Our final concert of the season is right around the corner!

Please pump our May 4th Concert! You can find everything in your email, right here on the website and on Facebook. And if you can volunteer for Front of House - please let me know: roca.office@gmail.com

Then, we’ll have The Wonderful World of Music on June 8 to round out the year.

Here’s our “working” program and listening helps for Chorus members:

MAGICAL WORLD OF MUSIC CONCERT - JUNE 8, 2024

Orchestra: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Chorus: Disney Dreams to Share

Orchestra: TBA

Both: Over the Rainbow

*** Intermission ***

Orchestra: something from Harry Potter

Chorus: Double Trouble

Chorus: Be our Guest (A) Be our Guest (B)

Chorus: Colours of the Wind

Chorus: Under the Sea (A) Under the Sea (B) Under the Sea (C)

Orchestra: something from Narnia

Chorus: Into the West (LOTR) Annie Lennox

Both: Medley from “Frozen”

Holiday Sing-Outs

Caroling Singouts – updated as of November 21

Wednesday 29 November: Concert Realty breakfast
8-10am (1190 Hornby St, Vancouver)
Soprano – Rachel    Alto – Brigid
Tenor – Graeme      Bass – Bernie

Saturday 2 December: Winter Wonderland at City Hall lobby
6-7pm  Singalong w/ Mayor Brodie, and a performance spot...

Carol of the Bells
Lo, How A Rose
De Virgin Mary
Jingle Bell Rock

Sopranos      Anne P,  Roxanne, Mary, Karen T, Susan, Doris
Altos            Kate, Liz, Jennifer, Cindy
Tenors          Graeme, Don, Chris
Basses          Tony, Brian, Victor, Will, Bernie, Harry

We’re inside, but dress Christmassy! 

Tuesday 5 December: Dress Rehearsal at Fraserview – 7pm start

          PLEASE COME IN CONCERT DRESS – Photographer working...

 Sunday 10 December: Concert at Fraserview – 1:30pm call for 3pm concert

      - please ask around for FOH help
- we may decide to carol a bit pre-concert or at intermission – or we might decide it’s too much! 
     - Let me know if you’d like to be part of a caroling group

Tuesday 12 December: ROCA party at Edgewater Park (details tba)

Saturday 16 December: Steveston Caroling

          2pm - Gilmore Gardens

          (S) Karen T, Amy, Laura, Rachel, Susan    (A)  Kate, Liz, Jennifer, Elizabeth
(T) Graeme, Don, Chris   (B)  Tony, Victor, Will, Harry

          3:30pm - The Maples

          (S) Amy, Laura, Rachel, Susan    (A)  Kate, Liz, Jennifer, Elizabeth
(T) Graeme, Don, Chris   (B)  Tony, Victor, Will, ?Harry

          5pm - Songs in the Snow – Steveston Museum

          (S) Rachel, Susan    (A)  Kate, Liz, Jennifer, Helen, Pat
(T) Graeme, Don, Chris   (B)  Tony, Victor, Will, Bernie

 Basic program (with tweaks – possibly readings at the residences; shorter for Songs in the Snow)

16      Joy to the World
20      O come, all ye  (1,3,4)
18      Lo, how a rose
3        Carol of the Bells *
CH     Deck the Hall
CH37 O Christmas Tree
26      De Virgin Mary *
11       Have Yourself a MLC
27b     White Christmas
12      Here we come a-wassailing *
22a     Rudolph
15      Jingle Bell Rock
CH42 Jingle Bells
CH19 Silent Night
27      We wish you             

Monday 18 December: Singing Christmas Card
10am-12:30pm – possibly some media interest!

          10 am: Presto Print (13988 Cambie Rd, Suite 383 - actually facing No 6 Rd)

                    Deck the Hall, Silent Night, We Wish You...

          10:15: RAPS (3380 No 6 Rd – right to the back)

                    Deck the Hall, Catmas Carols, JB Rock, SN, WWY

          10:45: Shelley Morris office (1130-10691 Shellbridge Way)

                    DtH, O Chanukah, JB Rock, WhiteC, WWY

          11 am: Richmond Food Bank (100-5800 Cedarbridge Way)

                    DtH, O Xmas Tree, Carol of Bells, JB Rock, SN, WhiteC, WWY

          11:30: Richmond Hospice (6460 No 4 Rd - park on Alberta Rd)

                    whatever...  there’s a piano...

