Kick-Off Event:  08/24/08

• Ice Breaker:

  • Each member describes:

    • Name

    • Main Activity during the day

    • Favorite Pizza topping

    • First Choral memory

• Singinging:

  • Autumn Time

  • Dig Down Deep

  • Everything Possible

  • How Could Anyone

  • Lean on Me (I am your sister)

  • Music in My Mother's House

  • On Children

   

• Pizza and Conversation

• Workshop on Marking Found in Music (with handout)

• Singinging:

  • Christmas Chopsticks

  • Break & Roses

• Discussion:

  • Holiday Party Venue:

    • Peggy will confirm 12/06/08 at Federated Church

    • Connie reported all other possibilities were too expensive

 

 

Monthly Chat Notes from: 02/03/08

"Whom to Benefit for Spring Concert"

• DeKalb Library "Music in the Stacks":

  • Not going to benefit them for this April 26th concert

  • If they get back to us, maybe we could work something out sometime.

   

• YMCA's program for disabled/physical therapy:

  • Patty and Gayla have used the program and say it's wonderful.

  • They could provide ushers and refreshments  . . .

  • We need to discuss  -with them- their part in advertising.

    • Mailing list

    • Newsletter

    • Introduction at concert . . .

  • We must be clear about how much we're giving them.

    • A % of profits? - perhaps 80%them, 20% us?

    • Give more to them if we don't need to replenish as much

  • We must be sure (and have in writing) that the money we give the program will be used only for them, and not for other programs at the Y. Also we want to know that this donation will not be deducted from regular budgeted moneys slotted for this program.

   

• How much do we give a beneficiary?

  • We discussed taking a 3 year average of what we spend to determine how much money we need in our coffers per year.

  • We can then make a decision on whether we give a percentage above profit to a beneficiary, or whether we keep a blanket dollar amount from each concert to cover expenses, then always give the remainder to the beneficiary.

   

• Hospice is our plan B - or our next Spring's beneficiary.

 

 

Monthly Chat Notes from: 01/09/08

"Concert Quality vs Quantity & Spring Concert Preparedness"

  See Peggy's hand-out for details on this topic

• Possible Differences Between Then and Now:

  • More new music

  • More retired and therefore more traveling members

  • Maybe we were less prepared then

  • Strong vocal "section leaders" gone

  • Less members

   

• Things to Try

  • Only have 1 hour concerts

  • Maybe 1/2 group each learns different songs

  • Guest Performers:

    • Quartets (perhaps Cymbal)

    • Soloists (perhaps Zenia)

    • Piano Solo (perhaps Lynn)

    • Other Instrumental Solos

  • Emphasize rehearsing on our own

  • Get serious right from the start - not the week before we perform

  • Regular sectionals during rehearsal time

  • Listening to/previewing songs prior to learning the music cold

  • Have an ensemble perform a piece one year, then act as strong section leaders for whole group to learn the piece the next year

   

• For our Next Holiday Concert/Party (non-benefit)

  • Keep the casual party atmosphere, but get a larger venue so more can attend.

  • No extra rehearsal the week of the performance

   

• For Performances in General

  • Rehearse in a circle, then practice concert formation in rehearsals just prior to performance

  • We want Quality performances over Quantity of music - new or old.

   

• April Concert

  • Theme is "Relationships"  moving through self, family friends, community and world.

  • Music Committee is meeting to pare down the play list.

 

 

Director's Notes - Post Concert: December 16, 2007

 

Our next Monthly Chat will be: January 6th - 5:15pm -  Topic:  Concert Preparation for our Spring Concert; or How to Balance Our Attendance Policy With Quality Rehearsals and Concerts.

 

What a great party!  Heard many comments of "lets do this again" so . . .  let's think about that.  What worked for us & what didn't, etc. 

 

Thank you all for the card & cash.  It's always nice to know I'm appreciated : - )

 

A few wrap-up details:

 

1.  Song books.  I came up a few short and they belong to Federated Church.  So if you - or someone with you - happened to bring one or more home please let me know.  Thanks!

 

2.  Music found.  Julie - I have your black music notebook and will bring it on Jan. 6 unless you crave to review your music before then, in which case let me know and maybe we can hook up over the break.

 

3.  Water bottle lost.  I left my small water bottle on the table near where I was directing.  If you picked it up & wondered whose it was - now you know.  I like it because it fits well in my bag so if you have it please let me know.  (No big deal if it got pitched.)

 

4.  Reminder:  Next rehearsal is January 6 with discussion at 5:15 on Concert Preparation for our Spring Concert; or How to Balance Our Attendance Policy With Quality Rehearsals and Concerts.   If you can't join the discussion you can send comments ahead if you wish to either me or the steering committee (except Lynn who will be gone).  The music committee will then set a date to meet soon thereafter to amend our plans for the concert depending on what we've decided that night - so it IS an important discussion!  We will rehearse at 6:00.  [Jan will be there at 5:00 so if you want to bring something to eat - or just socialize - you can come a bit early.  I hope to see most of you there : - )

 

That's it for now - again, we had a great time last night and I wish you all a wonderful and hopefully peaceful holiday : - )

 

 

 

Monthly Chat Notes from: 11/18/07

"Concert Preparedness"

• Strive to “over-practice” our songs.  Even when we think we know it, continue to do it anyway for review & to keep it “fresh.”

• It’s difficult to switch from rehearsal positions (the “U”) to concert positions (usually in rows).

• Pre-prepare your music.  Look at it BEFORE you get to rehearsal.

• Rehearse only 1 semester’s music until we have all the songs “down.”  Then we can expand to the next semester’s music.

• Repetition of songs rehearsed during rehearsal is very helpful.

• First learn notes, then add rhythms, intonations, loudness, softness, etc.

• Sectionals are good, as long as there is someone to help play the correct notes!  Perhaps have 2-parts go together, if this would help.

• Sectionals are best if held at beginning of semester.

• “Code” your music in your own way using spectacles, arrows, colored pencils, etc....whatever is easy (& fast) for you to know what’s coming.

• Before beginning a song, have Director remind us of certain “problem” spots with that song.

• Good idea to always have a dress rehearsal a few days before concert to refresh our minds of what we’re about to sing.