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News & Notes #2
April 8, 2022
- New Singer Welcome Reception next Tuesday @ 6:30 - all invited!
- Read Nick's Notes for what we'll be singing next week
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Welcome to all Singers of Spring Mystic 2022! Arise! A special welcome to new singers!
There will be a New Singer Reception in the vestry of the church this coming Tuesday 4/12 at 6:30. Come one come all. You don’t have to be a new singer to attend. I went last season and it was great fun hearing people’s stories of how they came to Mystic.
It was amazing to have so many voices singing together this week! Thank you for being there. We sang a song called Thank You in the Gospel Season and like all gospel lyrics they repeat until they are mantra like. It does take a mantra to stay grateful. So Thank you!
Thank you to all the volunteers that made the busy first rehearsal happen! Thank you all singers for your patience and flexibility.
Thank you Nick and Donnell for a dynamic first sing!!
Chairs! My humble apologies for making reset so confusing. (I was lost in the weeds- trying to replicate an arrangement that changes every week). We have a simplified plan next week and will get back to the great fun it can be! Ha Ha! Thank you so much for the brave souls who stayed true to the sinking ship!
See you next time,
Ann
PS - If you need to drop out of the season (but we hope you can stay!) the deadline to drop with a full refund (minus $20 admin fee is Wednesday, April 13 at 12:00 noon).
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Questions about the Season?
Reach out to Ann and Gale at:
Our Producers are volunteers with busy lives! They will do their best to get back to you ASAP.
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Our first rehearsal was the best first rehearsal we’ve ever done. Let’s keep the energy going. Do your homework joyfully with the final goal constantly in sight – MAGNIFICENCE!
Please review the songs we sang last week: Steal Away, Lo V’Chayil (Not By Might), Arise! Arise!, I Open My Mouth To The Lord, and Fill My Cup. Learning this coming Tuesday’s songs will be easier if you listen to them ahead of time. They are Glory Glory, Die Gedanken, Try The Real Thing, and the South African Haleluya.
For the June 10 concert, I’d like to feature original poems by current members of the Mystic. The theme for the poems must be CONNECTION (extra points if you can fit the word “arise” in there). The poem does not need to rhyme and it should not be a paragraph spread out to look like a poem. I’d love it if the memorized poems were recited by their creators. Contact me if you would like your poem considered. I will choose from those submitted (no long poems please). nick@mysticchorale.org
Those going on the Scotland tour will have a meeting after the Tuesday, April 12th rehearsal.
The vocal workshop at week three, April 19, will be led by Kevin McDonald. Kevin is a conductor with Handel and Haydn and is quite phenomenal. I highly recommend his 6:30 session, particularly the men. He will also lead our 7:30 warm-up.
I mentioned a concert at Harvard’s Sander’s Theatre. It is tonight, April 8 at 8 PM. It features the Kuumba Singers, Harvard’s choral forces, and The Aeolian Chorus, a guest chorus (phenomenal) from the all-black Oakwood University. The concert is a celebration of African American choral music featuring five leading black composers who will be there. There will be two world premieres. For those interested, there will be a 7 pm pre-concert talk. The concert is free (masks and proof of vax required). At 11 am on Sunday, there is a free community sing led by the guest composers. The sing is at Harvard Science Center Plaza. There will be a tent in case of rain.
The Halalisa Singers, directed by our friend Mary Cunningham, perform at First Parish, Arlington Saturday night, April 9 at 7:30. Their theme is JOURNEY HOME: SONGS OF CELEBRATION. Masks and proof of vax required.
Some sad news: Matt Hayes, who has assisted Eric Kilburn with the sound at several Mystic concerts, was killed in a car accident this week. He was the father of two young boys and had just bought a house. You can show some of that Mystic Chorale compassion by donating to the Go Fund Me site that has been started: https://gofund.me/c7c696f0
Nick Page
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Thanks, everyone, for following our health and safety guidelines.
The Mystic Chorale Board of Directors has been closely following recommendations for group singing, to keep our rehearsals and concerts as safe as possible for our community.
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If a singer tests positive for Covid
- We ask any singer who tests positive to let us know asap, so we can inform other singers. We will not share anyone's name, only the section they sing in.
