itunes Jacks up the price next week!

In a deal to make record companies happy itunes will raise the price of hit singles and other popular tunes to $1.29! However, the music will now come without any sort of protection on it....

More here:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-fi-cotown-itunes26-2009mar26,0,7604586.story

deep thought for the day

http://www.deepthoughtsbyjackhandey.com/random2.asp

Boomer!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=201

Peace Like a River

A youtube clip of the combine choir piece\

The Vocal Majority!

Amazing! - they have concerts in Dallas the weekend of 4/4
http://www.vocalmajority.com/fl/

some chatin' at first...singing starts around 2:20
"The Battle of Jericho"

Beautiful Singing.

!

Essentials for the Classical Vocal Library: Part II

Thu February 7th, 2008 by Sarah Luebke

With the multitude of songs and arias in an array of languages, it is so important to execute accurate pronunciation and research a precise word for word/ poetic translation. I have pulled together a list of general diction and poetic translation books, as well as books more focused on one particular language and genre. This list is only the tip of the iceberg- please make comments if you have found a particular resource helpful that is not listed here.
Basic Diction Resources:

A Handbook of Diction for Singers: Italian, German, French by David Adams

Adams’ text offers insight into the basics of Italian, German, and French diction. He covers the most general rules, but also explains common exceptions and more elusive nuances of each language within the context of a singer’s perspective. Some familiarity with the International Phonetic Alphabet is helpful but not necessary.

Diction for Singers: A Concise Reference for English, Italian, Latin, German, French and Spanish Pronunciation by Joan Wall

Diction for Singers guides singers to the pronunciation of English, Italian, Latin, German, French, and Spanish. The easy navigation leads the reader from the orthographic spelling to the sound, so she can see the general rules for spellings. Each language section includes quick reference tables showing all vowels and consonants with their common letter groups, and special pronunciations.

Phonetic Readings of Songs and Arias by Berton Coffin

This resource is great for every level of singer, beginning with simple principles such as word order and pronunciation, but also has information that is a handy reference for the advanced singer and teacher. The best thing about this volume is that translations of the original word order of the original language is given, so that the student can see how the language works in its own word order.

Italian Resources

Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary

The vocal studio library needs a dictionary in every language sung in the studio. Italian is certainly no exception. The Webster’s in an exceptional reference, featuring IPA pronunciation for each word listed. Because Italian pronunciation is regionally based, this resource seems to pull together the most common rules to create a more seamless pronunciation throughout.

501 Italian Verbs by John Colaneri and Vincent Luciani
Here is a fine quick-reference source for language students, teachers, and translators. The 501 most commonly used Italian verbs are listed in table form, one verb per page, and conjugated in all tenses, identified by English infinitive forms. Verbs are both regular and irregular, and are presented alphabetically for easy reference. Added material related to verbs and verb usage is also presented, including lists of hundreds more regular verbs, and idiomatic verb usage.

Masters of the Italian Art Song by Timothy LaVan

An invaluable reference text for singers, teachers, and vocal and operatic coaches, this volume contains the complete song texts of the songs for voice and piano of Bellini, Donaudy, Donizetti, Puccini, Rossini, Tosti, and Verdi, with word-by-word and poetic translations.

Singer’s Italian: A Manual of Diction and Phonetics by Evelina Colorni

A standard work on Italian diction. This book is planned to guide the singer, by means of discussion and drill, toward the acquisition of an efficient, effective Italian diction. Uses IPA.

Word-by-Word Translation of Songs and Arias: vol. 2 Italian by Arthur Schoep and Daniel Harris

This is an excellent resource for singers and pianists alike. All of the standard repertoire and much of the unique repertoire is included. Entries are easy to locate, and the translations provided are accurate and complete. A definite necessity for the vocal studio and budding performer!

German Resources

Langenscheidt’s German-English English-German Dictionary

Langenscheidt is the most trusted German dictionary out there. The pocket version is excellent, including 50,000 words and IPA.

German for Singers: A Textbook of Diction and Phonetics by William Odom and Benno Schollum

First published in 1981, German for Singers is an effective and authoritative guide to German diction for singers of every genre. The second edition is corrected, revised and updated and includes an audio CD demonstrating the sounds of the German language.

The Fischer- Dieskau Book fo Lieder with English translations by George Bird and Richard Stokes

This book offers poetic English translations of over 750 German Lieder texts neglected in other resources such as “Word by Word Translations of Songs and Arias.” An indispensable resource for singers, pianists, and others interested in Lieder who do not speak German. Also includes the greater portion of texts set by Schubert, Wolf, Schumann, etc. also includes texts set by more modern or obscure composers, such as Peter Cornelius and Clara Schumann.

Word-by-Word Translations of Songs and Arias: Part I German and French by Berton Coffin

This is an excellent resource for literal translations of both German and French Songs and Arias. In many cases the exact translation is awkward due to its syntax. In these cases, Coffin also offers a translation in English format.

French Resources

Larousse Francais Anglais Dictionary

Again, Larousse is the most trusted French dictionary around. The concise dictionary offers 130,000 translations, IPA, translation instructions and even grammar and conjugation help.

English Grammar for Students of French: The Study Guide for Those Learning French by Jacqueline Morton
This resource takes the mystery out of grammatical terminology. Parallel examples in English and in French make explanations clear. This latest edition has added exercises. Foreign language learning is much easier when the general concepts can be grasped and clearly understood, and easier translating can also be accomplished with clearer understanding of grammar.

Complete Guide to Conjugating 12000 French Verbs published by Bescherelle

This is without a doubt the definitive guide to conjugation of French verbs. It is an indispensable reference and not overwhelming for beginning students. This is a translation of the guide that French people themselves use, and includes thousands upon thousands of verbs. It shows every possible way to conjugate verbs in French. With extensive crossreferencing it saves TONS of space, only showing you unique ways to conjugate. Very easy to use, small, lightweight and portable.

