All about logistics for choir performances

Hi choir! :) This is post is about the logistics that is to be done before a choir performance. For your information, this was also a workshop-ish session conducted by Mr Tay for the choir. Happy reading! 

Logistics for choir performances

- everything must be done at least 2 weeks before the actual performance!

1. Attire

• ensure availability of spares (e.g. brooches, organza)
• gown check to be conducted as well: gown is not too tight, organza is not torn or burnt, properly, silver ballet flats looks okay (i.e. no parts of the flats should be peeling off)
• if one's attire is less than perfect, one will not be allowed on stage

2. Folders

• black ring files are to be used as performance folders
• folder should be non-glossy, should not reflect light
• it should be in plain back colour, without any markings or the rings popping out
• files check to be conducted before performance

3. Emcees

• assign 2 or more, preferably from different sections
• emcees are to be coached by teachers first
• script are to be vetted by teachers (on language and other stuff) and the conductors (on music stuff) at least 1 month in advance for proof-reading and checking

4. Stage logistics

• must be rehearsed by student leaders and teachers
• stage logistics include walking in and out, positioning on stage, stage manager to cue for starts (usually by teachers)
• sound control room on video and audio recording, and stage lightning
• preparation of tokens of appreciation
• Self-visualization by each choir member (sequence of songs, walking in and out)

5. Musical readiness

• Auditions to be held for pianists, soloists and octets
• Appoint more than 1 soloist, in case the original soloist is unable to perform on that day
• Octets: everybody in the octet should be able to sing the whole section by her own voice

Hope you find this helpful! :) For more information, please check your choir booklet and view Ankita's post (She's our ex-treasurer) on how to put on makeup, and Anthea's post on performance etiquette (She's our ex-secretary) (Thank you Ankita and Anthea! :) ) that's all for today. See you all soon! :)

-Wen Yi

Expectations of the MgChoir

Hello Choir! :) So these are the expectations of Mr Tay on us. Read them through and print a copy of this, or copy them into your choir journal (if you haven't done so) if you think that you might forget everything after you leave this webpage. Enjoy! :)

MGS Choir Expectations (Quality of a good choir)

1.Each and every choir member must have musical independence and good discipline:

• do the right thing even though nobody is around you
• open your mind and no judging on arts (music pieces, in this case)
• "Excellence is a habit. You can't switch it on and off" - Mr Tay

2. Remember the choir mission and values at all time.

3. All performances put up by the choir must be of high standards regardless of 

• the magnitude of the performance (i.e. be it an overseas choral festival competition or performing for our school's prefects' installation, we must maintain the same standard)  
• the circumstances you are performing in (i.e. even if the performance venue is very noisy and nobody is paying attention to us, e.g. in a pasar malam, we must perform to the best of our ability)
• who the conductor is  

4. Quality of a good performance

• professional behavior
• good characters: strong, powerful, confident, introspective, reflective
• visual aspects: body language (this shows the character of the musicians (us), hence showing how professional our behaviors are), facial expressions, mood

5. Sound-wise, take note of... (the aural aspects)

• diction (text pronunciation)
• prosody (rhythm, stress and intensity of words)
• dynamics
• coming in on time/ cutting off on time
• rhythm (keeping in time) 
• awareness and sensibility to others (following the conductor's gesture well)
• expression of music and phrasing (comes with understanding of text)
• projection of voice (vocal production)
• balance (balance of volume among the four sections)

6. Musicality-wise, take note of...

• intonation
• phrasing
• articulation

7. Technically...

• precision (entries and cut-offs must be together and accurate)
• resonance 
• spatial distribution
• positioning on stage (make sure that everybody has a window)

8. As for internalization and memorization...

• memorization should be done immediately after you have learnt the piece during choir session, without waiting for student leaders or conductors telling you to do so
• internalization should be done regardless of hoe foreign the language is, how difficult and piece is or how much you like/dislike the piece
• we should all exercise individual responsibility by self-revising old pieces and self-learning new pieces without being told to do so 

9. Ways to exercise individual musical independence

• from an individual level: soloists, pianists, and every choir members should know their stuff well enough to perform as a soloist 
• as a group: octets and main choir should possess the ability to self-run without conductors or student leaders around
• in terms of note-taking: notes taken must be detailed, systematic, and in pencils, not pens  

10. Last but not least, improve your vocal techniques!

• it is highly recommended to go for outside vocal technique lessons, especially so for members whose voices are not tall enough
• members' voice range should remain consistent and flexible at all times

Quote of the day: "think from other's perspectives, be considerate for people around you" - Mr Tay

So that's all for today. Also, do take the above listed expectations seriously, as the choir members, teachers-in-charge and the conductors are actually working as a team, hence the choir will only progresses well when we, the choir members, who make up the largest proportion in this team, exercise our individual responsibility as a good choir member. Quoting from Mr Tay (again), "a choir is only as strong as its weakest member", so let's live up to the expectations of our teachers and conductors and maximize our potential as a better choir! Yayy! :D

Love, Wen Yi

Types of Warm-ups by Mr Tay

Hey choir! :) This workshop on "warm-ups-that-we-can-do-as-a-choir-before-actual-choir-session-with-conductors" was conducted by Mr Tay too! 