(S)      Anne P, Pat H, Karen (to 10:30)    (A)     Helen, Kate, Liz (to 11:30), Jennifer
(T)      Graeme, Don , Chris                    (B)     Tony, Brian, Will, Peter

First Concert of the Season - Saturday, October 28th!

SATURDAY, OCT 28 - FIRST CONCERT “CLEAN & CLASSIC”

Concert begins at 7:30 pm at Fraserview MB Church.

Call-time for sound check and any last minute “stuff” is 5:30 pm.

Please try to park away from the church, if possible, to leave plenty of spots for our audience.

No scented products, please!

CHORUS:

  • Concert Attire = royal blue shell/lace jacket/long skirt or tux with royal blue pocket pouf

  • Bring hydration and make sure it’s labeled.

  • Personal items/valuables and “green room” area = Nursery Room (from the parking lot entrance to the church, turn right from the lobby)

  • We are not performing in the FIRST half of the program. Let audience members settle into seats first, then fill in as able and use balcony to enjoy the orchestra.

  • You can hold on to your music until Oct. 31st rehearsal.

AGM - October 17

Greetings, ROCA Board Members and Performing Members!

It is time to prepare for our Annual General Meeting. We will follow the format used last year:

Meet Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7pm, for separate chorus and orchestra rehearsals at South Arm United Church (hall for chorus, sanctuary for orchestra). At 7:45pm we will gather together for our AGM meeting and then following that will rehearse together, in preparation for our Oct. 28 joint concert. 

Thank you for arriving on time and for your participation in the meeting. Reports will be provided on the members' section of the website prior to the meeting. The agenda is attached here.

If you would like to be nominated as a ROCA Board Member, please reply to this email. We are currently seeking Directors, especially from the orchestra. We also would like to strive toward creating a co-chair role, shared between orchestra and chorus members.

Thank you to ALL our members for your involvement and participation!

Sincerely,

Laura Rhead

on behalf of ROCA Board of Directors


Welcome from Brigid Coult, Chorus Creative Director

Hi, folks

Schedule time – these dates were out before our last concert, but NOW is the time to make sure everything’s in your calendar.

First of all, please put Tuesday 12 September into your calendar – that’ll be our first rehearsal. We’re back at FRASERVIEW in the Sanctuary. Plan to be there early to meet-and-greet, get music sorted out, deal with any financials – though I hope most of you will have registered for this season online before we start (reminder – go to our website: roca@roca.ca – use the menu in the top righthand corner or scroll down to the black section at the bottom and click on Member Login – login is ROCAisgr8).

We had talked about doing something for Culture Days, but I think instead that we are going to make the September rehearsals open sessions, both for would-be singers, and for potential audience. If you know anybody who might be a possible member, encourage them to come without commitment September 12/19/26. I already know that we’ll be welcoming Pat Hodgins back, and new members Teresa, Cindy, Lea and David.

First formal concert will be the last weekend of October – CLEAN & CLASSIC, on Saturday 28 October. Program will be:

Orchestra – Mozart: Overture to “Don Giovanni”

Orchestra – Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

intermission

Chorus/chamber orchestra – Mozart: Laudate Dominum

Chorus/chamber orchestra – Vivaldi: Gloria

Tabitha Brasso-Ernst will be our soloist

Our Christmas concert will be on the afternoon of Sunday 10 December – CHRISTMAS AT THE MOVIES – and I think it’ll be mostly Orchestra-led, with Chorus arrangements derived from the orchestral scores.

The spring concert marks my 30th season with ROCA. CONDUCTOR’S CHOICE on April 6. We’ll do some stuff from earlier years, but also some new rep that’s been on my must-do-sometime list, but has never fitted with any of our themed programs. I think you’ll love this rep!

Then on June 8 we’ll offer a program called MAGICAL WORLD OF MUSIC with a focus on your favourite Disney songs – though there’ll be a little Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter to enhance the magic.

I think this is going to be a great season – all we need now is the singers!

Please let me know If there are any of the concert dates that you can’t do, or if you are going to be away for any period of time that might require a re-audition before a concert.

