[musictlk] choir question

Thu May 8 04:16:36 UTC 2014

I always put the measure numbers in my music, and copied by page and 
staff. I had no trouble finding the place then.

At 10:12 AM 5/7/2014, you wrote:
>Hi Kelsey and all,
>
>Interesting discussion.  I will try not to write a novel on this topic
>as I have a lot of experience with various choir situations!  :)
>
>I am interested to hear how many of you use assistance from others for
>tempo changes and other cues.  I have never done this.  I think once I
>did, but it was a smaller ensemble situation.  I have found that if
>you listen to the people behind and next to you, you can hear these
>things.  Listen to their breathing, their anticipation, and use the
>first rehearsals to get used to tempo changes.  Learn to feel them in
>your bodies as you blend with others, and they will come naturally.
>You may not be perfect at first, especially if you are working with a
>particularly difficult piece or a new director, but if you get used to
>how your director does things, then you'll begin to feel music the way
>he does.  Random tempo changes may be difficult, but they're difficult
>for everyone.  If there is something you have trouble with, the people
>around you could help.
>
>It might be good to remind the director that if he puts a rehearsal
>order up on the board to always speak it out loud.  That way you can
>arrange your music accordingly or keep the order in mind as you
>rehearse.  Do you keep your music in a binder?  I found that to be the
>easiest for me to flip through it quickly.  The most I ever needed
>assistance from others was with knowing where we were in a piece,
>since I didn't have measure numbers in my Braille at the time.
>
>Please don't think I'm discouraging you from asking those around you
>if you need it.  I think it's a great way to gain information, but
>know that it's not the only way.  You can use your ears and your sense
>of rhythm and intuition to sing successfully as well in a choir
>situation.
>
>A note about risors and blind people: if you use a music stand, being
>on the top row of the risors may not be ideal.  Also, if you use a
>music stand, be sure to have a system in place so that getting it
>before concerts isn't more difficult than it needs to be.  I struggled
>with that a lot, since my director would forget, refused to let me
>handle my own music stand, and then wanted me to rely on others to
>find it for me.  Eventually, I came up with my own system.
>
>My choir director at my undergrad was a bit different.  Not only did
>he make me go to the top of the risors, but he wouldn't let me when I
>asked to go back to the front row.  I asked him because with the music
>stand, it was difficult to easily use it without it getting in the
>others' way.  When he said no, I accepted that but asked him that if
>in class rehearsals I could remain in the front row because I had a
>guide dog at the time, and I really didn't want to subject her to the
>top row of the risors.  He said for some rehearsals this was fine,
>which was unhelpful for planning purposes.  Let's just say I had a
>really brave guide dog.  :)  She climbed up there and laid herself on
>the top of the risors like a boss.  Oh, and I am barely over five feet
>tall, so I have rarely sung at the top of the risors before.  I have
>to say I am not a fan.  A lot of my listening intuition abilities were
>gone up there, and I found myself coming in at wrong places and being
>unable to blend well, which defeated the purpose of him putting me
>there in the first place.
>
>Anyway, I wish you luck in your choirs everyone.
>
>On 5/6/14, Ixchel, Jackie <starsandhearts2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Josh and Linda,
> > Thank you for the help.
> > Jackie
> >
> > On 5/6/14, Kelsey Nicolay <piano.girl0299 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Hi Jackie,
> >> Please write me offlist.  I think I can help you.  My email
> >> address is piano.girl0299 at gmail.com
> >> Thanks,
> >>
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>
>--
>Julie McG
>National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
>Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
>Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
>and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
>"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
>everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
>life."
>John 3:16
>
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