Types of Warm-ups (vocal and Physical)

      ---------------it is unwise to sprint too much without proper warm-ups--------------

1. Rhythmic exercises on 'ta's,'ti's,'te's, etc.

for example: 

ta     ta     ti-ti      ta     ti-ti     ti-ti     ta-a

                   tim-te           ta             tim-te        tim-te        tim-te        tim-te     ta        ta

                   ti m-m ti       ti m-m ti      ta ti-ti       m ti m ti     ti m ti m-   -m-m-m ti                      

                            ti-ti-ti-ti  ti-ti-ti-ti     tre-o-la tre-o-la tre-o-la tre-o-la

2. Numbers warm-up

example: one, one-two-one, one-two-three-two-one, one-two-three-four-three-two-one, etc. on 'do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do-ti-la-so-fa-mi-re-do.

alternatives: 

• doted notes
• augmentation and diminuation
• metric transformation
• chance procedures
• the jigsaw puzzle (rearrange all the notes)

3. Back-slapping warm-up

• effective for waking up people
• tension=relaxation!

4. IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet)

the standard way to start warm-ups: start with the 'e' vowel, then the 'a' vowel, and finally the 'o' vowel.

(from the less resonant vowels to the more resonant vowels)

• e.g. by singing 'yah-yoh-yah-yoh-yah'

5. Be mindful of the compass of notes

compass of notes = range of notes suitable for warm-ups

• e.g. "m----" (like humming) helps to find the correct placement and resonance in our voice. 

For example, singing "mi-me-ma-mo-mu" helps us with our diction, and is able to exercise our mouth.

6. Placement of voice

it is important to find the format in a singer's voice too! 

7. Tessitura

this means the range where most of the notes are within the instrument's (in this case, our body) register.

• the ideal tessitura to warm-up is to start from the middle low range, then to the high range, and finally the low range.

Yup, so that's all for today. See you again soon! :)

-Wen Yi

Rehearsal Technique Workshop by Mr Tay

Workshop by Mr Tay

Hi guys! :) Sorry it took me so long to put this up... Anyway, here's the summary of the choral workshop Mr Tay conducted for us in January!

Rehearsal Planning and Rehearsal Technique for conductors

              --------Everybody in the choir can be a conductor------

1. Effective conductors must... 

• be perceptive assessors
• have clear objectives
• plan suitable (warm-ups) activities
• have good time management

2. Functions of rehearsal are to

• introduce/revise skills and techniques learned in the previous sessions
• learn music
• rehearse the technical and logistics stuff, e.g. acoustic check in the performance venue, walking in and out, "windows-finding")
• combination of any of the above

3. Stages of music preparation

• 1st stage: SIGHT-READING; get a taste of the music; read the music 1 line by 1 line; do not go into the details yet.
• 2nd stage: FAMILIARIZATION; must ensure that musical elements e.g. notes, text, dynamics have been inserted, and are well learnt.
• 3rd stage: POLISHING: look into the details; activate higher musical elements e.g. stage presence, expression, ensemble, intonation, tuning.

4. Suitable activities to be conducted by music leaders

• physical preparation e.g. stretching, vocal warm-ups
• mental preparation/musicianship training e.g. focusing games, literacy skills, intonation
• music familiarization/polishing

* do take care of percentage time spent on each activity! :)

5. Rehearsal planning

• Assess state of preparation
• Have clear objective
• Plan suitable activities
• Time allocation

* this can be done by constructing a table as shown below.

6. Rehearsal techniques

    There are two ultimate sets of rehearsal techniques that conductors can use flexibly, in     no particular order. Presenting the 'Yin's and 'Yang's of choir rehearsal techniques!  

  THE YINs

• visit the easier section(s) first
• visit the section(s) with repeating musical patterns first
• sweat out the details painstakingly
• progressively add layers
• avoid over reliance on the piano
• sing the piece faster than its actual tempo

  THE YANGs

• visit the challenging section(s) first
• visit the section(s) with a lot of variations first
• sweep the details under the carpet: get the big picture of the music first
• be ambitious and demand it all
• use more piano
• sing the piece slower than the actual tempo

7. Tips for conductors

• be demanding
• be kind
• develop senses and sensibility (be a trouble-shooting machine)
• be succinct and clear with your communication (e.g. visual cues, verbal communication)
• Voice your opinions and feedback aloud to the choir (state what was good, who/what could have been better, how can the choir get better, etc.)
• Insist on rehearsal discipline
• Be prepared for challenges and difficulties
• Always question self before others (e.g. was it my fault? Am I the one who caused this problem? Was I unclear in giving instructions? etc.)

Last but not least,

"Repetito est mater studiorum(Lat.)=Repetition is the mother of study (Eng.)"

So there you go! :) See y'all next time.
Love, 
Wen Yi