If you know any other singers who might like to join us – encourage them to try-out this month.

And the big reminder, since 2020 – COVID’s not gone away, so we’re going to have to live around it (and around RSV and influenza and colds and all that stuff). If you might be infectious, please call me to let me that you will join us on Zoom. A Zoom rehearsal is not the greatest, but it’s better than missing altogether. However, I will not bring my laptop for Zoom unless I know people will be attending online.

Please email or call me as early as possible to let me know if you’re not coming – don’t tell me at rehearsal; I need it in time so that I can do my seating plan. If I think you’re not ready for a concert or you’ve missed too many rehearsals, I may ask to hear you separately.

For those in rehearsal together, wearing a mask is nobody’s favourite thing, but I am quite happy to see masked faces – whether you mask because you’re protecting others or yourself.

Fall rep recordings:

Mozart Laudate Dominum

Statskappelle Dresden - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL2H162wRCo
– chorus starts at 2.38

Vivaldi Gloria

U of Texas, conducted by my friend Richard - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvZYhxT5Mf8&t=123s

This was the performance at La Pieta we watched together during COVID! -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgaOVV4JQHA&t=6s

There are lots of other recordings, but these are my favourites.

Christmas rep – depends on James’s selections.... What are YOUR favourite Christmas movies?

Looking forward to seeing you all on September 12!

-Brigid

604-790-2367

brigidatROCA@gmail.com

April Concert notes: CHORUS

Tuesday April 18 – The Music’s Always There

dress rehearsal will be Tuesday 11 April

Chilcott – Mairi’s wedding

Faure ed Rutter – Cantique de Jean Racine

Rutter – Psalm 23 (from Requiem)

set, tba, by Steveston/London choir

Chilcott – Jazz Mass

Rutter – The Music’s always there

-----

Rutter – Blow Blow

Chilcott – Greensleeves

Mikulin – By Shallow Rivers

Chilcott – Walking the Red Road

Rutter – Prayer for Ukraine

Rutter – Gaelic Blessing

Chilcott – And so it goes

Chilcott – Buffalo Gals

Rutter – The Terrible Tale of Tom Gilligan

Rutter – Down by the Riverside

(bolded – joint choirs in red – music not in your hands yet)

Reminders from Brigid for "Magnificat!"

Hi Singers, please review these links: listen and inwardly digest!

Vivaldi - Magnificat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zqoztX4u9A – all the “solo” movements are choral

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGJYPSSJM7k – wonderful work with soloists – sometimes not

exactly as in our edition!

Cyber-bass for individual part-work:

http://www.cyberbass.com/Major_Works/Vivaldi_A/vivaldi_magnificat.htm

Robert Ray - Gospel Magnificat

Not very good recordings – mostly amateur choirs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoko8IIl3OU - this makes me laugh – it’s a bit caffeinated! Want

some choralography?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJD-gzi34V4 – not such a good choir, but a better tempo.

Biebl: Ave Maria

There are many recordings of this around, but most of them are all women, all men, or low voices vs

high ones. They’re worth listening to, but may not help with notes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG7MAGog26E – this is the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir singing

the same edition we use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQWb4I87b88 – this is the right version, but I don’t like the

balance of voices – what do you think?

Britten: Hymn to the Virgin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z0O8X26UIU – Voces 8 – gorgeous! Though it helps to have that

acoustic!

Carol of the Stable Dog – sung by Phoenix Chamber Choir – I think Corlynn had retired by then....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW3FaJIYkQQ

Mary did you know

This will not help you with learning our version, but you should hear this group, with the original

writer... Wow! Incredible tuning!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaRpeMT1tjQ

This Christmastide

My favourite version – beautiful sensitive singing -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YxGFKM27_8

Here’s Jessye Norman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isWViEYXM3M

and here’s our MAGNIFICAT PROGRAM, so far:

ALL : ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY solo:

Hymn to the Virgin Benjamin Britten—Pat Hodgins, Elizabeth Oh, Harry Gray, Bernie Barrett

Gabriel’s Message Basque arr. Pettman

Ave Maria Franz Biebl —Laura Rhead, Alison Cole Genny Trigo-Gonzalez, Elizabeth Oh, Don Moir, Bernie Barrett

reading?

