Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Rehearsal agenda for 10/5 and more on 11/29 call time

You'll see that yesterday's post updated the 11/29 rehearsal schedule. It is very likely that the chorus will be called in later than 1:30 so that you won't be sitting through the entire instrumental rehearsal. I'll keep you posted, but I'm hoping for 2:30.

Here's the plan for Sunday:

  • 6-6:10 warmup
  • 10-20 Bach I, A & B
  • 20-30 Bach I, C
  • 30-35 Bach I, D
  • 35-40 Bach I, F
  • 40-50 Bach I, H
  • 50-7pm Bach III, E
  • 7-7:10 Bach III, G
  • 10-20 BREAK and soprano meeting to determine S1 & S2 assignments
  • 20-30 Bach I, E
  • 30-40 Bach I, G
  • 40-55 Bach III, beginning up to C
  • 55-8pm Bach III, D
  • 8pm-8:10 Bach III, F
  • 10-30 Amen
You'll notice that I'm jumping around a lot in this reading rehearsal. That's because we'll be reading in groupings of like sections. It's a good idea to think of this as you prepare.

What are the most difficult spots in Bach? If you don't have much time to prepare, what is the very least you should look at before this rehearsal? I suggest that you pay closest attention to:
  • Bach I: E, G
  • Bach III: C, E
Keep those sections in mind throughout all of our fall rehearsals. Bach is never easy, but he is always rewarding. See you Sunday!

Monday, September 29, 2014

November 29 dress rehearsal schedule updated

Saturday, November 29 @ Friends Academy
1:30-4pm mandatory rehearsal
4-6:30pm dinner break (food provided by NBSO)
6:30-9pm mandatory rehearsal

Sunday, September 28, 2014

on BWV 191

As you now know, the additional work for this fall's concert is Bach's Gloria, BWV 191. This is almost identical to the Gloria found in the B Minor Mass. (For more information, visit the Wikipedia article.)

I tend to prefer the period instrument performances found online. For the purpose of learning the piece, however, these aren't entirely useful, since those ensembles are pitched a half-step lower than our "modern" pitch. 

Here's the D Major Gloria played beautifully in D-flat:




There are many performances out there on YouTube, so I'll let you make up your own mind. Be aware that there are three movements, and I've only posted one here.

Print options for scores

If you are singing with the NBSO Chorus this fall, you should have received three scores in your inbox, sent in three separate emails:
  • Messiah: Amen
  • Bach: 1st movement
  • Bach: 3nd movement
(Note: the 2nd movement of the Bach is for soloists; no copy is being sent.)

Scores will not be provided at rehearsal. If you are unable to print the scores at home or on your boss's dime, the next best option is to have Staples print them. Staples can either send them to you (before Sunday if you act fast), or you can pick them up at a Staples location of your choice.

How to get your scores to Staples:
  • Option 1: Save them to a USB memory stick and bring it to Staples for them to print. Obviously, this only works if you have a USB memory stick and the knowhow.
  • Option 2: 
  1. Download the files from your email to your desktop.
  2. Go to the Staples Copy & Print website (Click here.)
  3. In the upper left hand corner, click "upload your file."
  4. You will then be prompted to login or create ("register") an account.
  5. Once you've logged in/created an account, click "copy and print services" in the left column.
  6. Next screen: choose "begin" for black and white copies
  7. (You might be prompted to run a Java application. If so, choose "run.")
  8. Choose standard B&W, unless you want to get fancy.
  9. Using the "add files" box in the next screen, add each of your downloaded files. Remember: there are three.
  10. Choose options in the "select job option" column. For this purpose, you'll want B&W, double-sided, portrait orientation, and, further down, three holes punched--or you can choose a binding.
  11. From there it's pretty clear what to do. I recommend paying at the store instead of online. Staples is prone to mistakes, after all.
If you have any problems with this process, please let me know or (why not?) call Staples for help.

If you are singing with us for the first time, your remaining Messiah files are in the right column of this blog. You'll need those, too. Let me know if you have any trouble downloading them, and I'll send them as emailed files.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Got scores?

I am sure that many of you are eager to have the Bach score in hand, along with this year's Messiah addition, the Amen. Alas, I have nothing to send yet, and I will be in touch as soon as scores are available.

Messiah scores (minus the Amen) are currently available at the blog (right column, under "scores").

With any scores, there will be two ways to get them this year:
  1. Download and print them yourself.
  2. Download them and send them to Staples Copy & Print for you to pick up. You get to choose the pickup location, and you can pay when you pick up the scores. Orders usually take less than 24 hours.
I'll give more detailed instructions on how to download, etc. when I am able to make all of the scores available. I appreciate your patience.

As a reminder, we have a reading rehearsal on Sunday, October 5 from 6-8:30pm at Friends Academy. The main purpose of this rehearsal is to read the Bach and the Amen and to assign sopranos to either S1 or S2 (hence the mandatory status of this rehearsal for sopranos). 

Friday, September 12, 2014

Roster for 2014 Messiah/Bach

The roster is now in place for the fall. Please note that a number of the sopranos have not yet been assigned for the Bach Gloria. That will be accomplished at the reading rehearsal on Sunday, October 5.

Where's the music? It's still cooking. Expect it within a week or so. (Music will be available as a download or for purchase.)


Soprano 1 ElizabethDuffy
GenaDeGioia
GretchenSilva
ChristineWatt
FlorenceJacobsen
DeborahRoss
HilareMoniz
NicoleBailey
Soprano 2 GiselaTillier
MargaretJones
LauraEckert
GailBibeau
LucyBly
SusanLeclair
CindyMikkelson
KatieBrengle
DonnaSargent
Sop unlisted ElizabethBedard
JaneCarvalho
DottieGrocott


JudyWillis
KateHancock
JoanUnderwood
KarinGilman
DeborahSiegal
CherylMarotto
AmandaLeMarier
EllenHocker



Alto ElizabethAlmeida
DebCorsino
KarenMiller
LaurindaMorway
LindaDesmarais
GiselePappas
CarolBailey
RebekahBailey
CindyLeBlanc
JenniferCharleson
MargeWaite
DaleStetson
ViTaylor
SusanCohan
JoyceBock
MurielGolden
Anne Whitney
CarolynHamel
TerryCryan
MarianneBermingham
KateSchmitt
BarbaraBrewer
BarbaraWatterson
JudyRosa
JoeyDubois

Tenor 
JeffHolland
JeffNeustadter
FrankWilhelm
RonDesmarais
FrankScarino
ThomasSargent
BarbaraJacobskind
JeffKaufman
AprilMerriam
Bass LloydMendes
SethSchachne
StuartBailey
RogerGauthier
ThomasJansen
FrankLeith
BruceBeamer
JamesWatterson
BrianGilman
TomSchmitt
ArthurPerryman

GeoffTaylor
EdCelette
DaveMills
Pierre
George
Tillier
Rolt