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Summer, 2003

CHOIR FAMILY CELEBRATIONS & CONCERNS

Please remember those in our choir that especially need our prayers.  They would love to hear from you.  Drop them notes and cards.  Be a part of our "cards & notes ministry".  You may be where they are someday and would like to be remembered.

One of the great things about our choir is its feeling of "family". We care for each other and we pray for each other. Let's get back to our habit of praying on Thursday noon for those who sit around us, for our section, for the entire choir, for those with special need for prayer, for Janet, for John, and for our upcoming rehearsal. Pray that we may come together in unity of purpose, that we may have a great rehearsal full of singing, learning, prayer, care, and fun and laughter.

IN CHRIST WE CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF LIFE IN YOU!

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing,
     always and everywhere to give thanks to you,
     Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
Image
John Neve
Some notes from John:Music Notes
Make your life a song to God!
THANK YOU!
GOD BLESS!
LOVE TO YOU ALL! YOU ARE THE BEST!
That's all, folks!

WHAT THE DIRECTOR NEEDS FROM THE CHOIR....
As John leaves you, he has some advice for you to consider for your next director:
JOHN WESLEY'S QUOTABLE WISDOM...

"I look upon all the world as my parish."

"Gain all you can; save all you can; give all you can."

"Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."

"We may think and let think; we may 'agree to disagree.' But, meantime, let us hold fast the essentials of the faith which was once delivered unto the saints...."

MAJOR WORKS SUNG BY THE SANCTUARY CHOIR DURING THE LAST 19 YEARS: ELIZABETHAN CHRISTMAS FEASTES were held in 86, 88, 90, 92, 95, 97, 99, & 02.
PRACTICE YOUR INTERVALS!

The song suggestions (unless otherwise noted) are for the first two notes of each example;


MINOR SECOND -  1. Oh Danny Boy
2. I don't know how to love him
3. Jaws theme
4. White Christmas
5. Getting to know you
Descending -  Doxology (2nd & 3rd melody notes)
   
MAJOR SECOND -  1. Frere Jacques
2. Silent Night
3. "DO" a deer
Descending -  Three Blind Mice
   
MINOR THIRD -  1. Greensleeves
2. Hello Dolly
Descending -  Jesus Loves Me
   
MAJOR THIRD -  1. Kumbaya
2. Anchor's Aweigh
Descending -  Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
   
PERFECT FOURTH -  1. Here comes the bride
2. Auld Lang Syne
Descending -  1. I've Been working on the railroad
2. Born Free
   
TRITONE -  1. Maria
2. The Simpson's Theme
   
PERFECT FIFTH -  1. Twinkle, twinkle
2. All Glory, Laud, & Honor
Descending -  tones 1 & 3 of Oh say can you see
   
MINOR SIXTH -  Go Down Moses
   
MAJOR SIXTH -  1. NBC theme
2. My Bonnie Lies
3. Dashing through the Snow
Descending -  Nobody Knows the Trouble
   
MINOR SEVENTH -  There's a place for us
   
MAJOR SEVENTH -  Somewhere over the rainbow (notes 1 & 3)
   
