Lee Hayes Vox Member Rehearsal History: 2017

This page simply records the songs sung, and the homework assigned,
at each of the Lee Hayes Vox rehearsals in 2017.

Homework for Between
Rehearsals in 2017

In mid November of 2011 Lee revised the status of the various songs in our active repertoire, classifying them into the following three groups: Current Songs, On-the-Fence Songs and Dropped Songs (that we almost never do now).
Every so often she adds new songs and downgrades older ones.
In her words, “Here is our repertoire, in order of what we sing most, at the moment:
the starred ones are sung at almost every gig.”

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The Active Repertoire
(in alphabetical order)

1. Addicted to Love (*)
2. All My Loving (*)
3. Billie Jean
4. Boogie Fever
5. California Dreaming
6. Calling All Angels
7. Celebration (*)
8. Close Your Eyes (*)
9. Donde Estas Yolanda (*)
10. Father Figure
11. Gravity (*)
12. Hallelujah (*)
13. Here Comes the Sun (*)
14. How Will I Know (*)
15. I Think I Love You (*)
16. Last Train to Clarksville
17. Mamma Mia
18. Mercy (*)
19. Never Gonna Give You Up (*)
20. Nobody’s Fault but Mine (*)
21. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
22. Rumour Has It (*)
23. Scarborough Fair (*)
24. Take Me to Church (*)
25. Tempted
26. The Way You Make Me Feel (*)
27. With a Little Help (from My Friends) (*)
28. You Cannot Lose My Love (*)
29. You Gotta Be (*)

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These Were In Circulation for a Long Time
but Are Now On the Fence and Rarely Done

1. A La Nanita Nana
2. Chain of Fools
3. Eternal Flame
4. For What It’s Worth
5. Houdini’s Box
6. I Wear My Sunglasses At Night
7. La Isla Bonita
8. Time After Time
9. You’re All I Need (to Get By)

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These are Really Old and We Never Do Them Now

• Ain’t No Sunshine
• Both Sides Now
• Crystal
• Drive My Car
• Fields of Gold
• I Feel the Earth Move
• Kimbieni (the short version)
• Knowing Me, Knowing You
• O Canada
• Rock the Boat
• Tainted Love
• This Land Is Your Land

Please make sure that you have your music and cheat sheets organized accordingly for rehearsals, and use these lists as guidelines for what songs to work on between rehearsals.

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Rehearsals in December 2017

As yet we do not offer the history of the future!

Rehearsals in November 2017

As yet we do not offer the history of the future!

Rehearsals in October 2017

As yet we do not offer the history of the future!

Rehearsals in September 2017

As yet we do not offer the history of the future!

Rehearsals in August 2017

As yet we do not offer the history of the future!

Rehearsals in July 2017

Notes on the July 19^th Rehearsal

It was extremely stuffy in the sanctuary so we rehearsed in the cooler basement.

This was Lee’s last rehearsal before her departure for Vancouver.
As has become usual, it was devoted to helping Silas learn the songs,
and coming to a mutual understanding with him on how to perform them.
Silas took the whole rehearsal, with Lee conducting a last farewell song.

1. You Gotta Be – we sang this standing in a circle.
   We started with a run through from the top, then revisited the ending.
   After we seemed to be on top of everything we did a half-and-half.
   Both halves produce valiant efforts, and it was great to hear the song.
2. Mercy – we sang this standing in a circle.
   It was great and we really stuck the ending.
3. Hallelujah – we sang this standing in a circle.
   Silas said that it was pretty good.
4. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – we sang this standing in a circle.
   Silas described it as very nice, and awesome, but we need to watch the beat.
5. Take Me to Church – we sang this standing in a circle.
   Silas described it as awesome, but we were somewhat shaky into the bridge.
   We all need to do homework with the MP3s, focusing on the bridge.
6. Celebration – we sang this standing in a circle.
   It was OK, but lacked the pizazz we had at last week’s rehearsal.
   Silas worked with us on the ending, which is still somewhat erratic.
7. All My Loving – we sang this standing in a circle.
   Silas felt that it was totally awesome.

We closed the rehearsal singing Close Your Eyes in the round.
This was Lee’s request for her last song before she departs,
and we sang it off book with enough emotion to make her cry.

We again had an excellent Summer attendance, with everyone enthusiastic.

At the end of the rehearsal we gave Lee a bon voyage card,
Then most repaired to a party kindly hosted nearby by Marty and Julie.

Note: Lee has asked Silas to revive Papa was a Rolling Stone;
She plans to revise her arrangement so watch for new scores and MP3s.

