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Mark February 22, 2010 Dear Choir, A number of things – first of all, please put the following dates on your calendar: Also, choir will start at 7:00 on March 5 and March 18 so that we can get some extra work in on the CD project.
By the way, the reason for “auditions” and “sign ups” has not been for what many people have thought – EVERYONE is encouraged to sing for either solos or ensembles, because in doing so, I get a whole bunch of ideas as we try different combinations out. These sessions are not to “see who makes it” as much as they give me a chance to hear your voices individually so that I can mix and match in my mind ways that would work nicely with each hymn. When you figure that 22 hymns with three verses each are what we are doing, then you realize that there is room for everyone and anyone who would like to participate in a manner other than just with the full choir. I absolutely enjoyed hearing those who did sing these last two Thursdays, and I really want more of you to do so! The way in which we listed specific songs for specific dates really wasn’t meant to limit what was done on any particular day – it was to assist me in making sure we touched everything we meant to. So if you didn’t get a chance yet to sing, we aren’t finished yet!!! J This Thursday night, we will be specifically addressing the follow hymns:
If there is time, we shall also do “I Need Thee Every Hour”. We will also work on other Lenten Music. See you Thursday, if not before! In Christ, Mark February 15, 2010 Choir, This Wednesday, meet at the West Congregational Church at 6:00, or as close as possible to 6:00 since it will be our only time to practice with everyone. Music will be provided, but you will need to get your own robe from South Church. There will be more to this note later this week, but I wished to cover this base at this time. Stay tuned! Mark February 11, 2010 Ah, how time moves by faster than I do . . . Tonight is the first week of "tryouts" for the solo parts of the CD project. Tonight's pieces include "Abide With Me", "Amazing Grace", and "Softly and Tenderly". If you haven't signed up and would like to be considered for one of these solos, please just stay at 8:30 and you may add your name to the list. We will be repeating some Transfiguration Anthems this Sunday morning as for the next few weeks we want to concentrate on the CD project. A schedule of Anthems for the next two months should hopefully be up within a week . . . Peace, Mark Jan. 26, 2010 Dear Choir, My move is progressing slowly but surely, and I'd like to give a big "Thank You" to Bob and Alan, Peter Rahlson and Lee and Daniel Brixius for all of there help this past weekend. Very strange to be in the midst of all this upheaval and still have to keep functioning as normal! Please remember to sign up for whichever solo or small ensemble you are interested in for the CD project. We will continue to work on full choir pieces in the meanwhile. Sunday’s anthem is “Charity” by Ken Gulliksen. See you Thursday! Peace, Mark
Jan 19, 2010 Updated Jan. 20 Dear Choir, I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about this past Sunday! Nice work with two very different anthems! The Bells did a great job as well. Just to announce that there will be more information to share with everyone on Thursday about the recording project - I will play for you what we did as a test last week as well. Just a note - I’m glad for the enthusiasm on everyone’s part regarding this project, but I must say I was surprised at the number of people with strong ideas about how it should be done. Allow me to step in and say that the thinking so far has been deliberate and well thought out, so please understand that if the project moves in a different direction from what you anticipate, that there will be a thought out reason for the move! More on this Thursday evening. I have sent the list of names for those interested in hearing the Soweto Gospel Chorus to Dave Fries - I believe that he will be buying a block of the 30.00 tickets which will cost us all $20.00 each. It seems that was the preferred price of most of the folks who have spoken to him, so it is easier for him to go with this block rather than try to split ticket purchases. Jan 20 Update: Sunday’s Anthem is "Onward Ye Peoples" by Jean Sibelius - (the man with the quizzical expression in the photograph on the front cover.) Mark January 11, 2010 Dear Choir, Since I read last week's note to you all at choir last week, I was reeling under the impression that I had some time yet till I wrote another letter to you all. How humorous the naiveté of that assumption! :-) Nice job yesterday - "O Love How Deep" appears in a very nice version in the Episcopal hymnal, and I was glad to find that arrangement in our library. Next week we shall sing "Glory Glory Hallelujah" and "Brightest