LBCC Re-Choired Element (Lori Fluge-Brunker, Linn-Benton Community College)
 Choral Caffeine: Wish List
Date: February 22, 2012
 Are you looking for a way to encourage members of the choir to take ownership of their sound while simultaneously reducing your chances of ending up in a rubber room?
Barbara Retzko can help. In her article “Perhaps Wishing Will Make It So” ( ChorTeach, Volume 4, Issue 2), Barb discusses how posting her “Wish List” on the whiteboard in her rehearsal space led to an improved choral sound.
“Soon I realized that the singers were buying into the idea of making those wishes come true. I could ask a question about sections of the repertoire, and student responses would come straight from the board and with a better understanding of what it was I was looking for in rehearsals and performances. As a fun gift, one of the sophomores created a poster for display in the choir room. I reference it in almost every rehearsal. It has become a successful teaching tool! What would be on your choral rehearsal wish list?”
Retzko’s Wish List
Are you looking for a way to encourage members of the choir to take ownership of their sound while simultaneously reducing your chances of ending up in a rubber room?
Barbara Retzko can help. In her article “Perhaps Wishing Will Make It So” ( ChorTeach, Volume 4, Issue 2), Barb discusses how posting her “Wish List” on the whiteboard in her rehearsal space led to an improved choral sound.
“Soon I realized that the singers were buying into the idea of making those wishes come true. I could ask a question about sections of the repertoire, and student responses would come straight from the board and with a better understanding of what it was I was looking for in rehearsals and performances. As a fun gift, one of the sophomores created a poster for display in the choir room. I reference it in almost every rehearsal. It has become a successful teaching tool! What would be on your choral rehearsal wish list?”
Retzko’s Wish List
Listen carefully around you
NO diphthongs
Take in more air than you need
Warm tone quality
Breath energy always
Pure vowels
Secure rhythms
Breathe to the end of a phrase and beyond
Don’t over-sing
Know how important you are to the entire choir!
(For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
 The Traits of a True Mentor
Date: February 21, 2012
 In her February 7 The New York Times article, "What Doctors Can Learn From Musicians", medical doctor Danielle Ofri offers the term "coach" for what I believe are the traits of a true mentor--one who gives "...unflinchingly honest criticism, laced with an unfailing optimism."
Dr. Offri writes, "In music, plateaus are flatly unaccepted. When complacency creeps into my cello practice, my teacher exhorts me, 'If you aren’t improving, you are getting worse!' " The article explores the question for the medical profession, "Could a medical coach [similar to the author's musical coach/teacher] bring back the intellectual vibrancy from medical school days...?"
Don't make me sing about Allah!
Date: February 20, 2012
 More choir controversy in the news, this time about singing religious songs:
A student has left his high-school choir after the group sang an Islamic song which contained lyrics in praise of Allah. James Harper, a senior at Grand Junction High School in Colorado, protested when the after-school men's choir chose to sing 'Zikr', by Indian composer A.R. Rahman.
He said he thought it was inappropriate for the choir to sing 'an Islamic worship song' which includes the line 'There is no truth except Allah'. But when he complained to the local school district, they defended the choir director, Marcia Wieland - so Mr Harper left the group.
The student, a devout Christian, told KREX he thought that religious people should not be forced to sing the songs of other faiths. 'I don’t want to come across as a bigot or a racist, but I really don’t feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song,' he said.
Here is the damning part for the choir director:
More choir controversy in the news, this time about singing religious songs:
A student has left his high-school choir after the group sang an Islamic song which contained lyrics in praise of Allah. James Harper, a senior at Grand Junction High School in Colorado, protested when the after-school men's choir chose to sing 'Zikr', by Indian composer A.R. Rahman.
He said he thought it was inappropriate for the choir to sing 'an Islamic worship song' which includes the line 'There is no truth except Allah'. But when he complained to the local school district, they defended the choir director, Marcia Wieland - so Mr Harper left the group.
