Wow--What a Full Day!
Karin here. I am having the best time so far. Had a very full day:
5:15 am. I didn't intend to get up quite this early, especially after a long day of flying yesterday and being awake 21 hours in a row, but couldn't sleep. A little after 6 I went across the campus to the Aztec Rec Center, a state of the art gym. I wanted to get a day pass and fit in a workout before breakfast, since I was booked solid from 8 am till 10 pm! Managed to fit in about 75 min. including weights.
8:15 am. I went to breakfast feeling virtuous. Found some Windsong people to sit with. Someone from another chorus was at our table (I didn't catch her name) telling us about a profound experience doing a concert with a group of women prisoners in the penitentiary.
9 am. Tech rehearsal with Columbus Women's Chorus. It was weird having a tech rehearsal when I had never rehearsed the pieces with them or ever worked with them before. Some of my music was different than what they were working with, so some ensemble issues were a little rough. We all expected this, so nobody was worried.
9:30 am. Finally got a chance to really rehearse with Columbus in the music building. They didn't actually have a director with them, so there was a little "directing by committee" going on, but the group was small enough that it worked. One of the pieces was a jazzy show tune from The Wiz, one was a lament called "Just a Housewife," and one was a gospel waltz. I added stuff when I felt so inspired, and after an hour, it felt like we had been working together for weeks.
10:30 am. Windsong's second rehearsal. We worked really hard. People are starting to incorporate more acting, interaction, and even a little choreography! It really helps to at least partially memorize. Some people were at the choreography workshop yesterday and already we are starting to incorporate what we learned. We're doing nine songs, seven of which have piano parts. I get to sing in the other two. I didn't know I would be singing until two Sundays ago so I'm a bit behind on the memorization, but at least now I can look up most of the time and just use the book as a reference point. We sounded so good, some of us are concerned we've peaked too early!
12:00 lunch
1:00 mass chorus rehearsal. Windsong is with the Orange chorus. The piece I'm accompanying is for the Purple chorus, and originally I was supposed to also act as rehearsal pianist for the Purples. I was kinda bummed since I want to sing with the mass chorus, not always be drafted to be stuck behind the piano. Fortunately, Chris Allen, pianist and director for the San Diego Women's Chorus, was already there and agreed to take over until my song was scheduled at 2:45, so I could go work with my group. I still ended up being rehearsal pianist, but at least I could sing along. At first I was tempted not to out myself as the pianist, (so I could just sing,) but I could see that the director would have an easier time with my help so I played after the first piece. They did a great job of sticking to the schedule (I was pleasantly surprised) and the singers picked up the songs quickly even though some were sightreading. At 2:45 I had to leave to work with the other group, but it worked out.
3:00. I changed into my black outfit in the bathroom (no time to go back to the dorm) because Columbus was singing in the 3:30 concert block.
3:30 pm. Afternoon concert block. This was awesome (see Argerie's post below, I agree with all!)
5:45 pm. dinner
6:30 pm. Phone date with my husband. Half an hour spent telling him about all the fun I've been having!
7:30 pm. Evening concert block. Loved it. Every group is so different. Some songs were funny, others thoughtful. I found something to connect with all.
9:45 pm. A quick (but not quite quick enough for the building staff) blogging session in the lobby, which I finished the next morning. Off to the dorm to bed where I had no problem falling asleep.
5:15 am. I didn't intend to get up quite this early, especially after a long day of flying yesterday and being awake 21 hours in a row, but couldn't sleep. A little after 6 I went across the campus to the Aztec Rec Center, a state of the art gym. I wanted to get a day pass and fit in a workout before breakfast, since I was booked solid from 8 am till 10 pm! Managed to fit in about 75 min. including weights.
8:15 am. I went to breakfast feeling virtuous. Found some Windsong people to sit with. Someone from another chorus was at our table (I didn't catch her name) telling us about a profound experience doing a concert with a group of women prisoners in the penitentiary.
9 am. Tech rehearsal with Columbus Women's Chorus. It was weird having a tech rehearsal when I had never rehearsed the pieces with them or ever worked with them before. Some of my music was different than what they were working with, so some ensemble issues were a little rough. We all expected this, so nobody was worried.
9:30 am. Finally got a chance to really rehearse with Columbus in the music building. They didn't actually have a director with them, so there was a little "directing by committee" going on, but the group was small enough that it worked. One of the pieces was a jazzy show tune from The Wiz, one was a lament called "Just a Housewife," and one was a gospel waltz. I added stuff when I felt so inspired, and after an hour, it felt like we had been working together for weeks.
10:30 am. Windsong's second rehearsal. We worked really hard. People are starting to incorporate more acting, interaction, and even a little choreography! It really helps to at least partially memorize. Some people were at the choreography workshop yesterday and already we are starting to incorporate what we learned. We're doing nine songs, seven of which have piano parts. I get to sing in the other two. I didn't know I would be singing until two Sundays ago so I'm a bit behind on the memorization, but at least now I can look up most of the time and just use the book as a reference point. We sounded so good, some of us are concerned we've peaked too early!
12:00 lunch
1:00 mass chorus rehearsal. Windsong is with the Orange chorus. The piece I'm accompanying is for the Purple chorus, and originally I was supposed to also act as rehearsal pianist for the Purples. I was kinda bummed since I want to sing with the mass chorus, not always be drafted to be stuck behind the piano. Fortunately, Chris Allen, pianist and director for the San Diego Women's Chorus, was already there and agreed to take over until my song was scheduled at 2:45, so I could go work with my group. I still ended up being rehearsal pianist, but at least I could sing along. At first I was tempted not to out myself as the pianist, (so I could just sing,) but I could see that the director would have an easier time with my help so I played after the first piece. They did a great job of sticking to the schedule (I was pleasantly surprised) and the singers picked up the songs quickly even though some were sightreading. At 2:45 I had to leave to work with the other group, but it worked out.
3:00. I changed into my black outfit in the bathroom (no time to go back to the dorm) because Columbus was singing in the 3:30 concert block.
3:30 pm. Afternoon concert block. This was awesome (see Argerie's post below, I agree with all!)
5:45 pm. dinner
6:30 pm. Phone date with my husband. Half an hour spent telling him about all the fun I've been having!
7:30 pm. Evening concert block. Loved it. Every group is so different. Some songs were funny, others thoughtful. I found something to connect with all.
9:45 pm. A quick (but not quite quick enough for the building staff) blogging session in the lobby, which I finished the next morning. Off to the dorm to bed where I had no problem falling asleep.
posted by Karinderella @ 12:05 AM
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