Concert Etiquette

hey guys!

so after the dunman high disaster, what we all realised is that we desperately needed a lesson in concert ettiquette. so here it is: (btdubz: these rules apply to concerts in general, not just the ones like the one at dunman high)

1. Mind your time

Make sure that you arrive before the concert starts. This will give you enough time to find your assigned seat. Also, stay in your seat until the end of the performance. Standing up, wandering about or leaving the concert hall before the end of a performance is disrespectful.

2. Stay quiet*

This is the most important rule in concert etiquette. As best you can, avoid talking, whispering, whistling, singing along or humming to the music while the concert is ongoing so as not to distract other people. Listening attentively to the music and paying attention to the performers on stage will help you appreciate the concert more.

3. Stay still

Of course nobody expects you to sit perfectly still; however, stretching while you're seated, tapping your feet, cracking your knuckles or chewing gum are inappropriate. These actions also distract other viewers and the musicians themselves. Try your best to stay put while the concert is ongoing.

4. Alarm off *

If possible, leave items like cellphones and wristwatches with alarms at home. If you really need to bring these things with you, make sure to turn it off or set it to vibrate/silent mode before the concert starts.

5. Flashes off

Flash photography is usually not allowed during concerts. The reason behind this is the flash from your camera can distract the musicians. Other items like camcorders and camera phones are usually not allowed and may pose copyright violations.

6. Hold your applause

It is a common practice when watching  concerts to hold your applause until the end of a music piece. However, this might get confusing if you're unfamiliar with the piece being performed. Your safest bet is to clap when most of the audience starts clapping.

7. Take advantage of intermissions (if there are any)*

Concerts usually have intermissions; this is the time when it's OK to leave your seat. If you need to, you can go to the restroom, get a drink or a snack, or call someone on your cellphone during intermissions.

 

*-v.impt.

 

muacks,

Keets

 

PS, don't forget to check out the post on make up, for those who don't know how to do it.

PPS, don't forget about your gowns & shoes and brooches that we're supposed to bring tomorrow.

PPPS, GO PRACTICE YOUR SCORES

3 april 2013

Heylo guys!

So runs on wed was kinda bad because everybody kinda died at the halfway mark. Haha. (that was some totally insane speed!) However, considering that you guys actually ran, like really ran RAN, I think it wasn’t too bad actually. But you guys had fun right? That’s kind of the crux of everything.

Then was practice. Quoting Mr Tay,“Must chillax kay?” But not too much.

Warmups

physical warm-ups were quite ok, like people were really stretching. However, vocals weren’t that good. Ren Ai and Chrystie made us do the Gaudeamus Hodie exercise and Mr Tay told us to place our ‘s’es just before we sing the next word and he even demonstrated how it should be sung. But we still took a while before getting it. Can we aim for as few repetitions as possible next practice? pls? k thanks. Then after that he gave us a short talk on what we should be looking out for as singers and as artists. I won’t elaborate on this cos it should already be in your choir journals. That’s what they’re for.

Ave Maria

Vowel unification. this applies to all the sections. Mr Tay reminded us to do it again on wed. This isn’t something you can really work on unless you’re planning to go through and fix all the vowel pronunciations with your section one by one. (which is not impossible but very time consuming :P) So right now, the only thing we can do is to REMEMBER that we have to do. As well as to LISTEN out to how everybody’s singing their vowels. Lastly to ACTIVELY SING the same vowels every practice and every time you sing it (unofficial practices) so it’s wired into your brain. Also do not, I repeat, DO NOT do the fortepiano the first time we sing it!! most of the details should be in the second time we sing it. it’s cos it will cause more contrast because we’re starting off softly so if you cresc. or fortepiano it’s more obvious. And last thing, PLEAD for prayer for us sinners(ora pro nobis peccatoribus) and not DEMAND. You need to have the text in mind when you sing the song and inject the appropriate emotions at the appropriate times. That will totally bring out the meaning of the piece.

Ecce

Actually this sounded really good that day.  I could feel the ENERGY. OH YEAH! The sops and altos were blasting the ECCE CRUCEM DOMINI ECCE!! The solo group was AWESOME too! It sounded so SCARYYY!! Haha. Things to take note though: Solo group, the tempo is slightly off. Sometimes the solo sops come in slightly late, or else it’ll be the mezzos or altos who come in late. If possible, try to correct it? (OF COURSE it’s possible!) It already sounds great but im sure it’ll be *woahhhh* if everything is strictly and exactly in time. :D And sop 1s don’t freak out at your entry at section G. it’s super high and super crazy but if Mr Tay didn’t think you could handle it, he would NEVER have chosen that song (although it IS his song). Anyway, that is ay SUPER IMPT ENTRY! It’s a new day! The evil is GONE! So don’t freak out there.