Magnificat Antonio Vivaldi

Magnificat

Et Exultavit

Et Misericordia Eius

Fecit Potentiam

Deposuit Potentes

Esurientes ~ Sopranos: Rachel Eaton, Pat Hodgins

Suscepit Israel

Sicut Locutus Est

Gloria Patri

(with string quartet)

~ INTERMISSION ~

ALL: DECK THE HALL

A la nanita nana solo: Genny Trigo-Gonzalez arr Ed Henderson

Mary did you know arr Schrader

Carol of the Stable Dog - solo: Laura Rhead arr Corlynn Hanney

reading

All: DE VIRGIN MARY Caribbean, arr B Coult

Gospel Magnificat Robert Ray —solo: Amy Koop

Jessye’s Carol (This Christmastide) Donald Fraser

Reading Christmas Landscape

ALL : O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL

Recordings for fall listening

Magnificat program draft 1

Message from Brigid

Monday 5 September 2022

Dear Singers

 

Countdown time!   On Tuesday 6 September, I will be doing some auditions.  On Tuesday 13 September we have our first rehearsal of the new season!  I’m really looking forward to being back working with you again.  We will welcome Josie Lau as our accompanist.

 

Reminder: I know there are folks with away-time planned.  PLEASE EMAIL ME to confirm absence dates. Depending on how the rehearsal schedule works out, it may impact on participation in the any concert, and I may ask you to reaudition on that repertoire.

 

I know you’ve had a wonderful welcome-back letter from Laura, with all the membership info you need.  Here’s the music stuff!

 CONCERT DATES/TIMES

 

November 5 concert – In Memory – originally planned for Fraserview, but because of a conflict, we’ve had to move it to South Arm United. That means that we couldn’t do a full joint concert, but we can do the Fauré Requiem, which needs a smaller ensemble – so the Orchestra will do the first half, and the Requiem will be the second half.

Afternoon rehearsal – 3:30-5pm (then reset stage for Orchestra rehearsal). Those who come a distance should bring concert dress and something to eat; we have the Heritage Room booked.  Concert call 7pm for 7:30pm

An optional extra – I have scheduled the Fauré at St Mary’s Kerrisdale for the afternoon of Sunday 6 November for an All Souls service where we remember those gone in the past year. This would be a 2pm rehearsal call for a 4pm service. Let me know if you don’t want to be part of it.  I may invite singers from St Mary’s choir to join us for the Saturday concert.

 

December 10 concert – Magnificat – originally planned as a joint concert, but we’re now making it Chorus only, and I am returning to a program we did 11 years ago – all Mary-music, to include (but not limited to)

·        Britten – Hymn to the Virgin

·        Biebl – Ave Maria

·        Lowry/Green – Mary, did you know

·        Vivaldi – Magnificat

·        Ray – Gospel Magnificat

lots of solo and ensemble possibilities – and not so much Christmas fluff!

 

April 18 concert – The Music’s Always There – will be on a Tuesday evening by request of our concert partners, the choir from Steveston-London Secondary School, under the direction of Michael Mikulin. They have been part of Richmond Sings in previous years.

The program will comprise music composed or arranged by John Rutter and Bob Chilcott – some with them, some with us, and some with both choirs together.

We will certainly be offering Chilcott’s Little Jazz Mass but the music will include folk and pop arrangements by both composers.

 

June 3 concert – When We Were Young – was originally scheduled for the following week, but another Fraserview conflict has bumped us back.  I’m still working on this program - looking for the songs that were classics for us as we grew up (though pop songs don’t always transfer well to a choral arrangement!)

REHEARSAL PRACTICALITIES

 

It doesn’t need to be said, but if you feel at all unwell, please stay home and test!  A Zoomed rehearsal is not at all the same as an in-person one for you and for the rest of your section, but it’s better than nothing at all.  Zoom code will be the same:


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/95350781933?pwd=Y1NSQld3QTVROCtVUUdZMzZONnVIQT09

Meeting ID: 953 5078 1933 Passcode: SATB    



However, I would prefer not to be Zooming unless it’s necessary, so this is BY REQUEST, please. 

