We are holding a sectional practice next Thursday, February 23, at 6:00pm, for all Altos (1 & 2). I know this is short notice. Lisa has been making comments and dropping a lot of hints the last few days that she needs us to get some parts down better. Please come if you can make it.
By next Thursday, we need to memorize Landslide, Erie Canal, and Forever Country.
All altos need a rounder sound on all songs. When in doubt, round it out!
SING A SONG
Should be memorized. Keep working on getting it perfect.
We need a light, up, happy feeling. Almost staccato throughout.
9, 41: attack the opening lyrics “when” and “bring”
33 & 65: Bah daps need to sound more light and fun, less hard and loud
48: “give” is super short
52-53: “Smile, smile, smile” we need to pump with breath, lift
73: peppy pulse, give a lot of breath to “sing it”
103-end: hit “song” with more bounce
TIME IN A BOTTLE
Should be memorized. Keep working on getting it perfect.
All “ooo”s very light. More air behind them.
Unison needs to be exactly together.
Only breathe on the rests throughout song.
38 & 74: more bright and tender when the altos are in unison.
39: take breath on the rest
54: big breath
55: rounder
70: softer on that decrescendo
SIMPLE GIFTS
Should be memorized. Keep working on getting it perfect.
Everything tall and round with a unified sound
The word “gift” needs to be sung shorter, lighter, brighter throughout song 17-23: stagger breathing
17: “gift” needs to have lift
23: “valley” punch it with a strong/weak
32: “and” not wide
32: we split on “de”. Here’s a review of who takes which note:
HIGH NOTE – Ashley, Elicia, Heidi, Julie, Kali, Kirsten, Marie, Thea
LOW NOTE – Heather, Janet, Lori, Melanie, Pam, Ronda, Shelese, Tracy
33: not too hard on last note
LANDSLIDE
Memorize by Thursday
Watch the tricky timing
10: stay on D until “it”
33-35: no breathing, carry those words into the next word
41, 45: staccato “uh”
97-98: pay attention to and learn the notes
ERIE CANAL
Memorize by Thursday
4-8: Say each word
15: don’t drag “got a” and enunciate the “t”
23: timing, “some” is an 1/8 note
28: no breath
37-38 (same as 69-70): three A flats in a row “on the Er”, and “Ca” is a ¼ note
44-52: Erie starts on a B; 80-86: Erie starts on a C
73: come up to the D “for we’re”
FOREVER COUNTRY
Memorize by Thursday
Throughout this song, we need to remember how long to hold notes and when to rest.
25: Practice listening for the note we come in on. It’s higher than you expect.
29: no break between “home” and “to”
43, 45, 51, 53: rests
48, 56: “way” should have a more round sound, more like “weh”
57: cut off
63, 92: hold “place”, no break before “I”
75-78, 81-84: learn the syncopated timing on these lyrics
132: “And” is a different note and timing than measures 120 & 144
121-end: practice timing and rests
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
Watch for those little rests throughout the song
Lots of beautiful chords, but we need to know our notes and be precise for them to sound good
21: unison on “water”
43: “trou” is a ¼ note, unlike the rest of the song where it’s an 1/8
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