Thursday Thoughts

Everyone,

Thank you for a great final rehearsal.  There was some really exciting music making on Tuesday and I am so looking forward to singing this program at St. Bernard's.

So to review:

The call for the choir is 2:30 pm on Sunday afternoon in the church.  Please allow ample time to get there, arrive,  use the washroom, etc., etc.  I will have a maximum of 45 minutes singing in the church before we will have to vacate for the audience, and I will need all of that. Placements will be different, and I want everyone to be comfortable when we being at 4pm.

The concert is 75 minutes of music (including encore) plus intermission.  There likely will be refreshments for the choir afterwards in the sacristy (out back).

We will gather in the sacristy before the concert and at intermission.

Please bring all HCS scores you have to return to the blue box in the sacristy immediately after the concert.


Directions to St. Bernard:

http://mapq.st/k9qYUJ?__domain=ca    (Mapquest)


Click on the link and take it from there. The directions are specific to coming fron Truro but HRM people pick up the directions from highway 101. I prefer going through the Rawdon Hills to Windsor however that's likely because i like the twisty roads in the Miata! You have better road coming in the 102 and then picking up the 101 in Bedford. An interesting note: MapQuest gives the time from Truro at 3h 30" while Google Maps puts it at 4h 30".  I think Google Maps is more accurate so don't short change your drivig time.


But for basic directions from Hwy 101:  Take exit. 4B (Evangeline Trail) to Hwy 101 for about 240 km. Take the exit NS-1 ramp to NS- 340/ Belliveau Cove/Grosse Cocques/Church Point and head toward Church Point for a couple of k and you will see a grand stone Catholic church on the right hand side of the road. You can't miss it! 

If there are discrepencies or confusion please email each other. I am auditioning in Halifax Saturday morning and will be leaving Truro around 9:30 am.

Drive safe and I'll see you in St. Bernard.

		140 m
		66.9 km
		173 km
	11. Take the NS-1 ramp to NS-340/Belliveau Cove/Grosses Coques/Church Point
		300 m
	12. Turn right onto Evangeline Trail (signs for Nova Scotia 1Trunk W/Saint Bernard/Belliveau Cove/Grosses Coques/Church Point)
		2.4 km
	13. Turn left onto Gaudet Rd
		400 m

St Bernards Catholic Rectory St Ber

Thursday Thoughts

It never ceases to amaze me the varied amount of organizational hard work it takes to run Camerata.  I just emailed you the results of our successful Canada Council operations grant. The amount of hours it took to put that grant together, and the many areas of the organization's activity which were inputted into the application itself was staggering. What committment we have - people so willing to help and have the expertise to help the organization move forward. 

As we countdown to the final run out to St. Bernard in a little over a week,  please make sure you are confident with all the scores on the program. On Tuesday we will essentially run the program and I expect all eyes out of the music. Please download a copy of the program and put it in your folders as you will need to refer to it a number of times, if only to keep your scores in concert order. 

Some housekeeping items: Some of you are consistently arriving late - please don't. Rehearsal begins at 7pm and the warmup is important. If you need time to find a parking place or deal with traffic, please leave home earlier.  Also please arrive this Tuesday with your scores in concert order so we can get straight to the program.

Auditions: The first round of auditions for Camerata is taking place on Saturday morning, June 25th at Bethany United.  Next season there are vacancies for altos, tenors and baritones (unless there are sopranos not coming back who haven't spoken to me) and I hope to fill at least one of those positions from the auditions scheduled for the 25th.  Some of you have said that you knew of singers interested in singing with Camerata so please forward on any names you have, give them my email address. Audition info is on the website.  I am especially interested in two tenors and a baritone (sounds like a B Italian movie!) 

Speaking of replacements, Laura, Chris, Lynn and Robin are taking what I hope to be a leave next season to concentrate on their jobs and in the case of Robin, to go back to school to do an MBA.  Hopefully all this is temporary, as I know we all will miss these talented singers and lovely people.  St. Bernard will be their last concert. I wish you all well and thank you so much for everything you have given to Camerata.

So next Tuesday we run the program and then on Sunday at 2:30 pm we meet at St. Bernard for a short sound check.  Until then, stay dry!

Thursday Thoughts (on Wednesday!)

I'm writing a little earlier this week as tomorrow I leave for Halifax for three very busy days with the Board of the Association of Canadian Choral Communities. 