The student, a devout Christian, told KREX he thought that religious people should not be forced to sing the songs of other faiths. 'I don’t want to come across as a bigot or a racist, but I really don’t feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song,' he said.
Here is the damning part for the choir director:
The song, 'Zikr', is in Urdu, but the choir was issued with the English translation before they started rehearsing it.
How dare the choir director provide the translation! He could have avoided a lot of trouble!
More about IPAnow!
Date: February 18, 2012
 I blogged about IPAnow! a couple of days ago. The program is a wonderful tool that transcribes texts (Latin, Italian, German, French) into International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols by applying rules utilized by scholarly lyric diction textbooks.
Since then, I had the opportunity to have an email exchange with Kelly Turner, the creator of IPAnow!.
Why did you develop on the iOS platform?
As you know, I made the Windows app back in 2008, and since that time I've been very busy with school, work, and family, and just haven't had time to put anything more into IPANow!. But I kept getting requests for a Mac version and finally got an iPhone myself about a year ago and realized the potential there. I figured a lot of those people out there wanting a Mac version would probably also have iPhones and iPads too (since those are such hot tech items these days) so in October 2011 I decided to shoot for the iOS platform first before Mac OS. I hired a freelance iOS
I blogged about IPAnow! a couple of days ago. The program is a wonderful tool that transcribes texts (Latin, Italian, German, French) into International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols by applying rules utilized by scholarly lyric diction textbooks.
Since then, I had the opportunity to have an email exchange with Kelly Turner, the creator of IPAnow!.
Why did you develop on the iOS platform?
As you know, I made the Windows app back in 2008, and since that time I've been very busy with school, work, and family, and just haven't had time to put anything more into IPANow!. But I kept getting requests for a Mac version and finally got an iPhone myself about a year ago and realized the potential there. I figured a lot of those people out there wanting a Mac version would probably also have iPhones and iPads too (since those are such hot tech items these days) so in October 2011 I decided to shoot for the iOS platform first before Mac OS. I hired a freelance iOS developer to work on the project with me. I came up with the basic user interface (which is admittedly very simple), and the developer's job was to translate (I think the correct word is "port") the original Windows code (VB6) for each transcription engine into Objective-C, which is what iOS utilizes.
Will there be updates?
I already have ideas for how I want to enhance it for 'version 2'. I wanted to squeeze all of those ideas into the first release, but I reached a point where I realized that if I tried to do all of that I'd NEVER get them released. So I had to draw the line somewhere.
Some of my ideas for the next version of the apps include the ability for the user to email transcriptions DIRECTLY from the apps without having to copy/paste to the mail app, user control over the font size of the transcriptions, better vertical alignment between each word and its corresponding transcription, and the ability to enter text in landscape mode on the iPhone. I also envision some sort of IPA editor module that would allow users to make manual edits to transcriptions within the apps. The first thing on my list, however, is an app for English IPA transcription. I've had a lot of requests for that.
Is there anything different between the iPad version and the Windows application?
One thing that is DIFFERENT from the Windows app is that they use Unicode fonts to display the phonetic symbols instead of the IPA-SAM fonts used in the Windows app. This was a tough call for me because I like the IPA-SAM fonts, but those fonts are becoming very outdated and they make it difficult for "sharing" with others since you have to have special fonts installed for the phonetic symbols to display correctly. The downside of the Unicode fonts is that they're not as keyboard-friendly.
Will there be a desktop version for the Mac?
Absolutely! In fact, the hard part--translating from VB6 to ObjC--is already done. The computer code for the transcription engine in the iOS version is exactly the same as for Mac OSX, as I understand it. So all that really has to happen is to create the user interface for Mac! I think my next project, however, will be an app for English. I've already done a lot of the prep work for that, and the user interface is already designed since it would be identical to the existing iOS apps.
Do the apps ever make a "mistake" in their transcriptions?