Notes on the July 12^th Rehearsal

This was the penultimate rehearsal before Lee leaves for Vancouver.
It was again devoted to helping Silas learn the songs, and coming
to a mutual understanding with him on how to perform them.
Essentially Silas took the whole rehearsal, with Lee stepping in once.

1. You Gotta Be – we spent the entire first half on this.
   We started with a run through from the top until we fell apart.
   We worked on the outro in detail until we mastered it.
   We then visited all problem spots for every part.
2. Celebration – Lee took the first run through
   There was lots of energy, but we have to pronounce Seh-Leh-Brate.
   Silas took the second run through and Lee admired our response to him.
3. Gravity – which was beautiful, even though we dropped two semitones!
   The ending was awesome. However, Lee reminded us that
   the pronunciation for neither is nye-ther and not knee-ther.
   Basses need to check for the revised bass part and corresponding MP3.
4. All My Loving – which was absolutely awesome.
   Silas took this one somewhat faster than we are used to,
   which really forced us all to concentrate and focus.

We had a pretty good Summer attendance and everyone worked hard.

Notes on the July 5^th Rehearsal

This was another rehearsals devoted to helping Silas learn the songs,
and coming to a mutual understanding with him on how to perform them.
Silas took the first four songs while Lee sang with various sections,
then Lee had withdrawal symptoms and conducted the last three songs.

1. You Gotta Be – we spent the entire first half on this.
   We started with a run through from the top until we fell apart.
   Silas then worked in detail on verse three to the end of the song.
   We can now get through the entire song, but still struggling in spots.
2. Donde Estas Yolanda – one solo voice at the very end!
   We sang this reasonably well, but still lacking in dynamic variation.
3. Gravity – which Silas said was beautiful.
   Everyone needs to listen for the sopranos and sing softer if we can’t hear them.
4. The Way You Make Me Feel – which went reasonably well.
   After we sang the song through, Silas worked on the timing of the ending.
5. Take Me to Church – Lee took this one with considerable gusto.
   She described it as so good, but said that she heard bar lines!
   We need to focus on not pausing at them but singing through.
6. Mercy – Lee conducted this one as well, with equal vigour.
   She loves it as a fun song, and said that our rendition was great.
7. I Think I Love You – which we sang off book.
   Lee chose to do this one when we had a little time still left.
   At the end she declared that it had been right on and great.

We had a good attendance, although a few members had missed
the message that the rehearsal had been moved to Trinity Anglican.
It was an excellent rehearsal, and everyone seemed to have fun throughout.

Rehearsals in June 2017

Notes on the June 28^th Rehearsal

This was another rehearsals devoted to helping Silas learn the songs,
and coming to a mutual understanding with him on how to perform them.
Lee handed the entire rehearsal to Silas, while she sang with various sections.

1. You Gotta Be – we continued to learn the revised score.
   We started with a run through from the top until we fell apart.
   Silas then worked to teach us the rhythms of the words in the verses,
   before moving on to add the notes and sung phrasing.
   We successfully mastered two more verses, but have a way still to go.
2. Hallelujah – which Silas said sounded beautiful.
   He was particularly pleased that we responded to his requests for dynamics.
3. Take Me to Church – which Silas simply described as awesome!
4. Gravity – which Silas also described as awesome.
   Silas says that he is still learning the gestures needed for this song.

We had a somewhat small attendance at the outset of this rehearsal,
but it grew to a fair size throughout the course of the evening.

Notes on the June 21^st Rehearsal

This was another rehearsals devoted to helping Silas learn the songs,
and coming to a mutual understanding with him on how to perform them.
Once again Lee and Silas alternated in conducting the songs.

1. You Gotta Be – Lee brought revised scores for the song.
   Lee handed over to Silas from the outset, and he started by mapping the song.
   We then started learning from the beginning and reached the bridge at bar 41.
2. Calling All Angels – which we sang twice.
   Lee took the first run through and complained about a wall of sound,
   suggesting that we were trying to overawe Silas and had forgotten everything.
   Silas then took the second run through, which was great as we paid attention.
3. Hallelujah – which Colin had requested us to sing.
   Silas took this one from the start and it went moderately well.
4. Gravity – which Lee conducted, and we dropped markedly.
   Next week Lee wants to work on the mezzo and alto parts.
5. The Way You Make Me Feel – which Silas conducted.
   It was not bad, but Silas says that he is still learning the gestures.

We had a reasonable attendance for this rehearsal,
welcoming Colin back, temporarily, from his studies far afield.

Notes on the June 14^th Rehearsal

This was another rehearsals devoted to helping Silas learn the songs,
and coming to a mutual understanding with him on how to perform them.
Lee and Silas alternated, as Lee demonstrated her approach to each song.