The Interpretation of French Song by Pierre Bernac

Bernac’s writing is eloquent and graceful and the information he offers on French diction and song interpretation are easy to comprehend. The poems of major French poets, set to music by many foremost French composers, are analyzed with guidance on elision and liaison, breath points and interpretation. He also includes a poetic English translation of each poem.

Spanish Resources

A Singer’s Manual of Spanish Lyric Diction by Nico Castel

Castel hopes to stimulate interest in Spanish vocal music through this book, in part by including a list of Spanish music for singers. He uses IPA and examples from languages singers are likely to have studied as well as drawings and musical examples to illustrate correct Spanish pronunciation. For Castel, correct Spanish means the Castilian Spanish spoken in Spain, though he does examine Latin American variations and Ladino in separate sections.

Teach Yourself Catalan Complete Course by Alan Yates and Anna Poch

This is a great resource for pronouncing Catalan. Catalan is a dialect in the north of Spain, and many wonderful songs are in this dialect.

Portuguese For Dummies by Karen Keller

This is a good beginning resource for Portuguese pronunciation. Like Catalan, there are many wonderful classical and popular songs in Portuguese, and really no definitive singer’s pronunciation source. The book includes a CD with helpful pronunciation tips and corresponding charts inside the book.

PHILLY!?!?!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/mar/18/arts-diary-arts-funding-us

Mr. John

Dr. Ehly lessons

Eph Ely
•    Ensemble – is a reflection of life itself. We behave the same way in the community
•    Music- our great gift to human kind
•    Ally Herman
•    NO WASTED WORDS – if you talk it is all important
•    Never give your choir a bad thought
•    Seating – break into quartets lightest voices are a 1 through darkest voices
o    These groups sit together like so:
o    CONDUCTOR
o    1        2
o    3         4
o    5         6 etc
•    Tone Quality-
o    Ask the choir what is good tone quality
•    ANS:
    Natural – almost no human uses his natural voice
    Free – no tension
    Vibrant - color
•    Ask questions…don’t tell
•    Vibrato- we allow intensity vibrato, not pitch changing vibrato
o    Vibrato is DIRECTLY RELATED TO DYNAMICS
o    P(none) – FFF ( everything!)
•    Sound – travels in all directions with equal intensity
o    We can direct our own sound to focus in any one direction
•    But what we want is for it to travel freely in all directions
o    Speak all that you can – FULLER
o    If there is a problem it is that the sound is too far forward – Take it out of the mouth
•    REUSE THESE CONCEPTS UNTIL THEY BECOME THERE OWN!
•    
•    Attitude is the most important thing in rehearsal
o    Must walk in with a positive attitude
•    Ensemble – say it together – LOVE Connection is SO important
•    Break Down inhibitions
•    
•    there is nothing more captivating to humans than another human
o    the face is the most important part
•    Weston Nobel, Paul Selmonovitch – look up
•    V.S. – Robert Shaw, Rodger Wagner – believed in the stravinksian idea that if you just sing the right notes than the music will make itself
o    This philosophy is detrimental – personality and expression are lost. This is a reason why music ed has been dropped from schools
o    Aristotle and Plato express how important music is
o    
•    Listen- Charles buffy – KC chorale – he selects the exact voices that he wants and gets a beautiful sound\
•    Unless you are working with a professional group your goal is to teach how to live through music
•    John finny Williams
•    LOOK FOR WHAT IS NOT IN THE SCORE!
o    Don’t give up the spiritual
•    Philosphy – conduct your imagination
•    Life- Something happens and then things change
o    His worst student – “he needed me and I didn’t know it”
•    ALL people want to do a good job
•    
•    Vibrato – in with the dynamics
o    Should not have anything to do with pitch
o    And can only happen with support
•    ALWAYS work with voice teachers if there is a straight tone section be very sensitive
•    
•    BLEND
o    We accept blend DON’T force it
•    Don’t teach just share
•    
•    Diction
o    Philosophy – consonants explode
•    Be able to separate consonants and vouels
•    Use the Assembly line metaphor – you never want the sound to stop
•    Dynamics
o    Philosophy – MF – is normal speaking voice
•    Mp – one degree less
•    P more held back (NOT SOFTER!) – make a circle with your arms and let is spin only in that space
•    Pp – as soft as you can sing – 3 times sing until you stop making sound… on the 3d time hold right before you run out
•    F- one degree more
•    FF – all you can give
Eph
•    Don’t tell students to imitate, let them discover it on there own!
•    George Lynn – took over Westminster after JF williamson, John Finy Williamson – founded Westminster
•    Eph’s DMA – chose 25 new American composers and then asked the composrs how they wanted their works interpreted. Almost all said they welcomed any interpretation!!
•    RVW – wrote an article on bach interpretation
•    Affective: are you helping that singer…are you improving their life??
ACDA/MENC – to focused on perfection…prior to 50’s all choral hero's were teachers not performers
•    People now try to imitate the performers (SHAW!)
•    Now emphasis in ACD
•    A is on performance (not education)
o    We perform for each other because other people don’t care!
•    This is NOT music for the greater good
•    
•    Music – calms the restless…stimulates the lazy
•    Look for what is not in the score/ what is the message?!
•    Every song has a story, if it doesn’t it is not worth doing
o    Make it passionate to you, and then share that passion with your singers
•    99% of young conductors go to fast…and then cut off too soon
•    There is no perfect way to conduct a score
•    
•    Teach people how to think!
o    He turned off all the lights….Socrates
o    Life is but a shadow ---shot starter pistol
•    THE SCORE IS BUT A SHADOW—of the original inspiration –the closest way to walk in the composers shoes
•    Takes weeks to build something beautiful, a moment to destroy it