The transcriptions produced by the apps are really quite accurate--I'd say about 99% accurate. That being said, they do contain the occasional "mistake." It's just inevitable. First of all, not everyone agrees on the "correct" pronunciation of a given word and the "correct" phonetic symbol to use. There are certainly disagreements among professionals about open and closed vowels in the Italian language. Second, there just isn't a way to capture every single pronunciation exception in each of these languages. Think about all of the exceptions associated with French liaison, for example. Third, it's impossible to capture the pronunciation nuances that may be affected by the musical setting of the text. Thus, I want users to understand that they should view the raw transcription output of these apps as a starting point. My hope is that this product saves users a great deal of time by taking care of the "grunt work" of adding phonetic symbols one by one. Users can still have complete artistic control over the final output if they choose.
Domingo advocates music in schools
Date: February 18, 2012
 Most readers of this blog agree that music should be considered a core subject taught in schools, and it's not really a surprise that most professional musicians think so too. But it's always nice when a high-profile celebrity endorses it on national media, so Placido Domingo's flat statement that "music education should be mandatory" in a PBS interview aired this week is welcome.
It might as well be magic
Date: February 17, 2012
 I first wrote about IPANow! on September 30, 2010. It is a remarkable Windows based program that transforms well known languages (Latin, Italian, German, French) into IPA (International Phonetic Alaphabet) symbols. It works this way - input text from any of those languages (or copy and paste from an internet source - and then hit a button. Presto - IPA transcription!
It was the ONLY thing I regretted when abandoned Windows machines for the Mac. As a matter of fact, I kept an old notebook computer in my office for the sole purpose of running IPANow! when I needed it.
Now they have a version for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod. The Latin version is free. The Italian, German, and French version each cost $1.99. It is a bargain!
If you have one of those tools, you need to get this program.
Unless you don't know IPA.
And if you don't know IPA, you should. It is another thing that has transformed my life when it comes to choral music. More
I first wrote about IPANow! on September 30, 2010. It is a remarkable Windows based program that transforms well known languages (Latin, Italian, German, French) into IPA (International Phonetic Alaphabet) symbols. It works this way - input text from any of those languages (or copy and paste from an internet source - and then hit a button. Presto - IPA transcription!
It was the ONLY thing I regretted when abandoned Windows machines for the Mac. As a matter of fact, I kept an old notebook computer in my office for the sole purpose of running IPANow! when I needed it.
Now they have a version for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod. The Latin version is free. The Italian, German, and French version each cost $1.99. It is a bargain!
If you have one of those tools, you need to get this program.
Unless you don't know IPA.
And if you don't know IPA, you should. It is another thing that has transformed my life when it comes to choral music. More on that later.
Composer of the month
Date: February 16, 2012
 The very active Composers Community on ChoralNet has developed a new feature: the Composer of the Month, profiling living composers of choral music, written by editor Jack Senzig. This month's composer: Michael McGlynn.
I'm not actually that interested in Irish music, to be honest. I know that lots of people love that element of my work. I am first and foremost a composer, exactly the same as those people I meet here (CCMC). I am obsessed with the land I live on. It is a very special place, and the only guide I need. I wish I could write more, but time is limited and I would rather jump into the sea than write about it at this point in my life.
Choral Caffeine: Strange But Cool
Date: February 15, 2012
 Over the next few weeks, many of us will feel it.
We’ll be sitting at the ACDA Conference listening to a brilliant performance that includes avant garde repertoire, and we’ll think to ourselves, “Wow, that piece is cool. Strange but cool. Shoot . . . there is no way my choir could possibly sing that.”
The avant-garde repertoire encompasses a huge variety of vocal techniques, un-voiced sounds, and non-traditional notations. Some avant-garde pieces have become well-loved additions to the standard repertoire, while others have remained in an orbit reserved for somewhat more esoteric works.
