Winter Quarter 2013!

And we're off...

Here is the syllabus for Winter quarter, with dress rehearsal and concert dates.

Course Objectives:

Students will learn and apply the following skills:

Sight Reading                                     Professional rehearsal demeanor

Performance skills                   Musicianship

Vocal technique

 

Materials:

·         Choir members may be asked to provide a blank CD for practice materials

·         Students will be assigned a number for all choir music

·         Students will fill out the music check-out form

o   You will be required to replace or pay for any music that is not returned in good condition plus a $10 processing fee.

 

Attendance

• Attendance at all rehearsals is mandatory
• If you are unable to sing due to illness that is not highly contagious, come to the rehearsal, sit in the back, and listen and take notes
• Grading is based on attendance and participation.
• Absences beyond 3 emergency/illness absences will result in a 5% grade deduction, and students with more than 7 absences will not be allowed to sing in concerts.
• I expect to be contacted via email in advance for any absence.
• Tardiness or early departure will be considered ½ an absence
• Concerts are equivalent to exams:
• Missed concerts will lower grade by two i.e. 4.0 to 2.0 (A to C).
• Missed concerts will only be excused for extenuating circumstance.

 

Calendar – Required Events (Schedule work off now!)

• Fall kick-off Jauary 11 (Fri.) 12:00-2:00 (extended class time) – pot-luck

• Dress rehearsal – March 6^th,  6:00-9:00 pm
• Concerts–March 8^th & 9^th Call time 6:00 on stage

Concerts 7:30 @ Pierce College PUY, AAH building theater.

What are we singing this Quarter?

Subject to change...

Hodie, Christus natus est by William Mathias
Adam Lay yBounden by Sheldon Curry
A Choral Fantasy by Mark Riese
Ding! Dong! Merrily on High arr. by Howard Helvey
Candlelight Carol by John Rutter
Magnificat attributed to Dietrich Buxtehude - we will combine with guest choir Canto del Cuore, and a few strings and a harpsichord for this one.

Fall 2012

Welcome to Choir, Fall 2012
Important things to remember

9/24/12 - (Mon.) Choir starts

AAH 102, 12:00 to 12:50 - rehearsal time

Fall Quarter Calendar – Required Events (Schedule work off now!)

• Fall kick-off Oct. 5 (Fri.) 12:00-2:00 (extended class time) – pot-lucl
• Dress rehearsal – Dec. 5^th,  6:00-9:00 pm
• Concerts– Dec 7^th & 8^th Call time 6:00 on stage
• Concert 7:30 @ Pierce College PUY, AAH building theater.
• Community Concert Dec 9^th call 6:00, Concert 7:00 @ church 13420 94^th Ave E, Puyallup WA.  Singers must stay for the entire concert (sneaking out after we're done is rude to those groups still performing).

The choir is not auditioned, but I do have each person sing for me so I can place them in the right section.

 

Spring 2012

So the blog has been a little neglected since we started a Facebook page, but here is the basic information for Spring 2012

Repertoire:

Parce mihi Domini - by Christobal Morales w/improvised saxophone

Niska Banja - from the Balkan region

Gloria - by Vivaldi with hired orchestra and soloists

May 18th - 2 year college choir festival at Pierce College Puyallup

June 1st and 2nd - Spring Quarter concert. With guests, Puyallup High School Concert Choir and hired orchestra for the Vivaldi Gloria

Rehearsals start April 2nd!

Spring Quarter 2010

We had an incredible quarter ending with an awesome concert on March 11th. For winter quarter our theme was "Requiem for Winter." and was full of lots of great music.

Spring is here and we've had a little turn over, but the choir is going to be great again! Our new theme is "Of Life and Music," which is pretty broad, but the music will certainly be more cheery than it was last quarter.

Some of the music we'll be singing:

Salmo 150

A Maiden is in a Ring

The Waking

Past Life Melodies

Tambur

Its not too late to join us. Rehearsals are Mon-Fri from 12:00-12:50, contact Dr. Owen for details (253)864-3202

Chamber Choir rehearsals are Wednesday March 30th, and we'll see how big the group is this quarter. A lot of the decisions on chamber choir's music are still up in the air.

Spring Quarter concert is June 3rd.

Winter Quarter

Exciting things ahead for Winter Quarter.

