Conundrum of tuning, Easter sorted and shopping.
Tuning in a capella music is always a difficult one because of the unnatural nature of the equal temperament that keyboard instruments are tuned to. Should we force singers to adhere to equal temperament or not. David Howard began his session with the statement that "if sung correctly a piece MUST go out of tune". We sang a 13 chord exercise. A room full of choral conductors went a semi- tone flat. We listened to three recordings of the Allegri "Misere" he isolated three chords that should be the same - none of them were. In his work at York University he has researched this extensively and the bottom line is that pitch drift will occur when the key changes. He showed a prediction exercise that demonstrated that 30 well known anthems should change pitch - usually downwards, some of them quite a long way. The conundrum is - stay in tune chord by chord or stay in pitch. The question is - does it matter? It does give us something else to think about when considering tuning.
In the afternoon Bob Chilcott led us through Alan Bullard's "Wondrous Cross". A meditation on the seven last words in a very approachable style achievable by modest singers and conductors. It is a viable alternative to Crucifixion with opportunities for congregational hymns and flexibility of approach. We also sang through Bob's "Jazz Songs of Innocence" - a very good collection for upper voices.
During the day I added to my stock of music with pieces mainly for Junior Choral.
Privileged to share a carriage with Alan Bullard in the way home.
A good, rewarding conference.
Monday, 27 August 2012
Sunday, 26 August 2012
2012 abcd Convention Day 2
A really good day. New repertoire, stepping outside the box, new insights, some new ideas and an inspiring concert.
Publishers are putting a lot of new material out there. The five big boys- O.U.P., Faber, Music Sales, Boosey and Hawkes and Peters - presented a selection of their new pieces in handy takeaway booklets. David Lawrence was charged with introducing us to 25 pieces in 75 minutes, which he did with expertise and entertainingly. I came away with several potential new works.
Rhiannon Gayle has several community choirs. She gave us a thorough warm-up and so I stepped out of my comfort zone to attend her session. An hour on one piece that was then sung from memory with choreography. Great fun and a useful physical workout.
Barbershop has not featured in abcd Conventions for some years. It was refreshing to attend Sally McClean's session with the White Rosettes. In fact this was one of the best sessions I had ever been two. Sally demonstrated how the White Rosettes success is built on dedication, meticulous preparation and training combined with personality and enthusiasm. In her session she explained how the choir is "stacked" based on the natural resonance of the individual singers to obtain the optimum sound. The other main aspect of the sound is the technique they call "platforming". There are three platforms: personal (to oneself); to another person and "to the world", each with its own stance. Combined with each platform is a sound e.g. Orchestral, spooky etc. She also touched on how they de-emphasised words to help with rhythm and the effect of the "church" sound.
The York Chapter House Choir is one of the most highly regarded in the country. It remains at the top because it is constantly developing. Stephanie Williams outlined how he keeps a good choir moving forward with contributions from choir members and demonstrating some fine singing.
The concert in Leeds Town Hall was inspiring. Beginning with the excellent Lindley School Choir who sang a well constructed programme with great enthusiasm, control and skill and finishing with a community choir who had only met that morning under Ken Burton's direction Vocado and the York Chapter house choir demonstrated ensemble singing of the highest quality. Vocado is a young Swedish a Capella group. Two girls and three boys. They managed to fill Leeds Town hall with their cultured singing. Restrained, perfectly balanced and expressive they presented a varied programme with an entertaining professionalism. The Chapter House Choir showed why they are one of the country's leading Chamber Choirs being equally assured with a great Victoria motet and complex contemporary harmonies and rhythms.
Slept well.
Publishers are putting a lot of new material out there. The five big boys- O.U.P., Faber, Music Sales, Boosey and Hawkes and Peters - presented a selection of their new pieces in handy takeaway booklets. David Lawrence was charged with introducing us to 25 pieces in 75 minutes, which he did with expertise and entertainingly. I came away with several potential new works.
Rhiannon Gayle has several community choirs. She gave us a thorough warm-up and so I stepped out of my comfort zone to attend her session. An hour on one piece that was then sung from memory with choreography. Great fun and a useful physical workout.
Barbershop has not featured in abcd Conventions for some years. It was refreshing to attend Sally McClean's session with the White Rosettes. In fact this was one of the best sessions I had ever been two. Sally demonstrated how the White Rosettes success is built on dedication, meticulous preparation and training combined with personality and enthusiasm. In her session she explained how the choir is "stacked" based on the natural resonance of the individual singers to obtain the optimum sound. The other main aspect of the sound is the technique they call "platforming". There are three platforms: personal (to oneself); to another person and "to the world", each with its own stance. Combined with each platform is a sound e.g. Orchestral, spooky etc. She also touched on how they de-emphasised words to help with rhythm and the effect of the "church" sound.