1. Donde Estas Yolanda – the bridge was problematic.
   We ended up rehearsing the bridge with the guys to get it right.
   Lee remarked that we forgot all the dynamics for Silas,
   producing a wall of sound throughout the entire song.
2. Take Me to Church – Silas conducted this one without Lee.
   Silas confessed that he needs to do more homework on this one:
   there were several places where he had difficulties with indications.
   We had some problems with the syncopation that we need to study.
3. The Way You Make Me Feel – worked through twice.
   Silas conducted this one without Lee also.
   The first time through we started faster than we are accustomed to.
   Silas also lost his place and then we were unable to get back together again.
   The second time through was markedly better.
4. Mercy – which Lee described as right on and great.
   Lee and Silas alternated, and we did some additional work on chorus 2.
5. All My Loving – this worked and was fun.
   Silas took this one, and had clearly done his homework after last week.
6. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – Lee and Silas alternated.
   We had pitch problems as well as some issues with rhythm.
   Lee says that we need do a clean review in upcoming weeks.

We had a medium attendance for this rehearsal;
a little light on guys and sopranos, but all enthusiastic.

Notes on the June 7^th Rehearsal

With our annual concert behind us, we are into
the countdown to Lee’s departure at the end of July.
All the rehearsals will be devoted to helping Silas learn the songs,
which means getting him up to speed on how to help us perform best.

We spent the rehearsal working on several of our current songs,
and one revival that we haven’t sung in a couple of years.
For each song, Lee led us in a part of the song then handed over to Silas.
This alternation continued through to the end of each song,
with Lee pausing to impart details of technique with which we are familiar.

1. Take Me to Church – lots of hard work.
2. Hallelujah – several focused repetitions.
3. The Way You Make Me Feel – worked through twice.
4. All My Loving – this had problems;
   Silas found himself caught out a couple of times, and
   promised to do his homework practicing Lee’s gestures.
5. Papa Was A Rolling Stone – we sang just the first part.
   Lee decided to have us sing the first part of the song as an
   example of one of her more complex and difficult arrangements.
   We hadn’t sung this in a couple of years, but a quick poll
   revealed that enough of us knew it to make a go of it.
   We were enthusiastic, if ragged, until we finally fell apart.
   A fun end to a good rehearsal.

We had a pretty decent attendance for this rehearsal.

Lee also discussed the choir merchandise choices and reminded us
to look out for upcoming e-mails from her with details of colour and size.
Bruce is looking after the order details,
so e-mail Bruce with details of your order choices.
If you have questions about the merchandise, e-mail Lee.

Rehearsals in May 2017

Notes on the May 31^st Rehearsal

There is no rehearsal, the church is in use for a function.

Notes on the May 24^th Rehearsal

This rehearsal was at Trinity Anglican, and we used
the whole rehearsal to work on sets for our upcoming concert:

1. Celebration – which we had to restart!
   Watch for the softer dynamics in the verses.
2. Here Comes the Sun – good; we followed Lee.
   The guys need to be mindful of the one-beats in the choruses.
3. Gravity – beautiful.
   However, it was muddy into the bridge, so study the MP3s.
4. Mercy – which was great.
   We need to watch Lee carefully for the ending.
5. Take Me to Church – which we nailed exactly.
   Really great work all the way through.
6. Hallelujah – which was beautiful.
   Lee said that it will make the audience cry on Sunday.
7. All My Loving – which we sang twice.
   So much energy it was great, but more still needed from the mezzos.
   The second time the mezzos made it great – so good.
8. How Will I Know – which could be even softer.
   The song was very solid, but we should aim to be even quieter throughout.
9. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – good job.
   The mezzos can go absolutely crazy at the end.
10. Calling All Angels – so good.
    This was a great ending to the set.

We closed the rehearsal singing Close Your Eyes in the round.
Lee emphasized the need to leave the stage and find our places quickly.

With no more rehearsals before the concert, Lee reminds us
that doing our homework on our weak spots is vitally important.

After the rehearsal the Cuba group worked on their two songs.

We had a full and enthusiastic attendance for this rehearsal.

Reminder: there will be no rehearsal next week,
the church is in use for a function.