Rather than dismiss the avant-garde, Nancy Curry suggests that we embrace that literature. In her article, “Singing Avant-Garde Compositions with Youth Choirs? Yes!” ( ChorTeach, Volume 3, Issue 3), Nancy does more than simply promote the literature; she provides a concise daily methodology for approaching the avant-garde repertoire.
Over the next few weeks, many of us will feel it.
We’ll be sitting at the ACDA Conference listening to a brilliant performance that includes avant garde repertoire, and we’ll think to ourselves, “Wow, that piece is cool. Strange but cool. Shoot . . . there is no way my choir could possibly sing that.”
The avant-garde repertoire encompasses a huge variety of vocal techniques, un-voiced sounds, and non-traditional notations. Some avant-garde pieces have become well-loved additions to the standard repertoire, while others have remained in an orbit reserved for somewhat more esoteric works.
Rather than dismiss the avant-garde, Nancy Curry suggests that we embrace that literature. In her article, “Singing Avant-Garde Compositions with Youth Choirs? Yes!” ( ChorTeach, Volume 3, Issue 3), Nancy does more than simply promote the literature; she provides a concise daily methodology for approaching the avant-garde repertoire.
“Every day’s lesson followed a plan: (a) ear cleaning, (b) vocal exploration, (c) voice work, and (d) repertoire rehearsal. Ear cleaning, to use Schafer’s term, introduced musical elements with activities suggested in his book. Vocal exploration included playing with the voice, investigating the sounds in the alphabet, creating sound effects with the voice, and listening/imitating games. Voice work was a basic introduction to vocal function, using demonstrations and games to talk about breath, resonance, and registers.”
Whether navigating the rhythmic roadmap of Toch’s Geographical Fugue or swimming in the tonal sonorities of Schaefer’s Epitaph for Moonlight, the exploration of avant-date choral repertoire is a trip worth taking.
(To access the full article, simply click the highlighted title. For additional articles on a dazzling array of choral topics, visit ChorTeach.)
ACDA Smartphone Mobile App - With Love!
Date: February 14, 2012
 On March 15, ACDA members and choral enthusiasts will have yet another fabulous benefit available to them: a Smartphone App! This application will include ACDA’s exclusive “First Listen” program (in collaboration with Naxos) and “Choral Library” (reviews of new choral music).
I am announcing the availability of this new ACDA mobile app at each of ACDA's Division Conferences throughout February and March. I am particularly excited that not only ACDA members will benefit from this new app, but that choral singers and choral enthusiasts will be able to get this app in the future as a choral resource.
With a release date of March 15, the ACDA app is being made available for preorder FREE to the first 200 ACDA members who sign up. To get the ACDA APP follow these steps:
[1] Go to the promotion page
[2] Enter the promotion code: acda4life
[3] Enter your ACDA member ID
[4] Enter your e-mail address
Then click SUBMIT and enjoy the ACDA App!
On March 15, ACDA members and choral enthusiasts will have yet another fabulous benefit available to them: a Smartphone App! This application will include ACDA’s exclusive “First Listen” program (in collaboration with Naxos) and “Choral Library” (reviews of new choral music).
I am announcing the availability of this new ACDA mobile app at each of ACDA's Division Conferences throughout February and March. I am particularly excited that not only ACDA members will benefit from this new app, but that choral singers and choral enthusiasts will be able to get this app in the future as a choral resource.
With a release date of March 15, the ACDA app is being made available for preorder FREE to the first 200 ACDA members who sign up. To get the ACDA APP follow these steps:
[1] Go to the promotion page
[2] Enter the promotion code: acda4life
[3] Enter your ACDA member ID
[4] Enter your e-mail address
Then click SUBMIT and enjoy the ACDA App!
Han choir
Date: February 13, 2012
This one's been making the rounds lately.
There's actually duet and trio versions too.