 

I need to hear from you by 6pm if a) you’re not going to be at rehearsal in person, and b) if you want to join us by Zoom.    A rehearsal attended on Zoom will be credited to you (as long as you attend all of it!) when I’m deciding who is able to take part in a concert.

You can contact me – 604-790-2367, voice or text, or brigidatROCA@gmail.com at any time.  I will check messages before I leave – but I will not be doing so once I’m headed out for rehearsal; any last-minute calls to your section-leaders, please.

 THE DREADED COVID STUFF...

 

I have every sympathy with those who are experiencing mask fatigue, but for the time being at least, I need to you be prepared to mask for the 2-hours-minus of ROCA rehearsal – even if you don’t wear a mask at all the rest of the week. This thing has not gone away, though those of us who have done our vaccinations and have still had “the bug” have found that we’ve mostly dealt better with it than we had feared. We have every hope that the new anti-Omicron vaccinations will improve the odds.

That being said, I think there are very few of us who don’t know someone who’s been sick with it. And for those who are fit and healthy it may not be more than a week or two of discomfort. But for the older ones among us, or those who are immune-compromised, or fearful, it’s still a concern.  And the science hasn’t changed – the act of singing pushes out more aerosols than simply talking.

So I am backing up what the Safety Committee have said – for the immediate future, we mask for rehearsals.  We may, with RAT tests, have the possibility of making future concerts mask-optional. But I want to hold with our self-naming as a COMMUNITY Chorus and care for each other with the decision to put a mask on for two hours.

I would also ask you to be careful about what sort of mask you wear for singing. The ideal one is a well-fitting (no gaps at the edges) three-layer mask with at least one layer of non-woven polypropylene. Because everyone’s face is different, you may do better with a flat mask, or a home-made singers mask (with more depth) or a commercial mask, even an N95 – I won’t tell you what pattern to wear. But 3-layer with NWPP, please.

And I need to remind you that I am putting my health in your hands – you have requested that I NOT mask so that you can see and hear me clearly; with 50 singers pushing out aerosols in my direction, I appreciate knowing that I am as safe as you can make me.

For the other COVID mitigations

·        there will be sanitizer available – please use!

·        We are blessed to be in Fraserview, with good space. However, they don’t have up-to-date air-exchange systems, so we will continue to distance as practical.  Please take responsibility for having doors open.
I will probably not do the seating labels this year, and trust you to leave space between you and the folks around you.

·        We will take a decent break, and people are encouraged to go outside and unmask as needed.

I’m excited about this season’s program – some things we’ve done before and loved, some new things – and I really hope we can get a full season of singing this time, with no COVID shut-downs, and share our music again with each other and the Richmond community.

 

Registrations are coming in – please make sure you are registered before the first rehearsal.

Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday 13 September!

 

Brigid

From James: Nov 5/6 Concert

From James re: Nov. 5/6 concert:

So this is what I have come up with for the first half:

God Save the King

The Last Post and Reveille

O Canada

Beethoven Symphony #3, 2nd movement - Funeral March - 13 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4l8ah2Rvm0&ab_channel=DWClassicalMusic

https://imslp.org/wiki/Symphony_No.3%2C_Op.55_(Beethoven%2C_Ludwig_van)

Sibelius In Memoriam Op.59 - 8 minutes (there are both very slow recordings and an 8 minute recording which I like much better)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPDExsPq1NU&ab_channel=symphony7526

https://imslp.org/wiki/In_memoriam%2C_Op.59_(Sibelius%2C_Jean)

Butterworth Banks of Green Willow - 6 minutes (English composer who died in WW1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFgDOBpx160&ab_channel=BartjeBartmans

https://imslp.org/wiki/The_Banks_of_Green_Willow_(Butterworth%2C_George)

Walch (Beethoven) Funeral March 1 (Winds and Brass only) - 4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=312YOC_-Quc&ab_channel=LiberincLtd.

https://imslp.org/wiki/Funeral_March_No.1_(Walch%2C_Johann_Heinrich)

Elgar Nimrod - 4 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik0VaT5iXPY&ab_channel=EnglishSymphonyOrchestra

https://imslp.org/wiki/Variations_on_an_Original_Theme_%27Enigma%27%2C_Op.36_(Elgar%2C_Edward)

***Intermission***

Faure Requiem

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