Please reference the letters below for the latest information regarding the SCHS Choir.
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We believe in transparency, which is why we are sharing what we know to be true AT THIS POINT IN TIME. Please do not panic and know that the following information is subject to change as things develop.

We are ONE WEEK away from PERFORMANCE WEEK!

View guidelines for performers HERE:

TRIP REGISTRATION IS OPEN UNTIL OCTOBER 15. Your deposit is due at that time. 
We need at least 1 chaperone for every 10 students, or the trip will be cancelled. 

View videos on how to register and how to make a payment on the "CHOIR TRIP" tab of our website. 

A hard copy was given out to students in class last week. Please view the document below for more information!

MOVEMENT 1
Tenors - keep air spinning at the ends of phrases. Also, "DAW", not "DOH" - way more space and depth, please, with no dipthong. 

The "luceat" entrances on the first two pages - WATCH! Several people came in early everywhere!

WHAT?!?!?! SOPRANO early "exaudi" - it's BEAT 1!!!!!

I know that it's Friday and you are tired, but that run through was extremely sloppy. Mistakes everywhere. Get some rest tonight and pay attention tomorrow! Don't get distracted by the lights and the new stuff. Focus.

MOVEMENT 2
M. 20 - watch! When you are done singing m. 30, gentle page turns into the next choral section. You did a good job not following along with the solo, but your page turns are super loud!
Great job watching at the "amen" - keep your air spinning and flowing until the very end. 

MOVEMENT 3
Don't press on m. 19-22, it was very strident. 
Don't move at the end of the movement, when Mrs. Keyes is playing her solo!

MOVEMENT 5
Please have a tab or paperclip at the start of this movement so you can turn right to it after the soloist sits.
TENORS?!? What was that word bobble?
Final "SS" was not together in m. 88. Also, don't make it too long. 

MOVEMENT 6
Don't follow along with the solo, please. Also, try to be as still as possible, some of you wiggle a lot.
The "dies irae" was super lackluster as an entrance - don't forget the bright "dee" he wanted.
M. 119, don't breathe there, that's the middle of the word!

MOVEMENT 7
Remember, the end - don't turn the page and be still!

See you tomorrow night, folks! Invite lots of people! 


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Rehearsal Notes Tues. 5/14

WE’RE 0 FOR 2 ON PHONES GOING OFF DURING REHEARSAL. Please fix this, folks.

People who need to look up way more and hold music higher:
Fabiola
Arya
Jada F
Nickerra
Kennedy W.
Ayden C. (and don’t look around, look at the conductor)
Joshua Clark (need a binder)
Joshua Lockett (organize your binder)
Dylan W.
Jaylon M.
Jesse M.
Gabriel
Noah W. (you don’t look up ever)

Movement 7
Some people are saying “jay” and not “jeh” for the word Jerusalem
M. 35, be sure you have changed that “it” to “at” NEW SYLLABLE!!!
Keep one ear on the organ part,
NO PAGE TURN FOR THE FINAL CADENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was almost all tenors who turned the page!
Sopranos, he is very clear with the cut off m. 6, give us a “mih” cut off.
Sopranos, m. 47-48, slender “EH” vowel
“SS” cut off was not together, m. 56 - remember, only chorale should be doing SS, everyone else says “ha-be-a”
Last chord could use more alto note and less soprano.

Movement 1
Tenors, you must have a GOOD vowel. Don’t just make random sounds. SHAPE the note and listen.
Sopranos, pushing sharp at m. 4. Keep the vowel tall.
Altos, don’t push sharp at m. 9 and 11
M. 50 - breath after the first exaudi, before the pp dynamic
M. 61 - only varsity choirs do the “T” release. Everyone else say ve-ni-eh
M. 63 - don’t push, sopranos are very strident
I LOVE the m. 71 “Christe” - it’s stunning here! Many of you are very with it here, with your bodies and spirits! Bravo!
Page 11 to 12, page turn was too aggressive