•    Socratic method – all he did was ask questions!
•    

EPH LUNCH
•    Get a choir of your own!
•    Pick a good program, know music. Alternate slow/fast
o    Lots of variation
•    Get excited about the music and share that enthusiasm!
o    Develop program:
•    CD’s
•    Quirky dres
•    Booster club/tour
•    Start working east
•    Not DMA – once you get it NO high school
•    

Zelenski
•    Shows music with body
•    Look in the eyes (window of the soul)
•    More vertical plane
•    Will completely stop conducting to listen
•    Choir always hums pitches before starting
•    Speaks/yells at them while singing
•    Little verbal encouragement

SHAMES!
•    Conduct it like you are playing it
•    Show completely what sound, color, feeling you want!!
•    Conduct much smaller so that you can hear!!!
•    Practice the music one line at a time and then add lines
•    Work on the moving parts—think about their relationships
•    Where do the individual phrases go?
•    Work dynamics after phrasing
•    Drop arm freely – have Emma catch
•    Bounce arm
•    SHAMES REHEARSAL
o    Widens arms and mirrors retardation's…accell
o    To start – one hand like a stop sign,,, baton ready, hits downbeat with both hands
o    Left hand fingers mold sound like clay
o    Players rely play with feeling!!
o    Follows singers using a much smaller pattern
o    Rely's on the singers to give phrasing to the orchestra
o    Tells soloists to put words on there solo – it must have meaning!!




Dr. Boers

• What do we hear/see?
• What do they have in common
  
• causes
• RX:
• Describe (tell, listen, try)
• Do (kinesthetic)
• Imagine (affective)
• Conducting - work on phrasing, showing
• what you want
• sing the lines with phrase that you want
• show beats weight in arms

Eph Ehly

• History
• Haydn - 12 masses, 6 early, 6 late
• creation - long, cut the end
• Elijah has the same problems
• If you cut music you must tell the soloists before they agree
  
• Hydan went to a Handel festival in England and heard 1,000 performers
  
• 600-of them were performers
• Decides to write an oratorio for himself (creation)
• CREATION
• opens with a void -- C's
• Oral exams - know a typical/atypical for each period
• Renaissance
• in the Renaissance Sacred music influences secular music
  
• Popular forms
• Motets
• sacred text, a capella, Latin, through composed
  
• Madrigal
• English/Italian
• Eng - fa la la sections
  
• Chanson
• Lied
• Mass
  
• Anthem
• full anthem
• normal
  
• verse anthem
• more like a cantata
• atypical Renaissance music would be like Gabreilli - Timor et Timor
• Has Baroque and Romantic aspects LISTEN TO THIS!
  
• Most important Renisance composers
• Palestrina
• wrote 105 masses, composed for the Sistine chapel. Did not have more than 16 singers
• starts one voice, then the next
• arch form.. attention always going to the main line
• A typical Renaissance work would be a Palestrina Motet
  
• De Lasso
• wrote 1200 motets
• does not adhere to the rules as much as Palestrina
• lived mostly in Munich - had 60 instrumentalists...who would double the singers
  
• Byrd
• English
• wrote 3 masses - 3 voice, 4 voice, 5 voice
• broke the rules more than Palestrina
  
• (Des Prez)- important...but not as much as the others- Martin Luther described him as "the master of the notes"
  
• A good book to buy - Choral Music of the Church
• Baroque
• very angular
• lots of little motifs
  

• add's
  
• Cantata
• Lutheran invented, adds a commentary
  
• Oratorio
• tells a story, a concert piece
• Music of the Renaissance 0 Gustav reese - READ the Norton Series for each period
• H. Schutz (Dr. Ehly's fav. Baroque composer (i think))
  
• lived in Dresden Germany
• Studied with Monteverdi
• Has books of Italian Madrigals (listen!)
• writes a German requiem
• where Brahms got the idea
• Lived during the 30 years war
• 1/3 of the population died in the war
• 1/3 died from the plague
• Writes positive and uplifting music
• wrote 3 passions (1665) in the old style
• Geistliche Chor Muizic
• 27 motets in this set (1648)
•  Das ist je gewisslich war (this is absolutly the truth)
• Analyze this piece and see how ist relates to the baroque
• Christmas story cantata
• His passions led to Bach's passions
• In France they invented the petite motet
• very similar to an anthem
• Also was the Grabe Motet
• much like a cantata
• The B minor mass was MUCH grander than anything that came before it
• England - invents the ODE
• Purcell wrote a few of these
• Classical/Romantic
• adds
• Choral Symphony
• Opera Chorus (?)
• Folk song Arrangements
• Spain - vill anticols (musico illogico)
• 20th Century
• adds
• Vocal Jazz
  
• spiritual
• text comes from the old testament
• comes from rural areas
  
• Gospel
• text comes from the gospels
• born in urban settings
• William Dawson - 1st black musician to graduate from UMKC
• didn't like the work spirituals, preferred Negro folk songs
• Jester Harison
• 
  
• Dr. Ehly - would take his Choral lit class to the Art museum so that they could experience the paintings of the time
• elements of art:
  
• in painting: line, color, form, space
• music (they directly correlate): line=melody, color=harmony, form= form, space=rhythm
• How to memorize - would give his conductors a score...then 5 min to write down as much as they could
• used this to figure out how they memorized

