Thursday Thoughts but on Wednesday!

I has a little time today so I thought I'd get these thoughts to you a little earlier in the week when everything was fresh in my head. 

Great work folks - you are making some really wonderful music. Most of the program is in order and really flying now.  You have taken this music so far and most of it is glorious. What has to happen between now and next week (trans: concert week!) is fairly simple: get out of the scores and watch more. I know I'm sounding like a broken record, most things which went wrong last night can be attributed to your not watching: things like not beginning together, tempi slowing down, singing rhythmically together, dynamics, etc.  Please take individual responsibility to know all the scores better - not just the pieces you have grown to love. Dynamics need to be part of your overall understanding of the piece. Some of you still are looking down for the first 4 measures of the piece. We all need to connect all of the time. With musicians of this level, it is not an unreasonable request and this is where the improvements need to be made for next week.

Next week we're at St. Patrick's. Geoff will have the doors open at 6:30 pm and please allow time to park, etc. Dress in layers in case it is cooler in the church.  We will not use risers for Tuesday night (to see if it will work ok) as you will be in a single line.  I want the downbeat to be at 7pm sharp and I will allow 3 full hours for the rehearsal. Friday night will be a 2.5 hour call, but I want to allow the extra time on Tuesday to play with the acoustics.  So next Tuesday will be from 7-10 pm. (I would go earlier but some find it difficult to get here at 6:30 pm.) and the dress on Friday will be from 7-9:30 pm.

We will run all pieces next Tuesday so prepare accordingly.

There will be rehearsal on Tuesday March 29 - I wish I could give you the night off but we have another concert in relatively short order - May 28.  You will receive repertoire for the next concert then.  Please do not take scores from the SNSC box at the MCPA as I will have the librarian put your SNSC scores in with the Camerata rep you will receive on March 29.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard behind the scenes in making this concert happen. Thanks as well to Sheena and Joe last night for terrific solos.

Please continue to talk up this concert, email your friends, your fellow church choir singers, colleagues at work, etc. Invite people to come personally. Our success will be word of mouth and you are our best advertising.  You might be surprised at who would like to hear this repertoire.

Have a great weekend. See you next Tuesday at St. Patrick's.