OCTAVE -  Somewhere over the rainbow

VOCAL HEALTH - CARING FOR YOU VOICE
Good vocal health is based on caring for one's entire body: getting adequate rest and relaxation, drinking lots of water (bring bottled water to rehearsal to keep the vocal chords lubricated, but please take the bottle with you), eating a balanced, healthy diet, and watching the use of the voice (coughing, shouting, and clearing the throat damage the voice, as does whispering). Smoking and alcohol are damaging to vocal health because they dry the membranes of the larynx and throat.
A GREAT IDEA!
THE MOST MISPRONOUNCED WORDS IN CHURCH MUSIC:
  1. Alleluia (Hallelujah) - ah leh LOO yah
  2. Lord - Loh-dih (like "warm")
  3. Spirit - SPIH-dit. Flip the "r" by singing "d". Remember that the correct pronunciation is not the same as the words meaning "to harpoon!"
  4. Ever - EH-vuh.
  5. Savior- SEH-ih-vih-yoh. No final "r"
  6. Praise - PDEH-ihz. The "r" should always be flipped, moving immediately to the vowel sound. Think of the "p" as a little grace note ahead of the beat.
  7. Christ - KDAH-ihst (flip the "r" just as in Praise)
  8. They're - THEH-ih-uh (treat it like a tripthong)
  9. We'll - WEE-l. Sustain the vowel as long as possible and use a quick downward thrust of the tongue for a light, quick "l". Avoid "wee-uhl".
  10. Night - NAH-iht or NAH-eet
  11. Day - DEH-ih or DEH-ee. As with "night", the "ih" can become a bright "ee".
  12. Joy - JOH-ih or JOH-ee. The initial vowel sound is like "warm".
  13. Thou - THAH-oo. Stay on the "ah" as long as possible before turning the quick "oo".
  14. Our - AH-oo-uh (actually a triphthong, but treat it like a diphthong)
  15. What you - whah-tee-oo. Take time to articulate the "t," making sure it moves into the second syllable with a good "oo" and not as "chew."
  16. Divine & Rejoice - dih-VAH-ihn & rih-JO-his. The first syllable of both words works much better with the "ih" vowel than an "ee." In the second word, the diphthong can close with an "ee" if the brighter sound is desired.
  17. Love - LUH - vih
  18. Beautiful - bih-YOO-tih-ful
  19. Blessed & great - BLEH-seh-dih, & GDEH-eet The "bl" and "gr" must occur ahead of the beat, like a quick grace note into "eh" vowel.
  20. Hosts - HOH-s-ts. The final "st" is the same as "puts", "hits", or "hats", but there is that extra "s" in "hosts" that must be sounded. To correctly enunciate the word, two motions of the tongue are required, one for each of the two consonant sounds. Try a slight pause before the final "ts".
  21. Sing - SEE-ng.
  22. Come - KUH-m. Make the "k" crisp and articulated. Even though it has no voice, it must be exploded into the vowel.
  23. Hosanna - (1) an English pronunciation where the "h" is sounded and the "s" is a "z". (2) The ecclesiastical Latin pronunciation, where no initial "h" is sounded. The "s" is literal, not a "z". In both cases make sure the second syllable is a pure "ah". It should not sound like the "a" in "ask" or "cat".
SOME THINGS EVERY CHOIR MEMBER SHOULD KNOW
  1. To breath-in in the shape of the vowel you are going to sing-out.
  2. That we must strive for perfection, not for the sake of perfection itself, but because our worship and our praise of God deserves our very best effort. While our individual performance may not be perfect, we must continually strive to do our best at any given moment. Doing our continual best takes continually focused thought.
  3. Psalm 100
  4. That the instructions on the white boards in each robe room are actually true! Believe it!
  5. How to conduct 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 patterns, just in case you're asked to fill in as director.
  6. That choir members should not arrive "on time." They should arrive early so as to have time to gather materials, grab a drink, put on their robe (Sundays), have a chat with friends, and still be in place a minute of two before the starting time.
  7. The phone number of the director and the church to report absences, prayer requests, etc.
  8. To remember to keep up your energy during anthems.
  9. To keep your robe and stole clean and in good repair.
  10. That reading music is not an option, even for the most inexperienced of volunteer choir members. Never say, "I don't read music." Anyone who sings, whether they think they "read music or not," can tell whether notes go up or down on the staff; and all singers, "whether they read music or not," can make their tone go up or down. The skill of matching the distances up and down is the concept that must be improved and practiced over and over.
  11. That God gave us music. Therefore what we give back to God should be a worthy offering. Our music for the church should have good craftsmanship and textual integrity.
  12. The hymn LIFT HIGH THE CROSS.
  13. Participate in the social events of the choir. Do you have ideas for socials?
  14. How to spell, pronounce, and execute crescendo and diminuendo.
  15. The story behind the writing of the hymn AMAZING GRACE.
  16. At least one more hymn by memory than you did last year.
  17. That while the director is working with another section, you can be looking over your own part, probably in the same section, to make sure you are familiar with it and ready, should the director move next to your section.
  18. That your spot in the choir loft is certainly a "bird's eye view,' and that your responsibility is not to take congregational attendance; frown at the Smith children who are crawling under the front pews; comment about Mr. Jones who is snoring; visually follow the organist who is slipping back to the organ console; or take inventory of the burned-out (or flashing) light bulbs.
  19. To always encourage the choir accompanists, giving them special words of thank you.
  20. To look under your chair when you arrive at rehearsal. If there is trash there, clean it up. There may be candy, bulletins, or even a coin or two. Feel free to keep what you find. And then clean up after yourself after rehearsal (i.e. used coffee cups, water bottles, papers, wrappers, etc.)
  21. To keep negative comments to yourself. ALWAYS!
  22. To be continually on the look-out for potential choir members from within the congregation, especially among newcomers.
  23. That a flute player can be called a flutist or a flautist, and how to pronounce those words. Both are correct.
  24. That gum and singing do not go together! Your teeth, tongue, and mouth need to be free of any obstacles.
  25. That singing in a choir means a serious commitment of time, talent, energy, and faith, and that having that deep a commitment will produce great rewards.
  26. That both Janet and John deeply appreciate all you do for them: words of encouragement, occasional praise, little gifts and cards, prayers, etc.
  27. That discipline in the rehearsal sets the parameters for the level of the choir's success.
  28. Enter every rehearsal prepared to work hard and give your very best effort. When you're done, you should be tired.
  29. How to appreciate and understand styles of music that are not your personal favorites.
  30. That you can be expected to take enough kleenex and cough drops into the choir loft for your personal needs. It is not necessary to take enough for the entire choir.
  31. To hold your music high enough that it only takes a small movement of the eyes to change from looking at the music to looking at the director.
  32. How to walk and carry your music folder at the same time.
  33. To never moan (even under your breath) when the choir is asked to sing a passage (or an entire anthem) again during rehearsal.
  34. That it is a benefit and a responsibility to get acquainted with every person in the choir.
  35. That if someone else has accidentally picked up "your hymnal", it is possible, for just one Sunday, to use another!
  36. That the same applies to robes.
  37. Which choir member you can quickly point to when you make an obvious error, especially when singing a difficult phrase!
  38. Not to talk in the choir loft.
  39. That while singing, you should continually ask yourself, "am I contributing to the beauty of the sound?"
  40. To sing with the idea of projecting your tone into the rear of the sanctuary - not at an inappropriate volume, but in direction and focus.
  41. That being involved in the total life of the church will make one a better choir member, and help produce a music ministry that has more impact.
  42. To prepare mentally before arriving at rehearsal and worship.
  43. To keep your folders clean. Garbage should not collect inside. Old bulletins should be trashed, especially those from the last millenium. Turn in sung anthems!
  44. That taking your music home is usually encouraged, but only if there is a sincere intent to work on it, and to bring it back.
  45. Enter the sanctuary with a joyful, positive, reverent attitude. Hopefully the congregation will learn to reflect it as well. Anticipate God's presence together!
  46. To memorize your music whenever possible, even when it is not required.
  47. The correct way to sing the word "joy," especially on a sustained note. (see above)
  48. The difference between a hymn, a gospel song, a praise chorus, a carol, and a chorale.
  49. How to sing (or at least hum) along with the Rutter "Requiem". (How about the Brahms "Requiem"?)
  50. To practice the art of humility.
  51. That perfume and cologne should not be worn in choir.
  52. That all directors want their choir members to watch them.
  53. That with singing comes energy and mental focus.
  54. That occasionally disliking an anthem is expected and okay - but persuading others to agree is not.
  55. How many minutes it takes to get from home to the church, or from work, to the church, allowing enough time to arrive early to be in place a minute or two before the starting time.
  56. The names of all the key signatures up to 4 sharps or flats.
  57. How to blend with those around you.
  58. That the greatest choral ability is dependability.
  59. That initial consonants should be executed ahead of the beat so that the vowel is actually on the beat.
  60. That if, as a choir member, we have not done our part to communicate to the listener through our music, we have not fulfilled our individual responsibility.
  61. That when the orchestra is being tuned and rehearsed, it is important that the choir remain deadly quiet.
  62. That focus should be given to "key words" in the text.
  63. That your "permanently" assigned seat in rehearsal or in the choir loft can be changed at the director's will (and often is!).
  64. All the words and your voice part to the entire "Hallelujah Chorus" by memory (and in our case also "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross").
  65. Psalm 23.
  66. That the choir's most important role is enabling the congregation's worship experience.
  67. The difference between adagio & andante.