Eph Ehly 3/11/09

•     encourage singers to cast away inhibitions (this is what we are fighting in rehearsal)
• make yourself an instrument for the composer to speak through
• The goal is to walk in another man's shoes NOT to just entertain
• Have you ever stopped to think of music as a magic link, to god- poem...find.
• Where do we learn the difference between consonance and dissonance....what is right and wrong with chords etc?
• Luther: next to the word of God, music is the most important thing
• When conducting: we want the maximum result with the minimum effort
• Human Beings respond for four things (in this order of importance)"
• Theology
• Philosophy
• Emotion
• Action
• Conducting class - when teaching his students would always be evaluating/critiquing the student that Eph worked with
• Conduct the bottom three rows of the conducting sheet
• bring in Brahms create in me a pure heart
• Give music time to mature...dont go to fast!
• Conduct your imagination
• conducting is much more a mater of what to leave out (or let go, in rehearsal) than what not to
• singers must express from day one
• find, for them, the original source of inspiration
• Elijah - Mendelssohn
  

• 1723 - Jew in Germany, very much persecuted...lived in Ghettos
• Mosses Mendelssohn (Mendel's Son)
•  parents snuck him out of the ghetto and he walked to Berlin to study with a Rabi
• learned many different languages and became a very smart man, eventually wealthy
  
• a leading philosopher of his day
• Had a child, who were the parents of Felix Mendelssohn
• Was a very kind and gentle man
• never fully realized how talented his was. Goethe said that he was a better musician than Mozart
• Our job is to bring these old people back to life. Find their source of inspiration and share it with you singers
  
• Performance practice MUST relate to the present moment. If you are not conveying something than it is meaningless
• WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF HELPING PEOPLE NOW
  

Dr. Shames lesson

• work 2 pattern with a metronome
• watch elbow
• beat= the length of the smallest note vale
• conduct for someone, changing the length of the beat... then try and get them to syncopate
• 2 to 1, 1-2
• change pulse, 4/4 to 6/8
• play with light to heavy bounce
• vertical will speed up
• horizontal with slow down
• all sounds are upbeats
• Try to listen in different ways
• conduct on a table
• watch POSTURE
• practice with baton in fingers
• relax in the wrist.. watch beat
• Dont sing AT ALL when conducting, hear 
  

Dr. Shames lesson

• Conduct it like you play it
• show,completely, what sound, color, feeling    you are after
• practice the music one line at a time adding slowly
• hear the moving parts...there relationships
• where do the individual phrases go? whats the relationship?
• worry about dynamics later, phrase 1st
• drop arm freely, have emma catch it (exercise)
• more bounce in arm

Dr. Shames - rehearsal

•     widens arms and mirrors for a RIT

• to start the piece one hand is like a stop sign, baton ready...hits the plane with both hands and goes
• left hand fingers mold the sound like clay
  
• players really express what they are feeling
• follows singers when they come in, relie on the singer to give the phrasing
• instructs his soloists to put words on the solo.... does not matter what. it just must have meaning

Dr. Shames lesson 2/27

• Dog ear the pages the opposite way when you hear a mistake
• keep working to strike the beats in the same plane
• work big to small...small to big (PRACTICE)
• Beat with the right hand, and do something completely different with the left.
• More RELAXED pattern
• Remember THEY are doing the work
• Dont tighten the jaw
• stand up straight
• Watch Simon Rattle
• little facial movement, lots of eyes
• Work with a metronome
• play on the piano, one line at a time
  

Dr. Shames 3/13

• Work 4 pattern
  
• hear all beats
• Hit and drop -- DONT push into the beat (causes it to rush)
• Spend more time with a metronome
• final beat needs to be much more delicate
• Hear the music before you start it...then your upbeat is always right in time
• work on the natural fall of the arm
• let your ears conduct, do not worry about the gesture...focus on how you hear it
• Memorize your music - they NEED your eyes (and ears)
• Practice all tempo changes in time first, after this it will be very easy to accelerate or Rit.

Peter Eklund

•     Critiques
• beats on the same plane, same place
• Stand up straight
• use "hand shake" level beats
• In rehearsal
• begins working by making notes in the score
• conducts from the piano
• identifies vowel problems
• picks to singers and has the sing with you to explain the importance of uniformity
• disects all words into IPA form an then places them in the same place
• speaks the words to correct vowel problems
• when 3rd is out of tune
• has them hold chord, if your are singing the 3rd, hear the root
• Color cotes his score
• Breath -
  
• 1/3 front
• 1/3 sides
• 1/3 back
• Does not allow choir to sing past mistakes
  
• not all sylables are created equal
• has them exagerate, then creates a flow
  

Eph Ehly

• Why verse how
• how will always change
• why stays the same
• Living to learn, learning to teach, teaching to learn how to live
• singers must take ownership of the music
• pitch - eeryone has pich problems
• caused by lack of enthusias, disire, etc.
• Pitch - one person sings the pitch, the other moves around
  
•     put heads together, feel vibrations
• the brain wont except anything but the correct pitch, think it first
• this gets them to hear without singing
• when you have your own choir spend a week with each idea, that effects choral sound (pitch, diction, etc.)
• break up the normal rehearsal process
• make the focal poin the music not you
• 
  

Download "Drumming, Part Three"!!!