- In case you missed it, a member of the bass section tested positive this week. Since we were all wearing singers' masks or KN95's the possibility of exposure is low. But if you have any symptoms on Tuesday, we ask you to stay home, even if a (home) antigen test is negative. Read the full message with additional guidelines here...
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Singers' Masks
While mask mandates have been lifted in many settings, they are still recommended for group singing.
Why?
According to the landmark Colorado State University Performing Arts Study, singing produces 77% more aerosols than talking. And singing vigorously (as we often do in Mystic!!), creates more than singing quietly. Our singers' masks were the top-rated masks in the CSU study. They contained the most aerosols & particles, while still providing a large chamber for more comfortable breathing and enough space to sing.
Have you seen other choruses singing without masks?
We have too! And we look forward to the time the Mystic can sing unmasked as well! We've learned that choirs performing without masks typically require PCR testing of each singer before each performance. That's an expense and administrative hurdle the Mystic is not equipped to take on.
If you are not wearing a properly-fitted mask
If you are not wearing a mask, or if your mask is not fully covering your mouth and nose, we will ask you to put it on correctly. Any singer who can not comply will be asked to leave.
Thanks so much for your understanding and cooperation!
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Please pitch in where you can - we are an all-volunteer organization and we need you! It's a great way to meet new people and feel part of the action! |
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Chair set-up Help set up the room for rehearsal: move chairs, mark seats with colored paper. 4 volunteers needed. Time commitment: Tuesdays, 6:45-7:15.
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Livestream set-up and/or monitor(s) We need someone to set up the Livestream equipment to broadcast rehearsal to singers at home. 1 or 2 volunteers needed. Time commitment: Tuesdays, 6:45-7:15 for set up. 2 volunteers could share this role and trade off each week.
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TO VOLUNTEER or learn more or about any of these roles, please contact:
Linda Shoemaker
Mystic Admin Director
& Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, and have fun making the "Mystic Magic" come to life!
I look forward to working with you!
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Mystic Scotland Tour August 7th-15th
There are a handful of openings left for Scotland. Singers or guests are welcome to participate. Registration deadline is Wednesday April 13th.
Contact Mary Bergeron if you have any interest, questions, would like to see the itinerary again, etc. at marybergeron@verizon.net or 617-974-1944.
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Everything you need to learn your music!
This link will take you to the "My Seasons" Page. Make sure you're logged in, then select Spring Season 2022. Scroll down to "Practice Audio" and click on your section to see all the practice recordings.
This link takes you to a YouTube playlist with video recordings of our past rehearsals, and livestream links for upcoming rehearsals. If you want to see something again, or need to stay home one night, this is the place to go!
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Livestream Instructions & Tips |
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Welcome Virtual Singers!!
We are so glad you are joining us, and look forward to having you there "with us" in the rehearsal hall!
What you will need:
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A computer/laptop (recommended) We recommend your computer or laptop - the bigger the screen, and the better your speakers, the more you will feel "with" us. But a tablet, ipad or phone will work, too.
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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.
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External Speakers (optional). The better your speakers, the more you will hear.
How to tune into the Livestream:
At 7:30 on Tuesday, click the video preview or link below, and you'll be with us!
Each week, we'll post the link in News & Notes, and on the website, here. If you miss the Livestream on Tuesday night, it will be available on a YouTube Playlist after rehearsal.
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Click here to join the rehearsal from home |
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Rehearsals:
10 Tuesdays, April 5 - June 7, 7:30-9:30
First Parish Unitarian Universalist, Arlington
New Singer Reception:
Tuesday, April 12, 6:30-7:20
Vocal Workshop
with Kevin McDonald from Handel & Haydn
Tuesday, April 19, 6:30-7:20
Sectionals:
Thurs, April 28, 7-7:55, Sopranos
Thurs, April 28, 8-8:55, Altos
Thurs, May 5, 7-7:55, Basses
Thurs, May 5, 8-8:55, Tenors
Dress Rehearsal:
Thursday, June 9, 7:30-9:30
Cary Hall, Lexington
Concert:
Friday, June 10, Cary Hall
Concert day schedule TBD
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