next week (11/2) at the end of rehearsal I will hear auditions from WOMEN for #18, #30 and #58 (alto)

Absentee Auditions –Tuesday 11/9
If you have miss more than two rehearsals as 11/9, please prepare to audition for me to demonstrate preparedness. If you are not sure of you absence, see your Section Leader [Admin: See Performance Tips for contact information].

Sing Well -DrW


Piano Recital

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

From Dr. Whitmire:
Christine and David Hagan will give a duo piano recital on Tuesday, October 19 at 7:30 pm in the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall (3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria). The recital will feature music by Claude Debussy, Manuel Infante and Igor Stravinsky. No tickets are required. The suggested minimum donation is $10. Proceeds from the recital will benefit the Music Program’s Vocal Scholarship. For information call 703-845-6096 or e-mail mwhitmire [at] nvcc [dot] edu.
Flyer (.pdf)


Revised Fall Schedule

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

Chorus Schedule, Fall 2010, revised September 14, 2010 (.pdf)


Facebook

Wednesday, September 8th, 2010

The Chorus Facebook page has been updated with upcoming events. Please share these events with your friends and family.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/NOVA-Community-Chorus/53919288886


From Dr. Whitmire, France

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Dear Friends- Here is my final report on our concert tour of France. Feel free to use this material in the upcoming weeks as you see fit. I have attached photos as wells as You tube links.

Dr. Mark Whitmire (Professor-MUS, AL) led a concert tour of France from July 1 until July 12, 2010. The choir consisted singers from the NOVA Community Chorus (NVCC-AL) and from St. James’s Church, Richmond. The tour began with a service at the American Cathedral in Paris on July 4. In the following days the choir sang three concerts—at Chartres Cathedral, Rouen Cathedral, and at La Madeleine in Paris. Each concert was attended by large, enthusiastic crowds. The culminating event of the tour was the 11:30 a.m. International Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral, where the choir sang the Solemn Mass in C# minor of  Louis Vierne, with Notre Dame  organist Olivier Latry.

Videos of rehearsals at Rouen Cathedral and Notre Dame can be found on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS0uuGd-Vh4
keywords: vierne kyrie notre dame

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDP8POfJPEg
keywords: cantique rouen

[Photos on Yahoo Groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NOVAChorus/attachments/folder/2147013082/item/1931871548/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc]

Additional photos can be found on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=139434259416351&ref=ts
search: the Choir of St. James’s Church


Performance Schedule with WMP

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

(6/10/2010) From Fred: The Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic mailing for this season contains the following concerts with NOVA Chorus:

(There is also this note: “Although the dates below have been requested, they are not yet firm.”)

October 17 & 24: Gustav Holst – The Planets (Womens’ Chorus, I believe)

December 5 & 12: Handel – Judas Maccabeus

April 10 & 17: Beethoven – Symphony No. 9


From Dr. Whitmire

Friday, May 14th, 2010

(5/6/2010) Dear Singers- Carmina was a blast! I enjoyed every moment. That’s why we work so hardÑso that the concert can be a big payoff. You sounded fabulous! And what outstanding performances from Rex Gori and our very own Terri LaGoe and Estee Herndon.

What a great year this has been. It seems as if every concert has reached a new musical height: Brahms Requiem, Rutter Gloria, Italian Opera Choruses, Carmina Burana. Wow! No wonder we are exhausted.

We have enjoyed such a beautiful blend of veteran members of the chorus and the finest group of first-year members that we have ever had. I need every single one of you to be back in the Fall (and bring a friend who sings as well as you do). We have an equally exciting program: Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, Holst’s The Planets [women], Beethoven’s Ninth, Verdi Requiem and more.

I will send precise dates as the schedule firms up over the course of the summer. I will also send publisher information as I know many of you can’t wait to get started.

Don’t forget, the Annual Chorus Picnic is this Saturday at 3:00 pm at the Wulff’s. I hope to see you then.