Noteworthy News, October 8, 2021
Important upcoming dates:
Monday, October 11, No Rehearsal (Indigenous Peoples Day)
Tuesday, October 12, 6:30 pm PSC Board Meeting (Zoom)
Monday, October 18, 7 pm, rehearsal FPC (Full Choir)
Monday, October 25, 7 pm, rehearsal FPC (Full Choir)
Monday is a gift of time for all of us to review our music. Detailed rehearsal notes were emailed last Wednesday from our artistic leaders. The notes are certainly worth your time and attention. Here is a link to a PSC performance of the Rachmaninov Bogoroditse that you may also use as a rehearsal guide.
All current members are welcome to attend our Board meetings. As noted above, our next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, October 12. If you are interested in attending, please email Claire to request the meeting link.
As a reminder, here is the link to pay for your mask ($30) if you are able to do so.
Claire plans on sending the usual reminder email on Monday as those health related questions and reminders are an important component of our Safe Singing protocol.
From our Health & Safety Committee: We want to share a testament to the importance of adhering to our screening practices to reduce the risk of exposure at rehearsals. One of our singers asked that we let the choir know that the care we are taking is very much worth it. Prior to rehearsal on Monday, October 5, they noticed unusual nasal congestion. After inquiring about the screening policy since they were symptomatic, mild as it was, they did not attend rehearsal. On Wednesday, they learned that a close personal contact tested positive for COVID-19 and that their very minor symptoms were likely related to a breakthrough case. Our member was extremely thankful that they did not attend rehearsal! Much is at stake as we learn to navigate this new environment. We appreciate the commitment that all PSC members are making to ensure that we are successful singing together again. Thank you!
From Wendy: Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigate rehearsing in our new space in a new way. We all desire to sing together in one room and we will do that as soon as we can do so safely. Many thanks to our Health and Safety Committee for guiding us through the process of rehearsing safely together. Because we have such an intricate rehearsal schedule, we need your help to make everything run smoothly. Here are some ways you can aid our rehearsal process:
· Use the study resources on the website. There are recordings, marked scores, pronunciation guides, etc. We do not have rehearsal next Monday so use this time to practice! You can go through the rehearsal notes, mark your scores, listen to recordings, practice notes and rhythms of tricky sections, work on pronunciation, start memorizing pieces…
· Our social time before rehearsal will be in the outdoor courtyard. We are asking that all singers go there before rehearsal. Please do not sit in Geneva Hall.
· Going forward, there will be lists of who is singing in what groups, when, and where, posted throughout the building. Please use these lists to guide you through the evening.
Despite all of the challenges, rehearsals are going well. There were some beautiful, heart-warming moments Monday. I'm looking forward to what is ahead for PSC!
From Alissa: Individual rehearsal tracks for O Magnum Mysterium/Deeter are now available on our Study Resources page. These are not broken down by choir but rather by voice part. Make sure you have marked your part in the score so you know when your choir is singing. These tracks are downloadable if you want to have them at your disposal without going on the website. I encourage you to take the time to break down your music systematically to ensure accuracy and good technique:
Work with the available pronunciation recordings and pronunciation sheets. Even though many of us have sung these pieces numerous times, pronunciations can vary from choir to choir. These resources ensure that we are all on the same page for OUR interpretation.
Work the rhythm of the piece on counts and then with diction, separate from pitch.
Work on pitches using a single neutral vowel like “oo” or “uh”.
This is the step that might be the most difficult, but reaps major rewards — sing your line on just the vowels of the words. So, if the words are “et admirabile” you would sing only [ɛ a i a i ɛ ]. This step promotes consistent breath flow and support and gives you a chance to focus on keeping your jaw free while shaping vowels.
Put the consonants back into the words, still focusing on a free jaw, breath flow, and support.
These and other tools are available in Study Resources on the Membership page of our website. Bocelli folks remember to continue working on the diction for O Fortuna especially if you have sung it with a different ensemble.
From Claire: Please find attached the lists showing various choir, cohort, and PSC member assignments. Hard copies will be available at our next rehearsal to help direct everyone to appropriate rehearsal spaces. When you get your music out to practice (see notes from Wendy and Alissa) please also make sure you have the correct pieces of music. If you have extras or some that you are not assigned to learn, please hold them aside for turning in when we get together later this month.
From the Bocelli Tour Management Team: we are delighted to offer our Friends and Family a special ticket discount code, which is valid only from October 12th to October 18th. Use the link below and enter the code: BELIEVE to access any seat in the 100 levels for $155 and the facility fee, for a savings of up to 45% per ticket.
https://www.ticketmaster.com/andrea-bocelli-portland-oregon-11-04-2021/event/0F005A858B8E0E28