THS Choirs

Mark your calendar…UPDATED INFORMATION BELOW.

Thursday, May 17th - Perform for Torrington Education Association Retirement Banquet at The Cornucopia.  Arrive warmed up and in uniform at 7:30 p.m. sharp.

Thursday, May 24th - Farewell Concert at The Warner Theatre.  Warm up on your own.  Be in uniform and ready to sing at 6:20 p.m. so we can run through the combined pieces quickly.  Seniors, don’t forget to pick up a carnation.

Thursday, May 31st - Perform National Anthem and another song (TBA) at THS Awards Night.  Meet in Choir room at 6:15 PM sharp!  Awards Night begins at 6:30.  Once we are finished singing, you may leave or sit with the students if receiving an award/recognition.

Graduation: Sing National Anthem – in concert uniform (Seniors in cap and gown, of course!).  Chamber Choir members (not graduates) meet in Warner lobby at 5:40 PM

The concert will be here before we know it!   Let’s ensure the final concert performance of the year is memorable for you, your family, friends, and especially for our graduating Seniors.  Both choirs have great potential for an outstanding performance.  Know your part.

To assist in your preparation, I have posted ”Music Minus One” files in the Recording Studio on CHARMS.  The accompaniment files will be minus your part.  This type of practice tool is challenging and effective.  Let me know if you have questions or problems with the files.

Solo Auditions:

Famine Song Duet (Chamber) – Monday, April 30th.  Audition individually (I will choose someone to sing the other part) or audition as a duet (you choose your duet partner).

City Called Heaven Solo (Chamber) – Monday, May 7th

The Prayer Duet (Combined) - Monday, May 7th.  Audition individually (I will choose someone to sing the other part) or audition as a duet (you choose your duet partner).

Song for the Mira Solos (Concert) - Thursday, May 3rd

What A Wonderful World Solo (Concert) - Thursday, May 10th (changed the date to fix file on Charms)

Write the following dates on each of your pieces.  The preparation timeline is short for the May concert.  Practice and memorize your part sooner rather than later.  Can’t wait to hear these pieces come to life!

CHAMBER CHOIR:    Stand By Me  4-16 / 4-23 ;   City Called Heaven  4-23  / 4-30;    Famine Song  4-23  / 5-7;   Asikha Thali   4-30 / 5-7;   The Prayer  4-30 / 5-7;    O Nata Lux  4-30 / 5-14.  Get an early start on O Nata Lux.  This piece requires plenty of consistent practice over the next few weeks.  Make it a priority to set aside practice time throughout the week.

CONCERT CHOIR: Stand By Me  4-19 / 4-26;    Keep Your Lamps  4-26 / 4-30;    What A Wonderful World  4-26 / 5-3;    The Prayer  5-3 / 5-10;    Song for the Mira  5-3 / 5-17.

A busy weekend kept me from posting O Nata Lux parts until this evening.  I still want you to listen to your O Nata Lux part as specified in the previous post, but I’ll understand if you don’t have time.  Note: O Nata Lux is a tough song to record because of the repetitive eighth notes.  The part recording is to learn pitch/rhythm only!  Listen to the performance file to learn expressive style, connected singing.

City Called Heaven and Famine Song have been posted since last Wednesday, so please be familiar with those pieces.  Stand By Me and The Prayer will be posted later this week.

Preparation and memorization deadlines will be posted by Wednesday.  We have a short amount of time to prepare for the Farewell Concert, so please practice often and arrive to class prepared each week.  No excuses and no sight-reading your music in class – you should be familiar with your part, not figuring it out during class.  We can work through problem areas in class – just don’t want to waste time teaching parts to those who have not practiced at all.

Check the voice assignments folder in Charms so you are sure to learn the correct part.

If you have not picked up the music, please do so before the end of school on Friday.  If you fail to pick up your music by Friday, then go to Charms and study the music online.  No excuses on Monday night, please.

Be prepared to read through City Called Heaven, Stand By Me, and Famine Song.  In addition, work through m. 12 of O Nata Lux and, if we have time, mm. 29-44 of Asikha Thali (will teach in class if parts are not posted).

I will let you know (a new post here) when the practice files for O Nata Lux are posted.

PLEASE NOTE!!  Voice assignments will be posted soon in the “Chamber Voice Assignments” folder on Charms.  Please be sure to learn the correct part.

Preparation / Memorization dates will be posted soon.  See you Monday!

Most of the Chamber Choir performance examples have been posted to Charms.   Will continue to post music/files tomorrow and throughout the week.

Seniors:  Please go to the 2012 Senior Song Choices folder on Charms and listen to the recordings.  I haven’t found a choral arrangement of The Circle of Life yet.  Please let me know if you have a preference or would like to suggest another song.  Need to make a decision by Monday, April 2nd.   I will add it to the concert as a combined piece.

Thanks to the Concert and Chamber Choir members for their focused performance at last night.  All the hours of practice and preparation culminated in an overall strong concert for both choirs.  From Mrs. Creedon: “Tonight’s Choir and Orchestra Concert was wonderful, as always.  Please express my thanks and congrats to our THS students.”  Good job!

FYI- I still need some pictures from the December or March concert for the yearbook.  If you have any to share (even if it is not of the full choir), please email as an attachment to me or bring in to school next week.  Thanks!

Chamber Choir:  Please make note of the new performance added in May.  Mark your calendar and communicate the date to parents/employers well in advance.  This is a mandatory performance.  We have been invited to sing for the TEA Retirement Dinner (they love Chamber Choir!) on Thursday, May 17th.  The time is TBA, but will be in the evening after 7:00 p.m.  You should be done by 8:30 – I’ll keep you posted.

On Monday, we will be begin working on the Farewell concert music.  Please check Charms over the weekend – listen to performance examples at least once.  A pdf and practice files will be posted as well (all practice files might not be posted until the end of next week).  No need to print the music – I will have hole-punched packets for you on Monday.

Concert Choir – Your music and files will be posted this weekend.  We will begin singing through the pieces on Monday.  Mark your calendar for the May 24th Farewell Concert.