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a cappella
June 2009 
my big news - ya, i think i have found it!
Posted on May 27th, 2008
by 
Nicole
Nicole
that is, i think i have found my next choir in which to sing! totally awesome! :)
On Sunday, I went to hear Musica Viva. They were performing all Argentinian music, and I was deeply impressed by how well they sang in Spanish, given that they are francophones, and the beautiful sound they had.
Their director, Cristian Gort, was the director of the first concert choir I joined in 2002 or thereabouts. I enjoyed learning Beethoven's Mass in C Major, the Petite Suite Quebecoise and other songs with him, and was sad when he moved on to other activities. But it all worked out for the best because our next director, Martin Dagenais, invited us to hear another of his choirs, Melodium, and I fell so deeply in love with their sound that when he told us they were going to be singing the St Matthew Passion by Bach, I was delighted and hoped to join.
Then I discovered that they would be doing the Rachmaninoff All Night Vespers instead, and since I didn't know that work at the time, I was delaying showing up at rehearsals and missed the first few. When I did start attending, though, I quickly became impassioned with the beauty and wonder of that a cappella choral work, and asked if i could just sit in on rehearsals and learn it, because i did not have the confidence that I could learn it well enough in the shortened time and with this choir I hero worshipped. Martin agreed.
We quickly both discovered that my gift for memorising music and my hard work made it easy for me not only to catch up to the others, but to commit the entire work to memory and sing it with only the occasional quick glance at the music at the concert. It was a very beautiful experience, April 24 2003 (I think), with soloist Noella Huet, who has a very warm mezzo-soprano voice and charming stage presence.
After singing the Messiah with them a year and a half ago (I've blogged a lot about that if you want to chase further links LOL), I was too depressed and then too preoccupied to even consider. I heard too that they took a year off, and in fact am not sure whether they are active even now.
I had originally thought of waiting until 2009 to join a choir, but listening to Musica Viva with the expert backing of the group Fogon (which means campfire, and which I will hear again on Friday!), I was perched on the edge of my seat with excitement, especially for the showpiece,
the Misa Criolla, and filled with profound longing to be part of this choir.
During the intermission, I found a choir member and asked for the rehearsal times. At first I was sad because she said Mondays at 7 and I work till 7 at least a half hour drive away. But then after the concert I had a much more detailed conversation with a member of the committee and found out that not only does it start at 7:15, but another former choir buddy of mine who lives near where I work is seriously thinking of joining too, so we might car pool together! As the three of us talked, we became more and more excited by the plan, and discussed the pre-season potluck meal where we could meet the choir in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere.
I even heard that the choir might perform the Misa Criolla again in late August, and am considering singing it with them - I've never done it before but the choral parts are quite simple and I should be able to learn it up quickly, since I've listened to it many times and have a feeling for how the alto part goes.
You have to understand, I'm considered a Gaia addict, or devotee :). but my love for choral singing is much much stronger than my love for Gaia. I need to sing, and it's been far too long.
At last, the time of deprivation looks like it's coming to an end.
On Sunday, I went to hear Musica Viva. They were performing all Argentinian music, and I was deeply impressed by how well they sang in Spanish, given that they are francophones, and the beautiful sound they had.
Their director, Cristian Gort, was the director of the first concert choir I joined in 2002 or thereabouts. I enjoyed learning Beethoven's Mass in C Major, the Petite Suite Quebecoise and other songs with him, and was sad when he moved on to other activities. But it all worked out for the best because our next director, Martin Dagenais, invited us to hear another of his choirs, Melodium, and I fell so deeply in love with their sound that when he told us they were going to be singing the St Matthew Passion by Bach, I was delighted and hoped to join.
Then I discovered that they would be doing the Rachmaninoff All Night Vespers instead, and since I didn't know that work at the time, I was delaying showing up at rehearsals and missed the first few. When I did start attending, though, I quickly became impassioned with the beauty and wonder of that a cappella choral work, and asked if i could just sit in on rehearsals and learn it, because i did not have the confidence that I could learn it well enough in the shortened time and with this choir I hero worshipped. Martin agreed.
We quickly both discovered that my gift for memorising music and my hard work made it easy for me not only to catch up to the others, but to commit the entire work to memory and sing it with only the occasional quick glance at the music at the concert. It was a very beautiful experience, April 24 2003 (I think), with soloist Noella Huet, who has a very warm mezzo-soprano voice and charming stage presence.