Movement 5
M. 88 - please watch for the SS release, and don’t make the SS too loud.
Sopranos - no vibrato, m. 76 to the end
M. 83, TB be sure to decresc with all parts, you over sang a bit.
Phrase shaping and syllables are starting to take off now - don’t lose that momentum and please mark your scores and REMEMBER!
Tenors, breathe the AH vowel before you sing to prep the note and vowel.
M. 69 - basses, watch the intonation of the A, the “es” it too spread
M. 83, this “luceat” is different from the movement 1 “luceat” - check your rhythm
M. 59 - eighth rest breath. M. 61 - quarter rest breath. Writing down for those who missed rehearsal. Mark your scores.
Rule of the slurred note: the second note needs to be softer. (example: m. 39)
The half note needs energy at the end of the note.
Page 44-45 - sopranos, watch your intonation (was a little under today). Just sing, don’t be afraid.
M. 74-75. Don’t move a muscle. Don’t ruin the illusion and the magic of that giant pause Faure places there.

Movement 6
M. 41 - 50, sopranos, your rhythm is different from everyone else. Don’t be afraid to bring it out.
Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth!!! DIES IRAE
Eyes up - m. 77 to 84, he changes tempo and slows down
CHORDS AT M. 132!!!! WHAT WERE YOUR PARTS??!?!?!

Movement 2
Tenors are still unsure of text and rhythm at m. 10 and m. 18.
Most cut offs are pretty sloppy. The majority of them are on the and of beat 2.
This is much better than yesterday, but still has a long way to go!
However, give yourself lots of credit. Your musicianship is showing - yay!!!

Movement 3
Don’t move, while Mrs. Keyes plays the whole last few measures!!
Releases - pay attention, and if you didn’t mark them clearly where they go, then don’t do an “ss”.
M. 27 - “sunt” dotted eighth, then sixteenth note. “Sun-tch”
M. 29-30 - terra is still under pitch. I think it is because you are running out of air, so someone breathe earlier to have enough air for the end of the phrase.

Onward to Friday! :-)

Folks, rehearsal behavior was a solid 9 out of 10. PHONES - you MUST check them. They should be off or on silent BEFORE rehearsal starts, even if they are living in your bag.

Movement 1
Eyes, eyes, eyes! Look up from your scores MORE! His tempos are different, and that is okay!
    ALWAYS look up entrances and releases!
Tenors - solo line, move your air. Don’t let the tone get stagnant.
M. 54 - “ad te” - we all move at different times. Count!
M. 63 - unison line was under pitch.
“Nih” - consonant needed at the end of “eleison”
Final cadence - D natural is under pitch
More alto! More bass! - make your
“Christe” - consonant good when forte, but non-existent when soft.
Bass - m. 75 - “eh” vowel needs to be more rounded
Chorale altos - add to the tenor soli line - m. 20-38
    “DO” - no “doh”, “daw”, zero dipthong
“Te” no dipthong

Movement 7
Sopranos - under pitch today. Don’t sing so soft that you are under supported--use your full amount of air. Watch for the tempo. You rushed some spots.
M. 31 - be ready for that entrance! Also, the first two notes of that section are THE SAME, they do not go up until the word “an”.
More alto needed throughout out. Bass part too.
MEMORIZE the last page - don’t turn it. Look up.
M. 48 - he slows down here.
M. 51 - sopranos, watch for your entrance.

Movement 2 (it’s slower)
Tentative singing all over the place! If you are not completely confident on your part, get thyself to a practice room and work on it! Mark your beats. Subdivide the 8th notes!
We’ll be singing this staccato all day long, so get ready.
Altos, G sharp m. 84, the second one is still flat. Most are still singing a G natural.
Basses, m. 81-83 is GROSS! TUNING!
M. 90, add a break between the two Amens, same thing in M. 92. Sopranos, you were jumping the gun early.
Tenor 1 - m. 92, I can’t hear the tenor 1 line.

Movement 6
Accent quarter notes (6/4)
Day of judgement - scary and frightening
It’s like some of you are just seeing the words for the first time! HELLO?!?!?!
Be certain that you got all of his breath marks and accents and cresc.
M. 58 - The words in this measure are ca-la-mi - we have said this over and over! You need to add the last syllable, because the hole punch took it out.
Soprano m. 84-85, your release is different.

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