Notes on the May 17^th Rehearsal

We spent the whole rehearsal working on sets for our upcoming concert:

1. Celebration – which was great.
   The mezzos need to be really in it from the get-go.
   Everyone else needs to hush down in the verses to let the mezzos shine.
2. Here Comes the Sun – good stuff.
   However, the mezzos again went flat at the end – study the MP3s.
3. Gravity – a good job.
   The guys need to focus on being rhythmically precise.
4. Mercy – a good job.
   The ending was absolutely perfect.
5. Calling All Angels – that was great.
   Watch Lee throughout, because she will signal the changes for us.
6. All My Loving – which we sang twice.
   The first time was mostly great, but the tenors were out of synch in the bridge.
   The second time was better, with a strong bridge from everyone.
7. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – which we sang twice.
   Overall it was pretty good, but the tenors still had trouble being on the beat;
   the second time through was much better – the tenors got it right.
8. How Will I Know – which was beautiful.
   We did drop three semitones, but we were wonderfully soft throughout.
9. Take Me to Church – beautiful.
   Really great work all the way through.
10. Hallelujah – which was good.
    Don’t slow down at the end – watch Lee for the cues.

We closed the rehearsal singing Close Your Eyes in the round.
Lee could hear the bar lines, so concentrate on her beat.

With only one rehearsals before our concert, Lee reminds us
that doing our homework on our weak spots is vitally important.

After the rehearsal the Cuba group worked on their two songs.

We had a terrific attendance for this rehearsal.

Next week’s rehearsal will be at Trinity Anglican,
at the corner of Bank and Cameron, opposite Hillary’s Cleaners.

Notes on the May 10^th Rehearsal

We spent the whole rehearsal on songs for our upcoming concert:

1. You Cannot Lose My Love – not sung for a long time.
   It ended up being fine after we made a really draggy start.
2. Scarborough Fair – a concert candidate.
   Although we gor through it, it sounded really uncertain.
   Lee has therefore decided to veto it as a concert candidate.
3. Celebration – some inconsistencies.
   Lee says that the guys really need to watch her for the beat.
4. Mercy – which we sang twice.
   The first time through it fell apart and dropped badly – the basses dragged.
   The second time through was much better.
   We all need to learn the words so that we can keep our eyes on Lee.
   The basses really have to study the MP3.
5. Here Comes the Sun – which we sang twice.
   It was fairly good the first time through, but the mezzos went flat at the end.
   Much better the second time, but tenors need to be quieter in the verses.
6. Hallelujah – which went OK.
   Don’t slow down at the end – watch Lee for the entrances and tempo.
7. All My Loving – which went well.
   We did not drop, which was great, but the tenors are late on the fillers.
8. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – which had a false start.
   It was OK, but the tenors are too long on all those really short “Ba”s;
   These tiny syllables should be given just the lightest of short touches.
   The mezzos need to sing up right from their initial entry.
9. How Will I Know – which was pretty good.
   We still need to be even quieter in the quiet sections.
10. Gravity – which we nice.
    Lee said that it was a great way to end a really good rehearsal.

With only two rehearsals before our concert, Lee reminds us
that doing our homework on our weak spots is absolutely critical.
Our current key trouble spots are:

1. Altos need to study section B of all the verses of Hallelujah.
2. The basses really have to study the MP3 for Mercy.
3. The guys need to work on the timing of With a Little Help (from My Friends).

After the rehearsal the Cuba group worked on their two songs.

We had a moderately good attendance for this rehearsal,
although we were noticeably light on basses.

Notes on the May 3^rd Rehearsal

We spent the rehearsal working on songs for our upcoming concert:

1. Hallelujah – which we sang twice.
   The tenors and altos had problems with the rhythms, as at bar 72.
   The second time through had good dynamics.
2. How Will I Know – which we sang twice.
   It was pretty good, but we still need to make the quiet sections quieter!
3. Celebration – which we sang twice.
   Not bad, but we need to keep the rhythm all the way through.
   Better the second time through, when we paid attention.
4. How Will I Know – we got it right,
   thanks to an initial briefing from Lee on the potential trouble spots.
5. Here Comes the Sun – which was just OK.
   Lee will always give us the “BAH BAH”, so watch!
   Guys need to give less in the verses, especially when there are many.
6. All My Loving – which went well.
   However, there are still some dynamic issues, so need to watch Lee.
7. Scarborough Fair – a concert candidate.
   We hadn’t sung this in a long time, but gave it a try.
   It turned out to still be there, but the guys were much too loud;
   this was partly because there were so many guys present,
   but everyone needs to sing softly enough to hear the alto lead.
   This is a possibility for the concert – study your MP3s.

We had an excellent attendance for this rehearsal,
despite a cold that seems to be doing the rounds.