and Best", so we shall have an active Sunday morning coming up. Remember that we will move into high gear this week on the recording project, so come ready to make headway on that project. This month, I am in the midst of moving my residence into town, so bear with me if I seem somewhat distracted this month! In Christ, Mark December 9, 2009 Dear Choir, This coming Sunday will be unusual to say the least. Jed and Carlos and I have decided to add "A Virgin Unspotted" from Appalchian Nativity to our offering on Sunday, as well as what we went over last Thursday - "Come, Lord Jesus" the hymn anthem from 1st Congregational Church in Cambridge, MA. SUNDAY MORNING AT 9:00 WILL BE POTENTIALLY STRESSFUL as I will need to work with the boomwhacker choir primarily. Some of you will be involved in that effort (an intergenerational group playing "What Child is This") As such, it will be VERY IMPORTANT to be right on time at 9:00 so we can run through the choir anthems first. The morning promises, though, to be delightful - I just want to make sure we have enough time to cover everything, so please be attentive! See you tomorrow night. Peace, Mark November 30, 2009 Dear Everyone, I heard someone say that we have done better the last few weeks WITHOUT our Thursday rehearsals, but I can assure you that I only "let you off the hook" because of pre-planning that we would know what we were doing these past two Sundays! Yes, there is thought that goes into figuring what we can do, etc. We now must jump into our cantata with due deliberation and work, as it will not only be our pre-service music for the 7:30 (7:00) service on Christmas Eve, but will supply our anthem for the 4th Sunday of Advent as well. In addition, we have the joint anthem "What is This Lovely Fragrance" for our service with Wesley Church on Dec. 27. We will also be filling out the 7:30 Christmas Eve service with some other music, along with the Bell Choir, and still have our Advent Sundays to go. This coming Sunday will be "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne" as well as another Advent hymn we shall offer at the Offertory. I will have MIDI files up here this week in order for you to go over your parts for "Appalachian Nativity". It currently is not on "Cyberbass.com" and so I shall provide the files you need to go over your parts on your own. Please, once I get these files online, do your part and go over them yourselves at least once so that my efforts are not wasted! :-) See you Thursday, if not sooner! Mark
November 23, 2009 Dear All, I really was pleased with how we all did yesterday, given that we didn't have rehearsal last week! Thank you all for putting in the extra effort to make the anthem sound effortless! By the way, I will speak to Jed when I have the chance about the fact that so many in the congregation were NOT picking hymns this past Sunday for the hymn sing - you all had no choice BUT to go ahead and call out hymn numbers!!! Thanks! There will be some new info re: Advent music on this site very, very soon. It is currently Monday evening, and I haven't yet had a chance to pull together into communicable form some of the ideas that have grown out of joint worship planning between Jed, Carlos, and myself. I should have some info up for you hopefully by Wednesday of this week. (11 - 25, 2009) In the meanwhile, I shall go ahead and wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving early here! In Christ, Mark
Note added November 19 - Choir, just a "heads up" - we will be helping to sing "We Gather Together" at the Baptism this coming Sunday, Nov. 22. We will be humming at first, then the whole congregation will join us in singing. We will also be having seasonal (Advent) hymns sung as introits during this upcoming season of Advent. We will be in robes every week except possibly the second Sunday of Dec. (Advent III). Stay tuned for details! - Mark November 16, 2009 Choir, Wonderful job again yesterday! I know, there was still an issue around the entry of the 3/4 verse in our second anthem, but that really was the only problem, and it related to the misprint in the music and the fact that I was trying to direct, play bells, and switch them all at once at that point! Once again, however, our service was not recorded, and I have to admit that I am disturbed that we can't seem to get people who can run the CD recorder on Sunday mornings. Do any of you know anyone who can perform this much needed service for our church? Anyway, Dave Burnham brought in directions Sunday morning to SNHU for this Thursday's concert - in case you didn't get your copy, here they are again:
Next Sunday, we shall sing "Sing To the Lord of Harvest" arranged by Robert Wetzler. Please be on time ready to go right at 9:00! See you Thursday! Peace, Mark PS. The church finally has a High Speed Internet connection! I can now actually update this site from the Music Office instead of having to do it from home! :-)