After singing the Messiah with them a year and a half ago (I've blogged a lot about that if you want to chase further links LOL), I was too depressed and then too preoccupied to even consider. I heard too that they took a year off, and in fact am not sure whether they are active even now.
I had originally thought of waiting until 2009 to join a choir, but listening to Musica Viva with the expert backing of the group Fogon (which means campfire, and which I will hear again on Friday!), I was perched on the edge of my seat with excitement, especially for the showpiece,
the Misa Criolla, and filled with profound longing to be part of this choir.
During the intermission, I found a choir member and asked for the rehearsal times. At first I was sad because she said Mondays at 7 and I work till 7 at least a half hour drive away. But then after the concert I had a much more detailed conversation with a member of the committee and found out that not only does it start at 7:15, but another former choir buddy of mine who lives near where I work is seriously thinking of joining too, so we might car pool together! As the three of us talked, we became more and more excited by the plan, and discussed the pre-season potluck meal where we could meet the choir in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere.
I even heard that the choir might perform the Misa Criolla again in late August, and am considering singing it with them - I've never done it before but the choral parts are quite simple and I should be able to learn it up quickly, since I've listened to it many times and have a feeling for how the alto part goes.
You have to understand, I'm considered a Gaia addict, or devotee :). but my love for choral singing is much much stronger than my love for Gaia. I need to sing, and it's been far too long.
At last, the time of deprivation looks like it's coming to an end.
Access: Public
Nicole, this is wonderful news. I didn't know you had a passion for singing. Your passion and excitement just radiates outwards. How incredible that the rehearsals don't start until 7:15 and you have a car-pooling opportunity. It sounds like the universe is supporting your decision to begin singing again. You go, girl! (and keep us informed how it's going)
oh, don't worry, i will, in exhaustive detail!
right, haven't spoken much lately here about my singing cause i've been out of it for a good long while. but i think that's over! :) and i will probably blog more about music too in the coming months. hugs! thanks for the sweet encouragement, Kathy!
Yeah! for you. That is great news.
Thanks, Jayne! How was the Skype call I was missing at the time? :)
Well good - however, so good you followed your passion and your heart that led you to the concert! On the Sunday call - they always seem to go just where it's most needed for all involved. We were finally able to connect with Clare but there were technology issues and she said heavy rains in Ireland which messes with her satellite dish (or something!). Ended up doing about 20 minutes of group text chatting about kundalini, spiritual direction and other juicy topics. We've decided to stick with the 1:00 pm MDT time for consistency as well as this allows Chad and I to attend church services as we are drawn.
good decision! consistency helps, I find too. So, God willin' an' the crick don't rise :), I hope to join you on June 22, the only time in June I'm free for it. I might be able to hook up a couple of times in July and then after that will be more available as no more business trips until early December.
Sing out Sister, it is good for the soul!
Singing in a group is a beautiful thing. Enjoy
I'm glad you have an outlet for something you love so much. Life is much nicer when you can follow your bliss. I've seen you get excited over many things in your various writings here at Gaia, but this is the most excited I think I've seen you.
I'm not big into singing especially not the choir stuff. I didn't grow up with it and don't have an emotional connection with it. But If you ever posted some video of you singing, I'd probably listen and enjoy it. Just don't post your kids recital, m'kay?
Marmalade, you're right, I don't get this excited about many other things and i promise none of you will have to endure the torture of the elementary school band recital that i just survived! :)
Shanti, oh yes, it is deeply good for the soul, i love so many aspects of choir singing, with the right group…
So happy for you Nicole. Keep on singing, the world needs to hear beautiful music and with you having a passion for singing you must go ahead and share that gift. The world will be a better place. I understand about the passion for Gaia as well, I am the same way. I got me a laptop that I can bring anywhere with a wireless connection, problem solved.
take care nicole,
Samme
laptops and wireless are a super duo, Samme, I take mine with me everywhere too :) thanks so much for your warm encouragement!
Nicole, as much as we love having you around often, I think we all would agree that, in the Nicole frame of reference, since Nicole.SingingInterest > Nicole.GaiaInterest, you should assign Nicole.SigningInterest a higher priority.
I just went computer sciencey again, didn’t I?
But in all seriousness, I am excited for you and I am rooting for this to be a positive and fulfilling experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nicole, singing is such a gift and great form of expression. Wish I could do better:))
And this great music! Nada Brahma is very near for me to classis music. The sound of silence in most powerful emanation.
And the powersong of the Shaman near to it.
Did you ever sing the “Halllelujah” of Händel in chorus?
One of my favorite Chorus Events.