Download it FREE here:
So Percussion - a bunch of upcoming shows, MP3's & videos at brooklynvegan

Dr. Shames

Dr. Shames lesson

• work 2 pattern with a metronome
• watch elbow
• beat= the length of the smallest note vale
• conduct for someone, changing the length of the beat... then try and get them to syncopate
• 2 to 1, 1-2
• change pulse, 4/4 to 6/8
• play with light to heavy bounce
• vertical will speed up
• horizontal with slow down
• all sounds are upbeats
• Try to listen in different ways
• conduct on a table
• watch POSTURE
• practice with baton in fingers
• relax in the wrist.. watch beat
• Dont sing AT ALL when conducting, hear 
  

Dr. Shames lesson

• Conduct it like you play it
• show,completely, what sound, color, feeling    you are after
• practice the music one line at a time adding slowly
• hear the moving parts...there relationships
• where do the individual phrases go? whats the relationship?
• worry about dynamics later, phrase 1st
• drop arm freely, have emma catch it (exercise)
• more bounce in arm

Dr. Shames - rehearsal

•     widens arms and mirrors for a RIT

• to start the piece one hand is like a stop sign, baton ready...hits the plane with both hands and goes
• left hand fingers mold the sound like clay
  
• players really express what they are feeling
• follows singers when they come in, relie on the singer to give the phrasing
• instructs his soloists to put words on the solo.... does not matter what. it just must have meaning

Dr. Shames lesson 2/27

• Dog ear the pages the opposite way when you hear a mistake
• keep working to strike the beats in the same plane
• work big to small...small to big (PRACTICE)
• Beat with the right hand, and do something completely different with the left.
• More RELAXED pattern
• Remember THEY are doing the work
• Dont tighten the jaw
• stand up straight
• Watch Simon Rattle
• little facial movement, lots of eyes
• Work with a metronome
• play on the piano, one line at a time
  

Dr. Shames
3/19

• dont hit into downbeat, all in the prep.
• Practice Forte to piano transitions
• play with final cuttoffs...send them somewhere
• dont rush endings!
• think about how phrases, notes etc are distributed
• Where do tempo terms come from
• Hear the subdivision
• look at repitions...the text.
• always hear it, and the gesture will come from that.
• 4 pattern- hitm, bounce and fall naturally
• work with a metronome a lot
• hear the first few measures before you start, then the upbeat will be in time
• memorize all works, they need eyes
• Practice works in time....then tempo changes will come easily

3/20something

• in three pattern 3 should have a bigger upbeat than others and be inbetween 1 and 2
• Spend a lot of time with string player, know bowing - up and down.
  
• More importantly - where on the bow to play...how much hair to give
• keep hand straight when beating, dont turn it!
• controll beats by hearning the music in your head
• look for phrasings begingins and ends!
• You know you have it when you dont have to talk much
• keep the notes alive, dont just conduct a pattern!
• when working on bowings start an the end of the phrase and work backwards
• bowings highlight text
• get an idea of what you want before you meet with string player
• dont just show upbeats
• all beats on the same table!
• hit harder, move
• try subdividing in Gesualdo
  

The King's Singers

Recordings for Hailey

Somewhere.wav

Warmups.wav

Ten Min Ago.wav

Sight Singing

Jocelyn Lavin of the Hallé Choir blog has some tips on sight-reading. Instant summary:

1. Sight-read every chance you get
   
2. Embrace the "loud and wrong" philosophy
   
3. Sing on the beat, whatever happens
   
4. Go through your part before starting to sing it
   
5. Look ahead all the time
   
6. Look at the other parts as well as your own
   
7. Do words or dynamics and everything else while sight-reading
   
8. Know your scales and key signatures
   
9. Be aware of scale degrees
   
10. Learn to sing intervals (less important than previous item)
    
11. Know what beat of the bar you're on at all times
    

She's got further elaboration on each point. You might not agree with every detail, but the overall philosophy is great.

ACDA Notes

ACDA Notes - MORE

1. Ann Howard Jones NOTES
1. sing with the Full part of your voice
2. she shows big upbeats (before the music happens!)
3. doesnt allow singers to move past wrong notes
4. Can you paint it? (text)
5. warm up: cres. beyond anything beautiful (so brite)
6. relates singers to text as often as possible
7. Do not let speech come into singing. Always allow for elegant sounds
8. Singers stand and all sing parts together, and then sit as the melody they have stops
9. "release the vowel before the consonant and the cutoff will be together"
10. dont slide around when it gets softer
11. when closing to an N move slowly
12. stops conducting to foce them to listen and move on their own
13. staccato singing to sure-up pitches
14. size of pattern changes drastically with dynamics
15. movement from loud to soft...hands go to nothing
16. does not give big cues on enterances
17. "nuance of tempo is the only place a conductor is needed"

1. Group Recruiting
1. recruit like a fraternity
2. Talk with your colleges recruiter
3. its all about selling the school/program/envornment
4. get the kids who are in the group to go and get a soda with the possible recruits
5. have an ALL Men/Women day - rehearse all day and give a concert at night, with a party after
6. Nothing recruits better than sucess
7. Get Access to the schools mailing list 0 send out personalized letters  (make sure they say that you DONT have to be a music major) send these to all freshman/transfer students who were in Band/Orchestra/Choir in H.S.
8. Chalk up campus
9. send personal emails
10. #1 reason students dont join is because they dont know
11. H.S. festivals
12. Go to Band Camp/Frat./Sorority
1. these are the loud people who want to fit in.
13. Work grad college - students who sang
14. INTERNATIONAL students
15. Facebook - create  a group
16. Student contact - use assistant to call possible singers, then you talk to them if they are interested (come up with a script)
17. Colaberate with the voice faculty - may need to educate them on recrutiting
18. build a great quartet/octet and take them around campus
19. Some states allow you to purchase the "all state list" - contact those kids
20. Recruiting- Have potental student come to spend the night and then watch classes the next day. take them to lunch

1. Vocal Pedigogy/Science
1. Glottal Attack
1. 2 different kinds: Hard Attack v. Glottal Plosive
1. Glottal Plosive - like uh-oh
2. 3 types of onsets
   
1. hard/plosive - AVOID
2. soft (slient H) - gives breathy tone
3. Coordinated onset - the BEST way
1. Garcia said - coup de la glotte: a light stroke of the glottis
3. Stark,1998, Bel Canto - Good Reference
4. Begining singers do not use a full glottal closure - the breathy sound is valued in todays culture
1. useing the right exersizes allows for an increased attack
   