Rehearsals in April 2017

Notes on the April 26^th Rehearsal

We again spent the rehearsal working on songs for our upcoming performances:

1. Mercy – which we sang twice.
   Lee was pleased, saying it was really good, but needs the ending crisper.
   The second time through was excellent.
2. All My Loving – which we sang twice.
   The diction is critical, but Lee thought it was oh so good.
   The second time was a little pitchy, but Lee still said, “Yay!”
3. Gravity – which we sang twice.
   The first time through there was some tenor creativity...
   The mezzos need to really sing out at bar 6.
4. Donde Estas Yolanda – that was good!
   We really stuck the end; the guys need to learn the bridge.
5. Calling All Angels – listen to Jane Siberry.
   The sopranos and mezzos were dragging – need to keep the tempo crisp.
   Everyone needs to learn the lyrics so that we can watch Lee throughout.
6. How Will I Know – which was pretty good.
   We need to watch the dynamics – it’s Sam not Whitney!
   We also need to stay slow in the choruses and not rush, so watch Lee.
7. Hallelujah – which we sang twice.
   Lee said that it’s basically there, with lots of good stuff.
   We are now starting the choruses softly and building through them.
   The second time through was ever so much better.
   The mezzos need to study part B of every verse.
8. Close Your Eyes – we ran out of time.
   Lee had wanted us to sing this, but we had reached the end of our time.

We had a moderately good attendance for this
final rehearsal before our gig next monday.

Notes on the April 19^th Rehearsal

We spent the rehearsal working on songs for our upcoming gig and concert:

1. All My Loving – which we sang twice.
   The first time through was super nice, and the guys were solid in the bridge.
   However, we dropped, and the tenors were tending to drag.
   The second time was beautiful and the guys were perfect in the bridge.
2. Calling All Angels – which we sang twice.
   The first time had a nice ending, but it was a little slow:
   we were sticking on the bar lines and not singing through them.
   The second time was good work, but the mezzos and sopranos
   were slow at verse 2 (bar 44); need to be really tight.
3. Hallelujah – which we sang twice.
   We did a lot of detail patching between the two run-throughs.
   The second time through was great, with good dynamics in the chorus.
   Please make sure you have the latest version of the scores in your books.
4. Mercy – which we sang twice.
   The ending was right on, and Lee described it as wicked and so much fun.
   We sang it again and Lee said it was a good job – study your MP3s.
5. Gravity – which we sang well.
   Lee called it a good job, with lots of feeling.
6. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – we ran out of time.
   Lee had wanted us to sing this, but we had reached the end of our time.

We again had a smallish attendance, but enthusiasm reigned.

Notes on the April 12^th Rehearsal

This rehearsal was taken by bass Ethan while Lee was away.

We spent the rehearsal working on songs for our upcoming gig and concert.

1. Hallelujah – which we sang twice.
   Lots of problems with pitch! We also accelerated in the verses.
   The second time through was great, with a good ending.
   Finally, we worked on chorus 2 (bar 44) through to the end.
2. Gravity – where we had a false start.
   We need to keep in mind that this is a slow song.
   Also, the mezzos need to sing up – their part needs to shine.
3. Here Comes the Sun – which was pretty good.
4. All My Loving – which was almost perfect.
5. How Will I Know – first two-thirds were OK,
   then the timing started to be rushed. Need to watch!
6. Calling All Angels – a great job.
7. Addicted to Love – a good job,
   especially after not having sung it for so long.
8. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – great job,
   after a somewhat rocky start with serious pitch problems.
9. Close Your Eyes – which worked well.
10. Mercy – that was fun;
    Ethan described it as a good stick, and great for not singing it recently.

We had a smallish turnout (only three sopranos), but we had fun.

Notes on the April 5^th Rehearsal

This rehearsal was an evaluation for the third and final
assistant director candidate, Matthieu Roy.

Lee brought along the final part of the new song
being used to evaluate all three candidates, You Gotta Be.
For this rehearsal we recapitulated the outro, verse 1 and chorus,
then worked on the bridge and through to the end, excepting the outro.
The electronic scores and MP3s for the whole song are now available.

Lee started teaching us the song with Matthieu singing with the basses.
Toward the end of the first half she brought Matthieu to the front
and had him lead us in what we had learned, which he seized as an opportunity,
teaching us about breathing techniques and evenness of sound and balance.
This alternation continued through to the end of the rehearsal,
by which time we had learned the whole song except for the outro.

We ended both halves of the rehearsal by singing one of our familiar songs:

End of first half: Take Me to Church – which we sang vigorously.
Matthieu was up front following along in the music as Lee led the choir.
Lee thought it was a good job and well done – Yay!

End of second half: Here Comes the Sun – Yay, all right, musical.
We were happy closing out a long rehearsal and sang with verve
Lee was pleased to report that we produced a fine musical performance.
Once again, Matthieu followed on in the music to get a feel for the choir in full song.

The rehearsal ran long as we worked with Matthieu,
who produced some interesting takes on the song and vocal technique.

We had a reasonably good turnout for this final
evaluation rehearsal for an assistant director candidate.