Best,
Albert
Eric, don't worry, it will naturally be so. I went to that concert last night with a woman from that choir, and we met another choir member and his wife. Naturally we talked shop a fair bit, but mostly just being in that passionate environment of Latin music and latinos made me long more than ever to get singing again with a choir… hmmm maybe the tenor's handsome face had me longing other things too LOL but he's already taken, darn…. :)
Albert you probably read French fluently, so you can look at the review of the handel 's messiah I sang a year and a half ago, or my rough translation. It was a dream come true for me. I have sung the Hallelujah chorus often, lately mostly as a tenor but of course i also have done the alto line often. Sadly, it's been so many times now between performances and rehearsals that the chorus has become ordinary for me. but it's a great work of music.I also really enjoyed Brahms, the Requiem, Liebeslieder and Zigeuneslieder that we sang.
Hey, fellow Gaia devotee….glad to hear the great news! Sounds like you're really passionate about singing and so, this is a wondeful opportunity…looking forward to hearing more (and hearing you sing.) :)
ah… :) hearing me sing, well that might be a challenge from there LOL! but if there is every a chance to share a recording from the choir, i will try to find a way to get that to you :) i'm not a soloist
i want to hear u sing
but as gaia's busiest bee
it is hard for me to imagine how u d do it
btw i think ppl left the discussion at my blog
last thing i did there was to pose a qns.
go looksie if u have the time
love,
johann
i can't not sing :)
as gaia's busiest bee :) i have a system for checking blog discussions - usually come back to a discussion first thing in the morning, once a day, so I don't have to check back on 40 discussions a day at various parts of the day. but for you Johann, since i know you have commented again, i will check - after my staff meeting which begins shortly - hugs!
You have a staff meeting Nico?
That turns me on.
vous voulez me faire chanter et danser nu sous la lune avec une main libre en agitant silhouette par la mer par le cercle de cirque feux
oui,
Lars
Lars, une reaction extraordinaire! Le travail t'excite tant que cela, cheri? Pourquoi? :)
en tout cas, vas-y, danses and chantes nu sous la lune tout pres de la mer si tu veux! je ne t'arrete point , meme si tu veux nager et faire d'autres choses… :)
Ah, French! I know French!
Um
or babelfish knows French.
Let's see how this sounds:
Il semble comme si votre réunion de personnel a été rencontrée une insinuation sexuelle. Laissez-moi ajouter que je pense que cela semble très sexy aussi bien. Laissez-moi également dire que j'aime la pizza, et manque les expos.
Eric, toi aussi! Pas croyable. Est-ce que c'est le printemps? Parce ce que je ne peux pas dormir, et je me sens amoureuse de … hmm je te dirais en privee, appelles-moi :)
Precious Nicole sister-in-heart,
I know you are about to leave for England (!!!); now is not the time to write to you. But this blog is so exciting!! Musica Viva?!! Rachmaninoff All Night Vespers??? a cappella choral work??? I'm swooning. One of my BIG dreams is to sing again with a choir, the SF Schola Cantorum probably out of my reach they are divine, but I dream of them or perhaps the San Francisco Renaissance Voices. Dreaming big. But that's what we're best at, right?! — following our hearts. May Your Tip Abroad Be Filled With Joy.
Jeannie
soul sister Jeannie! oooh i hope you realise your dream, Schola Cantorum sounds delicious lol or Renaissance Voices. dream big, yes! follow your heart. who'd have thought i'd ever sing in th Montreal Notre Dame Basilica trying to replace the irreplaceable MSO and choir lol
This sounds wonderful!!! I miss singing in a choir… there is nothing that beats many beautiful voices that come together for one purpose - to MAKE MUSIC!!!
perhaps the time will come for you again! I guess you're far too busy right now… i am really enjoying choir. extra rehearsal saturday!
if the light is there and the timing is right, let it shine!
i am happy for you nicole! choirs make such good use of churches…….
did i tell you that i once was witness to billions of light beings singing the most amazing song onto god…..
hmmm, even my voice sounds good in a choir, but no pity; i can still play a mean guitar when i feel like it………..
Rachel, it so happens that we are doing a few spirituals for the November concert and “This Little Light of Mine” (two arrangements even) lol so that is very appropriate! :):) Hugs
Andrew, you're right, nothing like a choir to fill up the nooks and crannies of a church with glorious sound… I would have loved to have heard that light being concert, it has always intrigued me so since you first mentioned it.
I like your voice and yeah! You always impress me with your guitar playing. I'm still waiting to hear more - see how patient I have been? :)