ACDA 4 U: Southern Conference Includes Hymn Service
Date: February 19, 2012
 On Thursday, March 1 at 5:15 P.M., ACDA convention attendees are invited to gather at Centenary United Methodist Church for a service of anthems and hymns. Led by the Birmingham Chamber Chorus, Terre Johnson, conductor; the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus, Darren Dailey, conductor; and the Oakwood University Aeolians, Jason Max Ferdinand, conductor, with Susan Bates of Centenary United Methodist Church at the organ, the congregation will experience the conference theme “Voices of Light” through the seasons of the
Church Year. Thoughtful reflections, guest instrumentalists, and congregational singing will enrich our worship and understanding “as forward we travel from light into light.”
Music With Sacred Text: Vital to the Choral Art
Date: February 17, 2012
 Music with Sacred Text:
Vital to Choral Music and to the Choral Art
Choral music educators recognize that choral music may fulfill diverse objectives. At one end of the spectrum is aesthetic education and artistic performance which can insure development of musicality and sensitivity. At the opposite end of the spectrum is pure entertainment. Between these two poles may be found opportunities to enhance knowledge and understanding through a growing awareness and perspective of history and art as reflected in great music. To achieve any selected educational objective, the quality of repertoire is of paramount importance.
An assessment of the quality of repertoire which can fulfill the highest objectives of aesthetic education necessitates careful examination of the relationship of text and musical setting. The wealth of choral literature which represents and reflects peoples, cultures and traditions of
Music with Sacred Text:
Vital to Choral Music and to the Choral Art
Choral music educators recognize that choral music may fulfill diverse objectives. At one end of the spectrum is aesthetic education and artistic performance which can insure development of musicality and sensitivity. At the opposite end of the spectrum is pure entertainment. Between these two poles may be found opportunities to enhance knowledge and understanding through a growing awareness and perspective of history and art as reflected in great music. To achieve any selected educational objective, the quality of repertoire is of paramount importance.
An assessment of the quality of repertoire which can fulfill the highest objectives of aesthetic education necessitates careful examination of the relationship of text and musical setting. The wealth of choral literature which represents and reflects peoples, cultures and traditions of all lands and compositional styles of all eras includes much music in which the composer has utilized a sacred text. The term "sacred" refers to all manner of religious belief and not only to the practices of Judeo-Christian teachings. It is important to recognize the fact that almost all of the significant choral music composed before the 17th century was associated with a sacred text.
To study and perform music in which the musical setting of a text is artistically accomplished is a highly commendable objective. While public school teaching objectives and criteria for repertoire selection should not include religious indoctrination, the selection of quality repertoire will invariably include within its broad scope music with a sacred text. To exclude from a public school curriculum all choral music which has religious meaning associated with the text is to severely limit the possibilities of teaching for artistic understanding and responsiveness. Such an exclusion has as its parallel the study of art without any paintings related to the various religions of the world, the study of literature without mention of the Bible, or the study of architecture without reference to the great temples and cathedrals of the world.
Since choral music with a sacred text comprises such a substantial portion of the artistic repertoire representative of the choral medium and the history of music, it should have an important place in music education. Its study and artistic performance have nothing to do with the First Amendment to the Constitution and the doctrine which advocates separation of Church and State.
(This statement, first published in the Choral Journal in November, 1983, has been endorsed by the National Board of the American Choral Directors Association.)
ACDA 4 U: Eastern Conference Opens TODAY
Date: February 14, 2012
 Winter weather is not hampering choral conductors in the northeast U.S. as they trek to Providence, Rhode Island, for the ACDA Eastern Division Conference. The event runs from today through the 18 th.
“Whether you’re in northern Maine, western Pennsylvania, or anywhere in between, head toward Rhode Island right now,” said Eastern Division President Bob Eaton.
Members can still join in the fun! ACDA staff members Katie Lewis and Craig Gregory are in Providence at this very moment and are eager to help you register for the Eastern Division Conference.
|
|
