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News & Notes #2
September 17, 2021
- Producer's Corner
- Nick's Notes
- Things to Know this week
- Volunteers needed!
- Livestream Update
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" Who hears music feels [their] solitude peopled at once."
-- Robert Browning
Welcome to week 2, singers! Wasn't last week glorious? Out of our solitude and once again singing in community.
And hello to our virtual singers -- we "see" you!
Check-in this week should be routine, with just the added "attestation" to your good health. Remember to bring your black singer's mask -- for those who have not purchased one, they will be available this week. Please read the entirety of News & Notes, as there is a lot of important information here. Have fun, and work hard on learning your music!
Your season producers,
Gale & Michal
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Want to know how to make rehearsals more fun? Learn the music ahead of time. Kerri Lynn Nichols and I went out of our way to make the practice videos and audio files as useful as possible. The videos for the harder songs highlight your part and all the songs have a recording with just your part and another with all the parts at once. Don’t practice the latter until you have mastered your part by itself.
Remember: You will need to login to the Mystic website to access this content. For the Audios, look for "Practice Audio," then select your voice part.
On September 21st we will continue to work on Glory To God and Kol HaNeshama and we will begin working on Steal Away. As I said, the more we learn these ahead of time, the more fun the rehearsals will be. Don’t have a CD player? The audio songs are available for download on our website and the video links are also there.
It was a joy to join voices and I was grateful that the CO2 levels never went too high. Thank you to Patricia, Linda, Olivia, everyone on the board, our producers Gale and Michal and all our volunteers for making our singing as safe as possible. Keep wearing the masks.
Here’s my inspirational story for the week:
For 18 months we made Zoom work. I realized that rehearsing was less important than celebrating. Jonathan’s Gospel season and my spring season both featured weekly guests who brought their worlds to us in amazing ways. One of my favorite guests was Linda Hirschhorn, a song writer who has contributed diverse music to the world of Jewish song for many years. We made a video of her song A Million Nightingales. You can hear one of our fall producers, Michal Regunberg on the video along with George Foote, Margie Hilton, Karen Grossman and others. I was really impressed with Michal’s and everyone’s work on the video. They clearly did their homework. The hard work paid off with wonderful performances. The message of all this is that the more effort we put in, the more amazing we become. I founded the Mystic 31 years ago as a non-auditioned chorus where everyone was expected to become amazing. Becoming amazing requires hard work. It is far more exciting to be amazing than to be mediocre. It is far more exciting be alive than not. Be Alive. Be Aware. Sing as an act of being, breathing, hearing, seeing, feeling, living. Thus ends my morning sermon.
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1. If you are joining us for the first time next week:
Please bring your proof of vaccination and $10 to purchase a singer's mask.
2. Mask purchase:
If you didn't purchase a black singer's mask last week, you may do so online, HERE, or bring exact change ($10) next week. If you forget your mask, we will have extra white masks available.
3. Mask fit:
Our masks have a sturdy nose piece that needs to be adjusted to your face. After putting the mask on, find the firm metal piece along the top of the mask, under your eyes. Press down firmly to mold that piece to your nose and along your cheekbones. This creates a custom fit that is meant to protect you and those around you. If you have any questions about this, check with one of our team when you arrive next week.
4. Sign up is still open!
Please invite your friends & spread the word.
5. Buttons! If you have lost your name button:
Request a new one at the check-in table, and bring $1 for the replacement.
6. Music Packets:
Please remember to bring your music packet each week. If we run out due to last-minute sign-ups, a new batch will be available on Week #3, September 28. Thank you for understanding.
7. Refund Deadline & How to drop the season:
8. Scholarship Fund:
9. Remember to observe distancing when using the bathrooms. We will not be having a break so use the restrooms as needed. Bathrooms are on the main floor, through the Vestry and on the right.
10. No eating is permitted anywhere in the building. This is in keeping with best practices for safety.
And then we’ll SING!!
If you have any questions, please reach out to us:
(781) 898-0121
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Many thanks to ALL the volunteers who made last week's first rehearsal go so smoothly. It takes a village, and what a lovely, helpful group this is!
We need help!
We need some folks to help set-up & break down before and after rehearsals. Please let us know if you can help!
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Ventilation Coordinator: We need 1 or 2 people to open the windows and set up the fans to keep the air circulating. Set up begins at 6:30 & clean up should take no more than 20 minutes.
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Tables & Chairs: We need 2-3 people to help set up a few tables and chairs each week. Set up begins at 6:30 & clean up should be quick.
Can you help?
Thank you!
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Weekly Health Attestation |
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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 4 or higher? (Note that the US is currently "high risk" but not "very high risk.")
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.
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Instructions for Virtual Singers & those who will join from home |
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A Mighty Mystic Welcome to our virtual singers!!
We are so glad you are joining us, and look forward to having you there "with us" in the rehearsal hall!
NEW THIS WEEK:
We'll start the Livestream at 7:15
with some special content, just for our at home singers!!
What you will need:
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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).
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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:
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At 7:15 on Tuesday, click the video preview below, and you'll be with us!
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The Livestream link will also be posted on the website, HERE.
When you arrive in the Livestream:
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Type your name into the Chat to let us know you're there and say hello.
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If you don't have a YouTube account, you may be prompted to set up a YouTube channel. This is a simple one-step process, just follow the prompts. If you don't have any Google account, you may be prompted to set one up. These are entirely optional, please don't worry if you decide not to take these steps. The only downside it that you won't be able to participate in the chat.
LIVESTREAM VIDEOS: Miss a Livestream? No problem!
Video Recordings of each rehearsal will be posted on the website, HERE. |
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Join the Livestream:
Click the Video Preview below...
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Next Rehearsal: Tuesday, September 21
Tune in at 7:15 for special content, just for Livestreamers!
Rehearsal begins at 7:30
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SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!
We can't wait to see you and sing together again!!
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