SCS Newsletter 10-07-2024

Hey fellow choristers!  Please read info below for the rehearsal plan this week and upcoming events.  We DO have graphics for the upcoming concerts, but I’m going to send everything “ticket-sales”-oriented in a different email (hopefully tomorrow afternoon).  We’re still working on getting the ticket sales page just right before everything goes out!

The Board has a meeting tomorrow, and our Director Search team continues to move things along as they plan for mock rehearsals with the candidates later this month!

Concert attire:  The dresses have arrived and will be delivered to you this Thursday!  Please make sure you have paid!  (Bring cash or check or Venmo to @MaryWynn-Haupt)  Women’s jackets have not arrived yet. 
Men:  If you need a black bowtie, they will also be available Thursday night – $4.00.

Thanks to Alexanders, Elzeys and Inderhees for attending the May Festival Chamber Choir concert yesterday!  There’s another chance to hear this free concert on Sunday, Oct 20.  Reserve your seats here.

If anyone has information they’d like me to include in these weekly emails, please send information by Sunday evening. See you Thursday night! Mary Wynn

CALENDAR
Thu Oct 10 – 6:15 Solo auditions (see below) and 7:00 regular rehearsal – songs (Proclamation, Twelve Days) memorized!
Sun Oct 13 – 4:00 SCS Golf outing!   Contact – Paul Alexander
Thu Oct 17 – 7:00 regular rehearsal (6:30 for Thankful ensemble)
Late Oct – Director search – mock rehearsals with candidates!Thu Oct 24 – 7:00 regular rehearsal
Thu Oct 31 – Boo!    NO Rehearsal!
Sat Nov 2 – 8:30 am Matthew 25 Hunger 5K  If you would like to register with the SCS group, go to https://m25m.org/event/hunger5k/ and register with the Sycamore Community Singers team. Contact Paul Alexander with questions.
Thu Nov 7 – 7:00 rehearsal (If you’re not singing for the Nov concerts, please don’t attend rehearsals in November) 

FROM POLLY

SOLO AUDITIONS – October 10 at 6:15 PM in the choir room

NOTE: Best impressions are made by those who’ve rehearsed and memorized solos for which they’d like to be considered.

Ocho Kandelikas – mm 49-56 – any voice part may audition

Mele Kalikimaka – mm 5-12 – any male may audition

Thankful – mm 5-16 – anyone in the ensemble may audition

Grateful – mm 9-23 – looking for a rich, clear alto voice

Grateful – mm 24-39 – looking for a clear, female tone (minimal to no vibrato)

THANKFUL ENSEMBLE – Please have mm 17-44 MEMORIZED by your 6:30 rehearsal on Oct 17.

Time to start thinking about props for “TWELVE DAYS of a REGIFTED CHRISTMAS”.

I did not list every item below, as some are easier to find than others. My goal is to assign everyone their item in the next two weeks. That way, you’ll know what YOU personally need to have AND can begin practicing when you need to hold it up high! 

12 Apple iPods (+ headphones that look like earmuffs. Best way to describe them for our young ones! )

11 feather boas (any color)

10 tins of popcorn (large, empty, holiday-themed tins)

7 pink flamingos (the ones on stakes for your yard work best for choreo)

1 ALBUM by the Partridge Family!

 REHEARSAL OUTLINE for OCTOBER 10

Masters in this Hall

Practice speaking the lyrics SLOWLY in rhythm. (I’ve been told by our newer members it’s the words that are getting them tripped up.)

For those less familiar with this piece, I think if you import the rehearsal track into your phone’s music app/player, you can slow down the playback speed. (At least, I used to be able to do it.) 

Run through entire song with focus on pitches.

For the Beauty of the Earth

Run through one section at a time with your rehearsal track to identify what is challenging for YOU personally.

Please drill those challenges at home and be ready to share them at rehearsal.

Proclamation of Gratitude

Hopefully you’ve been able to utilize the rehearsal tracks this week. This was the last set of tracks we were waiting on.

Women – I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Review m40 to the end, watching for breath marks, caesuras //, “krih-smah-s”.

Drill each running eighth-note pattern; pay close attention to their differences.

MEMORIZE by NOVEMBER 7.  GOALà NO director.

Men – Mele Kalikimaka

Can you sing along to the track that has your part muted yet? If the answer is no, PLEASE keep practicing. Thanks!

MEMORIZE by NOVEMBER 7.  GOALà NO director.

Home

Keep practicing! This is going to be GORGEOUS!

Ocho Kandelikas

Sopranos – Review mm 84-90 splits. Sop1s –top two pitches; Sop2s –bottom two pitches.

Everyone: Once you’re comfortable with your voice part, sing along with this version: Ocho Kandelikas – quality full performance w/ instruments

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Review different dotted rhythms. (ie. “Ho-LIH-days long LONG ago”)  Pay close attention to all rests & cut offs.

Practice singing at the same tempo SSC is rehearsing: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – FULL PERFORMANCE

The Twelve Days of a Regifted Christmas (memorized by Oct 10)

Review ending choreography.

Practice singing one section at a time WITH music, then repeat that section WITHOUT music. Do you have it memorized???

Work on telling the story with CLEAN consonants and tall vowels.

Rise Up!

Everyone, but Sopranos especially  – SWING your eighth notes.

If you don’t have the melody, sing SOFTER than the voice part that does.

Grateful

Drill your part from m83 to the end.

Drill your part from pickups to m75 thru the end.

Drill your part from pickups to m59 thru the end.