This flu season is really terrible this year.
Please continue to stay home as long as you are feeling unwell in anyway. One of the things I have been reading about is how easily this flu "reoccurs" - just when you think it's gone, it attacks again.
For many, it begin with a sore throat and cold symptoms. I'm not a doctor, but I do know that talking and to lesser extent singing only makes it worse. I have been told this my many medical people, throughout my career including the head of ENT at McMaster - who is a singer. "Rest" is the cure for healing your voice. Gargling with warm salt water might help. Stay hydrated - dehydration is a big enemy. (just think about how many times you have "dried out" while singing). A cold mist vaporizer can also be helpful.
Try not to talk too much - the problem with talking is that we do not breathe properly to support the voice and as a result we are straining. So the answer is rest the voice - don't talk!
In the meantime, thanks to the healthy singers for an absolutely awesome rehearsal this week.
I am so excited about the musicality you are developing. I am getting more of a sense of singers taking individual responsibility for the musical presentation.
Here's a copy of a lovely presentation of Grand Night for Singing - it actually starts, at :40 so just fast forward to it. I don't have time or patience to edit all the other stuff out.
Your performance of The Journey was just beautiful. The lines are smoothing out with each performance. It's so much fun to rehearse music with you and not just the notes. Remember to practice long vowels and short crisp consonants. Big thanks to the Tenors and Basses - its the best singing you have ever done in this choir!
Don't you just love the dance of My Favourite Things. I look forward to your performance of these two pieces on Wednesday.
Yemaya - we can now sing measures 1 - 29. There will not be any recordings of this piece. It is so important that the rhythms are absolutely accurate and I know there are many of you who jump right in and sing when you are learning your parts. If you sing along without "listening and reading" first, you make mistakes and learn it that way, then it's almost impossible to change. I'm so concerned about this that I'm not producing a recording. You do however, have a recording of the complete piece, and if you listen carefully, you will hear how your part fits in. Please continue to read the rhythms accurately and say the words in the correct place.
I will say again - when using the recordings
Just practise what you don't know. No need to play the music from beginning to end.
1. just listen
2. listen and read - several times
3. listen, read and hum (in your head) very quietly
4. listen, read and sing to a neutral syllable - 'do' or' to'
5. If you are sure you are singing the correct notes, add the words very quietly, still making sure you are singing accurately.
6. Try singing you part aloud without the recording
The Song of the Land - Huge improvement in reading the rhythms accurately. Congratulations.
Your goal on Wednesday is to do it in front of an audience.😉 Second sopranos - we are counting on you. - sing it out!
Grand Night for Singing - Sopranos and altos - please remember the word change on page 4. -
Please listen to your parts up to the end of measure 48. We will work on that next week.
So next week, we will do the following:
1. Reading notes in simple time.
2. Yemaya - measure 28 -43. Take a look at it and see where the "repetitions" are - both rhythms and melodies. - SEE you can read music.
2nd Sopranos - look at measures 28-31 - notice you have your own part.
3. Grand Night - finish note crunching up to end of page 5. Read measures 85 - the end.
4. Colours of my Life - pages 5 - 7 - lyrical.
5. One Song - speak rhythms while tapping on knee
sing melody from measure 5 - 20
6. I am Song - - noticing long and short notes.- circle some 16th notes to remind yourself that they are very short - Letter B, Letter D
7. Get Happy - measures 53-72.
Have a great week everyone. Enjoy your sing out. Get well to those who are sick.