News & Notes #6
October 15, 2021
CONTENTS:


  • Concert Update!

  • Producer's Corner

  • Nick's Notes

  • You asked for it: Solfege Chart

  • Livestream Info
Concert Update
NEW: Plans for our "Comeback Concert"!!

Thanks, everyone, for your patience while we worked out the best and safest plan for a concert. We have decisions to share with you.
 
Concert:  Yes. 66 singers replied in the survey that they will sing in a concert with a reduced audience.
 
Where: Cary Hall, Lexington
 
When: Tuesday, Nov 30, after Thanksgiving weekend, 2nd night of Hanukah
 
Time:   7:30 pm - 8:45 pm, no intermission
 
Tech Rehearsal:  4 pm, more details coming
 
Audience: Live streaming and live audience
 
Live Audience Size: Reduced capacity. Cary Hall holds 600.  We will allow 300.
 
Live Audience Requirements: Vaccinated? YES. Show proof? YES.  Masked? YES.  Seated spaced out? YES, every other seat.
 
Singer Placement:  Singers will be generously spaced out on stage and floor. The exact configuration will depend on how many singers we end up with and subject to approval by the Lexington Fire Dept.
 
Nick, band, soloists placement:  Band on floor, Nick on podium on floor. Soloists on stage.
 
Ticket price: $20. No discount price this season. We hope to cover the costs of the hall with a limited audience. There will be limited tickets available. We'll bring additional information soon on how you can get tickets.
 
Live stream Tickets: $10. Virtual singers get live streaming of the concert free.
 
Black masks on singers for concert required? YES. Scholarships available for anyone who needs it to purchase a black mask.
 
"Pot Luck" Zoom Celebration on Tuesday, Dec 7, for all singers. We will watch part of the recording of the concert and have breakout groups so singers can chat.
Producers' Corner
Music, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Yes, memory! Get that music and lyrics in your memory! Let's gear up for our comeback concert and really master the songs.

Thank you to all who have volunteered thus far this season. We will need everyone to pitch in to make the concert a success; there will be lots of opportunities for you to contribute to the making of an exciting and beautiful evening.  

Your season producers,
Gale & Michal
Nick's Notes
On Tuesday I will demonstrate how to practice music at home using the videos and audio practice parts.  It requires something called “Woodshedding.”  

Woodshedding is something instrumentalists do when learning to play their instruments.  If they come to a tricky measure, they repeat that phrase over and over, fixing the mistakes as they go.  

The ability to identify and fix mistakes is central to learning to be a better musician.  It is the job of every musician (singers are musicians) to fix their mistakes.  For us this means playing the recording (video or audio) and stopping it to repeat a phrase, then repeating that section.  Try the phrase without the recording.  An example would be the alto entrance at ms. 34 of Glory to God.  Altos sing the phrase “Good will.”  To woodshed it, you would sing the previous phrase which ends on an A.  Then counting A as one, sing (in your head) up three pitches to find your C.  Repeat this process until it becomes automatic.  This is woodshedding.
 
Speaking of Altos (and this applies to most of us), your confidence will grow with practice, but this means woodshedding on your own.  I could spend 90 minutes every week working on GLORY TO GOD and we still would not learn it without all of us making the extra effort outside of rehearsal.  Singing is all about the heart, it is an emotional experience.  Singing with confidence means singing with the emotional fortitude to give of oneself.  Fear has no place in this formula. It prevents us from being alive. Get rid of fear.  Be alive.
 
And lets open our mouths.  We’re not in front of our computers anymore.  I have faith in you.  The greatness is there. 
 
Sopranos:  Small change on GLORY TO GOD.  Please join the altos in singing the words “Good will” at ms. 34 (only the words “Good will”).  You then follow this with your written part, the words “Good will” in what’s called “sequenced fragmentation.”
 
On 10/19 we will rehearse Glory To God, And Peace On Earth, Kol HaNeshama (altos and tenors practice the second half), Pata Pata, Together, Hinei Ma Tovu, Steal Away and I Need You To Survive.

Nick Page
You asked for it: Solfege Chart
Nick has been using Solfege hand signs to help us with pitches this season. Since this is new to many of us, here's a chart you can use to learn the hand signs at home.
In case you missed it...
Nick created new videos to help in learning "GLORY TO GOD" - check it out!
Weekly Health Questions

Each week at sign-in, we will ask you to affirm that you do not answer yes to any of the following four questions.

  • Have you tested positive for COVID in the last 10 days?

  • Have you been in close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with a person infectious with COVID in the last 10 days?

  • Do you have COVID symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, gastrointestinal symptoms, new loss of taste or smell, muscle aches or any other signs of illness?

  • Have you recently traveled to a very high risk area, CDC-rated level 5? We ask that you have a negative COVID test five days after your last exposure before returning to rehearsal. Thank you.

If you answer "Yes" to any of these, please do not attend rehearsal in person.

Instead, you can tune into the Livestream. See the yellow box below for the Livestream link and instructions.
Livestream Instructions & Link
Live streamed rehearsals are getting better each week.
Paula is running the camera and working the chat. (THANK YOU PAULA!) Questions, comments and suggestions can be posted in the chat during rehearsal or during the week sent to Paula at Fundraising@mysticchorale.org

Streaming starts at 7:15 pm and ends at 9:40 pm.
At 7:15 the camera watches singers arrive and interviews a few until Nick starts the rehearsal at 7:30. Questions for Nick will usually be answered by him on camera. Paula may type Nick’s answer in the chat. She will answer or find an answer to all remaining questions. The 10 minutes between the end of the rehearsal and sign off is for any final questions & to say good night!
What you will need:

  • A computer, laptop, tablet or phone. We recommend whatever device you have that has best speakers. (Laptop is usually better than tablet or phone. Or, plug into external speakers, if you have them).


  • A place to sit and sing comfortably. We suggest an upright chair, similar to what you would find at rehearsal. A soft chair or couch is not as conducive to good singing.

How to tune into the Livestream:

  • At 7:15 on Tuesday, click the video preview below, and you'll be with us!

  • The Livestream link will also be posted on the website, HERE.

When you arrive in the Livestream:

Please sign in using the YouTube chat!
We'd love to know who's out there on the livestream each week. Please enter your full name in the chat so we know you're there. The chat box is in the lower right on most computer screens. Tablets and phones work differently, and you may or may not be able to access the chat with those devices.

Note: If you do not have a YouTube account, you may be prompted to set up a YouTube "channel" before you can chat. If you already have a gmail account, it's one very quick step. If you do not have a Google account, there may be more steps involved. This is optional. If you can't type in the chat, please email Paula to let us know you're there.

LIVESTREAM VIDEOS: Miss a Livestream? No problem!
Video Recordings of each rehearsal will be posted on the website, HERE.
Join the Livestream:
Click the Video Preview below...
Next Rehearsal: Tuesday, October 19
Tune in at 7:15 for special content
just for Livestreamers!
Rehearsal begins at 7:30
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!
We can't wait to see you and sing together again!!
The Mystic Chorale | Website