Great so see you all last night (well not all of you - we had 5 singers missing, but you get what I mean) Isn't it interesting how it takes a little time to get back into scores we have left for a while.  And with scores which the parts have multiple divisi, it really doesn't come together until everyone is present.

So with that in mind, it is really crucial that for the remaining two rehearsals, everyone attend, barring being hit by a bus! Musique St. Bernard is a highly regarded music series and i want us to do our best work down there.

For next Tuesday please prepare the following:

Many Winters - Enns (everyone review carefully; needs work)
First Snow - Holten (women need to feel every 8th note - rhythm needs to be sung w confidence)
i thank You God - Whitacre (m. 84-89 were insecure in the concert.  Be absolutely sure of your part)
Benedicto - Sisask  (clean up phrase endings; Men: ck notes top of P. 7 & open 4ths & 5ths in B1 & B2)
Ave Verum - Raminsh (review)
On suuri sun rantas autius - arr. Torma (review)
O Sacrum Convivium - Miskinis

Please note: I have sent our version of Many Winters from the November concert to Sean to put on the Choir Only page of the website so you can learn from that first performance.  Sean or I will email you to let you know when he has had a chance to upload it. Please listen to it with the score.

Thanks again for a good rehearsal last night.  Welcome again to Bill (B2) and Judith (S1)

See you next Tuesday.

Thursday Thoughts

There is a quote which reads:  I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours.  But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places.  Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality. (H. A. Overstreet)

I think the quote sums up rather well the impact you made on many of our concert patrons last Saturday in St. Patrick's. I have had so many messages, emails, conversations, etc of people who were not only there, but took the time to try to put into words what your music meant to them. Some examples:

- It is a real privilege to be part of this music-making (SNSC member)

- Saturday night’s concert was a highlight! Just spectacular! It brought me to tears when I was describing how beautiful it was to someone the next day! You and every member of the choir should be very proud!  (concert patron)

- it was the most exquisite musical event I have been to in a very long time - moved me to tears, touched the soul and was so beautifully choreographed - such a gift and commitment you have to the art - thank you. (patron who has not heart the choir in a long time)

- Yes, it does remind us why we do music, to lift people's souls (SNSC member)

I included some of the comments to remind you that we do more than just sing concerts and make pretty music. People come to our concerts for various reasons and one such reason is that our music helps them cope with whatever life is throwing at them. We must not loose sight that.
 
So on to St. Bernard's!  Another wonderful acoustic - very different but wonderful.  The program is below - I know I sent it to you at least once before but you need to have a copy of this in your folder. Go through your scores before Tuesday and make sure you have everything. Please do this now - not three weeks downthe road. Email me if there is anything missing.
 
I also want to welcome Judith Burdett (soprano) and Bill Perrot (bass) who will be singing this concert with us. Please introduce yourselves to Judith and Bill if you don't already know them.
 
This concert is a combination of the year's work and we have performed everything before in concert this season.  However there are scores which need to be reviewed, so for this Tuesday, at First Baptist I will concentrate on the following:

Many Winters - Enns
O Sacrum Convivium - Miskinis
I Am Not Yours - Stroope
Benedicto - Sisask
First Snow - Holten
Kyrie - Palestrina (I am considering doing the Christe w a solo quartet. Email me if you are interested)
Northern Lights - Gjeilo

See you Tuesday.

Musique St. Bernard Program

Sunday June 26, 2011 4pm - St. Mary’s Church, St. Bernard, NS
Call for choir: 2:30 pm

Programme order

Totus Tuus – Henryk Górecki  9’
Ave Verum – Imant Raminsh * 5:15
Benedicto – Urmas Sisask  6:30 (Tristan to conduct)
Agneau de Dieu – Rupert Lang *  (3) * (quartet: Christina, Laura, Chris, Lynn)
Nunc Dimittis – Arvo Pärt (6:40)  (solo: Danielle)
O Sacrum Convivium – Vytautas Miškinis (Lithuania) 4:45

Intermission

i thank You God for most this amazing day – Eric Whitacre (6)  (solo: Paula)
Lay A Garland – Robert Pearsall (2:45)
Many Winters – Jeff Enns * (9:30)
I Am Not Yours – Randall Stroope (4)
First Snow - Bo Holten (Denmark) (5)
Northern Lights – Ola Gjeilo (Norway) (4:45)
On suuri sun rantas’ autius – trad Finnish/arr. Juha Törmä 3
[encore: Kyrie (Missa Brevis) – Palestrina]