1. small cromatic movment
2. short scales
2. Vibrato
1. deined three ways
1. sound
2. physological
3. sycological
2. pitch can move 6-12% and double  or half in volume
3. when only variating the note 6% the singer will hit the b and # above and below the note
4. rate of vibrato makes some singers stick out
1. teach them to match
3. Support
1. must be some level of glottal resistance - if too open it becomes breathy
2. low breathing, abdominal support, ribs expand
3. 76% of women at a soft dynamic are not using good breath support
4. Rib Cage behavior is highly important
5. when using the ribs/abdomine you get more presure AKA more controll
6. glottal closure is GREATER when using more support
7. low airflow w/ good glottal presure = good sound
8. Lamperti - popularized "appagio"
1. would put a candle in front of a singer and if they blew it out they were releasing to much air
2. The voice is controlling the breath
3. he included the ribs in breathing technique
9. ttry and hear the difference between abdominal and glottal closure
10. staccatto warmups are helpful
4. Choral Accoustics
1. weston Nobel - voice matching
1. seat sngers with similar sounds next to eachother
   
2. change in standing order
1. best spacing is 24" appart in windows
1. stand like supperman
3. Becarefull that singers dont oversing in dead spaces
4. Spread out in rehearsal
1. standing against the wall doubles sound
5. hold folders up AND out
6. sing in many different spaces
7. Encourage Healthy and free tones

1. Technology for the 21st century

1.  read 7 habits of highhly effective people
2. Use Bolgs for:
1. suggest CD's
2. Link to part learingin
3. rehearsal notes
4. recording sessions
5. answers for FAQ
6. google maps
7. Lang/Diction
8. Use skype - record it - publish it
9. Use blog to delegate out your weakness
10. Post videos on youtube
11. disscussion of emotional impact of text
12. how compers brings life into the work
13. google Calenders
14. Information Form
15. Publish the work you do!!

1. Choral Legends Disscussion
    With Peter Bagley, Eph Ehly, Charlene Achibeque
   

• Weston Nobel - get there mind into the composers head. Have a conversation with the phrase

•  P.B. -       Deep River - Shaw Bio
• Music - how lucky we are to work with genisus
• E.E. - look for the original source of inspiration
• Pedagogy
  

• P.B. - know the text 1st. you must walk in their head
• Interpretation
• Paul Salomonivich - make a disission after a lot of study
• eph - old music must relate to present music
• C.A.- st. jose state. Must be in performance practice
• P.B. - Become a part of the experience
  
• julis herferd - msic must be in thier heart
• C.A. - get body involved in how it feels
• Eph - find what is not in the score
• w. Nobel - choral sound - have singers sing my country tis of thee - stand section up. two sing at a time.
  
• OPPOSITES get together
• very important to open up the voice. Then change the tone for each work
• Help the individual to be the best the individual does not force blend
• Norman Luovff - shwedish radio choir (erick erkison)
• no sound as marvelous as what you hear when you 1st look at a score
• how ahall i say it so they can get it?
• Programing
• Paul S. - gregorian chant is sung prayer. It is a lifting of the mind and heart to god
• Eph - ask: what can I teach with this peice?
• renisance teaches us to pray
• baroque to count
• classical to think (forms)
• romantic to feel
• Cultivate an aspct of the period - we are a combination of everything that came before us
• Jester Harrison - behind every good song is a story
• P.B. - try to choose music I relate too
• go into how it speaks for me
• the hmm in spirituals is wordless prayer
• 21st century music - am I being manipulated?
• C.A. - try to do all 5 periods every concert
• musit love the music you do
• Choirs move with each piece. stanidn order, movement in choir
• Explosion of acapella - we have lost the intimacy of each other... acapella singing brings us back into it
• W. Nobel - Shaw had a lot of energy
• P.B> -be honest to the page. LISTEN
• siners dont listen
• listen to the room, pick out what you hear. then do it again
• Sensitivity to the REST
• C.A. - love your singers
• Eph - teach people. Your student must surpass you, otherwise there is no progress
• excite yourself and share this with the students
• people who are burnedout were never on fire in the first place
• Approach a choir as if they no nothing.
• Transformivie power ofmusic
• P.B. - three important traits
• integrity
• compassion
• love
• curiosity for the music
• What it means to be human?
• Eph - What do you want people to know?
• everyone wants to do good, if they aren't they just dont know how
• reentroduce music that brings out the best in man...so much of todays music brings out the worst
• we are dealing with somthing very precious
• be more concerted for the students who are not in music
• stop directing. start teaching
• why do eyes wander in choirs? they are not present, not listening
• avoid aiming for a perfect 10. but work your ass off for that perfect 9
• 
  

ACDA 2009 - Interest session Notes

ACDA 2009 - Interest session Notes


Sight Singing in the Rehearsal
GREAT- very useful techniques that made sight singing Easy and fun. Contact:
williambreytspraak@gmail.com


Vela Vela - Authentic Performance of Black south African Choral Music. Mollie Stone.
GREAT!! - They offer a DVD/packet to teach 8 different songs by rote at MollieStone.org

• all songs have movement
• to sing without dancing is like singing Handel w/out acc.
• Dance - step forward,back together
• not showy just like you were born doing it
• Most songs do not start or end with dance
• Language is very dark
• No diphthongs (like Italian/Spanish)
• tone is very rounded and dark
• music often happens on the offbeat
• Songs are meant to be taught in the aural tradition (so buy the DVD!)
• She uses solfege and solfege hand symbols to teach the songs
• South African choral often does not use percussion.
• although modern performance is starting to add more

The Vocal Majority- AMAZING - meaningful movement on every song!