Rehearsals in March 2017

Notes on the March 29^th Rehearsal

This rehearsal was an evaluation for the second
assistant director candidate, Brett Fortini.

Lee brought along another part of the new song
being used to evaluate all three candidates, You Gotta Be.
For this rehearsal we recapitulated the outro, verse 1 and chorus,
and then worked on verse 2, chorus 2, and the bridge.
The paper scores should be disposed of before the next rehearsal,
when new scores for the final part of the song will be available.

Lee started teaching us the song with Brett singing with the mezzos.
She quickly brought Brett to the front and had her lead us in what we had learned.
This alternation continued through to the end of the rehearsal,
by which time we had learned most of the parts provided for the night.

We ended both halves of the rehearsal by singing one of our familiar songs:

End of first half: Take Me to Church – which we sang twice.
after the first run through Lee stated that the bar lines were audible,
and that we all need to sing with smooth transitions into the bars.
Lee then had Brett conduct the second run through, which went well.

End of second half: Here Comes the Sun – Yay, good job people.
This gave Brett a chance to both get a feel for the choir in full voice,
and to experience shaping the performance of the choir in an entire song.

The rehearsal ran long as we worked with Brett,
who was given considerable freedom to interpret the music her way.

We had another pretty good turnout for this second
evaluation rehearsal for an assistant director candidate.

Notes on the March 22^nd Rehearsal

This rehearsal was an evaluation for the first
assistant director candidate, Silas Chinsen.

Lee brought along part of a new song to be used to evaluate all three candidates.
The song is You Gotta Be, arranged in eight parts.
For this rehearsal we worked with the outro, verse 1 and chorus.
The paper scores should be disposed of before the next rehearsal,
when new scores for the next part of the song will be available.

Lee started teaching us the song with Silas singing with the tenors.
She then brought Silas to the front and had him lead us in what we had learned.
This alternation continued through to the end of the rehearsal,
by which time we had learned all the parts provided for the night.

We ended both halves of the rehearsal by singing one of our familiar songs:
end of first half: Take Me to Church – very fine, well done;
end of second half: All My Loving – great, with lots of energy.
This gave Silas a chance to get a feel for the choir in full voice.

The rehearsal ran long as we worked with Silas,
and then the Cuba group practiced their two songs.

We had a terrific turnout for this first assistant director evaluation rehearsal.

Notes on the March 15^th Rehearsal

Lee was away and the rehearsal was taken by Ethan, Basso Profundo Extraordinaire.
At the outset he said that he planned to treat the rehearsal as if Lee was delayed,
and might turn up at any moment. He promised a relaxed rehearsal, and delivered.

Ethan started ius with some entertaining warm-ups, familiar to a few.
He also stated that he wanted to focus on precise tempos and accurate words.

Ethan started the rehearsal with Hallelujah.
This went well and Ethan felt it was wicked.
However he decided to address the issue of dynamics, focusing on softness.
We then sang the song again, and the softer dynamics made a huge difference.
Among other things, everyone was able to clearly hear the other parts.

For the rest of the rehearsal we worked on a number of songs:

1. Father Figure – by popular request.
   It was pretty good up to the end, which we messed up,
   so Ethan took it apart and worked all the parts to get it right.
   We then sang the song again and did well, with excellent soft dynamics.
2. Rumour Has It – good smooth notes.
   Ethan remarked that as we sang softer we weren’t producing
   any of the barking notes that Lee so dislikes.
3. Eternal Flame – was proposed.
   However, after not singing it for a long time, too few knew it,
   and it turned out few had copies of the music.
   Ethan asked us to make sure we have the music in our books again.
4. Calling All Angels – “Beautiful;”
   An absolutely great gentle dynamic.
5. Gravity – which was great.
   That being said, there were some timing issues, so study the MP3s.
6. Take Me to Church – went very well,
   with an absolutely great finish.
7. Here Comes the Sun – which was lots of fun.
   Ethan felt that we had done well.

It was a bad snow day, so only about half the choir were present.
In the event this turned out very well, with the small group paying attention.
Ethan placed considerable emphasis on softer dynamics, and this worked well.

Notes on the March 8^th Rehearsal

We spent much of the first half of the rehearsal working on Hallelujah.
The first run-through was there, but limping, with poor breathing.
We need to be much crisper with the words, and precise with the timing.
We worked on the outro and then sang the song again.

For the rest of the rehearsal we worked on several songs:

1. All My Loving – which was great.
2. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – which went fine.
   Lee said, “Good job people.”
3. Never Gonna Give You Up – for the first time this year.
   Lee said, “Good job – that was great.”
   The tenors need to watch their give you, they were consistently late.
4. Here Comes the Sun – which was alright.
   We need to count the rests – watch Lee.
5. I Think I Love You – Lee said, “Well done.”
   “All in all, a good job people.”