    Adagio (at ease):   slow (slower than andante)
    Andante (walking):   moderately slow
  68. That marking your music with a pencil is a sure sign of intelligence. Saying "I'll remember" is not. Marking your music with a pen or other permanent marker is rude.
  69. Who wrote "My Eternal King".
  70. Why carpet is not the ideal floor material in an acoustically appealing sanctuary (especially in the choir loft).
  71. What the term ADVENT means.
  72. The birth and death dates of...
    Bach (1685-1750) Handel (1685-1759) Mozart (1756-1791)
  73. To improve!
SOME CONTINUOUS REMINDERS:

If you have a prayer request that you would like lifted up at rehearsal please write out the information on a piece of paper and drop it in the PRAYER REQUESTS box which will be on the counter under the attendance tags. This is meant to aid us in our sharing time at the close of rehearsal, and to help make our time as efficient as possible.

OUR PURPOSE
The Sanctuary Choir is a group of committed, diverse, caring, and talented individuals whose purpose is...
TO SHARE ITS FAITH THROUGH MUSIC.

This is the time.
     This is the place.
The name of the game is ministry.
     You're on the first team.
And there are no substitutes.
-- Loren B. Mead

CHOIR ROOM EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER:
(520) 327-4296 (ext. 113)
Leave this # with your family at home.