• Nothing men can't do when they are totally committed
• ask for movement, every person giving all they can
  
• life begins at the end of your comfort zone
• step out of where you are to get to where you want to go

The Fully Expressive Choir -
    Provide a save environment that nurtures each others humanity
    teach them how to be expressive, how to show it
    continue to show this throughout rehearsal

•     Interesting methods to get people to sing out
• 1 stand perfectly straight - sing
• spread feet apart, shoulders back, stand still - sing
• "release from stillness" - sing
• sing to each other, look at each other - sing
• 2
• Ask singer to think about what they are singing, a time when they wanted change etc...what did you want?
• speak aloud, all at once, what it is you wanted
• put hand on each others shoulders (person in front) and move that person with the phrase
• every time you look at the person next to you get them to smile.
  

Zielinski

Dr. Richard Zielinski appointed Director of Choral Activities at The University of Oklahoma

http://www.richardzielinski.com/

Concert Notes - ACDA 2009 national convention

ACDA 2009 national convention Concert Notes

Here are some notes on the concerts that I went to. Below I have listed all of the pieces that I found interesting or useful. In bold are the works that were particularly outstanding. Feel free to contact me with any questions OR add your own thoughts on anything I missed!!



Music in Worship
Niggun - jewish song without words
In one Spirit - Gregmurai.com. SATB w piano. Acappella sections
Columba aspexit - Hildegard of Bingen
O Magnum Mysterium - Cesar Alejandro Carrillo - earthsongs - a cappella, not to difficult great for HS/Church. slow/peaceful
SurelyHe Hath Bourne Our Griefs - Carl Heinrich Graun - Concordia Publishing - very beautiful SATB a cappella. Combines Renisance/Baroque practices
Oseh Shalom - Hymn GREAT
I'll Fly Away - Great arr. baritone solo. Gregmurai.com
O Sifuni Mungu - M. McCall Maddox - South African style work. a capella, good for Church
Cantemos al Senor - Carlos Rosas, arr Greg Murai - great poppy song for "Modern Worship"
Caritas et Amor - Stroope. A capella, nice work...need good basses



Conspirare
AMAZING!
http://conspirare.org/

St. Mary's International School
Use movment in all songs to help give direction/better phrasing to every line...and it worked well!
Tenors often sang falsetto to make matching easier
Ubi Caritas - Ola Gjelo - a cappela, slow...good for church
Vita De La Mia Vita - William Hawley -Very cool, a capella..difficult
Kyrie Elesion - w/ piano - good for church
The Rocky Road to Dublin - very nice! - arr Randall Johnson
Da Coco Nut 0 Ryan Cayabayab. arr R. Stenson - good show piece.

Iowa State Singers
Justorum Annimae - Charles Stanford - CPDL - beautiful, great for a good college choir
So, I'll sing with my voice - Argento - a capella, would be a nice church work -
Born of the Sun - Dobrika Tabakova - a capella with solos - very nice!
The Sounging Sea - Eric Barnum - nice, long... slow then fast sections. difficult, yet very effective.

Unity Singers
GREAT program!
Swanee River - Stephen Foster, arr. Dana Paul Perna. All on oo... nice arr for an American Work
There Will Be Rest - Frank Ticheli - beautiful, long... excelent for college/adult
By and By - arr Carol Barnett - nice spiritual!

American Boy Choir
WOWZERS.
http://www.americanboychoir.org/movie.html

Tascosa Les Chanteurs Women's Choir
Very professional on/off stage. Last row walk down togeather--very cool.
Homeland - Stroope - very well done patriotic song. Great for HS. a lot of unison, some a capella, with piano acc.
I am not yours - David Childs - beautiful!, w/piano

Morman Tabernacle Choir In NORMAN OK!
http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/

Mirinesse Women's Choir
Joy - John Muelseisen - SSA, nice a cappela good for HS and up
Aint' no grave can hold my body down - very cool gospel, with a Capella sections


The Hamilton High School Chamber Singers
MiZeh Y' Maleil - Joshua R. Jacobson - a cappella chant - good easy fast work
Star in the east - Brad Holmes - a Capella, irishy sounding christmas work
Cosita Linda -  Pacho Galan - acapella, has a puertorican feel
Two Japaese Proverbs - Bary Kent Walth - nice!
John Saw Dun Numbuh - Parker/Shaw - nice fun spiritual

Michigan State University - AMAZING
all music very difficult

Nordic Choir
Ave Maria - Pawel Lukaszewski - slow, acapella...beautiful for great HS or College
Excerpts from an Apostrophe to the Heaely Hosts - HEarly Willan - GREAT for CHURCH choir (difficult!)
The Old Church - Stephen Paulus - very beautiful
O Lord God - Paul Tschesnokoff - slow beautiful, acapella

Lawrence Children's Choir
Schlafe, mein Liebster - arr Tandy Reussner - good chuch work (easy)
EveryNight When the Sun Goes In - Arr Paul epp - vaudville sound...would work well in a community choir
Music in my mothers house - Stuart Stotts
Seal Lullaby - Whitacre - very nice! caputres the sea, irish feel to it. with piano acc.
Come and Sing-Wallace Hornady, arr Marilyn Epp and Janeal Krehbiel (SSAA) - great uplifing song - fairly difficutl

Pacific Youth Choir - Coro Pacifica
A midsummer Night's Dream ; finale - fast, lot of text...nice for women
Ride on king Jesus - Hogan - great with women

Green Valley High School Madrigal Singers
Venite Exultemus - fast, difficult, acapella...GREAT
Sing me to heaven - Gawthrop - beautiful interpretation
Si ch'io vorrei morire - Monteverdi - great Monteveri work! must be a great HS or Up
The Barber of Seville Overture - Rossini, arr. Dryl runswick - AMAZING! she had the kids pretending to play the instruments that they were singing.
  