There was once in Prague where the sops who were to open the first song of the four songs we were to sing freaked out and didn’t come in properly. As a result, the whole performance was terrible. You can hear the story from any senior who went to Prague.

Set Piece

It’s quite good already just maybe add in a bit more of the dynamics, tune the ending chords, watch out for ending consonants, vowel unification (yes this isn’t just for Ave), watch Mr Tay for speed and cut offs(when I mean watch I mean eyes GLUED on him the ENTIRE time), run through the stomping and tapping cos it’s a bit messy now and I think it’ll be quite perfect.

Lastly, Mr Tay said to add in the MGS SPARK when we sing ANYTHING. That will make the piece SPARKLE and STAND out than if you just sing it according to the score. to add a touch of UNIQUENESS and INDIVIDUALITY into the piece will make us DIFFERENT from the other choirs. That is the X-FACTOR that will lead us to APPROVAL from the judges in SYF!! So, with all this advice from our beloved and most esteemed conductors, LET’S GEAR UP FOR SYF!!

KIMIE

Performance things.

General performance prep:

Be mindful but don't be anxious. Visualise walking on stage, performing, walking offstage. Have the appropriate mindset, and the discipline. think of the details: dynamics, body positioning, mood. Be considerate to others - silence backstage. Stage awareness - quick walking, find your windows, position yourselves and adjust where necessary. Face the audience, not each other!

SYF:
Meeting time has yet to be announced, but we will be warmed up and ready to report at SOTA by 1.15, and we'll perform at 2pm.

Rows 1 and 2 will enter from Door 1 (closer to the audience), 3 and 4 from Door 2. Row 1 will be on the stage, 2, 3 and 4 on the risers, curving down onto the stage for the sides.

When notes are given, think about how you will sing the first bar. We'll sing the set piece, then Ecce, then Ave Maria - and we'll do it well!!!

After the end of the performance, we bow (3 seconds, hands on knees) and then walk offstage with ineffable grace and unflappable poise. Silently.

Rows 1 and 2 will exit towards the piano, 3 and 4 on the opposite side, down the stairs, into the audience seats. After 2 performances we will head back to school.

Further details will be announced later (such as when/where we're to meet in school etc) and if you want tickets for parents/family to watch, check with Lyn!

(:

See you all soon,

Anthea

17mar2013

Hello! Sorry this is so late.

For practice on 27 March we worked quite a bit on vowel unification, for both Ecce Crucem Domini and Ave Maria basically making sure that the choir blends together and sounds like one voice. It means we need to make a conscious effort to listen out and sound exactly the same as our neighbours, in terms of tone and colour. And an exercise for this would be "mee-mae-mah-mou-moo" on the same note for warmups.

Specific:

Ecce - In general, sops need to be more relaxed, less sharp and nasal and forced. Altos need to put in more energy and effort. Both of us should sound tall, dark and hollow, less bright, and have more space - drop jaws for "ah" vowels. When both the sop2s and alto1s sing "fugite partes adversae" their parts are meant to fit together, meaning we have to make EXTRA effort to match each other and have vowels and consonants that are absolutely together, meaning clean, precise rhythms. There will be some (intentional) clashes so stick to your parts! For "radix david" and "alleluia" there must be an audible change in dynamics. Decrescendo should only begin on "vid"  Some changes have been made to part B, I think, where we sing Crucem and then go to glissando-ing. Note: do NOT slide before Mr Tay signals. Also, changes have been made to the sop line at Mysterioso, on page 4. Check with your SLs for specifics and remember to channel this dude



General things to remember:

1. Vowel Unification (see above)
2. FOLLOW MR TAY - scores memorised or not we follow his beat and conducting. No matter what the composer has written, it is IMPERATIVE that whatever the conductor conducts, we follow.
3. Balance. yin/yang. equal mixture of tense and relaxed, etc.
4. Performance prep - will make a separate post on this.
5. If something has been said before, take note, do it, and don't waste time by having everyone repeat it again. If we do repeat something, it should only be so that we can make the second repetition better! (which we can, and we will.)
6. As a chorister you have a responsibility to the rest of us to be dependable so that we can rely on you and trust that you'll do your best! It's also our duty to sing well regardless of the performance, competition, or rehearsal -this is out of respect for the music.

Loosen up, guys. Don't be so tense during rehearsals, yeah? (: And don't overstrain yourselves with too many octet practices. Drink lots of water, the weather's been pretty crazy, take care of yourselves!!!

Love,
Anthea