We had a moderately good turnout for this rehearsal.

Next week’s rehearsal will be taken by bass Ethan while Lee is away.

Notes on the March 1^st Rehearsal

There was no rehearsal because it was Ash Wednesday,
and the church was in use for a service.
Lee was in Cuba to lead one of her singing workshops.

Rehearsals in February 2017

Notes on the February 22^nd Rehearsal

We again spent the first half of the rehearsal working on Hallelujah.
Lee restarted our first attempt because it was becoming a dirge.
Lee exhorted us to keep the entire song light, bright and crisp.
We then split the choir into two halves and each half sang the song.
After the critique Lee then worked through exactly which section has the lead.
Finally, we sang the song with the lead sections being sung only by the appropriate section.

For the second half of the rehearsal we worked on three songs:

1. All My Loving – which we sang twice.
   The first time was OK, but we need to be careful to not speed up on the ‘do-dits.’
   The second time was much better, with most people watching Lee.
   The mezzos need to really punch the lead;
   the tenors need to be more even through the bridge;
   and the sopranos must avoid glottal stops on the vowels.
2. How Will I Know – it was pretty,
   but it needs to be super-quiet throughout.
   The mezzos need to articulate the words “bitter sweet” cleanly each time.
3. Rumour Has It – we needed to do some work.
   Lee started us off at bar 66, the “crazy” bar.
   We then sang the whole song and it was pretty good.
   However, Lee raised it and we managed to drop back by the end.

We had a good, well balanced attendance at this rehearsal.

No rehearsal next week, March 1^st, for Ash Wednesday.

Notes on the February 15^th Rehearsal

We spent a long first half of the rehearsal working on Hallelujah.
The first run through was dragging everywhere – we must watch Lee.
We then worked in detail on the problem areas of each part.
The final run through was OK, but homework definitely needed.

For the second half of the rehearsal we ran through five songs:

1. The Way You Make Me Feel – Lee said, “Yeah!”
   However, we need to watch Lee throughout the song,
   and the other parts must not overwhelm the tenors.
2. Rumour Has It – we need to review this one.
   Everyone should study their MP3s before the next rehearsal.
3. Here Comes the Sun – this was a little pitchy;
   we managed to drop three semi-tones.
4. Take Me to Church – “Whoa, superstars!”
   Lee started us a semi-tone high and we dropped it.
5. Calling All Angels – beautiful.
   We are still not holding the sustained notes all the way.

We had an OK and reasonably balanced attendance for a snow day.

Notes on the February 8^th Rehearsal

We spent all of the first half of the rehearsal working on Hallelujah.
We managed to reach and learn the end of the song, but still work to do.
There are some changes needed to the mezzo part, and we all need to study the outro.

For the second half of the rehearsal we ran through three songs:

1. Take Me to Church – alright, with good pace.
2. I Think I Love You – we dropped a whole lot;
   however, we managed to climb part way back up.
3. Close Your Eyes – which Lee described as wonderfully sad.

We had a fairly good attendance at this rehearsal, but light on men.

Notes on the February 1^st Rehearsal

Instead of a rehearsal we sang a gig at the Garry Armstrong Care Home.
Unfortunately there were a number of last minute absences due to sickness;
this was especially true for the tenors, with only three present.
As a result, Lee changed the set list, replacing one song from the set rehearsed.

This is the set list we ended up performing:

1. Here Comes the Sun
2. Donde Estas Yolanda
3. I Think I Love You
4. Gravity
5. With a Little Help (from My Friends)
6. Close Your Eyes
7. All My Loving
8. How Will I Know
9. Calling All Angels

Despite a number of difficulties, the performance went OK and was well received.
A good time had by all before adjourning to the pub (choir members) and bed (home residents).

Rehearsals in January 2017

Notes on the January 25^th Rehearsal

We spent some of the first half of this rehearsal on Hallelujah.
We recapped what we had learned last week then worked
steadily forward, reaching the musical interlude after verse 3.

For the remainder of the rehearsal we ran through
the draft set list for the gig on February 1^st.

1. With a Little Help (from My Friends) – which we sang twice.
   It’s basically there but still needs tuning. The second time,
   was better but the tenors are behind and need to watch Lee.
2. How Will I Know – which was OK.
   However, be really careful because the volume keeps creeping up...
3. All My Loving – which we sang twice.
   Lots of good stuff, but a little reckless.
   The second time the tempo was wonky – watch Lee.
4. Close Your Eyes – we need to watch Lee;
   she is hearing way too many bar lines.
5. Donde Estas Yolanda – there were tenor problems.
   Tenors need to study the MP3s for the bridge (“shot me”).
   Your inattentive scribe also managed to produce a solo ending!
6. Here Comes the Sun – big tempo problems.
   Lee said she was fighting with everyone, so watch Lee.
7. Gravity – pretty good.
   Again, everyone needs to watch Lee all the way through.
8. The Way You Make Me Feel – not bad.
   However, we must keep the beat – watch Lee!
9. Calling All Angels – which we sang twice.
   It is critically important that we sing the sustained notes all the way.
   The second time through we achieved an absolutely beautiful ending.

