Mr. Hammond's Welcome Message and Rehearsal Notes

January 11, 2018

Dear Honor Choir Directors,

Happy New Year! I hope the new year is off to a good start for you and your students. Here are a few notes for the music we will be working on in March. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I think this will be the program order.

Looking forward to the festival. Always fun to work with the students of the Eastern Region. Thank you for the opportunity!

Regards,

Russ Hammond

One Voice – I hope to have the students sing this piece spread throughout the auditorium and stage. We shall see! It is possible I will have the opening be a solo. The style is folk pop so not lots of pearl shaped tones and “chorusy” consonants. Very laid back and warm sound. We have many words that we have to make sure end cleanly (voice, choice, us, trust, etc) In general if words end with a consonant and are followed by another word then connect the consonant to the next word. Also, for all words that end phrases or sections rehearse precise but not overdone cutoffs (measure 47 “us” for example)

Bring Me Little Water Silvey – we will hopefully process to our riser formation. The entire choir will hum the tune (A section tune) in unison until we are in place. We will then follow the form of the piece outlined on the first page of the score from where it says V1 (with all harmony parts) Style is folk blues but I will be looking for a pretty bright sound. Movement will be done as written. It would be great if the students came with the movement firmly in place.

Old Dan Tucker – two measure phrases throughout. LOTS of slide on note/chord changes (for example measure 5-6) All the students should learn all the words to all the verses (for example measure 19-21). Claps and stomps will be done as written. Style is FUN!

Morning – Phrasing is key to this piece. Follow punctuation. Periods and Question Marks are breaths and commas are lifts. Where there is no punctuation the students should not breathe and connect final consonants to the next word (for example measure 14 – “mountainsif” I were) As of now no small group or solo on page 4. In measure 70 think of the comma more like a cessura. The style is romantic. Lots of playing with tempo and a rich warm sound

Walk in Jerusalem – Pay attention to punctuation (for example, measure 4-5 period so lift. Measure 6 no punctuation after “ready” so no breath) Measure 9 and 24 lift before the word “oh”. Measure 15 plus pick up will be unison and possibly a solo for both verses. Measure 30-31 and 32-33 NO REPEATS. Measure 34-35 as written and add clapping (beats 2 and 4) on repeat. Clapping stops on downbeat of measure 38

Dear Treble Honor Choir Member,

Wow! How lucky we all are to be able to get together in March as members of the 2018 CMEA Eastern Region Middle School Treble Choir! I know I am very excited to be conducting the choir and I hope you are excited to be singing! What fun we are going to have preparing the music, sharing our talents with each other and creating a choir! Not much beats singing in a good choir and we are going to be a good choir!

The repertoire I have selected are all arrangements of American music and the pieces represent a wide range of styles and emotions. I believe you will like each of the pieces and I believe each has the potential to move you as a singer and, more importantly, move our audience.

Please note that we will perform the program from memory. This means you will need to be prepared. Make sure you are!

I will send your teachers more specific information after the holiday break. For now, I just wanted to say congratulations and that I look forward to working with each of you in March.

Shine on!

Mr. Hammond