The York Chapter House Choir is one of the most highly regarded in the country. It remains at the top because it is constantly developing. Stephanie Williams outlined how he keeps a good choir moving forward with contributions from choir members and demonstrating some fine singing.
The concert in Leeds Town Hall was inspiring. Beginning with the excellent Lindley School Choir who sang a well constructed programme with great enthusiasm, control and skill and finishing with a community choir who had only met that morning under Ken Burton's direction Vocado and the York Chapter house choir demonstrated ensemble singing of the highest quality. Vocado is a young Swedish a Capella group. Two girls and three boys. They managed to fill Leeds Town hall with their cultured singing. Restrained, perfectly balanced and expressive they presented a varied programme with an entertaining professionalism. The Chapter House Choir showed why they are one of the country's leading Chamber Choirs being equally assured with a great Victoria motet and complex contemporary harmonies and rhythms.
Slept well.
Saturday, 25 August 2012
2012 abcd Convention Day 1
This year's Convention is at Leeds Metropolitan University and promises some good sessions.
My journey was interesting. Left home at 11.55 am to drive 8 miles to Newark for the 12.30 train. Normally a 15 minute journey. It took 40 minutes. There was an awful lot of traffic on the A617. My ticket was train specific and I missed it. I joined the queue at the ticket office with the intention of discussing my dilemma. The woman in front was buying a whole year of shopping trips. As the time for the next northbound train approached I decided to take a risk, left the queue, went to the platform and joined the train. For twenty minutes I stood in a lobby staring out the window or checking my train app following the progress of the train I was scheduled to connect with at Doncaster. The ticket inspector never came near. A race developed. The train (Train A) was on was scheduled to arrive in Doncaster at 13.10. The train (Train B) that I was booked on was due to leave at 13.12. Train A left Newark 5 minutes late. Train B was on time. The driver of Train A put his foot down and made up two minutes. Train B lost two minutes. How far away would the platforms be? We drew to a halt at 13.13, where is platform 8? - right next door - no waiting train - has it departed? - no, it hasn't arrived - phew. Waited two minutes, Train B arrived, got on, found my seat and relaxed. The rest of the day would be a doddle.
Once in Leeds I had a bit of a wander and found some lunch. It took me a while to find an appropriate stop to catch a bus up the Otley Road to the University. Checked in ready for the fun to begin. No tea making facilities at the accomodation. Run out of hot water at the exhibition, had to drink coffee.
The opening session was by Paul Mealor. He took us through about half a dozen of his pieces in a very informal and entertaining manner before rushing off to hear a premier in Edinburgh.
Dinner was accompanied by singing of carols in the Yorkshire style and a glimpse of Vocado.
My journey was interesting. Left home at 11.55 am to drive 8 miles to Newark for the 12.30 train. Normally a 15 minute journey. It took 40 minutes. There was an awful lot of traffic on the A617. My ticket was train specific and I missed it. I joined the queue at the ticket office with the intention of discussing my dilemma. The woman in front was buying a whole year of shopping trips. As the time for the next northbound train approached I decided to take a risk, left the queue, went to the platform and joined the train. For twenty minutes I stood in a lobby staring out the window or checking my train app following the progress of the train I was scheduled to connect with at Doncaster. The ticket inspector never came near. A race developed. The train (Train A) was on was scheduled to arrive in Doncaster at 13.10. The train (Train B) that I was booked on was due to leave at 13.12. Train A left Newark 5 minutes late. Train B was on time. The driver of Train A put his foot down and made up two minutes. Train B lost two minutes. How far away would the platforms be? We drew to a halt at 13.13, where is platform 8? - right next door - no waiting train - has it departed? - no, it hasn't arrived - phew. Waited two minutes, Train B arrived, got on, found my seat and relaxed. The rest of the day would be a doddle.
Once in Leeds I had a bit of a wander and found some lunch. It took me a while to find an appropriate stop to catch a bus up the Otley Road to the University. Checked in ready for the fun to begin. No tea making facilities at the accomodation. Run out of hot water at the exhibition, had to drink coffee.
The opening session was by Paul Mealor. He took us through about half a dozen of his pieces in a very informal and entertaining manner before rushing off to hear a premier in Edinburgh.
Dinner was accompanied by singing of carols in the Yorkshire style and a glimpse of Vocado.
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