Look at music by Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory!
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.html?cart=34456163507313528&target=smp_artbrowseresults.html%26style%3Dartist%26artist%3DPaul%2520Caldwell%2520%2526%2520Sean%2520Ivory&s=pages-http%253A//www.google.com/search%253Fq%253DPaul%252BCaldwell%252Band%252BSean%252BIvory%2526ie%253Dutf-8%2526oe%253Dutf-8%2526aq%253Dt%2526rls%253Dorg.mozilla%253Aen-US%253Aofficial%2526client%253Dfirefox-a&e=/sheetmusic/artist/I/Paul_Caldwell_%26_Sean_Ivory.html&t=&k=&r=wwws-err5

Mr. Buckley

Great Reasourses

http://www.cyberbass.com/

http://www.choralnet.org/

http://music.ou.edu/

http://www.artsjournal.com/

http://www.choralnet.org/

http://www.good-ear.com/

C.V.

Matthew Steven Smyth
Norman, OK
MatthewSmyth@gmail.com


Education:

The University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK
2009, M.M., Choral Conducting, GPA: 4.0

Moravian College; Bethlehem, PA
2005 B.M., Vocal Performance, graduated cum laude

Summer Programs:

Yale Summer School of Music
2008, Norfolk Choral Conducting and Chamber Music Festival
Conductor

Teaching Experience:

Musika; New York, NY
January 2009 – present
Music teacher
Responsibilities:
• Teach voice lessons
• Teach piano lessons

The University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK
January 2009 – present
Director of Men’s Choir
Responsibilities:
• Selecting music
• Leading rehearsals
• Conducting all performances
• Assisting in all administrative tasks

The University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK
August – December 2008
Director of University Chorus
Assistant Director of University Chorale
Responsibilities:
• Selecting music
• Leading rehearsals
• Conducting all performances
• Assisting in all administrative tasks

The University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK
August 2007 – May 2008
Director of Women’s Choir
Assistant Director of University Choir
Assistant Director of Chamber Choir
Responsibilities:
• Selecting music
• Leading rehearsals
• Conducting all performances
• Assisting in all administrative tasks

Park Slope Singers; Brooklyn, NY
September 2006 – June 2007
Assistant Conductor
Responsibilities:
• Leading rehearsals in absence of Dr. Thye
• Leading group in 1/3 of program
• Assisting in all administrative tasks

Professional Vocal Experience:

The University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK
September 2007 – present
University Chorale
Collegium Musicum
Vocalist and Conductor
Dr. Robert Greenleee, Music Director

Christ the King Roman Catholic Church; Oklahoma City, OK
March 2008 – present
Conductor and Vocalist
Mr. Edwin Day, Director of Music

The First Presbyterian Church of New York; New York, NY
September 2005 – June 2007
Vocalist
Dr. William Entriken, Music Director

Vox Ama Deus; Philadelphia, PA
September 2003-May 2005
Vocalist
Dr. Valentin Radu

Related Employment:

The Metropolitan Opera; New York, NY
September 2006 – May 2007
Supernumerary
Responsibilities:
• Act in various productions throughout the year.

MidAmerica Productions; New York, NY
March 2006 – June 2007
Assistant to Principle Conductor in Residence, and General and Artistic Director
Responsibilities:
• Assist in all tasks required for the successful running of our concert series at Carnegie Hall.

Riverside Choral Society; New York, NY
September 2005 – June 2007
Operations Intern
Responsibilities:
• Mailings
• Marketing
• Advertisements
• Concert planning
• Other general duties.

International Music Company and Bourne Co., New York, NY
June 2005 -- June 2006
Production Associate
Responsibilities:
• Take charge of all books to be printed in house
• Bring the system up to date by digitalizing books, and sending them to the sellers.
• Extensive computer time: scanning, arranging, editing, and printing manuscripts.
Grants and Fellowships:

OGSS Grant (University of Oklahoma Grant, 2008) $300
OSM Grant (University of Oklahoma Grant, 2008) $600
OGSS Grant (University of Oklahoma Grant, 2008) $300

Awards:

Full Time assistantship 2007-2009 – The University of Oklahoma
Arthur Hugo Music Scholarship - Moravian College
Outstanding Senior Greek Leader - Moravian College
Intelligencer Newspaper Scholarship

Publications:

The Choral Journal – Compact Disc review of La Venexiana – pending
The Choral Journal – Compact Disc review of The King’s Singers -- pending

Affiliated Organizations:

American Choral Directors Association - Member
Free and Accepted Masons- Master Mason
Delta Omicron Music Honors Fraternity- Member
Omicron Gamma Kappa National Leadership Fraternity- Member
Omicron Gamma Omega Fraternity- President
Gamma Sigma Alpha National Honor Society- Member
Boy Scouts of America- Eagle Scout

Recital

Matthew Smyth
Spring 2009
Recital works


Chorale

1. Io Tacero – C. Gesualdo (1566- 1613)
2. Bogorodistse Djevo – Arvo Pärt (1935-
3. The Blue Bird -- Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
4. Danny Boy S- Traditional arr. R. Wagner (1914-1992)
5. Ward the Pirate – R Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
6. Ergen Deda – Peter Lyondev
7. Shicksalenker, blicke nieder – Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
8. One by One – Lebo M. arr J. Leavitt


Men’s Choir

1. Drunken Sailor
2. Poor Man Lazrus
3. The Pasture
4. Shto me e milo
5. Monteverdi – Lamento della ninfa
a. In three movements
6. School songs
a. Oklahoma Hail
b. O.K. Oklahoma
c. O.U. Chant

this national convention

REVITALIZED!

What an amazing week of choral music. Such passionate music making, teaching, companionship. Thank you to all who performed, taught and shared.