Lee remarked that it was good that we made all our messes at this dress rehearsal!

Lee will send out the final set list early next week.

We had a rowdily enthusiastic, good attendance at this rehearsal.

Notes on the January 18^th Rehearsal

We spent the first half of this rehearsal on our latest new song, Hallelujah.
There are some changes to the original score, which are reflected in the PDF and MP3 files.
We recapped what we had learned last week then learned most of the notes through chorus 3.

In the second half we ran through some songs in preparation for the gig on February 1^st.

1. All My Loving– which we sang twice.
   Lee said that it was a good job in the end. However, there were
   too few Mezzo-2s – they need to be half of all the Mezzos.
2. Calling All Angels – which was beautiful
   The mezzos need to commit their words to memory to avoid hesitating.
3. Celebration – “Alright!”, said Lee.
   This one is definitely going to be on the set list.
4. Close Your Eyes – which Lee decided not to sing;
   we know this one inside and out so better to use the time on other songs.
5. Gravity – which was “Nice, Nice, Nice! Beautiful.”
   Guys, after the bridge at bar 60, need to be strong on “can’t.”
6. Here Comes the Sun – Yes, good.
   We need to watch Lee closely on the exits from the patterns.

We had an OK attendance at this rehearsal, but very enthusiastic.

Notes on the January 11^th Rehearsal

At this rehearsal Lee produced another new song for us, Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.
Lee’s arrangement is based on Katie Lang’s performances,
two of which are available on YouTube:
2005 Juno Awards Ceremony and 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremony
PDF scores and MP3 files are now available.

We spent almost the whole rehearsal working on Lee’s complex arrangement,
Managing to reach the first chorus, and everyone enjoying the song.

We ended the rehearsal by singing Take Me to Church off book
and it was absolutely great, as well as a fine end to the rehearsal.

We had a great attendance at this rehearsal.

Notes on the January 4^th Rehearsal

We started this first rehearsal of the new year blowing the dust out of our pipes
after three weeks off and the Christmas holiday interfering with self studying.
Lee also talked about attendance, reminding us that she requires a 75 percent attendance.
That means essentially missing no more than one rehearsal per month!
The reason is that missing rehearsals may lead to everyone else being slowed down
as you struggle to catch up and fit back in with everyone else.
We were all reminded that studying with the MP3s is essential when you miss rehearsals.
Bruce had printed out sheets with attendance percentages,
and everyone needs to learn their number, especially if it is less than 75.

We then worked hard on three songs before the break:

1. All My Loving– using the first time through as a refresher.
   Lee said the first go was all right and well done: a good kick at the can
   after so many weeks off, but she was hearing the bar lines.
   We sang it again and it was much better, but problems into the bridge.
   Bar 97 is muddy as we kick into the bridge – the guys must be clean.
   We practiced this, then everyone sang from bar 95 to the end twice.
2. How Will I Know – which we also sang through twice.
   Lee reminded us that sweetness is needed throughout this lullaby.
   Despite Lee’s reminders, the volume keeps creeping up.
   We also have to be meticulous with the beat – softer does not mean slower!
3. Here Comes the Sun – we sang this one twice, too.
   The first time through felt sluggish: we need to respect the alto lead.
   Lee said that she just didn’t believe us in the second time through.

After the break we worked on six more of our current songs:

1. Father Figure – we had to restart because we were so messy.
   Lee says that it is basically there but there are still tuning issues,
   so study the MP3s well, particularly the entry to the bridge.
2. Mercy, which was pretty good.
   Lee reminded the tenors to watch her at the end – she will mouth the words.
3. Gravity – which was pretty good.
   However, we are muddy in the bridge and need to study the MP3s.
4. Take Me to Church – this was pretty good in Lee’s eyes;
   we still need to resist our temptation to slow down at the end!
5. Calling All Angels – “Beautiful; well done.”
   At the end some notes are being chopped, not held...
6. Close Your Eyes – which we sang off book.
   Lee said it was beautiful and well done; all in all a wonderful rehearsal.

Reminder: current homework is to study your MP3s for
Father Figure and the bridge of Gravity.

We had a somewhat diminished turnout for this rehearsal.