Choir,
Here are some observations, insights and other pieces of information about our performance yesterday in no particular order.
Overall: I thought we did a great job on all three pieces yesterday.
Breaking it down: Alleluia.
Somehow, we went higher (sharp) on Alleluia right at the very beginning. Erin says she gave the right pitch and I believe her. Perhaps it was just a perception problem on my part, but i thought we were a half step sharp all the way through. At first i was petrified--but then i realized you were singing it perfectly even though it was higher than usual. Bottom line: you compensated like a champion.
Breaking it down: Salmo.
FABULOUS. Our most difficult piece performed extremely well. You followed me in every way and i thought we made some great music. I think this is the work we are performing the best right now.
Breaking it down: Whole World.
Great job. Great pitch, great energy. We might be a little fast on part of it according to a couple of comments i received, but that is more my problem than yours. We'll evaluate and figure it out later.
Comments from Dr. Jerry McCoy. In case you couldn't tell, Dr. McCoy was incredibly impressed with what you were doing and who you were. He frequently commented on the high difficulty level of the music we were singing--i sent him a copy of Salmo yesterday evening at his request. His remarks to us were different from the remarks he gave most other choirs, in my opinion. We'll dissect those in our next rehearsal and decide their validity to what we do next.
Right after our performance, he asked me if i had ever submitted anything to the Regional ACDA conventions and wondered if i was interested in performing at a convention. And the truth is, it is my major goal this year and next--we will submit a recording and application in April and hope for an inviation to the Southern Regional Convention for 2006. His question really made my day--i think it was validation that we are performing at a very high level.
He also told me that i was a lucky young man to have a choir like you at an age like mine. As I've told you many times, I'm reminded of my good fortune daily . . . and I'm humbled to get to work with a students like you.
Other comments:
Several people gave great compliments. Paul McGahie, who was complimentary of our performance last year, told me that we sounded like a "professional choir." I really appreciate that--we college choir directors are a pretty competitive bunch and i really appreciate that accolade. Several students from other schools spoke to me with words like "awesome" and other high-praise words of your generation.
I look forward to hearing the comments that you received from others and what you thought about the performance. Please post . . . and tell your choir friends to post!
5 comments:
Hello all, this is the Bekster comin to ya from Rast Hall, 681, yeeah! Dr Copeland, it was great to read your blog on our performance Thursday. I also thought we did an awesome job, especially on Salmo. I actually felt good about Alleluja, even though it did feel a LITTLE high. I don't exactly know where either, probably around the beginning or that second big A-leeee lu jaaaaah! haha! yes! what a cool song... Anyways, I just wanted to share my thoughts about choir and performing with all of you guys in general. Dr. Copeland WISHES he was as lucky as I am to be involved in this thing we like to call the UAB Concert Choir (lol) I'm not worthy of the association. I'll have to admit that being in choir at UAB has changed my whole college experience (since the first year here I wasn't in choir - boy was i missing out!) for the extreme better and my life is SO much better because of it! I'm a busy lady, but I wouldn't give it up for the world!! And in reference to a conversation with Lauren D as we left the festival last Thursday, we agreed that Dr. Copeland is the bomb, no bones about it. Aaaand that we wouldn't be in choir if it wasn't for him and his unbelievable talent and love for his students and his work. WOW! I speak for the WHOLE choir (and its the truth!) that we are honored to have you, Dr. Copeland are our revered and fearless leader, and most importantly, our very very good friend. Sorry this is sappy...yeah, but I just got inspired a little...ok, yeah, so ...we love you C-dog, no diggity, ha! Seriously, thank YOU for making choir so much fun and continuing to raise the bar - we LOVE singing for you! And another side note, you choir members are SO awesome - GREAT JOB! It's an honor for me, Bekah Smith, to sing with such talented people. OK ok i'll stop now...I love you all!
Dr. Copeland,
In response to the Allelua piece, I think we go sharp when the basses and altos make that run up right before or first big Allelua. It seems to me that we sing it up so that we don't go flat and we sing to high and the rest of the choir follows the rise in pitch on the resulting chord. Other than that, I heard many comments mad about how great we were and what a good job we did. I think we won the "Choral Festival".
Andrew Granlund
I don't have any idea who the guy in the back row in the purple shirt was, but I ended up sitting next to him to listen to UNA, Montevallo and Samford; and he said we were awesome. Oh yes, go us. :oP
man, i love being in choir! whee!!!
I can honestly say that that was one of the strangest concert experiences i've ever had. Being on the edge of seemingly the universe, but really just the row, i felt oddly disconnected from the entire event. besides feeling like i was singing an awesome alto solo, i was also really concerned that Dr. C was going to trip on the gaping hole in the floor (What was THAT about?) and we were all going to be left trying to hold together our song. i was also trying to see if my little sisters old boyfriend was in the audience. and i was worried about having to lead the choir out after we sang. these are the things that run through MY head during a performance. i'm glad that everyone else is the model choirister. i'm pretty much just neurotic.
Hey guys! I just wanted to throw my two cents in about the "festival" on Thursday. I've never been so pumped before a performance in my entire life, and the feeling after we sang was even better. It was freakin awesome. I had a blast. Thanks for letting me be a part of this amazing group. It is truly an honor and privilege.
Joshua Noland
Oh by the way Dr.Copeland....YOU ROCK!!!!!!
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