November 9, 2009 Dear Choir, Good job yesterday! Carlos absolutely loved our introit! (I admit, it is one of my favorite hymns . . .) The morning was particularly "full", and I know I was cracking the whip - even with cracking the whip to keep moving to cover everything we had to cover, the service started 6 minutes late . . . I do hope you understand why I have to move so fast at an hour when many of us (myself included) are not morning people. I know it caused tension among some of you - please just go with the flow, and follow my instructions! There is an interesting "factoid" I should like to share - as a church choir, you folks are the strongest group I have ever had the privilege of working with. Ironically, our choir is the slowest to "wake up" on a Sunday morning of any choir I have every worked with! :-) Hal Harrison once commented, upon hearing us rehearse on a Sunday morning, that he would never have believed that we did so well on the anthem during the service on the basis of what he heard during the rehearsal. So, please be right on time promptly at 9:00. Chances are I will be late because of the early service. However, right at 9:00, Alan McGlashan will start to warm you all up so that when I arrive, we can jump right into the task at hand. This way, there will be a chance to take care of robes, bathroom, etc. after rehearsal so that we are ready to pray at 9:45. Remember, if you are here before 9:00, feel free to robe. If you arrive at 9:00 or later, come directly in to rehearse - there will be time to robe after our warmup and rehearsal. It will make things flow far more easily! We shall see you this coming Thursday - I WILL BE POSTING MORE INFO THIS WEEK ABOUT OUR SCHEDULE THE REST OF NOVEMBER, so check back again soon! Peace, Mark
November 1 Dear choir, How can I thank all of you who helped out on Friday night this past week? "Pipescreams Spooktacular!" Is an event that I poured a lot of myself into, and I just thank you all from the bottom of my heart! Now, if we could just figure out a way to get more of the church leadership involved with the music program . . . Many thanks to Janice and to Eileen this morning! I heard a number of comments of people who really appreciated both the duet and the choir's backup singing! Now, if I could just remember what key I'm playing some of those pieces in . . . I will do my best to be more definitive in what pieces we will be singing in the next few weeks on Thursday. I hope to discuss a few more weeks of worship services this coming Wednesday with Jed and Carlos. I want to go ahead and get this letter put up on the website since I missed a letter last week. I hope to have more to say in just a few days, so do check back, and if I don't have anything new to say, you can feel good that you are checking! :-) In Christ, Mark October 19 Dear Choir, Even though yesterday’s music was very simple, you all gave it an elegance and life that were really quite moving. Thank you for your witness and offering! I pray that South Church’s music program can grow in such a way that church members who are moved by the more contemporary music will be willing to help do it through the Wednesday evening "Contemporary Singers" group which is still floundering a bit with only 4 members. We could then concentrate on much "meatier" music which you all are so well gifted to be able to do! This way, a number of musical facets within our congregation would be served, without asking you all to sing material that doesn’t feed you spiritually and musically. It is one of the "tightropes" that a church musician is often called upon to walk. You all can help by seeing if you can encourage non-choir church members to join in the Contemporary Singers group which meets for only 45 minutes each Wednesday evening. It will help me out a lot as well! Thanks to Judy and Jen who are already helping in this capacity. Our new entry style for Sunday morning worked very well yesterday! The only issue is that I really, really want sopranos and altos to pull their chairs back up to the blue line after coming in. It really makes a difference in the way the group sounds, as well as hears the organ accompaniment. George explained that the chairs had been put back to make room for the processional, so we just need to make sure that the chairs are moved back forward to the blue line after everyone is in place. Remember, section leaders will be collecting each section’s music after the service starting this coming Sunday. Be sure to turn in your music to your section leader!!! On that note, (ha), I shall see you Thursday! Mark PS I need volunteers to help provide refreshments for the upcoming "Pipescreams Spooktacular!" being held here on Friday, Oct. 30, 7:00 PM. Even if you can’t help with refreshments, I hope that you will be able to attend this fun event!