Concert: March 11th @ 7:30pm $5 general admission, students free

Tentative Program

Concert Choir:

Dies Irae from Mozart's Requiem

Requiem, arr. Craig Hella-Johnson

Dies Irae from Verdi's Requiem

The Stars Stand Up in the Air - Eric Barnum

Chamber Choir

When Somebody Loved Me, from Toy Story

The Night is Young - arr. Carey

The Seal Lullaby - Eric Whitacre

Concert Choir

Sleep - Eric Whitacre

Other Exciting things going on:

February 9th - choir festival day

Karen Fulmer, President of ACDA will work with us

Karen Thomas, Director of Seattle ProMusica will work with us

Seattle Pro Musica will perform at Pierce College Puyallup

In Fall Quarter the Concert Choir rehearsed only 3 days a week and the chamber choir met at the same time for the other two days of the week. Though our concert was a success, I felt that both groups could be even better with more rehearsal time. This quarter the Concert Choir will meet Monday through Friday from 12:00-12:50. The Chamber Choir will likely be smaller and will need to meet at a different time, most likely the hour before or after choir (preferably after). This additional rehearsal time will facilitate the challenging music that we will be performing in March.

Welcome!

Welcome to Pierce College Choir!
please enter your information and answer the questions above.
For the first 2 weeks we will meet as the whole Concert choir M-F, then we will begin to work with only the chamber choir on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you are interested in the chamber choir, be prepared to stay past 12:50 on Tuesdays and Thursdsays.

Naxos
To access the listening assignment, go to the library home page:
www.pierce.ctc.edu/library/
click on the word Databases
Find "Naxos Music Library" under "Arts and Humanities
It may ask you for your Student ID and last name.
Once you are into Naxos click on "paylists" in the grey bar that runs accross the top of the screen.
Select choir and listen to Riu Riu Chiu and other things we will be singing!

Have a good summer!

We will be in the new building in the Fall!
Look forward to rehearsals in a wonderful acoustic space, and performances in our own hall!
See you in the Fall.

Concert Friday June 4th!

7:30 pm
Lagerquist Hall at PLU
$5 general admission, students free

Tour

Congrats to the choir on a great trip.
Please feel free to comment and give feedback about the types of activities that were done on the tour and what was valuable to you etc.

THE TOUR IS HERE!

Our tour is this Friday
Be at the College, in parking lot A by 7:20 AM so we can leave at 7:30
Remember to get your waiver turned into student programs by tomorrow - they will give you the money for meals on the trip.

What to wear?
The choir T-shirts should be here - but we may not have them until we meet you on the bus. So dress comfortably and plan on wearing the choir T-shirt.
Bring your Tux/Dress for the festival
Bring your performance clothes with you:
Women:
Dress, Black close-toed shoes, black hose, and the necklace Carolyn gave you or other white pearl necklace if you have it. Remember to do your hair up out of your face and stage makeup.
Men:
Tux or Black suit. White button-up shirt w/collar, black bow tie, black socks, black dress shoes.

What else should I bring?
The $ for meals you got from Student programs
Your music
Anything you want to study for other classes while on the bus
Focused positive energy
Professional demeanor

Rough Translations

Baile:
La Carmen est bailando
Carmen is dancing

por las calles de Sevilla
along the streets of Sevilla (a city in Spain)

Tiene blancos los cabellos
She has white hair

Y brillantes las pupilas.
and bright eyes.

Nin~as corred las cortinas.
Girls, shut the curtains.

En su cabeza se enrosca
On her head are curls

una serpiente amarilla
like yellow snakes

Y va son~ando en el Baile
and in her dreams she dances

Con galanes de otros dias
With gallant suitors of past days

Nin~as corred las cortinas!
Girls, close the curtains!

Las Calles estan desiertas
The streets are deserted

Y en los fondos se adivinan
and in the depth are memories

Corazones Andaluces buscando viejas espinas
of Andalucian hearts looking for old wounds

Nin~as corred las cortinas!
Girls, close the curtains!

Crotalo:
Crotalo. Escarabajo sonoro.
Castanets. Noisy beetles

En la aran~a de la mano.
In the spider of her/his hand

Rizas el aire calido,
warm air curls around

y te ahogas en tu trino de palo.
and you drown in the trill of the castanets.

Listening assignment

Go to Pierce College Library web page
Click on "Articles and Databases" or go directly to
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu/library/databases

Click on Naxos
If you are on campus, it will put you directly into Naxos
If you are off campus, it will ask for your student ID and last name
Click on playlists in the grey bar that is near the top of the page.
Click on the choir playlist
Listen to one of the recordings of Baile and one of Crotalo by 4/7/10

-note that only 4 people can be on at a time, so if it doesn't let you in, try again later.

