Randomness and a Good Rehearsal

I'd say things are going very well thus far this year. The choir is sounding great and learning their music. The new people are all contributors and there is a good "feel" to this group. Music is learned quickly and mistakes are, in general, fixed in a timely manner.

My ability to find the weaknesses in the group is starting to pick up, and it is beginning to center around thin/spread vowels: particularly the EE sound but also in various pronunciations of words like then (thehn, not thin) and a few other examples I can't think of right now. As always, the biggest gain in quality from the group will be at the individual level . . . as a group we are doing well . . . it is when we fix individual mispronunciations or spread vowels that this choir will really begin to reach it's potential.

Some other things I really liked today:

• low C in the basses at end of Cantate Domino: fabulous.
• the sound of "orbis terra" when we sing soft
• leadership throughout the choir when they offered up their sections shortcomings on "If I Can Help" (i'm most worried about the Alto line on hep, hep, hep somebody)
• Andrew Granlunds facial expressions and energy when prompted

Things I wonder about:

• Does the choir have more volume in them during the huge place in If I Can Help
• Can we find enough dynamic variation in the same song . . . exploring p to f
• Am I going to have to speak to a choir member or two about coming in after the beginning of class

I'm also happy that most students are calling me when they are going to be late and when they are going to miss class . . . and they are doing it before they miss, not afterwards. NOW, if I can just instill in the group the ability not to miss or be late at all . . . I will have reached ChoirDirectorNirvana.