October 5, 2009 We are definitely into a New Hampshire Autumn - the light is different, somehow, and I've now been here long enough to start sensing differences in the way some people react this time of year - very interesting! (I'll be glad to enumerate or pontificate, or otherwise obfuscate on this topic in person with you at some point. :-)) I wish to thank David Burnham for responding to my choir letter from last week. I encourage more of you to do the same - it appears directly below this one in grayed out type. I really would like to hold a "discussion" regarding these things. Thank you again for your contributions to Worship yesterday - the recording unfortunately came out with a great deal of electronic noise interference, but you all sounded quite lovely and balanced! Thank you! Next Sunday, we will sing "My Time is Your Time" by Jim Lueers from Pittsburgh. We looked at this piece for the first time last Thursday, but you all were reading it quite well, so I do not anticipate any problems! Again, if you haven't gotten your list of favorite old time hymns to Janice or Eileen, please do so by this coming Thursday. Spread the word around as well to other congregation members! See you soon, Mark September 28, 2009 Choir, Thanks for a nice job on "I Sing As I Arise Today" yesterday! I hope many of you had had it run through your mind upon awaking in the morning. I now want to turn to something that is of concern to me, but I assure you it is not anything that the choir has done or not done. Instead, I ask your help on discernment. I must admit that it feels to me as if very little that the music department is offering other than choir is catching fire at South Church. I admit that this disappoints me greatly, since the offerings are things that I am excited about, or have put a great deal of thought and planning into, such as the children's program on Thursdays, the Contemporary Singers on Wednesdays, The Narnia production. All of these can be exciting, dynamic expressions of faith and music and self, but even with a lot of publicity, there just seems to be little interest. At least, not enough for me to be able to make something happen, which I know I can do with a lot of involvement. I'm all ears - even willing to hear things that might be uncomfortable for me. Please let me know what you think. See you Thursday! Mark
September 21, 2009 Dear Choir, Thank you for a wonderful job with "I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me" yesterday. Carlos commented on how the energy you all gave fit so nicely with the spirit of the whole service. This coming Sunday, we shall sing "I Sing As I Arise Today". I really look forward to it! Thank you to all of you who put your music on the organ console this past week. It made it far easier to collect and re-enter into the library. Please remember that I need some volunteers to help with refiling each Monday morning. The new pieces we covered this past week will be in your folder slots this coming Thursday, so be sure and pick up all the new music in your slot. We shall see you all soon! Mark PS Don't forget the read through of "Narnia" after church this coming Sunday. These read-through/practices will alternate with the Class on the history of hymns that Hall Harrison and I started this past Sunday. Thanks to those of you who were able to participate! Spread the word on both of these special activities! Dear Choir, We had an auspicious start to our year this past Sunday! Thank you for helping get the South Church year off to an impassioned start with "Spirit, Sweet Holy Spirit" by Rawn Harbor. This coming Sunday, Becky Josephson will be singing "Defying Gravity" from the musical "Wicked" - a request specifically made by Carlos to go with his sermon. We will be singing "I'm Going to Live So Jesus Can Use Me", a simple spiritual which will go quite nicely with the spirituals that Carlos has picked as the hymns for Sunday. There are some housekeeping chores we need to go over - we will be covering these at rehearsal this week, September 17, and then these things will appear here after that. Be forewarned!!! :-) We will see you then! Mark |