Excellent Concert - onward and upward!

Thanks to all for a great concert on March 17th.
Here are a few of the comments I recieved:

"I did think the concert went extremely well the other night. I was particularly impressed with the size and quality of your daytime choir."

"Have to tell you the Concert choir was fabulous! What a lovely sound! I have never
seen such a transformation. I was weeping during the Kyrie---and no kleenex in sight. My husband liked the Requiem."

"It was the best concert I've seen from Pierce"

"It was the best concert we've ever done" (choir member)





We have some exciting things planned for Spring quarter. Rehearsals start next week and our performance dates are:
May 7th - 2-year college choir festival, Skagitt Community College
June 4th - Spring Quarter Concert - PLU, Lagerquist Hall

Concert: March 17th 7:30

Pierce College Puyallup's Music department will present its
Winter Quarter Concert on
March 17th (Wed)
7:30 pm
At the First Presbyterian Church in Puyallup.
Admission is free



Driving directions:
Driving Directions

For directions to our location, enter your starting point in the form below and click the "Get Directions" button. A new window will open displaying a map with directions. Get Directions To: 412 West Pioneer Puyallup WA 98371 US Starting From: Street Address City State Postal Code Country USACANADA

From the South: Take the I-5 exit to Highway 512, Puyallup, Mt. Rainier. From Highway 512, Pioneer Ave Exit. Take a left onto Pioneer Ave. Continue on Pioneer to 4th Street SW. The church is on the corner of Pioneer and 4th St SW. It is just past the police and fire station and next door to Powers Funeral Home. From Tacoma: take River Road to Meridian St. Turn right. Continue along Meridian to Pioneer. Take a right on Pioneer, go four blocks. The church is on the corner of Pioneer and 4th Street SW.

First Presbyterian Church ~ 412 West Pioneer ~ Puyallup, WA 98371
253-848-7243 ~ firstpresoffice@fpcpuyallup.org

Welcome back

Welcome back for a new quarter.
I am excited for a fresh start and some great new music.
Remember - the more, the merrier - so invite invite invite your friends.

HELP WITH HEMS - from Becky

Hello ladies - some of you may have received choir dresses that are too long for you (correct length is 1" above the floor when you are in your concert shoes). I am an experienced seamstress and would like to help you out with a couple of offers. For either option, please make an appointment to visit me at my home on South Hill (near the library).

#1 - If you have no sewing experience and no access to anyone who can hem your dress, I will hem your dress. Email me with your phone number, and I will call you to set up an appointment at my home. Bring your dress, concert shoes and payment to your appointment. It will take about 10 minutes for me to mark your hem, and I will bring your dress to choir when it is ready. Cost is $10.00.

#2 - If you have some sewing experience but are unsure how best to hem your dress, I will help you mark and pin your dress and show you a good stitch to use, at no charge. Email me with your phone number, and I will call you to set up an appointment at my home. Bring your dress, concert shoes, straight pins, black thread and a hand sewing needle. It will take 30 to 45 minutes to prep your hem and show you the stitch. Cost is chocolate.Becky Foster - seerbird@hotmail.com

Victorian Christmas choreography

Just a quick layout to help you remember.

Joy to the World:
Step claps through intro
"Joy to the World the Lord is come..." A section: arms up and down
Key change "Joy to the World the Saviour reigns..." 2nd A section: horizontal arm sweep w/palms up.
"Joy to the World the Lord is come...) in unison, B section: step claps in place until "Let earth" arms up.
Solo - arms slowly down
"Hearts Unfold.." stand and sing animatedly
Key change "He rules the world..." 3rd A section: arms up and down.
Key change - ending section stand with animated singing until final "Joy to the World" with arms up.

Ring the Bells - it looks like we will start singing while walking up and onto the risers and then just stand on the risers and sing.

Tools for Rehearsal

Tomorrow Shall be My Dancing Day
Plays just your part:
http://www.rfms.org/Archive/ArchGardDancD.htm

A recording
http://www.pierce.ctc.edu:2078/playlists/playlisttrack.asp?pid=3514"
If it doesn't take you straight there:
enter name and student ID #
click playlists
Click choir
Click the box by "Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day"

remember, if you didn't get a recording of "Ring the Bells" and "Joy" in your email, then bring me a flash drive and I'll get it to you.

practice for "Tomorrow Shall be..."

This website will play your individual parts for "Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day" so you can practice at home!
http://www.rfms.org/Archive/ArchGardDancD.htm